Pyro in Ireland

OddysAirsoft

There seems to be a lot of talk/interest in the use of pyro at Airsoft venues in Ireland. More specifically Southern Ireland because they can be used in the North, Now I understand that you MUST have a licence to use pyros in the South, but what I don't understand is why sites do not apply for those licences. Pyros would add an incredible dimension to airsofting in Ireland.

Any views on this?

NakedDex

The ridiculous legal hoops to jump through, site usage restrictions and extra insurance costs all make it more hassle than it's worth to most sites.

HRTA are licensed to use them, but the restrictions of their use means you have to call over a marshall to hand you the pyro you want. This renders the advantage reasonably stunted, since having the enemy see a high-vis hand a grenade to a bush alerts them to, not only their intention, but their position, and defeats the purpose of bothering at all.

Unless the pyro laws themselves change (and they won't), this will stay as the only viable practice for anyone who is willing to jump through the legal hoops and extensive safety training to get them.

Puding

as nakeddex said its not necessary the getting of the licence its the restrictions imposed on there use and handling on the site, its not like in the north or the uk where i can go up by some pyros throw them in my pouches and off i go

the restrictions and rules are very much aimed at there use in demonstrations and displays not for there use in a military simulation game ( something which when the rules where original lay down was not a use that even crossed there minds )

fayer

There is several things you need, the DoJ is the authority that can grant you an import and storage licence, very very hard to get, and then a superintendent needs to sign off on the usage.

The current test the guards use for granting permission is very long, and very safety focused (nothing wrong there) but it dose however include that the pyro is tested in batches every few months by the international governing body for the sport (was written for paintball), its an expensive process and not one I see being made work for us unless it is changed. They also only allow smoke grenades no frags or flash-bangs. I know loads of people will com on here saying "I saw flash bangs in XYZ paintball site, they can use them", they might be using them but there not legal.

Side note, I know some of the paintball sites have the superintendents permission, I do wonder if they also have the DoJ licence, I suspect not tbh.

TheDoc

As it is pyro wouldn't be much use here anyway, smokes are about it for moving in cover.

Granted that most sites don't allow a lot of grenades to be detonated indoors or in buildings, they probably wont be to hot on the idea of letting these go off as from experience they are much louder then those co2 nades everyone has.

As said above its essentially the red tape and strict barriers that are stopping sites really getting into pyro.

OzCam

Info

Part of the reason for having marshals (actually pyro technicians in this context) involved is that because airsoft pyro devices are glorified fireworks they are treated as explosives in this jurisdiction. The regulations for use require that every piece is accounted for, including any duds or misfires.

Granted that most sites don't allow a lot of grenades to be detonated indoors or in buildings, they probably wont be to hot on the idea of letting these go off as from experience they are much louder then those co2 nades everyone has.

According to the manufacturers' published information they're not. That's all we have to go on.

but what I don't understand is why sites do not apply for those licences

Because of the amount of effort required - training, construction, multiple inspections, insurance, getting permission from 6 different agencies* and about 18 months of paperwork. Only one person has put the work in and done that.

Opinion

I would like to see more SFX used by appointment in the big themed games. If it's necessary for sites to engage a licensed pyro operator to do that on a contract basis for them, they should consider it. Bear in mind that places like Sennybridge are specifically designed to have nothing around to set fire to. For the average skirmish, it's not worth the paperwork or cost. Our brothers-in-airsoft in the Wee North are very lucky, but the situation here is not likely to change any time soon.

Unfortunately the conduct, and comments, of some airsofters in the past around this subject does not give the authorities a warm fuzzy feeling that we're responsible enough to allow the regulations to be relaxed a tiny bit. I wish things were otherwise.

* I may be forgetting someone, it could be 7.

gerrowadat

Like a lot of things we don't get to have, it's the inability to get them that makes them these mythical beasts that will instantly turn us into unstoppable forces of nature.

Pyro isn't all it's cracked up to be. There are very few sites in Ireland where it woule be useful. It's completely useless in a woodland setting, which a lot of sites are.

Even in sennybridge where you'd think it'd come in very handy, it can end up being less effective than just barging in and double-tapping a load of lads who aren't expecting it.

Fallschirmjager

i guess the one thing i would love to see is (and related to this) is smoke nades..just a dream


i think gerrowdat is right, its one of those things when you cant have it you want it...i do love the idea of lobbing a nade and not having to look for it for a fricken half an hour or holding onto spoons, and ring pulls and god knows what else....fire and forget would be really handy...

andy_g

Locked as this has been dicussed before many times i'll re-open it after review.
Locked