'Namsoft

[sogboy1968]

Howdy fellow airsofters.

For anyone who goes to the No Limits games in Taylor may know me as "the Vietnam guy"

Whenever I go to a rec game I almost always dress in a uniform and wear the gear of a soldier of the Vietnam war. I go as a US G.I. either early in the war from 1965 or during the mid-war period from 1968. I also portray a soldier of the NVA circa 1968. The kit I choose usually depends on the weather (US uniforms are slightly more thick and do better in colder weather while the NVA uniforms are the opposite). I carry an historically correct weapons depending on the side I am portraying. I usually carry an M16A1 from JG (Not one of those M16A2s that they put a triangular foregrip on to market it as an "A1") and a CYMA CO2 1911 for US while I carry an S&T PPSH-41 along with a Gletcher/Wingun TT-33 for NVA.

Anyway, I was just wondering what other people think of doing Vietnam themed airsoft and whether you would ever think of doing it too. The gear and weapons are really awesome and barely anyone does it.

Grant
(The 'Nam guy from Taylor)

[Gimpalong]

While I can't say that there's a very active community of specifically Vietnam era impressionists in Michigan, I will say that there is usually one or two Vietnam themed games a year. I know that Canto has put on a few VN themed events at Hole in Wall Paintball in Bangor. The same can be said for WWII era events. They pop up from time to time, but people actually playing the part gear-wise are pretty rare.

Personally, I'm a huge fan of historical loadouts and events.

[sogboy1968]

Yeah, I used to do WW2 airsoft with a small group that do one or two events a year but I got out of it when I became interested in Vietnam stuff. Do you have any dates or info for the Bangor events?

[Gimpalong]

I can't think of any previous Vietnam era games off of the top of my head, but if you browse the After Action Reports subforum you should be able to find some. I don't recall any VN era games from 2014, so you might have to go back a few years.

I know there are a few other folks on the boards who have done either VN, WWII or both. I had a pretty full 82nd Airborne loadout a few years ago, but I ended up selling it on because only a few other folks were really interested in that period.

[Canto]

Hey there SogBoy1968. How's it going amigo?

I've thrown a few Vietnam themed events in the past out at Hole in the Wall Paintball as previously mentioned. The were fun, but not the most popular events. Operation: Starlite and Operation: Ranch Hand if I recall correctly.

Personally I've always found Vietnam interesting, I actually use a Chicom for my airsoft gear. The fact that I'm asian also helps, makes it look more legit.

As also mentioned above I don't think there is a group of Vietnam airsofter's in Michigan per se.

[sogboy1968]

Thanks for the info. Is their any chance of a 'Nam event you'll be doing in the future and do you (Canto) have a Vietnam impression?

[Raptor]

Ill be building a 'Nam M14 rifleman kit here this winter.

[Canto]

I would like to do another Vietnam event, but like I said they tend to not be the most popular. Still considering it though...

As for a Vietnam impression, not sure if you would call it that or not. I have a full set of "Black Pajamas" meaning a baggy-informal looking set of black clothing complete with a rice hat and a full Tan Loadout for a NVA Impression down to the pith helmet.

[Guts and Glory]

Always pondered about VPA, just for the excuse of getting a type 56 and having a "tan" kit.

It is good to see folks dedicated to different era kits, even though it is often not easy to keep at it in the face of local conditions. At this point, I am just happy to see folks try something new, even if it isn't 100 percent accurate.


I remember once seeing someone in kit for a m14 many years ago that certainly seemed to be a veteran of the conflict, given his age and the particular hat he wore around lunchtime (veteran's association hat iirc). Wish I could remember the guy's name.

Canto, I never did get to see your kits.

[sogboy1968]

I'm glad there's st least some interest in Vietnam stuff. As for holding an event, if by some miracle one actually happened, I'd be really leaniant on the uniforms. For US I'd allow just green fatigues and ALICE gear along with an M16A1-A4 or even an M4 as a minimum because ALICE gear(although never used in Vietnam) and plain OD fatigues are very inexpensive and easy to come by.

On top of that I've got a fair amount of loaner gear and guns. Depending on what my impression is I have enough gear to outfit 4 extra NVA (I could probably outfit some VC too) and 2 extra US.

[Gunny87]

Nov 10, 2014 1:36:15 GMT -5 sogboy1968 said:

I'm glad there's st least some interest in Vietnam stuff. As for holding an event, if by some miracle one actually happened, I'd be really leaniant on the uniforms. For US I'd allow just green fatigues and ALICE gear along with an M16A1-A4 or even an M4 as a minimum because ALICE gear(although never used in Vietnam) and plain OD fatigues are very inexpensive and easy to come by.

Sadly, doing even that probably wouldn't pan out as most people have modern kits and most aren't willing to spend the money on a different kit that they may only use once unless it's a really large national event (i.e Hamburger Hill). To actually increase player turnout, you will have to open up the restrictions a bit.

[Gimpalong]

As it is many "normal" events are struggling to bring in players and placing kit restrictions is going to reduce the available number of players even further.

One thing that could be done is require VC players to wear black clothes and restrict them from wearing plate carriers and the like. It's easier to restrict players from using certain gear than to require them to buy entirely new sets of equipment.

[sogboy1968]

Come to think of it, an easier way would just give anybody interested pictures of US and NVA/VC uniforms and gear and have them get as close as they can with the stuff they already have.

[sogboy1968]

Here are some poor pictures I took in my backyard of my US and NVA impressions just to give you an idea on what the stuff looks like.

Here's US Army MACV circa 1967. The facial hair isn't accurate but I didn't want to shave my beard for one picture-



(I blinked in this one so it looks odd)









[/url


This is my NVA impression circa late 1968. I'm not sure what the facial hair regs were, but I think its still inaccurate.



I'm holding the RPG just for the picture. In reality, RPG gunners would wear no chest rig and just carry a special cylindrical backpack that held 2-4 rockets.