In Depth: Lightweight Shoulder Rig Prototype

NOTE: A full production variant of this is now on the market but we've only got photos of the prototype - the camera refused to take any photos of the full version.

We've noticed that a lot of people don't like a big vest or for LARPing purposes need something a little more lightweight. We developed a lightweight rig as a custom commission for a customer back in June and it set us thinking about adapting them fully for production.

Essentially, a shoulder rig places two hard points under your arms and secures them by hanging them from your shoulder and anchoring them to your belt. A narrow strap runs across the top of your back to connect both sides of the system. You can then tighten the whole system so you're left with unimpeded movement and a lot of flexibility in your load-out. There's plenty of elastic built into the system so the rig will move with you.

The base rig comes with a modified MkIII holster for use on one hard point and a small MOLLE panel. You can purchase a set up with 2 MOLLE panels or two holsters but the basic unit is 1 holster, 1 MOLLE panel.

Why MOLLE panels? Why not just modify the pouches and clip holders you offer like you did with the holster? Good question. The answer is flexibility. We design our kit to last so if your needs evolve and suddenly you're not carrying a Strongarm there but a Stryfe instead then you're going to need a clip holder not a dump pouch on your other hard point. Rather than leaving you with a highly specialised piece of equipment that can only be used with our system, we felt it best to offer something that could be used elsewhere. Of course, there's plenty of MOLLE compatible gear in our full range and a wonder combination might be out there we haven't thought of. Offering MOLLE panels instead allows that sort of creativity. Frankly, I'm waiting for a customer to order one of these and try to put an 1812 Hex Stack kit on there for a laugh.

So why no MOLLE mounted holster? Well, holsters are awkward in that every blaster has a slightly different centre of gravity which makes creating a MOLLE or belt mounted variant for a multiple blaster holster very difficult. The Firestrike was simple to do, it's a holster that will fit only one blaster. For the rest, it was much simpler to mount it using the side release buckles that we have and demonstrate to the end user how best to level the blaster according to their needs.

The system itself is fully adjustable and contains plenty of elastic loops to hold in any surplus straps. The initial prototype version didn't include any padding under the shoulder buckles but after feedback we've decided to put them in - even our formed ITW Nexus buckles weren't comfortable enough!

Please note that we're only offering the Firestrike holsters as a special commission at the moment due to concealed carry issues and will likely only have them made in bright yellow or red fabric.

The Lightweight shoulder rigs went on sale on 27th July at £22 including VAT and you can choose from 2 from the following list:
Pistol Holster
MOLLE Panel + 1812 double clip holder
MOLLE Panel + Small Zip Dump Pouch

Orders can be placed by emailing orders@blastersmiths.co.uk and will have our usual 1-2 week lead time.

In-depth: Quick Release 2 point sling

Stampede ECS in a standard 2 point sling

A 2 point sling attaches to a rifle sized blaster at 2 points (hence the name) and serves to secure it to the user. It can also serve as a shooting and teaching aid but its most important role is to allow for stowing of the rifle during non-combat periods.

The standard 2 point sling is a versatile and effective solution but it gets in the way; the triglide mechanism it uses can be fussy and difficult to use under pressure. Blastersmiths UK has always prided itself on products that can be used in the heat of a firefight without a fuss and so our standard 2 point wasn't good enough. In order to answer the problem we developed the Quick Release 2 point sling.

Rapidstrike CS-18 and a BSUK 2 point QR sling (stowed state)

The idea for this one came from a number of LARPers who spend a lot of their time standing around not doing a lot of fighting but need ready access to their blasters in case a monster raid comes down the hill or they walk into an ambush (more common than you'd think, apparently :D ). It'll also be handy for HvZ players who want to carry a bigger blaster to lectures and the like: I'm currently sitting in my office chair writing this with a Rapidstrike strapped to me. No, really - it's that comfortable.

2 point QR securely mounted on the back

In its ready state, it functions like any other 2 point. It attaches to 2 points on the blaster, ideally as far a part as possible. The critical difference with this strap is that there is an extra side release buckle on the strap to allow it to be lengthened into a ready position. Bring the two halves of the side release buckle together and Boom! you've got a shortened sling that can be used to secure your blaster to your back. The two states, stowed and ready, are completely customisable - if you want it nice and loose on your back then go for it, running about a lot and in need of something secure? Also fine. Note that it sitting on the back like that means it sits equally comfortable on the front. I've known LARPers with a habit if cuddling their rifles. To you lot, this one's for you! :D

Worried those tiny 4mm carbine hooks aren't going to fit around the 10mm Stampede fixing points? No problem, we've got that covered. We use loops of shock-cord around the fixing points to secure the carbine hooks to them and then connect everything up. No fixed attachment point? Again, that's covered: we have  Velcro D-ring mounts (pictured right) that can be looped around most blasters and stocks to provide that extra point. Originally designed as a single point upgrade for a Raider stock, they were upgraded when we realised it fitted the Rapid-strike stock. All QR sling kits will ship with both options for maximum flexibility.

