Last month (July 18-20, 2025) one of the most anticipated airsoft events in Poland took place - the 48-hour staff game MARSH 6. It was the most extensive edition to date, attracting nearly 1,000 players, thus becoming the largest Polish airsoft game this year.
Now that the dust has settled after the fight at the Lipa training ground (Podkarpackie Voivodeship) - or rather, the mud has dried - we can look back and summarize the dirty and bumpy road that the series organizers have traveled to provide us with satisfaction and unforgettable memories for years to come.
Last year we already mentioned the first steps in organization taken by the (then) ASG Team Shield group, when the first Fedrunek game took place in Silesia in May 2016. Not only as a media patron, but above all as people strongly connected with the airsoft community in southern Poland, we are proud and happy that we could witness the entire process that led the organizers from the small scale of those days to the momentum of the already completed MARSH 6.
The series organizers didn't rest, boasting about the success of their previous events. This year's RATS, STORM, and NOMAD rivalry featured new features and mechanic improvements, which were gradually communicated to players on social media during months of preparations for the game. Some changes were forced, others resulted from player engagement and extensive feedback after the 2024 edition.
While planning a trip to the Lipa military training ground, it was impossible not to notice the change in the off-zone area. It was moved a few kilometers east. This brought a number of benefits, including a shorter distance to cover on poor-quality gravel roads and the ability to park off-game vehicles almost right next to the zone. This decision certainly pleased local car wash owners, even though they were largely unaware of what was happening nearby. Due to the unpredictable weather and the busy off-zone road that runs through the improvised parking lot, it seems no one left the training ground with a clean car.
The off-zone area itself, although in a different location, was organized very similarly to last year's. It featured a food court (complete with a food truck), stands from sponsors and event partners — both stores and manufacturers of high-quality equipment — who were eager to showcase their products and new solutions. There was a designated safe area for shooting replicas, a resting area by a fire, and a large area with numerous portable restrooms, sinks, and spacious showers. As with last year, participants could take part in a shooting competition with valuable prizes. The organizers and their assistants, who could always be found in a huge tent complex serving as the event's backstage area, oversaw the entire off-zone commotion.
Changes also affected the most important aspect of airsoft – game mechanics. Apart from further improvements to the electronic systems used during the game, the introduction of hand-held "anti-tank grenades" seemed to have the greatest impact on the balance of power and the feel of combat. That's right – if you've ever played infantry during large-scale games involving vehicles, there's a good chance you've complained about the advantage that armed vehicles provided in combat.
Examples aren't far off. A few weeks earlier, during a large staff game organized by other organizers, paintball markers styled after grenade launchers were used. Their operation was problematic and results of use unreliable, and a successful hit on a moving vehicle required not only skill but also a great deal of luck. As a result, the chances of eliminating a vehicle were low, leaving mechanized units feeling extremely confident in the field.
During MARSH 6, infantry units were given additional, limited amounts of simple but effective anti-vehicle weapons: stickers for eliminating abandoned cars and appropriately marked tennis balls as grenades. Although the rules for their use still require refinement (e.g., forcing a throw or limiting reuse), this solution improved the balance and shifted the combat experience more toward the infantry. Vehicle drivers and commanders now had to reckon with a real threat that could lurk behind any misidentified bush.
The organizers placed even greater emphasis on story-driven missions this year. Around 90 of them were prepared, many being complex, multi-threaded, and requiring constant coordination between players and headquarters, as well as cooperation between units in various corners of the game area. In addition to explicit guidelines received in advance by the side commanders, many missions were assigned by NPCs stationed in the field played, among others, by members of the Leszcze ASG Team Opole. The appearance of the "Leszcze Village" on the MARSH map forced a change in the approach to competition between all sides of the conflict.
