Callsign 'Kitty' from 1LM joins us Live on PBTV!
Team 1 Legion Milsim (1LM)
1 Legion Milsim is an International Airsoft team, whose UK chapter is currently led by our very own Stu. The team has members in the UK, South Africa, the USA, and the Netherlands. The team originated in the United States, and their motto is "Lead by Example". With the recent integration of several players from Puerto Rico the team now has 70 players worldwide. Kitty is a member of 1LM UK, together with Stu, and the UK contingent of the team regularly attend Airsoft events up and down the UK but play predominantly at Halo Mill: Proving Grounds and Dirty Dog Airsoft in Durham. The team play normal walk on days but also take part in charity events, raises money for important causes including mental health and military charities, and takes the team philosophy of "Lead by Example" quite literally.
Callsign "Kitty" [1LM]
Kitty, aka Kate, started Airsofting over 5 years ago, back in the dark ages when people weren't really sure about these new-fangled LiPo batteries and when NUPROL was just a type of gas. Her first skirmish was with borrowed equipment, and after a warm reception and some satisfying kills, she was hooked! Kitty predominantly skirmishes at Dirty Dog Airsoft and Halo Mill: Proving Grounds, but makes the trip to other sites across the UK and abroad with other members of 1LM UK whenever she can. Kitty plays at outdoor skirmish sites for the most part but is a highly mobile player who prefers the fast-paced action of CQB and close encounters.
So, on to the interview! We had loads of excellent questions from our viewers, and in response, Kitty gave us some thoughtful insight into her time as an Airsofter, her advice for new players, her preferences in gear and guns, and her experience as a female Airsofter in the male-dominated UK Airsoft scene:
Q: How did you get into Airsoft?
A: "Well, 5 years ago my other half decided to take us out on valentines day, his team was playing and he didn't want to miss out so he was like "come along, it will be alright"! I had loads of borrowed kit but I enjoyed it, and he has regretted getting me into it ever since!"
Q: In the 5 years you have been into Airsoft, how have you seen it change? Is it becoming mainstream or is it still a bit niche?
A: "I think it is more known now than when I started playing, when I speak to people at work about it they have actually heard of it so it is definitely more known about than it was years ago."
Q: What is your gun of choice?
A: "At the minute it's the Wolverine MTW, it is Danes but it's mine now really, I have kind of claimed it. It is HPA, but it is flawless! Just fantastic platform."
Q: We have also got a couple of your rigs out to show off, there's the MTP one and a Black one, What brings you towards plate carriers over other rigs?
A: "More protection, really. Chest rigs are good in the summer when it's quite warm, but I like the protection of a plate carrier rather than getting my back shot."
Q: Do you prefer CQB or Woodland, or do you just play at any site?
A: "I prefer the CQB, around the containers at Dirty Dog, I like fast-paced games, really gets the blood flowing"
Q: What brand could release anything, and you would probably go for it?
A: "A mix between Warrior Assault Systems, and Tokyo Marui. Anything they do, I'm a fangirl!"
Q: What is it about Warrior particularly which makes it an auto-include in your loadout?
A: "It's just really good quality gear, you know you are getting the quality before you have bought it. Probably after my first year of Airsoft, I got my first Warrior rig, since then it's just been my go-to. I would buy different brands, but I always go back to Warrior"
Q: Have you ever found it awkward to fit into Airsoft clothing due to gender?
A: "It's very hard to find trousers, there are not a lot of companies that make female-oriented combat clothing unless you have money for Crye Precision, who does the female cut combat trousers."
Q: Any other essential gear you take to game days?
A: "My Headset, I don't often go to a game day without my headset, with a lot of bangs going off at Dirty Dog in the containers it can hurt your ears, so the headset is an essential"
Q: When it comes to what is, essentially, a very male-dominated sport, have you ever thought things could change in the sport or had any bad experiences because it is such a male-dominated sport?
A: "I haven't had any bad experiences at sites, probably because I go with my other half, it is more online I have seen more negativity, and from other ladies as well as men. There are a lot of trolls out there."