The strap itself is fully adjustable in length, it fits pretty much everyone we've thrown it at. It's an unusual design that does take some time to get used to but the ability to climb trees with a blaster on your back isn't a problem that's been solved in the Nerf community yet and so it's worth taking the time over.

At the end of the day, this design combines the best of the analogue and the digital. You have the strengths of analogue variability combined with the speed and convenience of digital. While the strap can be in many lengths for dozens of different configurations, the ready and stowed states will be right just for you. We've found that no two people are able to share slings without resetting them in some way or another.

Our current variant is 25mm wide and will likely remain as such. We have a price listed for a full width 50mm variant which will be less subject to twisting but the special buckles we use in these slings are prohibitively expensive and so it will be a special order item at £10 including VAT.

There will be fitting and demonstration videos to come - we're currently a little under manned in the office.

These slings will be available to early birds from 27th July by email order only. When our new website goes live in August sometime, they'll be there are ready for you to order until your heart's content.



Thanks to Tim for modelling this one for us - we will get you to climb a tree in it sometime and show these good folks how awesome these things are. :)

In Defence of Nerf Holsters

There's an adage in some parts of the Humans versus Zombies community that you will die with your primary in your hands. I respectfully disagree. I will die with my jammed or empty primary slung from my shoulder and an empty or jammed sidearm firmly in my grip. Why? Because I've worked with my team over the last 6 months to make the best damn tactical gear we can and the MkII and MkIII holsters are the pinnacle of that work.

Masterkeys are often a solution to not being able to carry a second blaster for what ever reason. I don't like the idea that gluing/bolting/otherwise affixing another blaster to your blaster is the way to go for a number of reasons. First, I'd like to be able to use my blasters in any way I see fit. If I need my Strongarm for going to lectures then I don't want to have to buy another one because my main one is on the bottom of a Retaliator barrel. Second, if your primary is pointing one way, with a Masterkey, so is your secondary. I have seen so many of our holster users break out of corners because they were able to quick draw from our MkII holster, down the incoming threat and move. Two targets at once, maximum flexibility and maximum survivability.

The other problem with Masterkeys is modding skill. It takes time to learn how to make them. With a holster, I can teach its use in 2 minutes. Granted it takes time to be fully proficient mine but that's practice and it applies to any gear you carry. An improperly done Masterkey can be deadly to the player or, worse, unsafe to those in the game.

The MkII and MkIII holsters are our best selling products. At LARP events and other times when we get together with UK Nerfers, we're known as the guys with the holsters. It irks me a little (we do other stuff too!) but if that's what we're known for because we do it best then I'm happy with it. When they're in use, they're popular and effective. I've seen many a player saved by timely deployment of his/her properly carried side arm.

We will continue to make them as long as people continue to need them. A holster is for life, not just for looking good and it will save your backside plenty of times. :)

- Mike, BSUK MD

NOTE: Remember, I'm writing this as a MD for a company that makes these, bear in mind my bias but also remember that I've given 6 months of my life to it and I wouldn't do that without reason. :)

Green Cloaks: After Action Report - Part II - Tactical Gear Reflections

As mentioned in my previous post, we spent the last weekend in June in Pembury with the Green Cloaks Sci-Fi LARP system. This post is about how those experiences will affect Blastersmiths development pipeline and how our kit holds up in combat.

Being outdoors was a huge change and not just for the effect on blaster range. I found myself crawling through bushes, lying prone and firing down a hill and generally getting dirty and muddy - things I'd never do as a BUZAN player. My left hand holster is currently a mess having gotten incredibly muddy and dirty to the point where we might have to consider putting it through the washing machine (a 30 degree wash is fine, for reference). This is an important realisation, BUZAN needs quick access to darts but if you're running for a whole day then some compromise solution might be in order. While I still maintain flaps are going to get you killed (and they did get a player killed at least once) I think a zip type solution to switch between combat readiness and not would be a good idea. I also think some kind of blank spacer to save me having to constantly throw away the first dart in my magazine.

