Fun Times at Levi's House

I went to Levi's house on Friday to spend the night and do some airsofting. And boy, did we do some airsofting! Unfortunately, 'twas too cold outside to airsoft there, but we managed to turn the garage into an airsofting zone fit for our needs. As you can see on the sidebar, I got FOUR kills! I did better than I thought I would; I got killed a few times too. I had a very fun time overall, and I'm glad that I went to Levi's. The only part that sucked was when Levi's gun broke (see the post about it below).

Update on P90 Stats

I was searching around on the Internet, P90's aren't made with full metal bodies, only ABS plastic. I'm going to get a new body from Echo 1's parts shop soon, I'm probably going to have to work off $30 because I only have $40. Ah well... These things happen, and it probably won't be the last time, but I sure hope this is the last time I break my P90. So much for me getting Lost planet 2 lol.

Check Out the Battery Post

I updated the post about batteries and airsoft. Lemme know if you have any other questions

Damn the AUG looks MEAN! When are you gonna get it?

Astrikk

WTF!?

I was airsofting today, and just my luck, my P90 fell and shattered on the concrete! It's kind of ok because only the body broke, I just need to buy a new body kit and I can put my gearbox and receiver back in.

This is it...A3

Tremble at the mighty weight of this "Destroyer". I may not be the best, or the fastest.... but DAMN I am going to look good getting shot. :-)

All about the Battery!

I want to pass along a bit of techie advice I've picked up along the way from other airsofters.

If you only understood the POWER of the Dark Side! Emphasis on the POWER!

Batteries are key components of your gun. More important than having many magazines, a cool red-dot scope or even (dare I say it!) LASERS!

I will break the info down into 5 distinct properties of the battery:

1. Voltage
2. Milliamps
3. Connectors and Chargers
4. NiCd, NiMH and LiPO
5. Overall pack design and construction

I will update this post with a greater description of each point (add pictures and other references) one at a time. But for right now, I gotta get back to work.

See Ya,
Astrikk

get website to order battery packs:

http://www.cheapbatterypacks.com/

nothing but great reviews for these people... I imagine small elves working in some dudes closet churning out magical battery packs (they are that good)

UPDATE on POINT #1

OK Boys and Germs! VOLTAGE!

At the level of our play, there are two voltage types of battery packs: 8.4V and 9.6V.

It's simple: 1.2V/cell; so if your pack has 7 cells (8.4V) or 8 cells (9.6V)

Voltage (current) = Power to turn your motor

Greater the Voltage = The Faster the motor turns.

The faster the motor turns = the Higher the Rate of Fire (ROF)

Be aware of motor heat, but generally not a problem with stock setups.

To a lesser point that we don't need to worry about as much:

The higher the Voltage = stronger spring you can use = Higher FPS; however, that is more controlled by the motor and gearbox configuration.

By simply using a 9.6V battery, you will avoid ALOT of problems that plague out-of-the-box guns; such as low ROF, quick battery discharge and "sticking pistons" in the gearbox.

If your gun just all-of-the-sudden dies with an 8.4V battery, just charge your battery and that will most likely solve the problem.

STOCK BATTERIES from China usually start to suck really quick! (green 8.4V in picture)

Ibought 2x 9.6V "nun-chuck" style packs from the website listed above (black packs in pic) to use in my AEGs. That brings me to:

UPDATE on POINT #5

Pack configurations:

In the broadest catergories: Small packs vs Large Packs

The type of gun you have (or modifications you are willing to do) will determine what pack to use. Both of the packs shown above are "Small" packs to fit in the front handgrip area.

I think Levi's E90 (as well as the AUG design) came with a 8.4V "Large" pack because they fit into the butt of the gun (more available space). I think the major difference between "Large and Small" packs is the upper limit on milliamp availability (~2200 mA for small and ~4500 mA for Large). More on mA later:

I'll used my 9.6V "small" nun-chuch packs in the butt-stock of a friends gun and blew away his "large" pack 8.4V battery. This may be a quick remedy to avoid serious alterations to an AUG and use a 9.6V pack... just use a "small" configuration.

