Gaming gun of the week: Honey Badger
Oops! We’re a bit late with our review…and we know it’s meant to be about the Pulse Rifle but we had the opportunity to try out these Honey Badgers, so here it is!
Recently our good friends at Battlefield Sports sent two of their new Honey Badger (HB14) gaming guns for us to trial over the weekend. We were not disappointed!
The HB14 is designed and made in Australia. It has a robust aluminium build and a solid feel to it, but its compact size means it weighs in at just 2.2kg so it’s suitable for younger players.
Older gamers will love the realistic military simulation (MILSIM) look, which was inspired by games such as Call of Duty.
Indoors or outdoors, long range battles or close-quarter combat, the HB14 gets the job done.
Click the image to see full HB14 specs.
From an operations point of view, one of my favourite features is the quick access battery. It’s enclosed in the magazine clip in front of the trigger and this helps give the gun a nice balanced feel.
The HB14 comes with a powerful 7.2v 4000mAh rechargeable pack which is good for hours of action and entertainment, but sometimes you need to keep everything optimal on those long festival skirmishes.
To swap out the battery, simply remove two bolts and the plate from the bottom of the clip and there’s the pack – a great innovation, especially when you consider the Cobra has 14 bolts to do the same thing.
The units we trialled came with the usual high-specs:
- red-dot sight
- 50mm speaker
- 40mm lens
- resin barrel-sensor
- advanced SATR2.0 software system we’ve reviewed before.
An optional fore-grip is available but we haven’t tried out that yet. I think this would add the magic touch to the balance of the Honey Badger – add the optional sling and this unit is almost as hard-core as a gaming gun gets.
But it gets even better. A fellow operator in the UK has added a stock to the HB14 that changes the format and makes things very interesting. Check out Dave’s video:
The HB14 ticks all the right boxes and is definitely on our shopping list, but there’s an even newer kid on the block that has our attention. The Scorpion MKIII is about to drop and we’ve got some on order. Yes! We’ll be reviewing them in a few weeks.
Lasertag gaming gun of the week: Cobra Phaser
We started the series last week with an overview of the advanced system used in all of our lasertag equipment. For the next few weeks we’re going to showcase our gaming guns in more detail, starting with the Cobra Phaser.
The Cobra from Battlefield Sports is a fully featured, precision engineered unit that is versatile for any game scenario. It’s built tough, with a reinforced polycarbonate body and internal silicon seals to make it highly water-resistant. With smooth edges and no protruding barrel, the Cobra is safe for fast-paced indoor games, while its light weight (just 1.8kg) gives players speed and durability for outdoor missions.
In long-range mode, the Cobra can shoot up to an incredible 120m. Like all of our gaming guns, it has a 30mm red-dot scope mounted on top for enhanced aiming and integrated head and barrel infra-red sensors. The muzzle flash effect when the Cobra is firing can be configured in different colours and has a unique ‘Predator’ three-dot pattern that looks awesome at indoor venues.
In summary, the Cobra is a great all-rounder and a popular choice for players of all ages. Book your next lasertag event with us and see for yourself why we love it!
Next week it’s time for the big guns and a closer look at the Pulse Rifle.
Our lasertag technology
One of my favourite moments when we’re hosting a lasertag party is the big reveal. That moment when we pull back the cover to show off our gaming guns never fails to get a big WOW! from the crowd.
Over the next few weeks we’re going to give you a taste of what to expect as we showcase our equipment in more detail. This week though, we’re going to start with an overview of the technology behind the hardware, an advanced gaming system called SATR, developed by our good friends at Battlefield Sports.
Real-time feedback
Small-Arms-Transmitter-Receiver (SATR) is what really sets our equipment apart from the competition. The system provides real-time feedback on your game through advanced light, sound and voice effects.
Say you spot another player taking cover 120 metres away; you take a few shots and manage to tag them. Their gaming gun not only makes a sound effect so that they know they’re in trouble, but it also sends a radio signal back to your gaming gun to confirm the hit so you know you’re on target. It’s a much more immersive and entertaining experience and our customers love it!
Unlike traditional indoor systems, SATR is not constrained by having to have a central computer controlling the game. It is completely portable, ideal for indoor and outdoor use, and the number of players is effectively unlimited. Battlefield Sports recently broke the world record with 436 gamers playing at the same time.
Flexibility
SATR is highly configurable. It can emulate the sound effects of 69 different weapons, from a single-shot musket (they take ages to reload!) to modern day machine guns and futuristic sci-fi themed phasers. The voice feedback comes in 13 different languages and can be customised even further (I really want Homer Simpson saying D’oh! when you get tagged!).
The system controls the infra-red power setting of the gaming gun and this allows the the event to be adjusted to match the environment, whether that’s a small indoor venue (short-range), a sports field (medium-range) or large woodland setting where you set it to long range.
We’re very much about the team effort, but the system does collect real-time statistics for the individual player. The data is displayed on the LCD screen of each gaming gun and can show how the player performed, including number of tags, accuracy etc.
Zombies!
For us at Peninsula Lasertag, the flexibility of SATR gives us the ability to tailor our customers’ experience to their needs. The sci-fi theme is great for younger kids; older kids and adult groups love the more military sounding effects. There’s even a zombie mode, complete with bone-chilling voice effects! Watch this space as we get closer to Halloween.
Next week we’ll take a look at our most commonly used gaming gun – the Cobra Phaser.
Images: thanks to John of SuJon Photography.
Lasertag fun during school holidays
If you’re looking for ideas to keep the kids entertained during the school holidays, or something the whole family can enjoy, book a game of lasertag now!
We run lasertag events at various locations around Melbourne and the Mornington Peninsula and have a variety of options to suit your needs. Got a big back garden? We can even come to you.
Check out our locations and prices. Booking is essential. Ask about our midweek discount!
Under new ownership!
We’re excited to announce that Ultimate Battlefield and Peninsula Lasertag are now under new ownership! It’s been a busy, exciting and challenging time for us, and a steep learning curve, but we’ve enjoyed every minute.
We’ve made a few changes since taking over the business in late 2014 and you’ve probably already noticed our new websites. We’d love to hear your feedback.
We’ve also upgraded all the equipment with the latest software ensuring we continue to offer exciting, adrenaline pumping events. We’re working on new games and missions to keep you entertained and we’re expanding in to new locations and venues.
Follow us on social media and keep checking back on the website for our latest news, special offers and discounts.
See you on the battlefield!