TANSTAAFL « Tactical Fanboy

Author Archive

Vehicle Counterambush: Fighting Drill for the Zombiepocalypse

Thursday, November 3rd, 2011

Training for the worst case scenario…that’s the way to prevail. Not just to survive (which obviously is important) but to win. Rob Pincus is a longtime firearms and tactics trainer many of you might be familiar with. He’s the host of SWAT Magazine TV, a prolific writer, author of both Combat Focus Evolution 2010 and the Training Log Book and one of the busiest instructors we know of. He’s come up with quite a few drills some of our friends use on the range themselves, but this one may be the coolest one yet – and just in the nick of time. Everyone preparing for the impending zompiepocalypse, from Ohio cops to 5.11 Tactical, are undoubtedly relaxing now that Halloween is past. As though somehow the end of the world will happily coincide with a convenient undead-friendly holiday. Complacency kills, whether you’re a cop on the street, the gunner on top of an up-armored or the leader of a zombie eradication team.

Check out this drill, and if your rangemaster has a sense of humor try it yourself. Truth be told, you could probably make the argument that it simulates having to engage from inside a heavy, rioting crowd…but zombies are a more likely threat.

Posted in Training, Zombies | 1 Comment »

Live Battlefield Gameplay…not too shabby!

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011

Live action trailers and videos from first person shooters aren’t a new thing. They range in quality from really awesome to truly abysmal (though some of the latter are roughly equivalent to your average SyFy movie). Here’s one portraying Battlefield 3 from EGM Now (note that it was made before the game was released, apparently). Pretty good work for a home project filmed on a camera duct-taped to a bicycle helmet!

By the way, if you haven’t read it, the Mad Duo wrote a review of the BF3 campaign over on Under the Radar. Check it out.

Posted in As Seen On Youtube, Battlefield 3, Mad Duo, Morale, Video Games | No Comments »

Flying Humvees are coming, but aren’t a new idea

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) has been looking for something like a tactical “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” (to steal one writers description of it) for a long time now. It’s apparently actually in the works. Aviation Week recently just approved designs from AAI and Lockheed Martin to enter the second phase of the testing program which is (seriously) named the “Transformer Program”.

The goal is to have a diesel powered battlefield utility vehicle like the humvee able to lift and carry a squad of four personnel with their loadout. This may or may not be practical in the wide scheme, but it would sure make it easier to get up some of those shitty goat trails roads in Afghanistan than walking with everything on your back.

The idea of a flying vehicle is by no means new of course. It’s been the topic of design discussion for years and a standard trope in science fiction for just as long. We’ve seen them in everything from Bladerunner to the Jetsons. That doesn’t mean it won’t have some use of course, and in certain situation might be the transportation force multiplier needed. Some concerns arise…how do we qualify the driver/pilot? Will the Air Force complain, like they did about the UAVs? Will we have to add some sort of aerial vehicle acronym to METT-C to avoid traffic jams and midair collisions? Who knows. One things for certain. If they do get to the field, and the infantry gets hold of them it’s going to make for all new kinds of entertaining once they get bored.

Read the rest of the story over at Techland.

Posted in Military, Rumors, Vehicles | No Comments »

Stay in the Fight: Covert Prep for the Zombiepocalypse?

Monday, October 31st, 2011

Soldier Systems Daily just ran an article about SGM (Ret) Kyle Lamb’s new book Stay in the Fight (a handgun oriented sequel to Green Eyes Black Rifles). It’s a great read, good for shooters over every background and skill level, and the author is definitely someone who can opine with authority about pretty much anything he wants when it comes to tactics, doorkickery and shooting. After all, this is a man who ran with Special Forces teams from Mogadishu to Mosul and everywhere in between. If you’ve never watched any of his Viking Tactics training videos, you really need to.

However, Tactical Fanboy has been doing some undercover, secret squirrel type investigative digging, and it appears, on the surface at least, the author may have had an ulterior motive in mind…perhaps he was privy to classified documents or real-time intel the rest of us weren’t allowed to see, but it may just be that SGM (Ret) Lamb was trying to get the country ready to fight in the zombiepocalypse.

Yes, the zombiepocalypse. Silly Halloween conspiracy theory? Possibly. Look at this picture then, captured from an unknown operator’s helmet cam:

SGM (Ret) Lamb, author of STAY IN THE FIGHT and GREEN EYES BLACK RIFLES conducting risky live fire training vs. the walking dead...you'll fight like you train.

Still think it’s hokum? What about the news from a few months back that Dan Costa was stepping down as CEO of 5.11 Tactical, allegedly to work on his various charitable endeavors (especially one for at risk youth)? Perhaps he wasn’t stepping aside for that at all. PERHAPS he needed to focus all his attention on preparing some sort of zombiepocalyptic survival redoubt for his family and those of his employees?

Still dubious? Check out this picture, snapped by one of our eeeee-light team of tactical bloggers:

Kyle Lamb and Dave Rhoden Surrounded...Publicity stunt for Halloween or Prepping for the Zombiepocalyptic End Times? You be the judge.