I could go on and on about the different cell configurations but there are alot of diagrams of each possible type on the "Custom build your own pack" portion of the wesite listed above. Some guns use "straight" packs (AK-47), some use "brick" packs (P90), nun'chucks...ect ect

UPDATE on POINT #2

Milliamps: it's so simple a caveman can figure it out!

The Higher the Milliamps = Greater the Storage capacity

The Greater the Storage = The More shooting between Charges (but takes longer to charge)

Enough said on mA but a quick note on battery chargers:

The wall charger that comes with your gun will KILL your battery eventually. If you are going to buy a better battery, you need a better charger to get the most out of it.

ShortyUSA carries a "universal smart charger" that will charge whatever you get and (most importantly) will detect when you are fully charged and automatically shut-off... thus not killing you battery. I bought one that's nicer (~$60) but comes with many more features to help you get the most out of your packs (I'm snobby when it comes to chargers - a hold-over from my R/C car racing days!) see pic above

The charging of the packs brings me to my next point:

UPDATE on Point #4

NiCD (Nickel Cadmium) = old technology

NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) = current technology

LiPO (Lithium Polymer) = newest technology

NiCD (Nickel Cadmium) = old technology

LiPO batteries require major internal upgrades... they will COOK yo' SHYT!

NiCD batteries will build up "memory" over time and reduce battery life, bt still work fine.

NiMH batteries have no "memory", have higher mA capacity, will run longer and are the same price.... you can guess my preference!

And Lastly:

UPDATE on Point #3

Connectors are the most inefficient part of your guns electrical system. Anything that affects the voltage of your system will reduce your RoF. There are three types of connectors that I am familiar wth:

Small "Tamiaya" (small green), Large "Tamiaya" (white) and "Dean's" pins (red)

The energy loss using Tamiaya connectors is pretty great (i don't have any values but it's pretty substantial). It's commonly thought that the Dean's pins are one of the best form of connector. You'll be able to tell the difference just by the feel (secure and strength) of the connection. A little soldering and your on your way!

Alright... that's about all I got on batteries. My recommendations:
9.6V NiMH ~2000mA pack that fits in your gun with dean's pins and a "smart" charger. You'll be all set!

Astrikk

One thing I'm not sure about: the different sizes of cells. The green pack has 2/3AP cells, the black pack has "AA" type cells and large packs use other cells... may wat to read alittle on that!

My First Airsoft Guns

I received my shipment from Shorty about two and a half weeks ago, and I was very pleased. I ordered a UTG M50 shotgun, which came with two 14-rd. clips, a sling, a cleaning rod and a UTG 140-rd. speed loader. My pistol (a Galaxy G.2) came with one 10-rd. clip; I also ordered 3,000 black, high-polished .2g BBs. I've been shooting my guns daily, and I'm becoming a great shot with them. I can't wait for my fist airsoft skirmish!

Just to Recap

-The meeting will be on Feb 20

Peyt, Fatjudo, Tricia, Jason, Astrikk, Joel, and Steven are allowed to come

-Patches will soon be made, we get 2 to start, if you want extras, then just pay an extra $3

-The team camo is Woodland (primary) and ACU (secondary)

-Keep a record of your "kills" so you can rank up

-A practice skirmish will be held this weekend (Friday, Saturday) all team members are welcome

-I got my P90 ammo pouches and a utility bag yesterday, I still have to wait for my vest because the airsoft carolina store forgot to change the vest status to out of stock

-Don't forget to upload some more skirmish and other airsoft related videos and pictures

I see some New York Zombies that need to be put outta their MISERY!

Thanks for all the Happy Birthday Wishes... I know this is the last one that will matter! When Baby Holl comes along, he's gonna get all the toys... like full-metal Grenade launchers and S.A.W.S.!

I got some new gear for my birthday:

The Green Chest rig (holds ~6 M4 mags, radio pouch and 2x utility pouches) was from Eda and the new ACU pistol leg holster was free from Dick's sporting goods with my Rewards card. I guess when you buy a shotgun there, you get alittle money back!

