all research said and done I want an opinion

[roughshadow]

We all know airsoft is a sport baced on tactical advantage. he who has better tactics aim and Intel(knowing where the enemy is) will be the winner.

In a night game one of the biggest tactical disadvantages is lack of light. What would players opinions be on some one who's "littering" the field with super bright glow sticks. Some being measurable to that of a surefire or rendering a strobe light useless.

What would be your opinions on a player who was "lighting" up the field
some are bright enough to render a strobe light useless.

(And before any one goes on about "is this player cleaning them up" of course he be clearing the field of the used sticks as the operation ends)

I have done a lot of research on glow sticks and light sources that aren't flashlights. But a few last questions can't be answered, because they are locked in the heads of fellow players.

[ILLusion]

Talk to the game host.

[roughshadow]

Well this is going to be a more "wide" gaming part of kit. Like actually getting a whole pouch on a vest just for glow sticks. I wanna know the opinions of my fellow players.(Not the hosts at this time. I will get them later.)

[ILLusion]

Well personally, for me, if the host allows it, then I'll accept it, as it would be expected and prepared for.

[MadMax]

Conventional glow sticks aren't really bright enough to counter a decent flashlight. They may flare a low quality NVS in the immediate vicinity of the glow stick, but they won't do much for a flashlight.

If you've got some uber glow stick which can outshine a Surefire, you've got some kickass product. Chemical glowsticks emanate in all directions so their already low output is diffused over a spherical dist'n. Surefires have pretty powerful emitters focused to a narrow cone. That's pretty tough to outshine unless you're willing to blast much more power in all directions. The only practical thing I can think of that's that energetic is a welders spark or a magnesium flare. Both present a firestarting hazard. One requires access to horsecock electrical cable plugged into a stove outlet.

Dropping a brilliant light source will also have the immediate disadvantage of marking your own position very clearly and probably will illuminate you until you run away from the source. Your own natural night vision would also be wrecked which might complicate your egress. Maybe you'll stomp into a gopher hole right next to your flare.

[Dracheous]

No, Illusion has it right, the tactic you propose is something you have to take up with the game hosts, not the players. You put it right when you said "litter" the field.

I have played games where players have done this, we used them in particular to watch gate entrances to a large command structure. Waiting for shadows to cross the light that we didn't know who was and lit them up from the cover of darkness.

But how well it works doesn't matter, you already think its a great idea/tactic to use so what does it matter what other players have to say if the game Host doesn't want you "littering" their field?


EDIT: Should point out the ones we used were not very bright, had a minor glow to it, and MadMax is right on how it fucked with natural night vision. In defense there was no moon that night and so damned dark you couldn't see your hand 4 inches in front of your nose!

Also, I get the impression your thinking of "milspec" glow sticks like this stuff; http://glowproducts.com/militaryglow/ . The expense you'd encounter for the "super bright" for them to only last 5 minutes is rediculous. You can get "bright" that last up to 30 min, however, the ones thats are listed to last 8 hours will be just as bright as the ones you get at a dollar store for less.

Another problem is at night games, glow sticks are ussually used to indicate that you are dead! :P

My opinion is that it's a waste of money on a stupid idea, and a solution looking for a problem.

Since you asked for opinions.

[roughshadow]

They have a "chemical" accelerate witch causes the reaction to happen more quickly. 12 hour glow stick emitting all that light energy over just 5 minutes.


Keep the opinions coming

Also what if the player using them wasn't "littering" but keeping them on his persion (The objective in that point would be to make my self look like a nice target.)


P.S. what happens when a nv flares they brake purmanently or just shut off or just cause problems seeing?

I've had bright light through my NVG but it wasn't bright enough for an overload, it just causes a whiteout and your eyes get fucked for a bit.

[roughshadow]

Originally Posted by MadMorbius

I've had bright light through my NVG but it wasn't bright enough for an overload, it just causes a whiteout and your eyes get fucked for a bit.

So intentionally flaring some ones night vision just makes them useless for a bit and is much like a flash bang at night?

I don't wanna intentionally do any "serious" damage to some ones 3k gear or eyes

[ancorp]

"Aim for the light!"

Cheaper or older NVG equipment can be blown, yes. It usually takes a fair amount of light to do so, however.

[Drake]

Originally Posted by MadMorbius

My opinion is that it's a waste of money on a stupid idea, and a solution looking for a problem.

+1


The very premise of the "solution" being proposed is flawed in many ways.

In a night game one of the biggest tactical disadvantages is lack of light.

Experienced players will counter that the biggest tactical advantage in a night game is lack of light (you can't engage what you can't detect).

You also mention a strobe light a few times. I'm not sure who'd be using a strobe, or why, or why you'd want to render it useless? You do understand a strobe is a light which emits a flash at regular intervals, such as the AN/SDU-5/E or MS-2000 distress markers, right?

As others have mentioned, bright lights will mess with your natural night vision. Additionally, bright lights in the wood will cast harsh shadows. Because your pupils are contracting due to the bright light, your ability to see into shadow areas will be virtually nullified. The amount of light sources you'd need to place, even in a small area, would be huge -- and given their limited "burn time" it seems almost futile (think Chinese plate jugglers).

You'd be better off honing your natural night vision, or saving up for a pair of NVGs.

[roughshadow]

Originally Posted by ancorp

"Aim for the light!"

yes but by that time nearly 4 snipers have you and shot

[Jimski]

That would look impressive if you spread a lot of them on a dark zone you have to defend...

I would use it as a defense perimeter and I would hide from opposing force the fact that they will have to deal with that, because it has a good visual-impressiveness factor
other than that I doubt it's very useful...that would also lead to awesome pics of the event.

good times