Now, unless we’re way off our mark, that’s SGM Lamb and one of his cronies, a 5.11 Tactical guy named Dave R. (we’ll hold his last name in confidence until we can confirm the authenticity of the photo). As you can see, SGM Lamb is jocked up for a fight and Dave appears to be drawing a side-arm. The idea that the author would bring Dave along on a training or even operational mission isn’t that far-fetched. Dave has some tactical background, is a good shooter, is fit and renowned for his hearing (makes him a great scout). He’s actually an honorary Lance Corporal in the nation of Val Verde, where he once spent a summer lost in the jungle until rescued by none other than Col. John Matrix. He may or may not have once operated as a private contractor in Vulgaria. Speculation is discouraged and all official records have been buried.

Plus, if SGM Lamb got in a tight spot, he could always just kneecap him. It’s just effective use of distraction tactics.

We’ll report more on this story as we get further intelligence. In the meantime, check out the books and the videos. It’s worth your time.

Happy Halloween.

Posted in As Seen On Youtube, Training, WTF?, Zombies | 3 Comments »

Action Figure Therapy Comedy Tour

Sunday, October 30th, 2011

Looks like Ranger Up Military and MMA Apparel is going to sponsor an Action Figure Therapy military base comedy tour (CONUS). If you have a good point of contact for you base, so they can start making arrangements, e-mail them to tour@actionfiguretherapy.com. As you may have read, AFT recently added a new Marine to their roster and have been having trouble getting the USO to let them tour. Lend them your support (just remember, the language in their videos is by no means safe for work).

If you haven’t ever watched an Action Figure Therapy video, you should do so immediately. Like ’em on Facebook and tell ’em Tactical Fanboy’s eee-light team of fightin’ tac-bloggers sent ya.

It’s looks like Ranger Up Military and MMA Apparel is going to sponsor an Action Figure Therapy military base standup comedy tour. If have a good point of contact for your base please email the info to tour@actionfiguretherapy.com. Thanks.

Posted in As Seen On Youtube, Rantgasm | 1 Comment »

Weapon Safety: Your Trigger Finger

Sunday, October 30th, 2011

Trigger finger…it’s pretty damn important, as TFB readers prob’ly know. Not talking about tenosynovitis, though that probably sucks to have. One of the most famous cinematic examples of the proper employment of your primary safety (and make no mistake, your trigger finger IS your primary safety, along with properly trained muscle memory) was that scene in Blackhawk Down where Hoot says “this is my safety” and wiggles his trigger finger.

Edit: as Kyle just pointed out, another great cinematic example of the importance of trigger finger was that poor kid in the car in ‘Pulp Fiction’.

It never ceases to amaze me how many people are unaware of this simple, fundamental rule. Hollywood spends millions of dollars on gear and special effects, but they can’t hire any local E-2 grunt to tell them to keep their damn finger out of the trigger guard.

Oh well. If we’re going to look at an example of someone illustrating what not to do, she might as well be smokin’ hawt.

Posted in Gun Pr0n, Morale, Training | 4 Comments »

Tac Girl of the Week: Brittney Makes Us Love April

Saturday, October 29th, 2011

We ran a little late on our Tac Girl of the Week this time around because our lovely trigger-pulling lady was on a black budget mission…you know the drill. We could tell you where she was, but we’d have to kill you.

INTREP, , BRITTNEY PALMER, APRIL TAC-GIRL (1 EA)

Bust: 34
Waist: 27
Hips: 34
Height: 5’7”

Approximate age? 22

Home town? The town of Davie

Favorite Rifle Accessory: Gemtech Halo Supressor

9mm, .45 or Other: 9mm

Cans or going loud? Cans!!!!!

Tactics: dynamic entry or deliberate search? Depends on the task.

Rough it in the field or Creature Comforts and Snivel Kit? Hmmm…hard one to pick, lol

Boy shorts, Thong, Cheeky or Go Commando? Depends on the day, time and place

Long-Term Professional Goal? I have so many! You have to stay ahead of the game.

Hunting, fishing, hiking, camping or hell no I’m staying indoors? Hunting, fishing, camping and mudding!!!!!!

Favorite sport/team? Hockey 😉

Favorite military or action movie? Taken

Military or Police in your family? Nope

What do you think is the best pogie bait? Beef jerky.

Favorite camouflage? None

Justice League, Avengers, X-Men, other or hell no I’m not a dork? Wonder Woman

Fixed Blade or Folder? Fixed blade

Website or Facebook URL? www.britpalmer.com

One of the guys from Frontline or History Channel with a cool voice is talking about you in a bio. What does he say?

Well today we have the pleasure of talking to Miss April; her real name is Brittney. She is a very country girl. She rides horses loves the out doors and doesn’t mind getting dirty at all. She is the kind of girl your mom would be proud of. In face, she is the perfect girl next door BUT she doesn’t mind being one of the guys. She is one of a kind a real BEAUTY!

Enter TGC-MA-12 code for $2.99 off on your calendar if you like Brittney!

Posted in Tac Girls, Tactical Babes | No Comments »

Battle for Liberty Begins Tomorrow

Friday, October 28th, 2011

MilSim Event has once again set up a hell of ride for those of you into shooting the hell out of each other. They’ve once again staged an operation in Liberty Village at Camp Gruber, Oklahoma (just a few minutes out of Muskogee; Camp Gruber has an awesome MOUT facility, the same one that used to host the Bold Lightning Urban Warfare School). There’s something like 30 structures there, some nice rat-infested sewers to clear and a five story hotel that’s damn near a platoon sized objective (well, depending on the OPFOR of course). A little trivia: Camp Gruber used to be home to several divisions, and during WWII it held several thousand POWs from Rommel’s Afrika Korps. Until a few years ago it was home to the DEA’s “Narc Assault” Air Assault/STABO school, then the National Homeland Security Training Center (thousands of police, fire and military ran through exercises there). At one time it actually had a small MOUT area set up below a huge, emtpy underground cistern that almost nobody knows is still there.