And of course, G-ma Sal got me my UTG MP5-A5 for Christmas/B-day. I upgraded the internals with steel bushings, metal spring-guide with bearings and a better stock motor. I rewired the battery pack to the rear of the gun so I can use a 9.6V pack that won't fit in the front handgrip.

That's about all for now... gotta run out to dinner with Eda!

Astrikk

Happy Birthday

I would like to say happy Birthday to Astrikk, one of our members (for those who didn't know). I hope his day went well. Happy birthday!

Ready for the sunshine

I know this post is a little late...but it is sooo worth it. We had a small get together to try and feel out a little bit of the tatctics and just to see if we really wanted to face that P90. Talk about a charmer....the only thing more menacing that the noise that came from that man eater...was the slicing noise of the ammo tearing through the air like a frozen rope twards the tender flesh lightly covered by your pair of jeans or light jacket. What I quickly realized was that the first plastic bullet didn't hurt, but the dozens that followed into the same location after the inital were the true cause of my "more than typical" torment. All in all the only way to combat this David vs. Goliath scenario is either snow suits in July or pin point accuracy. I will keep you informed on which one works for me.

Till then here is a quick photo of just what we were up against

Fatjudochopp

A little help?

If you can't figure out how to make your own blogger profile, click on Create Blog, follow the prompts, then send me a text of your email so i can add you as a user.

Treasure

I have been in Vegas for a couple of days and Levi has taken some time to sit down with me while I am out here to help me decide on what little piece of treasure I might invest in. Here are the two that have caught my eye. If you have any info good or bad on these guns please feel free to fill us in before I go and make a purchase that I will regret. Also need some good info on a general purpose scope or fancy site. Happy Hunting

Ranking Revised

I calculated what it takes to be Elite with the current Ranking system. You would need 2,097,152KP to get that rank. So the Revised version is challenging but easier. To rank up you'd need 2KP to rank up again you'd need 2 more. This will continue for 4 rank-ups. Then for the next 4 rank-ups, you'd need 4KP to rank up, then 6, 8, so on so forth. To Become Elite you'd need 148KP. Much easier, eh? I also listed the required KP to rank up next to the rank name.

Website Update

No comments will be allowed from non-teammates for spam purposes. Astrikk, Uncle Joel, and Fatjudo, create a blogger account and then text me your email by phone, so I can add you as a member of this site. For all non-members, Jason and I will make a guest site for any questions and comments on our team, Pivot or something airsoft related. We will be happy to answer any questions. Spamming will be removed the second it's seen by one of the admins.

Notice to all teammates

If you missed something, I update this site almost everyday, be sure to scroll down and find out if you missed anything, it could be important.

The Ranking System

I don't have enough time to record a vid for this short explanation because airsoft player TV is showing a live webcast in 20 mins. For the ranking system, you go up a rank for two "kills" and then the next rank is double that. Recruits become a private second class after two "kills." Then to rank up again you need four. Then eight, so on so forth. I would like everyone to keep some kind of record on how many "kills" you got, so I may promote you. How ever if you shoot a teammate I will deduct one KP, or "kill" point, from your cumulative KP. This means that if you "kill" too many teammates, you will loose rank. You can view your rank on the side bar, we all will start at recruit. To gain KP you must "kill" a real airsofter, not a can. On the bar you will see the rank, your name, and how much KP you have.

Ex.

Recruit [insert name (1KP)]

UPDATE

From now on, I will be using my Mac computer to upload posts on the site.

If your internet has issues with videos, I will post a short summary at the bottom.

This is just me showing off my P90 AEG

Team Patch

The ETF logo that you see on the sidebar is our official team logo, and it will soon be a patch for your shoulder, tactical gear, clothing, ect. The exact date on when the patches will be made is unclear but, they will be made and distributed during the meeting after delivery. We will each get two patches, as Astrikk has pointed out, we need two colored uniforms (green and tan, camo optional, or replace tan with ACU.) The two camos is like getting a home and away team colors. These are decent sized patches, they are 7cm in diameter. If you want extra patches please give us an extra 3 dollars per extra patch (this is a discount). The original patch price is about 5 dollars, you may pay the full five dollars per patch if you want but as a teammate you get a discount. If a friend of yours wants one too, they must give you the full $5 per patch. ONLY TEAMMATES GET DISCOUNTS.