The RATS faction headquarters made the best use of the new mechanics, led this year by the duo of Ethell (SGR MAPA Team) and MattPo (Horda ASG). While the field was at times overwhelmed by the number of NOMAD and STORM forces, often fighting for control of their ports (bases storing captured loot), small groups of "Rats" effectively sabotaged the opponents' actions and carried out tasks assigned by NPCs. This strategy turned out to be extremely effective - RATS triumphed for the second year in a row, outclassing the STORM faction led by HQ Olimp (Szturman, Hepan) and NOMAD (Straszna - Śnieżna Pantera and Harcerz - Lone Wolves Team).
As usual, thanks to numerous sponsors, the competition didn't end completely after the fighting ended on Sunday at 12:00 AM. The organizers have prepared online competitions with valuable prizes, including replicas from renowned manufacturers such as LCT, G&G Armament, and Vega Force Company. The winners in the categories of text, video, and best photos have already been selected.
Did players enjoy this year's MARSH? Reading online comments and talking to participants it seems they did. There were even opinions that it was the best edition, despite hours of rain. There was also criticisms – not so much about the organization, but about the subjective level of satisfaction with the game. With nearly a thousand participants, not everyone was always at the center of the action. The key to victory was often the dirty work, and headquarters had to dedicate some of their forces to it. The long-term defense of their own ports/vaults has been one of the key mechanics of MARSH, requiring constant, exceptional attention from players to avoid losing all their accumulated loot. However, by providing players with nearly a hundred diverse story-based quests (many of which were never completed), is it worth distracting the combatants and redirecting them to the necessity of conducting a long, often boring defense?
There's plenty of time for reflection, although it won't necessarily be needed. The organizers announced that this was their last event at the Lipa training ground. They also don't rule out that this was also the last MARSH in the form we've known in recent years. However, the series' creators aren't putting their creativity on hold - they've already started brainstorming and working on alternatives. With their appeal to the community, they made it clear that they're counting on your support. If you care about the fate of the fictional country of MARSH and its factions, it's time to show it! Krauzak and his group MARSH Airsoft Events also reassured players a bit: Next year, smaller games combining well-known and popular elements with innovations are planned. There will also be new initiatives, including the recently announced SYNDICATE - Marsh Underground 2026 and AIR 2026.
On the part of the WMASG.com website we would like to express our warm thanks to the organizers of MARSH 6, i.e. the already mentioned MARSH Airsoft Events group. The event could not have taken place without the core of the producers: Krauzak, Timon,Vest (also forming the Hammer ASG Team - Śląsk) and Ketsok (RQS Team), as well as an army of helpers who prepared the game and took care of it on site. Among them were: Alicja, Matthew, Mazzia, Karaś, Ciciuś, Sic, Amica, Śliski, Ela, Dima, Piecyk, Elza, Brzezu, Sergio, Rudy, Liza, Kinga, Dawid, Lessi, Skapol, Maniek, El Dario, Kabuz, Mowin, Kamil, Czarny, Hubert, Maciek, Mikołaj, Leśniczy, Janyst and many others.
MARSH 6 was supported by many sponsors and partners, including:
Gunfire
Specna Arms
Militaria.pl
Maskpol
MAPA Tactical
Airsoftowy.pl
Airsoftzone.com
Rekrut_ASG_Shop
Smart Target
Asg Kraków Arena
HAWK ASG - Airsoft Replika Serwis
Perun Airsoft
Airsoft Team Poland
Battlezone Arena - Gliwice
Bullet Brothers
WMASG.com
Playair.pro
World of Paintball Jastrzębie-Zdrój
Laser Shooting Range - S4
Sklepasg.pl
Świętokrzyskie Riflemen's Association and Weapon Collectors "Reduta"
Proper Grid
MILIholics
www.misecure.pl
Leszcze ASG Team Opole
Janyst.eu We Make Advertisements
Don't forget to thank the photographers who captured your experiences - you can find their photos on the organizer's social media.
Finally, a plea: during this year's Airsoft Players' Choice Awards, nominate MARSH 6 as the best game with over 500 players. Winningin this category would be a great distinction for Polish airsoft and a great culmination of the organizers' journey with this series. We're counting on you!