Q: I have noticed over the last few years a lot, I mean a LOT more female Airsofters, is that because there has been a bit of a change and the sport has become more accessible?
A: "I think it has become more accessible when I first started, if more females were playing I probably would have started sooner but there weren't very many when I started. There is now, you see more and more females turning up to game days, which is good."
Q: What do you think of the new Sig MP-X? Would you run it?
A: "I'm really impressed with the MC-X, that's one of my wants, the MC-X, so I probably could see myself running an MP-X, yeah!"
Q: Is there anything coming down the line that might take your fancy?
A: "I'd like a Tokyo Marui MWS as well, Gas blowback rifles are becoming very popular now"
Q: What has kept you in the sport for so long, and what does Airsoft mean to you?
A: "Airsoft is probably an outlet for me, working in retail is quite stressful! It's just somewhere you can kit up and be yourself, nobody judges you, you can just get out there and have fun, everybody from all walks of life can just get on it and have fun"
Q: If you were starting Airsoft today, or if you knew someone just starting, female Airsofter or not, what advice would you give them?
A: "Just go to a site! Everybody is pretty friendly, ask as many questions as you possibly can to find out as much as you can. Ask to look at other players' kit, I'm sure people will let you have a look at different things, just enjoy yourself!"
Q: Would you recommend trying to join, or form a team, is the experience better as a team or running solo?
A: "To be honest, at a game day I kind of go off and do my own thing, but it is good to have that support behind you, having some like-minded people you can chat to"
Q: There must be some women out there who are a bit trepidatious about stepping into Airsoft because it is 99 percent male-oriented it might be very hard to be accepted in that kind of a sport when you go to game days if you are running around do you think guys are that bothered about playing alongside you?
A: "I have never come across anyone who has said 'oh no it's a girl playing Airsoft'. I have never come across that, I just get stuck in and enjoy myself, if people don't like that's their problem. A lot is said online but at a game day things are totally different"
Q: Can you ever see yourself running a Sniper rifle or LMG, or something different?
A: "I have tried sniping, I don't like it. I prefer to run around and get stuck in. I don't like sitting back, I really don't!"
Kitty's Primary
As her primary, Kitty wields the mighty Tokyo Marui SCAR-H NGRS, when she hasn't "borrowed" her other half's Wolverine MTW that is! Kitty's SCAR has been internally upgraded by Kingdom of Airsoft, and she has fitted an FMA angular foregrip to the 6 o'clock Picatinny rail, and a QD sling point on the 9 o'clock rail as she prefers to run her primary on a sling, making it easier to carry and transition to a sidearm. Her optic of choice is the Vision king 1.25-5x26 "Short dot" LPVO optic with an Aim-O single-piece mount.
Kitty uses the TM SCAR-H as her long-range primary due to the exceptional range the TM SCAR NGRS platform packs out of the box. The Vision King Short dot scope was chosen to complement the long-range capabilities of the TM SCAR-H. An angular foregrip was chosen for comfort reasons; having a similar feel to a traditional grip but providing a little more gripping surface to effectively steer the SCAR-H when things get up close and personal.
Kitty's Secondary
Being a Marui Fangirl, Kitty's sidearm is a Tokyo Marui Hi-capa Gold Match outfitted with a Nuprol NX200 tactical flashlight. She carries her Gold Match in a Kydex Customs UK holster designed for light baring pistols, which is attached to her belt kit. The TM Hi-capa is well known for its excellent performance and superb accuracy, even in the cold of winter, where its lightweight plastic slide keeps it running long after metal slide pistols have gone into hibernation.
Kitty carries two spare magazines for her Hi-capa, and stores them in Warrior Assault systems pistol magazine pouches mounted on her belt set-up. The decision to mount a tactical flashlight was made to provide a distraction device and navigation tool for close range encounters and dark areas, and although it meant Kitty could not use the commonly available retention holsters it was more than worth it for the added functionality in-game.
And there you have it, our write-up of our Live From Patrol Base episode featuring Kitty, her guns, and her rigs! We recommend you watch the whole stream, of course, but for those short of time this is the long and short of it! Stay tuned to our Youtube channel for more Live From Patrol Base, coming soon!