Ex.

if you wanted three extra patches you would pay

$3+$3+$3=$9

or you could pay the full price, which is $15

Please notify me ASAP if you want extras and what payment plan to choose.

The List

This is the list of airsofters that are welcome to the introduction:

Jason H.

Steven D.

Joel H.

Astrikk

Jud H.

Peyton H.

Tricia H.

Levi H. (me)

Being on this list also means that you are a part of this team. See you there!

Helpful, Personal Time, Training Ideas

If anyone on the team has Rainbow Six Vegas two or Modern Warfare two, set it to one hit kills on multiplayer and hook up with some friends and practice some ETF tactics on the NEWBZ!!! But, if you don't have an xbox or those games, set up some targets or cans and tin foil in your backyard and practice shooting them with out being in the open for more than three seconds. Pretend the targets are enemy airsofters and the three seconds is the time you have in the open before they shoot you. After each round, try reducing the time by one second and see how you fare, and reduce by a second again. Try to come up with more training ideas similar to these two and post post it as a comment, we might use it in the next meeting (the one after the intro).

Official Team Camo Finalized

I have finally made my decision on what our camo should be. I originally planed on Digital ACU camo, but I had a change of heart, because of where I live I decided we should use woodland camo, it's very useful in woodland areas like here in New York. ACU is too bright and grey-ish to be used in forest areas. Not to mention, it looks frikin sweet.

The Date is decided

On saturday February 20 is the day of the introduction. We will go over AEG's, the proper way to handle and keep them in good condition. I will also go over the proper safety needs, and what equipment is optional but extremely useful. There will also be bb types and gun add-ons, like scopes, sights, lasers, lights, ect. I will also go over basic game rules, types and RT's (roll types).
These are basic RT types; Recon, Soldier, Sniper, Support, Demo man/woman, Grenadier, ect. We will go over Mag types; Low, Mid, and High cap mags and their uses. We will also have some firing tests with springers, gas guns, and maybe AEG's like my P90. More information will be given out during the meeting. My guess, this will last a good three hours, maybe more.

Dates Narrowed Down

I don't know what's best for the team but the introduction dates are either on February 19th or the 20th. If you can't bring an Airsoft Gun, it's OK, i have a practice M4 spring rifle and a hollowed out Blue Tiger P90 so you can learn how to hold the guns and get an idea on how to use them. The only thing you need is a paintball mask, or safety glasses. Airsoft guns are not necessary this time. Ranks will be issued and the ranking system will be introduced too. Vote on the date that's best for you.

I'm Jason

Hello. I'm Jason; I'm a member of the Eastern Task Force airsoft team. I'm new to airsoft and I don't really have any experience yet. I don't have any guns yet, but I plan on making an order on shortyusa.com sometime during this week. I plan on developing my airsofting aptitude under the wing of Levi, who is a great airsofter. I'd like to thank Levi for allowing me to post on this blog too. Thanks, Levi!

Introduction soon

Sometime over February break there will be a team meeting for all new airsofters in my team. the official day will be released soon. Be sure to get your airsoft gear ready for February. The meeting will be held in my garage. We will go over the nessecities, proper safety gear, Airsoft Q and A, and rules of airsofting. TEAM MEMBERS ONLY!!! Others will be asked to leave, if they do not i will alert the police for trespassing, sorry if this sounds mean but i do not take tresspassers lightly.

E90 AEG

This is a picture from shortyusa.com of my Echo 1 E90 AEG with a 1500rd high cap box magazine. It has about 380fps, and 14 rounds per second! This little puppy packs a serious punch and is extremely accurate at medium to long ranges because of its bullpup design. Bullpup guns have the magazine feed the bullets or BB's behind the trigger allowing for a longer barrel within the gun.

ETF

This is the official website of the Eastern Task Force Airsoft team. There's about 7 or 8 of us. I, Levi, am the founder of this squad. I use an Echo 1 E90 AEG. On this website I will post pictures of our skirmishes and tournaments, and if possible, videos of the skirmishes and tournaments.