Intro
Sadly I didn’t get to play at The OG Tac House, I heard of Tac House 2 – The Stan opening up with the original owners and whilst it has been on my radar, it hadn’t crept to the top of my “go play here” list. After a long break, a kick from someone gave me what was needed to go and play here. Let’s see if it lives up to it’s reputation…
Where: Tac House Spartan II, Former Stanley Tools Factory, Rutland Rd, Sheffield S3 9PP, https://www.tachousespartan.com/
Date played: 09/03/2025
Weather: NA – Indoor
Type: Former tool factory, multi storey with lots of solid and canvas obstacles, light and dark areas, stair wells.
Cost: £35
Arrival & Safe Zone
Situated on a main road on a hill in Sheffield, parking isn’t a strong spot for this site, it is on road parking and you’re best half and halfing it on the road and pavement if you go on the main road, there are a few side streets with far less traffic nearby as well. There is a business opposite which 1 marshall said to try parking outside of but another said they “may” not like it?!? I parked in a side road and walked back up the hill.
The safe zone is up a couple of flights of stairs, you pass the main game areas as you go, I could feel the excitement building as I grabbed brief glances into the areas. Safe zone is right up at the top, through a small mini arena and into a spacious Safe Zone, lots of tables, some sofa’s, separate shop and admin desk and HPA fills! Well covered. Indoor toilets and a really nice terrace area which I’m sure if I smoked I’d appreciate but was nice for some between game air.
Sign In
Deposit had been paid and I checked in quickly, although I got nothing for it (more on that shortly) so I trundled back off to my table and continued getting my kit ready.
Safety Brief & Chrono
For the safety brief they pulled us all out onto the terrace, as you head out they were checking armbands to ensure you’d paid or a sticker on your phone showing the same. I had been given neither so I had to go back to the admin desk, queue behind the straggling payers and then receive my sticker. Bit of a pain but human mistakes happen I guess.
The safety brief left a bad taste in a few of our mouthes, in an unusual turn for me I went with a “group” this group are a competitive team however this was just a chill day. They were all wearing team colours (dark green and black so not garish) and one of the guys had brought a spare shirt for me, I threw it on so as not to be separated from the group bringing me out of my hibernation. “Those dickheads wearing crazy colour matching jerseys need to take it easy today” was the first phrase that came out, we were about 12-15 of a 40 person total so what a way to alienate 25% of your custom!
Once the brief was moving through the usual stuff, it was actually pretty OK, important bits explained, little to no heckling and I would say attention was held well throughout. A slight bit of confusion at the end as 2 marshalls at either end of the group started talking over each other but all in all, in the upper half of briefs I’ve received.
Chrono doesn’t really follow common sense. The “request” is 1J however if you have an AEG or GBBR you have a variance up to 1.14J so standard stuff. The deplorable HPA users though, as we’re so known for bending physics, we are limited to 1J absolute max so I ran my trusty Gold Match at just under 1J, my reg was locked and I had a tag on my line to show it was tested. Sadly though my Battelcat was shooting at 300 with a .25 so it was above 1J and being how my reg was locked, was demoted to the kit bag for the day.
Site & Playing Areas
The site itself and where you play – A single word – Incredible. The building is an L shape and they utilise the split level really well with spawns (where used) on opposite floors at opposite ends, muliple stair wells and the general layout was fantastic, you can fight yourself into some fantastic positions and then get shot rabdomly from a complete different direction, I loved that as it means you don’t get the regular snakes in the same old positions, you move, you shoot, you look around and then you reload.
Both levels were similar in makeup, actual brick walls were near the 90 degree building turn so there were some darker bits here and towards the extremeties it opened up a bit, more light and more canvas made walls which were well spaced and provided multiple avenues ot fight down. No 3 channel COD map here and no typical disused office choke points.
Games
I’m used to a warm up game, something throwaway like a TDM or Zombie. This was straight into an attack and defend. We defended a light switch in the middle of the L on Floor 2 and the attackers were given free reign to attac from Floor 3. We had 3 lives and out, attackers were given infinite regen from the nearest stairwell. We defended for a good 30 mins.
Game 2 was the reverse of Game 1. We smashed it in a smidge above half the time.
We then played a quick TDM game to kill some more time before lunch. My favourite game style, no hard push, just flowing and shooting.
After lunch we played a kind of seek out objective game, we were regenning on floor 3 and our objectives were on floor 2, the other team were the opposite and the idea was to defend the objectives on our floor and find ours on the opposing floors. This was a brilliant use of the multi floor layout and made for some incredible gameplay.
The final game was a single floor game, the bomb was in the middle and you had to deliver it to the opposing teams base, this was played in both directions, again free flowing gameplay which I love, opt in to the objective or just get stuck in and shoot people.
Lunch
Odd policy but understandable. You aren’t allowed off site so you need to take your own in with you or buy one. I took mine in with me as I’m trying to skim a few lbs off at the moment but the BBQ’d burgers did smell fantastic.
Marshalling & General Attitude of Players
Not impressed.
The immediate comment on our attire and expected game style set the precedent for a difficult day with marshalls. We were treated like a hostile visitor which is a new one to me, I have never been made to feel unwelcome at a site before but marshalls bellowing at people, being forced to line up shoulder to shoulder before every game so a count could be done and what I can only describe as short sitedness from young marshalls really put a stain on the day.
In all my years airsofting, I have never been spoken to by a marshall in game for my conduct, I was spoken to 3 times about my rate of fire…with a Hi-Capa. I have issue with this regardless, I’m on a mechanical semi and I don’t “finger bang” but when I’m getting told to slow my rate down after firing off 3 shots…3. Against someone with an MTW who is laying down nearly double what I’m sending at them, I get told to slow down, I have an issue. Marshall everyone the same or don’t bother. Don’t treat one side worse than another, discrimination is the word I could use.
Out of our group, nearly everyone got spoken to at differing times through the day, one member was pulled out of a game for saying the particular part of an objective was “boring” (following his discussion with head marshall – his day ended).
I wish I could say the players were better, Game 1, enemy contact took 4 shots in front of a marshall, marshall looked at me, I shrugged and put another 2 in before they were walking out, respawned back in, 5 shots, respawned, came back in and then proceeded to put their muzzle through a velcro joint in a wall and blind fire through it in front of a marshall who waited until they pulled the trigger to ask them not to. Meanwhile I got position and put a couple in. WTF?
We were also understandably accused of overshooting and using full auto. At one point a marshall came screaming round a corner at us, we are your CUSTOMER and you are screaming at us for using full auto (my GoPro footage also confirmed it was not full auto). It was the opponent and even then I think it was just super fast firing not FA but still. You don’t scream at customers….
Overall
I’ve come away somewhat confused. The site is absolutely epic! The people running it during my day here were the opposite of that. The games were good but the feeling of discrimination towards some players and not others must change. Marshall everyone the same – simple.
I would re-visit and I do intend to but I’ll 100% be wearing a check shirt and some MTP pants to see if the experience is better.
Plus….. Tagged them!
