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Silence. My protective mask is uncomfortably stuck to my face and – ouch! I think I’ve just been bitten in the nether end by yet another little creepy crawly. Silence. Suddenly machine guns spit 20, 30, perhaps 50 rounds per second in our direction. The previously motionless individuals around me hurtle into life, scrambling low, barking orders and a myriad incomprehensible swear words at each other. One, two – if these were real bullets, parts of my hand would have just been blown away.
Here I am on a deserted island, a boat ride away from a port in distant Sai Kung, at one with the lads of Freelance Infantry for a day of wargaming. There is nothing on the island except for overgrown jungle and a filthy, abandoned concrete shack. In other words, it’s perfect for these 90 or so mock soldiers to shoot the hell out of each other without a living soul to disturb them. But let’s not be mistaken – these guys don’t just run around and shoot whatever comes into sight: this sport calls for real discipline and tactical thinking.
Basically, wargaming – or, as it is sometimes known, ‘airsoft skirmishing’ – usually involves teams trying to achieve a given goal under various game scenarios while shooting each other ‘dead’ with BB guns. A similar and better-known version of this sport is paintballing – what distinguishes that from wargaming is the weapon
used. The BB gun is as realistic as any military weapon, so much so that parts from a real rifle are quite likely to fit the replica perfectly.
Away from the jungles of Sai Kung, Mong Kok’s Kwong Wa Street and surrounding area is heaven for war geeks. Shops selling all sorts of guns, uniforms and military accessories line the pavements. In the afternoons, teenagers huddle around displays, pointing enthusiastically at various weapons, their eyes twinkling in delight at the thought of getting down and dirty in the jungle with those little babies at their sides. Derek Yip, who works at Airsoft Force – one of many shops in the area – tells me his customers can be as young as five and, in one case, as old as mid-70s. Apparently, that senior customer is more than just an avid collector: “He still plays for exercise, in order to keep fit,” says Yip.
To appreciate just how fit this old man must be, you must first understand what he’ll go through in a shoot out. To avoid being spotted, he must bend double as he runs, worm through the wilderness, climb rocks and trees, and slide down hills – all, needless to say, while lugging a heavy gun. Then the heat, which we all know can be merciless in summer, is that much worse when you’re wearing ankle-length trousers, a thick long-sleeved shirt, heavy boots, a facemask and, if you please, even a helmet.
And it’s not the cheapest of hobbies. The price of a gun starts in the hundreds and can reach $10,000, if you opt for the top-of-the-range pieces with parts made by US-military approved brands. Law Yun Shing, a war-game enthusiast and veteran with 10 years’ experience, currently owns six rifles, and doesn’t think that’s excessive. “I spend around a few thousand dollars a year on equipment, and that makes me a modest spender. There are some who own more than 20 rifles and therefore spend significantly more.” Other than the guns and basic outfits, enthusiasts can also spend on hydration units, gloves, holsters, and even a walkie-talkie for the more complicated tactics.
For those who just want a taste, private grounds such as Combat Games will lend out gear and let you play for a fee (though some say their equipment can often be outdated). It’s definitely a safer option, as guns are checked to comply with safety
standards, and an instructor will accompany you throughout the day. Furthermore, you’ll probably find fewer bum-biting insects and you’re less likely to look up into the eyes of a wild snake.
It’s no sport for elegant, well-manicured ladies or square-eyed, scrawny boys with the misconception that wargaming is as easy as the computer games played in the shadows of their bedrooms. Surprisingly though, when Shing was part of the Wargame and Tactics Society at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 100 of the 400 members were, in fact, girls. He even says girls can often be more lethal than boys, simply because their fear of getting shot makes them blind to what is going on and they carry on shooting their victim long after he has admitted defeat.
So why is this game so popular with the Hong Kong locals? Shing believes it all kicked off when a film about the Police Tactical Unit (PTU) of Hong Kong, was released in 1996. Many wanted to imitate the fight scenes so rushed off to buy BB guns and wander into the bushes. After a while, as with most trends, the excitement died down, though he reckons the Iraq War has, ironically, caused another upsurge.
Now, as someone verging on
the side of hard-core environmentalist, I could not help but wonder about the consequences of all those BB deposits. A player could use up to 3,000 rounds a day, and as many as 100 people play every week. Over time, that will build up to many millions of little plastic pellets scattered around Hong Kong – and no-one is going to bother vacuuming the grounds of those jungles.
A solution would be to use biodegradable pellets, widely available in shops – but players prefer not to. Not only are they more expensive than conventional shots, they’re also worse in quality. “The weight of the pellets are less stable and they are weaker, so there is a danger of them exploding
inside the gun, jamming it as a result,” Shing says. I guess you can’t blame anyone for not wanting to cock up guns that costs thousands of dollars apiece, can you?
Nevertheless, these guys mean no harm and are just looking to let off steam once in a while. At the end of the day, I sit watching them cracking jokes and chatting eagerly. Shing looks at me and says, “You see? We’re all still excited from the games today, and we all have our own stories to tell from the experience.” And then turns back to share yet another riveting BB-ridden tale.
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