Our current kit held up very well. The MkII and MkIII drop-leg holsters performed admirably alongside some of the other kit we saw around. It was a lovely feeling to stand atop a hill with lines of players filing past struggling to tell if our holsters were in use or not; they're designed to be low impact and the fact the manufacturers struggle to spot them at a distance I think proves we met that criterion!

The prototype chest rig I deployed held together fine, too - there are some bugs that need fixing with its construction but generally, the idea is sound. The Camel Back was an absolute life-saver. Everytime I was told to 'Hydrate or die' all I had to do was reach for my catch tube. It also had the fantastic effect of being a huge heat sink keeping me cool under all that gear. It's certainly a winner and the design will be taken forward.

Another point relating to kit is that the bruises on the back of my right leg are only just fading. Normally, I use a 2 point combat sling to hold my blaster out of the way. Only problem is that it will bang against the back of your leg while on long marches. A three point sling or a QR sling would have been a much better idea and would have saved the pain. After being asked for one several times, such variants are our top priority.

Other kit changes include our approach to our rig systems. Our tactical chest rig as it stands is fine for HvZ but I don't honestly think it can continue to as it is. To that end, we've revised our approach to include two different tiers. Tier 1 will consist of lightweight shoulder rigs, pancake holsters, belt systems and the like while Tier 2 will consist of full vest kits. We've got some sewing pattern-fu in the works and so we'll be able to offer differing sizes. Our commitment to the MOLLE adaptability system remains solid, our company motto is 'Take your blaster' - while the full meaning of that is yet to become apparent to the public, making your kit your own is a key part to success in any system, be it LARP, HvZ or NIC wars.

The form that the end of the current chest rig system and the introduction of the new systems is currently unclear. We have some chest rig parts in stock and will likely make those up to order but produce no more once those parts are used. The deployment of the new tier systems will be coincide with our new website that's coming at the beginning of August. Our new products will be combat tested around the place, both indoors and outdoors.

If there's one thing I could take away from this last weekend it would be that we're doing the right thing. Seeing people struggle in the field with poorly adapted equipment was a nightmare for me and it's spurred me on to get us moving. The lack of MOLLE mounted vests was disappointing and the fact people were electing for ill-fitting Viper and Webtex rigs makes for a strong case for selling starter kits and packs for people looking for an adaptable load out. Eventually, it's just a case of getting people to know who we are and why we do what we do. :)

There's a very strong possibility we'll be back in Pembury in August to fight alongside the Green Cloaks once more (it would be a certainty but I've not discussed it with the guys yet). I'd like to reiterate my earlier sentiments and thank Enys, Hollie, Woj and everyone else for a fantastic weekend. We learned so very much and we hope we can repay you by either fighting alongside or being the faceless mooks you wage war through in the coming months. :)

-Mike, BSUK MD

Green Cloaks: After Action Report - Part I - Differences between indoor HvZ and LARP

NOTE: This is one of two posts by our MD on our weekend with the Green Cloaks LARP system in Pembury, Kent. This first deals with the difference in experience that LARP offers to a HvZ veteran while the second deals with the lessons learned about our kit and our future development directions.

Here goes....

It's been nearly a week since we got back from Pembury in Kent after a great weekend with the lovely folks at the Green Cloaks. I've had plenty of time to think about things and I thought I'd share some thoughts. It was the company's first ever trader event and our team's first time in any kind of LARP system. I've written out my thoughts on the differences between the BUZAN Humans versus Zombies indoor variant and my experiences alongside these chaps.

I played a monster trooper on the Sunday and participated in the event's climax as a One Bakkar ranger while Steve took up arms with the player base as a trooper with the 23rd Heavy Infantry regiment on the Saturday and turned traitor with me on the Sunday.

The first thing I noticed was the shallowness of the learning curve. I hail from BUZAN, an indoor melee free Humans Versus Zombies variant. There, it's shoot or die. The human faction are invariably overrun and it's a case of yelling "By the manner of our deaths shall ye know us!" 25ft is considered out of range and your kill zone is between 6ft and 10ft. It's frenetic and brutal, a closely fought live or be turned system and it looks poorly on humans who fail to learn quickly. BUZAN members rapidly learn their blasters, rapidly learn situational awareness or they get really, really good at being a zombie.

Green Cloaks was refreshingly different. While BUZAN relies on a "here's a blaster, those zombies are going to kill you, survive as long as you can" there's a greater sense of community beyond the raw martial camaraderie seen at BUZAN. Our heroics are short lived because all human survivors are inevitably overrun but with GC, and I figure other LARP systems, there are the stories around the camp-fire that are told for years to come by characters that endure. There's a depth and richness that comes from a plot that has clearly been lovingly worked out by an experienced team. The charm of BUZAN is that it reflects the lack of context that comes as a civilisation comes crashing down. For the miserly sum of £20 (and I'm being serious when I say that - for what you get it's nothing) you can turn up and jump into a full experience.or you can even play a monster free of charge.

