Go to Gaol, do not pass go

So, what is the ‘Gaol’ and where is it?

The Gaol, which is the long-lost English spelling of jail, is exactly that! A venue located in Oakham Rutland that compromises of ex detainment cells, old welfare buildings, a sports field and plenty of routes and paths in-between to tie it all together. Although heavily CQC themed I’d say it’s a hybrid site with opportunities for long range engagements, building clearances and tactical flanks, meaning you’re always under a 360-degree threat.

Is the site easy to book onto?

Yes! It’s simple, you jump onto their website https://thegaolevents.co.uk choose whether you’d rather play one of the weekday evening games or a weekend game, then pick the date that suits you best. However, due to the unique experience it offers, a lot of events do tend to sell out. I’d strongly suggest looking to book 3-4 weeks early to ensure you don’t miss out, you won’t want your friends or team playing without you.

What are the safe zone facilities like?

When you arrive, you have the choice to drop your kit out of your car outside the safe zone venue before parking up in the car park. You book in and pay the remainder of the fee on the door and find yourself somewhere to get kitted up and store your RIF’s & kit. The entire safe zone is indoors, with plenty of rooms, tables, and seats to make your base for the day. There’s a nice shop that doubles up as the café throughout the day ensuring you’re stocked up on BBs, pyro and all the food & drink you could need.

How was the initial safety briefing and overall event marshalling?

I have to say in the 6+ years I’ve been playing airsoft, it was one of the most thorough and to the point briefs I’ve ever received. The head marshal explained how the site plays differently to any standard skirmish site, the difference in certain game rules, the kind of game modes due and the multiple types of engagements to expect throughout the day. A well implemented rule was no trigger spamming, single shot means smart trigger pulls at clear targets, not decorating anything that moves in BBs. The marshals were very visible and quick to assist with any issues players had, not that there were many. In our experience throughout the day player standards remained very high from start to finish.

So, what kind of playstyle and game modes should you expect here?

Well, it’s hard to put a finger on any single playstyle, because due to the Gaols hybrid nature of having a good mixture of both CQC and medium engagements, you must play adaptive. Throughout the day there were some real interesting twists on standard game setups, one included spawns that may flip mid game. A breaching game that required two locations to be defended in tandem at opposite ends of the site. A headquarters style match that drew a lot of the engagements into a central point to get up close and personal. They make the site feel twice the size of its footprint by using the space so well, utilising every part of it. Regardless of game mode, the playstyle at the site is always extremely fast paced and very intense, you will have very little time to think and organise once game on is called. Although a real non-stop day, it is however very welcoming to both new and experienced players alike ensuring all have a great experience!

Me and the team will be returning in the future for sure, for another great day’s airsoft!

Matthew Perrin – Team Sasquatch 1IC

For more information and where to book go to https://thegaolevents.co.uk/