Anyway, we digress. This is from their website:

Milsimevent.com Presents
Battle for LIBERTY
Part 1, The Cookson Hills Raid
Camp Gruber – Gore, Ok
October 29th 2011

The Battle for LIBERTY Milsim Series at the MOUT sites in the Camp Gruber training facility is here. Part 1, The Cookson Hills Raid will be the first of 5 in this annual series. Part 1 will set the stage for how the series will be fought, it will introduce you to a new style of MOUT game mechanics along with all the Areas of Operation, refined milsim rule sets what the game will demand from you, your squad, platoon and army…

Coalition forces will be deployed on a continuous 8 hour operation in an area of the Cookson hills where insurgency has more than set in. This is the breeding ground for the new wave in global terrorism. The mission has high known risks but the Brass needs a foothold in a town, codename MAC, just outside of the major urban area, codename CTF, where the insurgent populous has a strangle hold like no other in history. The CIA stays to the outskirts, never venturing in and the locals are scared to leave. There is no law and the rag tag local army is left alone unless they try to enforce laws. An entire SpecOp team went missing only a week earlier and now the Coalition forces will have to face the inevitable.

SCHEDULE:
October 29, SATURDAY
Gate Open 630am
Checkin 7am
Chrono 730am
Briefing 8am
Game on at 9am
Game off at 5 pm
Raffle at 530pm
MOUT Cleanup 6pm
Gate Closes 730pm

TEAMS:*
Coalition Forces:
Quick Reaction Force – QRF: DCU 3 color Desert
Expeditionary Force – EF: Tan Flightsuit
International Force – IF: Desert DPM, Tiger or Fleck
Plain Tan or Matching Camo covers on Helmets
(Entire Squad must match camo pattern & Headgear)
90 slots

Transitional National Army:
Transitional National Army – TNA: Woodland Only
Green Hats or Helmets
(Missmatching of headgear is OK)
40 slots

Insurgent Forces:
Nationalist Faction – Non Camo
Seperatist Faction – Non Camo
Non Camo = Non contractor, NON HSLD looks. Black clothes and Jeans preferred
No Helmets, A Shemagh Cover will be provided by MSE
(No matching or wearing of like team uniforms)
80 slots

CIA:
CIA Combat Operatives
Coyote pants, Black TRU top, Black Helmet
10 (Application Only)

Range Control:
CIA ADMIN & OKARNG
Coyote pants, Black top, RED Plate Carrier, RED hat for MSE Staff
ACU or Multicam for OKARNG

Uniform Note:
This is an active United States Military base that trains all service branches. Absolutely no ACU, Multicam and USMC MARPAT in Desert or Woodland. These are considered garrison and active duty uniforms and will not be worn by any milsim player during this event. Please honor our service men and women by complying. MSE and OKARNG has the right to refuse any player not in compliance.
*Strict uniform, hat, ammo, age, equipment and eyepro requirements apply to all players that enlist. Please read and Understand the requirements and standards that MSE set specific to each team and the overall game. Any color gear is allowed, no restrictions.

ENLISTMENT:
Enlistment OPENS September 23rd at NOON.
Enlistment CLOSES October 1st at NOON.
You have a two week window to enlist, first come first served. Payment with enlistment is the ONLY way to secure a slot. 225 Slot Cap. The slots will sell out quickly, be prepared to enlist on the 23rd.

THIS LINK WILL OPEN AT NOON on September 23rd

Standard Enlistment Fee:
$55 via Paypal, Link will open on September 23rd.

Range Rules:
US Army Rules and Regulations that MUST be followed:
No foreign Nationals
18 years + (Minors 13 to 17 years old require pre-approval)
Biodegradable BB’s Only. This is Mandatory.
NO HICAP or Winding Magazines. This is a Low or Midcap event.
Must have ID to enter the gate, State or federal issued ID; Drivers License, Passport, etc
Must be willing to submit SS for verification or background check if requested at anytime.
Littering is Prohibited, field strip all butts and pocket any trash you may generate or encounter in the AO.
No Fires or BBQ’s
This is a Federal Facility and we are guests, please act with respect and honor.

Bring:
Proper uniform, this is the OP where you will be asked to leave and come back only when you have fixed the issue. Not joking, milsim means looking the part.
Everything you need for a 8 hour continuous; Lunch, water, snacks…Nothing will be provided onsite. Real Restrooms are available on the MOUT facility. BIO BB’s

Parking:
No POV’s in the AO or MOUT Training Facility. All POV’s and passes will be approved through Range Control that morning. Parking will be as close as .5mi from the training facility. No tents, canopys are OK.

SWAG:
Custom Patch, Map and a raffle ticket for a modest raffle
A Specific Color pattern Shemagh will be provided to you if you are on the Insurgent side and is mandatory to wear in game.

AGE:
Under 18 with approvals. Ages 13 through 17 require special conditions to be met and written permission from the MSE Staff. MSE Welcomes and encourages the Father Son Battle Buddy System. Reference this link. CLICKY HERE We request that all minors apply.

