Why YOU should Get interested in World War II re-enacting

[Karsten Heidt]

As in everything, it depends on the group you're with. I've seen some other ww2 airsoft organizations and frankly they're garbage: piles of ugly postwar kit, ponytails sticking out of helmets, basically just a costumed piss-take. The Ontario crew has much higher standards of realism, in both equipment and behaviors. We do training events several times a year to learn period tactics and practices from period manuals. Some of us have passable German which we use to communicate when in action. Many of the most memorable moments at our events involve no shooting at all; making rations in a hole with a little hexamine cooker; digging in in the middle of the night where every shadow and echo in the woods is filled with menace; doing a formation and receiving a promotion document filled out in Sutterlinschrift and a Gefreiter's insignia. Honestly I enjoy the shooting bit the least, these days.

If you want typical Black Hawk Down Hooah highspeed escapist stuff, we're not for you. If you want a sensation of time travel, give us a go.

[Brian McIlmoyle]

Originally Posted by Jimski

can you please develop a bit if you have the time?
what is a typical day of successful wwII milsim?
what kind of action do you encounter, in what order, how are the radio comms, is it serious-serious or serious-jokingly, etc

1st, serious, yes at times and jokingly at others but every effort is to remain "in period" so even the jokes are of a WWII bent.. we try to remain "in Character" meaning we try to be a WWII era version of ourselves.

the German forces don't have Radio communications ( certainly they did in period but battlefield radios were in their infancy and frankly messengers were more reliable) We do have hard wired field phones that we use whenever practical. For example at WOODSMAN last year the Company headquarters was connected to the forward lines by field phone, these communications were key to deploying reinforcements. But of course yu have to patrol the lines or the partisans will cut them!

One significant difference to most airsoft games is that there are no breaks , no hanging out in the safe zone. no stopping for "hotdogs" Once we hit the field we are "in the battle" until the event is over , be that 4 or 48 hours. We may have rear areas that will not have any shooting going on but we are still "in the battle" We eat sleep, drink and smoke in the battle.

Last year at WOODSMAN we fed our forces hot rations on the field while enaged with the enemy.. literally relieving gunners so they could crawl back to the command trench and get their food.. we were serving it while "bullets" flew over our heads.

Here is the combat action report from our last event, our annual "battle of Foy" event held at FR- it si pretty much what happened during the day from the point of view of myself as Commanding officer of the German Kampfgruppe

Combat action Report: Advance on Foy.

Elements of 1./SS-Pz.Gren. Rgt 20 and 5./Fallschirm-Jäger Regiment 5 Occupied the Village of Foy

We were tasked to establish the Forward line of battle and commence a push through Foy.


Enemy Attacks started with snipers in the church picking off WAFFEN-SS and Fallschirmjäger forces occupying parts of Foy. As Commander of the Kampfgruppe I was hard pressed to keep my lines intact under constant harrying fire.

It was not until we pulled 2 MGs off the line and redeployed so that we could bring the Church under heavy fire that the fire subsided, we drove the enemy forces from the Church.

At this time we received word that the Company Signals group were unable to connect our position to the battalion communications network due to a shortage of wire, we would be forced to use messengers to the company HQ.

Shortly after we received this news, we received scout reports that a small contingent of Enemy forces had taken up positions in a bunker located on the outskirts of Foy. Clearly this force was put in place as a Rearguard to delay our advance through Foy, and enable the enemy to occupy new defensive positions, further hindering the advance.

I awaited orders from the Kompany, and decided that in the interim it was a good time for fresh rations to be brought up. 3 men were sent back to the rear area to bring up the rations, we all enjoyed fresh bread, and warm Cabbage and pork stew, and coffee. This greatly boosted morale. A small ration of Jagermeister was distributed as defense against the cold.

Shortly after I received our orders. We were to advance on the fortified position occupied by the enemy and drive them from it, seizing prisoners if possible.

I deployed the Kampfgruppe composed of a contingent of Fallschirmjäger and my own Waffen-SS troops along with some attached Heer stranglers we had picked up along the advance. We were well provisioned with both Machine guns and ammunition, having 4 MGs I established fire groups on each flank of observation post positions in front of the main bunker, the plan was to take the observation posts, consolidate my forces and then assault the main bunker in force.

I launched the attack, the observation post came under withering fire, and the FJ troops advanced to the structure, the troops inside either were killed or abandoned the position as soon it was in our hands.

I moved the MGs up and began to bring the main bunker under fire, the return fire diminished and I signaled the assault. As we advanced we came under fire from supporting positions to the right of the bunker, several men were wounded and some killed, but soon we found ourselves at the bunker. Myself and a young Schutze climbed the external stairway to search the upper level of the bunker, there we found the Enemy Commander, we caught him reloading and were able to take him prisoner. As we came down we captured another enemy soldier. by now we had either driven off or killed all the enemy.

I sent a messenger back to Kompany HQ regarding the prisoners, We consolidated our position and prepared to Continue the advance. For the remainder of the day we pursued the retreating enemy forces, putting in attack after attack, The enemy were very tenacious and caused our forces many casualties despite our clear advantage in numbers. Eventually I was forced to halt the advance and request we be relived in line as we had taken too many casualties to continue to advance.
We received orders to hold in position while additional forces were brought up to continue the advance.

In all the day was a clear lesson in the advantages of defending inside a town over the forces advancing to take the town. We outnumbered the defenders easily 2 to 1 but time and time again our attacks were blunted and at times even halted despite the superiority we had in both men and weapons. In my assessment the stories we have heard that the Americans don't have the stomach for tough fights is simply not true. They gave us a lot of trouble, and made us pay for every meter we took.

[Jimski]

danke schon

[Brian McIlmoyle]

Bumping this up.. and reminding, Operation Woodsman is just around the corner, and there is still time to get involved and gather your kit.

If you are looking for the most fulfilling airsoft experience possible , Join us!

[ManuGod]

100% interested in it(Mainly being German side ), the problem being there is nothing in a reasonable radius from where I live(In term of at least 1:1 ratio of driving/playing).

[Forever_kaos]

OP Woodsman in September.
Aprox 3 hour drive, 3 days of re-enacting.

Worth it!
Us London folk drive about ~4-5 hours, if not more depending on traffic/road conditions.

[BioRage]

How is everything going with the group?

[Karsten Heidt]

Brilliantly. We add new members all the time, more events, just got access to a field where we can do unlimited digging, laying commo wire, fight around the clock, etc.

There are lots of well organized units available to choose from, with plenty of knowledgeable people to help you get set up with the correct kit, so now is a great time to join.