The difference in learning curves made itself apparent in some aspects of gameplay. The fact monsters were able to creep into camp and raise hell was something that would never happen at BUZAN but then we're a highly strung lot who routinely check one another for bites. A BUZAN player is never far from a fully loaded rifle, even in the off periods and the number of unloaded, unattended blasters lying around was a bit of a shock to us! To the credit of the player base, they shaped up very well toward Sunday and they acquitted themselves very well in the final battle. The density of game play was less intense so players learned much more slowly but the system was a lot less brutal and friendlier in some ways than BUZAN.

The other great thing about GC was the space. Oh the space. I mentioned earlier that 25ft for BUZAN is considered out of range. My Stampede is used to firing at 15-20ft with the best accuracy my aiming skill can manage. In the final battle as we held up the player base with a single sniper, with just a light breeze, that was woefully ineffective. Steve's Longstrike did a little better but the maxim about upgraded Elite blasters being the best for outdoor fire fights rings true. The other advantage of space is that, provided you can move and fire, you can remove yourself from a threat almost indefinitely (or until you trip over something, as I did at least once!). That shift gives you a lot more time to deal with threats and your decision cycle becomes a lot less compacted. In some ways, that makes the system more newbie friendly and ensures the shallower learning curve. Not sure which I'd prefer but for someone who's not a total masochist, I figure the GC model is a little preferable.

The number of hits a player will take before going down is another big change. My Stampede ECS, Katarina, is a fine tuned zombie slaying machine. In my first encounter as a monster (when I found myself with the diplomacy skills of a dead ferret and got my entire squad killed) she worked wonderfully as the charge came down the hill, my combat reflexes and 2 years of combat drills kicked in. I tracked and hit targets with typical BUZAN efficiency but because her ROF is muzzled, I was overcome. These players took 3 shots to kill, not my customary one. It set me thinking about all sorts of burst fire and rate of fire modifications. My blasters would need completely rebalancing for this sort of scenario, a 9 darts a second rate of fire would actually be reasonably provided I was able to match it with a solid 100ft range on the flat. That way I can lay down enough suppressing fire to overcome a charging player in some form of armour in the time it takes him to enter my blaster's range and close the distance to close combat. It was a shocking realisation for me as an experienced armourer but it makes sense that there are horses for courses. Full automatic fire at close range does actually have a role to play, just one outside of HvZ.

I didn't play as a character so I don't have much to say on the wider role-play side of things. Monster role play came slowly to me but it's not something I've ever done before. It was fun to do and I got to be a lot more tactical than I'd normally get in a BUZAN session. The monster refs were a great bunch and really got creative with things. The tactics were mostly down to the extra space and the different nature of the enemy. Even in BUZAN HvH games, we've only got a space of around half a football pitch which limits tactical capability somewhat. Acting as a ranger, crawling through bushes and hedgerows, allowed me to apply a little more flair than I normally would have done.

I'm not the sort of person that's ever taken to role-play. I've tried three different table top systems and not really engaged. Most of my personal gaming taste lies with Real Time Strategy but I think I'm finding myself warming to future-LARP. I'm not sure I could ever play a character but certainly playing as a monster in a number of different ranged combat configurations is a possibility and I find myself thinking up NPCs and support characters for the player base in my off-time. It's a dangerous bug and I think I may have been bitten. :D

In short, BUZAN is brilliant if you've had a crap week at work and need to blow off steam (and probably why it's so successful with students) but GC and Nerf LARP is more about the immersion and the escapism. It's more of a holiday than physical therapy!  Cheapest camping holiday you'll ever get, too, and there's a brilliant group of people around to keep you entertained during the day (and into the night!). Green Cloaks truly is a grass roots system and welcomes newbies with open arms.

I think that's everything I wanted to say on the matter. I'd like to end by thanking the Green Cloaks team, Enys, Hollie, Woj and all the rest, for a wonderful weekend. You guys were all fantastic and thank you for putting up with us. We're looking forward to returning and waging war against or alongside you fine chaps and chapesses. And remember, never be afraid to bum rush a lone sniper.



If you've got any questions then drop me an email at mike [at] blastersmiths.co.uk and I'd be happy to chat. If you've got custom requests, if your regiment or detachment would like bulk discount then get in touch. We're here to help and push the UK Nerf community, whatever its gametype, forward to greater and better things.