AMENITIES:
United States Military Traning Facility with MOUT CTF, MOUT MAC, Land Nav200. Parking and Latrines on site

We here at MSE can’t be more excited about this new series and unfortunately all other MOUT experiences will be no match. You, the milsim player have a choice. We know you demand and expect more from a milsim game. We aim to provide you the Finest MILSIMs in the world with the Oklahoma Invasion series and now the Battle for LIBERTY series. Together we will push the limits of Milsim Operations on Urban Terrain setting the bar once again for our passion, our sport, our life…

We invite you to http://www.milsimevent.com/forums/ for the latest, updated daily information and banter. *You must be a registered member of our forum to participate in posting, thanks for your understanding.*

More information to follow; Recon pictures of MOUT Sites, Maps, Aerial photos and more…

Tags: MilSim
Posted in Airsoft, MilSim, Training | No Comments »

Legos for Grunts

Friday, October 28th, 2011

Here’s something just about anyone will have fun playing with it. Whether you need to occasionally change the interior layout of a training area to meet different instructional objectives or you just want to have the coolest, most bad ass back yard fort in the whole neighborhood, Combat Training Aids’ TacBlox are gonna be just your speed.

Theoretically you could use it as a faster way to build a target mock-up to do rehearsals before a mission, assuming you had time. Certainly more lifelike than a chalk or tape outline in a parking log, if not as quick to throw down.

Now, granted, they’re going to be somewhat more expensive than your average box of Legos, but they will certainly allow for some serious flexibility when you’re designing a threat area for room-clearing drills (or a very realistic MilSim battle). Essentially, they’re lightweight urethane foam versions of the ubiquitous cinder block (of which you’ve seen endless thousands, if you spent any time at all in a MOUT village).

They have full blocks, half blocks, and block caps so you can put together whatever sort of wall you want. As the manufacturers say, “Many situational training facilities offer separate buildings or permanent concrete maize to provide situational training scenarios. Unlike fixed wall training centers, TACBLOX™ walls provide unlimited floor to ceiling room configurations, increasing the trainers’ effectiveness…”

Oh, and if that isn’t cool enough, you can shoot them a lot before they wear out, without any ricochet issues. According to CTA, individual TACBLOX™ can take thousands of rounds shot through it before sacrificing its structural integrity.

Guess what’s going on my Christmas list?

Posted in Accessories, LEGO, Tools, Training | 1 Comment »

Covert & Disguised Weapons

Thursday, October 27th, 2011

ALCON: When we ran this post first thing this morning, we weren’t aware it originated at John Lindsay’s Don’t Even Reply. We’re happy to have been advised and you can bet we’ll now be frequent readers henceforth. Also, check out E-mails from an asshole.

ORIGINAL TEXT:

We got this as a forward from a very good friend who was one of the team that developed the 5.11 Tactical COVRT series, which we really like. (In fairness, he’s actually involved in almost all the tactical gear development and T&E at 5.11 Tactical…we must give him props for this. It’s a copy from a forum thread, apparently someone taking themselves just a little too seriously (or intentionally screwing with someone) and it’s just too damn funny not to share. Thanks for bringing it to our attention Big D, you’re all right (despite your ears and somewhat vacuous look!) 5.11 is lucky to have ya.

WARNING: Strong language. Be aware there is substantial profanity in this, particularly as the recipient of the e-mails grows increasing frustrated. If you don’t like the f-bomb or colorful invective offends you, skip this post and go someplace safer.

Disguised Weapons

Original ad:
**** Disguisable weapons wanted ****
Wanted: hidden blades, belt buckle knives, cane swords, etc…..
Offering: cash, items for barter

From Me to **********@***********.org:

Hey,

I saw your ad looking for concealable/disguised weapons. I have several fine-crafted items you may be interested in. Respond if you are interested and I will send you pictures and prices.

Thanks,

Mike

From Jeff ****** to Me:

I am. lets see what you got.

From Me to Jeff ******:

Jeff,

Here you go:

Looks like a normal spoon, right?

Wrong. It is actually a deadly 2.5″ half-smooth, half-serrated knife with tactical grip. One minute you are enjoying a bowl of cereal, and the next you are fighting off attackers with this deadly and disguised weapon.

I am asking $50 for the blade. Let me know if you want to stop by and take a look at it.

Mike

From Jeff ****** to Me:

that is stupid as hell and looks like crap. unless you have anything better to offer, dont waste my time.

From Me to Jeff ******:

Jeff,

I am sorry you feel that way about the spoon blade. I do have some other weapons that I think you will feel differently about.

Mike

From Jeff ****** to Me:

fine. but if it is another knife duct taped to a spoon then you can fuck off.

From Me to Jeff ******:

Jeff,

Thank you for re-considering. Here are three quality disguised weapons that I think you will love:

At first glance, this looks like a normal party cup. However, if you look close enough, you will see that it is really a fully automatic Glock 18C. You will be able to pour your enemies a nice warm cup of lead with this fine purchase. Asking $900 for the gun/cup combo.

Still thirsty for justice? Try this badass M16A2 disguised as a 24-pack of soda. The box has two finely crafted holes on each side to allow for any kind of optics (not included) that you wish to attach. This weapon is only for sale if you have a Class III permit.

This cleverly disguised weapon may look like a tissue box, but is actually a Benelli M3 12 gauge shotgun disguised as a tissue box. The ultra-soft quilted tissues serve as a comfortable grip on the pump-action shotgun. Also, if you find yourself sneezing during the heat of combat, you will have a handy tissue box ready for action. Asking $1500 for the weapon. Additional tissue boxes are an extra $5 per box.

Let me know if you want any of these items.

Thanks,

Mike

From Jeff ****** to Me:

youre a fucking dumbass, shitbrained, asswipe, retarded dipshit. you prob walk around with that shit too you dumb mother fucker. I hope you get hit by a car. fuck off, eat shit, and die.

Posted in Accessories, Gear, Knives, Morale, NSFW, WTF? | 9 Comments »

The Philosophy of the Walking Dead

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

Not sure where that came from…if you know who drew it/thought it up, let us know and we’ll give credit where it is due.

Posted in Zombies | 1 Comment »

The Art of War (vs. the living AND the dead)

Tuesday, October 25th, 2011

Zombie Squad: Preparing the Populace for Destruction (not TFB's spelling, by the way).

Disclaimer: TFB is concerned with the propagation of zombie rhetoric and the ever increasing frequency of self-proclaimed zombie experts and zombie-fighting pundits. These self-proclaimed experts are publishing zombie defense manuals and video of undead suppression techniques of very dubious technical accuracy. The authors or alleged Subject Matter Experts frequently have no real operational experience. True, boots on the ground, real lessons-learned zombie fighting tactics by guys who’ve been there, done that, are hard to find. There are a few out there (JL Bourne, Robert Kirkman and certain classified elements of the Zombie Squad), but not enough. Fewer still are those who will offer insight on the ‘big picture’ necessities of preparing for the zombiepocalypse. Sure, you can clear the house of the walking dead. Can you plan the campaign that will clear them out of your entire town? What about all of western Missouri? (If nothing else, push them out west and let Kansas deal with them.) Amateurs talk tactics…professionals talk strategy and logistics.

So, if you’re serious about the art and science of warfighting, you should absolutely be familiar with Sun Tzu. (One would hope that name need go unexplained.) You should also have at least a passing knowledge of the substantially less existential Clausewitz and the martial aspects of the frequently self-righteous (and pedantic) Machiavelli. Doesn’t mean you have to agree with everything they say (for instance, you may think a lot of The Prince is bombastic) but it’s worth studying. Just like you should read about Gustavus Adolphus and Von Moltke.

So, anyway, you can get copies of the book in a number of places (including on line). Alternately, if you’re one of those who only read when you’re perched atop a porcelain throne, you can watch the video series Art of War.

Don’t get too worked up about the theatrics and contrived cool-guy serious voice…it’s a tv show, they have to sell advertisements, and remember to keep it all in context and perspective. If you don’t know have a clue what a Condottiere is, you may not grasp everything old Niccolò is trying to say, and if you don’t have at least some appreciation for Taoist spiritualism, you might not appreciate Sun Tzu…then again, that might just be the perfect reason to watch instead of read.

Especially if you can park your laptop in the bathroom.

Posted in Military, Survival, Training, Zombies | 1 Comment »

Spartan Imports Advises SCARs are in Stock

Monday, October 24th, 2011

Spartan Imports is advising us that VGC Licensed FN SCAR AEGs are now in stock. They’ve been around for a long time and not only have their fingers on the pulse of what goes on in the airsoft world, they are strong supporters and proponents of airsoft use in military and LE training. (We know this because one of your humble team of TFB fightin’ bloggers actually spent a very long week training with a couple of the Spartan boys and a number of LE/military personnel at a tactical school in Kansas City a couple years back). Anyway, see below for the latest update from them.

VFC FN SCAR-L MK16 AEG TAN [200923]
VFC FN SCAR-L MK16 AEG BLACK [200922]

VFC FN SCAR-H CQC MK17 AEG TAN [200925]
VFC FN SCAR-H CQC MK17 AEG BLACK [200924]

VFC FN SCAR SSR AEG TAN [200926]
VFC FN SCAR SSR AEG BLACK [20911]

Key Features:
CNC 8mm Gearbox
8mm steel bushings
Ball bearing spring guide
30000rpm high speed motor
Functional bolt catch
400fps with 0.20g BBs

VFC FN MK13 MOD0 EGLM LAUNCHERS NOW IN STOCK.

VFC FN MK13 MOD0 EGLM LAUNCHER TAN [200998]
VFC FN MK13 MOD0 EGLM LAUNCHER BLACK [200999]

EXTRA VFC SCAR-H MAGAZINES ARE ALSO HERE, CHECK OUT SPARTAN IMPORTS .

Posted in Accessories, Airsoft, MilSim | No Comments »

Osprey WEAPONS and VANGUARD Books on Sale

Saturday, October 22nd, 2011

Until the end of October, Osprey publishing is offering 25% off their WEAPON books and VANGUARD titles (from the Osprey website), including the option to preorder books that aren’t even out yet.

About the WEAPONS Series: “In this new series Osprey Publishing looks at the most important, famous and infamous weapons throughout history. Using a combination of photography and classic Osprey artwork, this series examines the full story of each weapon, beginning with its design and development, following through its operational history, and finally analyzing its impact on warfare and violence.”

New Vanguard books include detailed looks at the ships of the Anglo-Dutch Wars of 1652-74 to the LAV-25.

Tags: Books, Osprey, Vanguard
Posted in Books | 1 Comment »

First Cav Gets Its Dork On

Saturday, October 22nd, 2011

Here’s what COB Adder looks from the outside on a bad day in 2009:

Here’s what it looks like on the inside, on a good day, when some of the Americans start getting their dork on:

Let’s be clear: no one is bagging on them for getting their dork on. WE get our dork on. We’ve been to the Inn of the Welcome Wench. We know our way around the Little Keep on the Borderlands, that Bree Yark isn’t nice and that you can’t trust Brian Van Hoose. That’s when we’re not trying to get the Leeroy Jenkins title, or collecting bottle cap currency.

It might be a little weird, being a junior enlisted man playing a role-playing game with a Captain as your “narrator” or “Dungeon Master” or “Game Master” (whatever), but hey – at least you’re slinging dice. Beats mind-numbing boredom (and getting shot at).

Frankly, we wish we could get in on a consistent game that played twice a week…though not enough to go back to the desert again.

Read the whole story of the First Cav and their fantasy gaming.

Tags: Military, Morale
Posted in Military, Morale | 2 Comments »

Airsoft Extreme Max AEGs

Friday, October 21st, 2011

Airsoft Extreme has put together a couple of their “AE Max AEGs” using Classic Army AR001 M-Xs and a number of different Magpul MOE parts…like a kit bash in 1/1 scale for MilSim. Check ’em out, if you’re into that stuff. Some of you eeee-light team of tactical bloggers here didn’t used to be, until we attended an extremely arduous SWAT school and saw what an excellent training tool they can be. That put an end to the close-minded mockery of MilSim “wannabes” (well, most of it…sometimes it’s just too tempting not to make fun of the guys who take themselves too seriously). It was just a short jump from there to doing it recreationally.

AE Max CA MOE Midlength Carbine (Tan)

[AR001M-X] CA M15A4 X Series – $275.00
[MPTS020DE] Magpul PTS MOE MIAD Grip DE – $25.99
[MPTS064DE] Magpul PTS MOE Midlength Handguard DE – $38.99
[MPTS021DE] Magpul PTS MOE CTR Stock DE – $59.99
[MPTS043DE] Magpul PTS PMAG M-Ver 120rd midcap DE – $21.99
[MTU012] UTG PRO Model 4/15 Quad Rail Gas Block – $29.99

[RTR30T] AMP Special Forces red dot – $68.99
Manufacturer	Type	Battery Type
Classic Army	AEG	Mini, custom LiPo or Nunchuck
Motor	Fire Modes	Avg FPS
CA High Power	Semi/Full Auto	380-390

Part #: AEMAXMIDMOETAN
Manufactured by: AE Max Guns

AE Max CA MOE Midlength Carbine FOL

[AR001M-X] CA M15A4 X Series – $275.00 [MPTS020FOL] Magpul PTS MOE MIAD Grip FOL – $25.99 [MPTS064FOL] Magpul PTS MOE Midlength Handguard FOL – $38.99 [MPTS021FOL] Magpul PTS MOE CTR Stock FOL – $59.99 [MPTS043FOL] Magpul PTS PMAG M-Ver 120rd midcap FOL – $21.99 (Pictured with a black one) [MTU012] UTG PRO Model 4/15 Quad Rail Gas Block – $29.99 [MPTS027FSFG] Magpul PTS MBUS (Back Up Sight) Front Sight FOL – $39.99 [MPTS027RSFG] Magpul PTS MBUS (Back Up Sight) Rear Sight FOL – $57.99
Manufacturer	Type	Battery Type
Classic Army	AEG	Mini, custom LiPo or Nunchuck
Motor	Fire Modes	Avg FPS
CA High Power	Semi/Full Auto	380-390

Part #: AEMAXMIDMOEFOL
Manufactured by: AE Max Guns

Watch for more MilSim news next week…we’ve got some awesome footage of a MilSim Event operation in Oklahoma that involved a beach landing, a whole island in the middle of a lake and a bunch of prior service shooters teaching tactics. Good stuff.

Tags: MilSim, MilSim Event
Posted in Airsoft, MilSim | 2 Comments »

New BF 3 Trailer: Promises of Great Carnage

Friday, October 21st, 2011

There’s a new Battlefield 3 trailer out. It’s…majestic. Honestly, it’s going to be hard to decide between BF3 and MW3. It may just be best to love them both. Lot of pretty cool scenes in this. Our Riverine and VBSS friends are going to like what they see around the 49-50 second mark! SA-weet!

Look at about 37.5 seconds in. Is it just us, or does it look like you can give the grunts on the ground a shave with those rotors? Nice!

Tags: Video Games
Posted in As Seen On Youtube, Battlefield 3, Video Games | No Comments »

PEO Soldier Posts Some New Pics of Kit

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

PEO Soldier has posted some new pictures of kit over the last few days. We figured we’d share them with you.

Individual MCEP Goggles:

The Army Combat Pant (ACP) is a flame resistant pant designed for use in rugged combat environments. The ACP features a ruggedized, anti-abrasion coated seat panel, stronger twill fabric in the body of the pants, and stretch fabric at key stress points. The ACP has integrated, removable hard-shell knee pads with both horizontal and vertical points of adjustment built into the pants.

The flame-resistant (FR) Army Combat Shirt (ACS) is worn under the Soldier’s Interceptor Body Armor instead of the Army Combat Uniform or the Army Aircrew Combat Uniform jacket and standard-issue T-shirt, reducing bulk for Soldiers operating in extreme climates.

Tags: Army Combat Pants, Army Combat Shirt, MCEP goggles, PEO soldier, tactical goggles
Posted in Clothing, Gear | No Comments »

10 Technologies for Future Wars

Thursday, October 20th, 2011

Not Haldeman’s Forever War (which you should read) or Randle/Cornett’s Seeds of War (which you might also like to read) nor even Robert Frezza’s A Small Colonial War, which is a damn military science fiction masterpiece and ought to be read by anyone whose studied Rhodesian or Israeli counter-insurgency…no, this is technology necessary for future war as defined by National Defense Magazine. They include:

1. Faster, Safer, Quieter Helicopters

2. Weapons that don’t kill

3. Inventions that Lighten the Soldier’s Load

4. Ultra-light Super Survival Dune-buggies

5. Unmanned Mini-Submarines

6. High-Speed, Bulletproof Power Boats

7. Anytime, Anywhere Communications

8. Robots That Think for Themselves

9. Cheap Liquid Fuel

10. Persistent Wide Area Surveillance

Read the entirety of the article over on National Defense Magazine. It’s pretty kewl.

Tags: Military, National Defense Magazine
Posted in Military | 2 Comments »

Support Zombies

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

Write your own caption for this. Gonna need one for the car window here though.

Posted in Zombies | 3 Comments »

Tac Girl of the Week: Erica Rocks March

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

Tac Girl of the Week: Erica Rei

Tac Girl of the Week Erica has the month of March in the Tac Girls calendar. You would not even for a moment believe she’s the mother of four to look at her…it’s much less difficult to believe she can rock and roll with a hot pink AR15. Note: for the next 7 days, enter coupon code TGC-MA-12 for 2.99 off your Tac Girl Calendar.

INTREP, FEBRUARY, ERIC REI TAC-GIRL (1 EA)

Bust: 34DD
Waist: 27
Hips: 36
Height: 5’2”

Approximate age? I’m legal!

Home town? Phoenix, AZ

Currently live? Phoenix, AZ

Your personal soundtrack…pick three songs, one to fight to, one to dance to, one to relax to:

1. One to fight to: Break Stuff, Limp Bizkit
2. One to dance to: Hips Don’t Lie, Shakira
One to relax to: Wicked Game, Chris Isaak

Favorite Rifle Accessory: MWG 90 Round AR15 Magazine

9mm, .45 or Other: .223

Cans or going loud? I want my target to know what is coming…BAM!

Tactics: dynamic entry or deliberate search? Dynamic Entry…you’ve got to catch your adversary off guard. Anything with speed and domination works forme.

Preferred Work-out or PT regimen? Lifting weights followed by HIIT for cardio

Rough it in the field or Creature Comforts and Snivel Kit? I like it rough, just not in the field! I’ll take the creature comforts and snivel kit!

Boy shorts, Thong, Cheeky or Go Commando? Cheeky, you’ve gotta leave a little to the imagination!

Long-Term Professional Goal? To kick all my competitors’ asses and continue to be #1.

Hunting, fishing, hiking, camping or hell no I’m staying indoors? Does watching a Bassmaster competition on ESPN count???

Favorite sport/team? Arizona State Football, fork the rest. Go Devils!

Favorite military or action movie? Behind Enemy Lines

Military or Police in your family? Both of my grandfathers were in WWII, one in the Navy as a journalist and the other in the Army Air Corps as a B17 pilot. He then later became a police officer.

What do you think is the best pogie bait? Movie theater popcorn with butter.

Favorite camouflage? My foundation of course!

Justice League, Avengers, X-Men, other or hell no I’m not a dork? Who wouldn’t want to be Emma Frost?

Favorite First Person Shooter Game? Call of Duty, and I hate those damn campers!

Fixed Blade or Folder? An Aviator’s Survival Knife, but I won’t be taking a knife to a gunfight!

Website or Facebook URL? https://www.facebook.com/ercrosby

One of the guys from Frontline or History Channel with a cool voice is talking about you in a bio. What does he say?

Who is tougher then a tank, faster than an F-16 and will blow you away like a .50 cal, Erica Crosby that’s who! This mother of four does it all she models, owns a successful gun safe business, runs a busy household and volunteers her time. Pink is an understatement when it comes to Erica; not only does she have a hot pink AR-15 but has matching hot pink Hello Kitty ammo cans. She enjoys working out and (of course) shopping. You can find Erica at Safe City in Mesa, AZ or at any Phoenix area Gun Show.

Tags: HBL Productions, Tac Girl of the Week, Tactical Babes
Posted in Tac Girls, Tactical Babes | 2 Comments »

Short Bus Door Gunner

Tuesday, October 18th, 2011

High Speed Gear Inc. has a new morale patch out that will no doubt strike a chord with some folks – one has to wonder whether it will be more popular as a morale patch bought for themselves or purchased as a gift to reflect someone’s esteem for that short bus doorgunner every platoon, team or unit has. As HSGI says, Everyone knows a Short Bus Doorgunner. Available at HSGI for $5. One color only right now, but hopefully at some point we’ll see it in some more true camo color versions. Check out HSGI on Facebook.

Picture courtesy of NolaTac.com. Thanks fellas.

Tags: morale patch, short bus doorgunner
Posted in Morale | 5 Comments »

The Story Behind AFT’s New Gyrene

Monday, October 17th, 2011

As you may have already seen, the team at Action Figure Therapy have added a new character to their roster—at long last, a US Marine. One of the Soldier Systems-Tactical Fanboy eee-light writin’ unit of tactical bloggers caught up with Dan Bialek, the man behind AFT, and asked him for some details about the decision to add a gyrene to the mix. He told us there’d been calls for a Marine AFT character for a long time, that it was a foregone conclusion that they would add one…the question was how to do it.

“The decision for a Marine character took a lot of thought,” Dan said. “Obviously there was a lot of demand for it, and we try to listen to our fans, but we want to remain autonomous and not pander. That would ruin the series and we wouldn’t suit everybody anyway. We put two or three different posts up on Facebook…got between 150 to 300 responses at a time. [He laughs.] Some were constructive and some weren’t, some were printable and some weren’t.”

It might surprise a lot of AFT fans just how seriously the comedy team took the decision. It frequently does surprise people once they learn how much time goes into the AFT video process. Determining subject matter (frequently based on suggestions from their fans), writing the scripts, recording the audio, rerecording the audio if it doesn’t come out right… There is a lot to it. As simple, crude, at times brutally profane as the series is none of it is taken lightly, or written off-hand. They knew they had to get their jarhead right, because they’d only be introducing the new Marine once.

“We did a ton of research for the Marine charcter,” said Dan. “Watched a lot of documentaries, read a bunch, took everything everyone said or told us and took it all into consideration. We didn’t want to just throw together a hodge-podge of clichés, especially from a character from a branch of the service we’d never featured before.”

It was obvious Dan and his crew like the way the Marine’s personality and demeanor turned out.

“This character is always right, even if he knows he’s wrong. His ethos is that he’s always right…we wanted to reflect that attitude a lot of Marines seemed to express. They have this…it’s almost like they’re proud of living as hard and being treated as badly as they are…where they love the Corps but they know the Corps shits on them so f#*& the Corps but they love the Corps at the same time. It’s their Marine Corps.”

Watch the AFT video Semper Fidelis.

They must’ve done their research right, and their writing must’ve been more inspired than usual. The new AFT Marine video is on track to be their most popular video yet, and the ending is sublime.

“We were very proud of the ending…we thought it was clever and an accurate solution to the stereotype people expected. We didn’t want just that cliché. Jerry [Jerry, the voice of the Marine character] recorded the video one night and it was super funny, but I knew the voice wasn’t quite what it needed to be, so I called him and asked him to come back over and do the voice again meaner and louder. When he came back over he just sort of absorbed the character and we thought…people are going to like this character.”

Dan was right. A lot of people do like the Devil Dog and are standing by for his next diatribe. “Honest to God, dick blood and tears. Try it!”

If you’re interested, go over to AFT creator Dan Bialek’s Facebook page and download a free copy of his standup CD. Just click the “Free CD” tab on the left side of his page to get it. You should also watch their website and Facebook page for updates on seeing the AFT characters in person. They’re currently looking for CONUS bases (mostly in the southern California area, to start with) that might be open to letting them perform.

We’d like to thank Dan Bialek and his beloved, vitriolic cast for taking the time to talk to us and helping us reach us new heights in profanity.

“You don’t believe Marines are tough? We train our testicles to fist bump after every kill!”

Tags: Action Figure Therapy, Morale, Youtube
Posted in As Seen On Youtube, Morale | 9 Comments »

Up-Armored Knives: Epic camouflage

Sunday, October 16th, 2011

Up-Armored Knives. We’re going to have to have one. If you’re not actually in the field on a mission where someone is actually going to be shooting at you, you’re going to want to put a bright yellow or orange para-cord lanyard on one of this guy’s knives, because otherwise it’s gone if you set it down somewhere (or drop it – which why they put the ‘cord’ in ‘dummy-cord’, dummy). Will, the man behind up-armored is a detective and an SRT member for a Sheriff’s Department in New York and he is the Charlie Daniels of the airbrush (or the Rembrandt, you be the judge). Some of these knives he makes himself (check out the Menace) others are sent in for a custom “paint job”. Everything he does is in duracote, and everything is original. No two patterns are ever going to be the same. The Menace zombie-killer is our favorite, of course, but he has digital patterns that are suitable for woodland, desert, urban and other environments. Look at the website, and Like them on Facebook to be entered into the next prize drawing. Let them know Tactical Fanboy sent you.

Desert Night Ops: Skull eyes over the eyelets is sublime.

Custom Menace "Zombie Killer"

ZT "Desert Floor" Pattern: epic custom airbrush work.

Custom "Necker" with skull pattern

ACU Pattern skull helmet. Damn. If the knives are awesome...what is this?

Don’t forget…like them on Facebook, and mention you read about them here.

Posted in Camo, Knives, Zombies | 6 Comments »

Cover and Concealment

Saturday, October 15th, 2011

We’re not sure who started floating this picture around, and in fairness the guy with the gun is probably trying to pull the kid to safety…still funny though. Where do you suppose they are? We can’t get enough resolution to really read the patch nor get much of use from the breed of shotgun. Anyone have any ideas?

Posted in Morale | 4 Comments »