Footage from Diehard 4 Real Action Wargame

Last July 1, 2007, the first-ever Real Action Wargame was held in the Philippines. The tournament was sponsored by APS Paintball Ltd., Wave 89.1 and the movie Diehard 4. Composed of airsoft, paintball and real SWAT competitors, the event featured the exclusive use of the Real Action Marker in simulated combat throughout the morning and the afternoon.

The event was also covered by major news networks. Here is the footage from QTV.

Real Action Marker FAQs (Series 1)

“It’s everything you wanted to know about the RAM but were afraid to ask.”

What is a Real Action Marker? Is it an airsoft or paintball gun?

Technically the Real Action Marker or RAM is a hybrid of both airsoft and paintball technologies. But because the RAM was designed for use as a tactical training tool, it also falls under the classification of “simulated ammunition” weapons which are essential for realistic, force-on-force training. The marking capability of the RAM is made possible through the .43 caliber paintball ammo that it fires.

As a replica weapon, it looks, weighs and feels remarkably like the M4 A2 that it was modeled after, while the RAM pistols are designed like the Glock 17 and the Sig Sauer P226 and the RAM shotgun was fashioned after the FN riot shotgun.

The RAM has been literally called the next generation of simulated ammunition weapons since it offers realism and marking capabilities at a more affordable cost.

What powers the RAM?

The RAM employs CO2 as a propellant, although green gas (Nitrogen) and even compressed gas can be used to fill its tank. However, based on actual field use, the CO2 propellant performs more consistently than other gas formats.

How powerful is the RAM? What is its range? Does it hurt?

The stock model of the RAM M4 has a pressure setting of 2.8 MPa which results in a muzzle velocity of 350 FPS. However, the pressure setting can be adjusted to yield a higher FPS. The only draw back is that at a high Pressure/FPS setting, the risk of paintball ammo exploding inside the barrel is greater. In our field tests, we were able to crank up the FPS to about 450 without ball breakage, but it is probably best to use rubber rounds at high FPS modes.

Compared to the velocity of a real bullet, the FPS of a RAM is slow. You can actually see the paintball round coming towards you. But since it is used for simulation training, the FPS setting is optimal to avoid grave injury.

The published effective range of the RAM is about 120 feet, after which the paintball begins to drop. Wind can also affect the movement of the round, so users must immediately take this into account before taking the shot. A sniper belonging to the PNP Regional Special Action Unit was able to hit a moving target three times on the head at a distance of 170 feet. But this incredible feat was done because of the tremendous skill of the sniper rather than the performance of the RAM.

Like any projectile, whether it be BB pellets or paintball, there is the element of pain involved when receiving a hit. But in training, it has been said that the best teacher is pain, so operators get to learn which of their tactics work and which doesn’t. But never fear, because the .43 caliber paintballs don’t penetrate the skin. The worst injury comes in the form of bruises or hematomas which gradually fade away after awhile. There is a danger of being blinded by the paintball if it hits unprotected eyes, so always remember to wear protective eyewear or full masks when using the RAM.

Can the RAM be loaded with a real bullet?

Although designed to look like a real gun, the RAM’s safety feature is that it won’t absolutely be able to fire real ammunition. Firstly, the magazine of the rifles and pistols can only chamber the .43 caliber paintball and aluminum shell casings. Secondly, the barrel has no rifling and will not take the size of a real bullet. But the most important safety fact of the RAM is that it propels the paintball ammo via air pressure and as such it does not have a firing pin to set off real rounds.

How will the paintball ammo be loaded into the RAM?

Unlike traditional paintball guns which uses a gravity-feed system, the RAM employs a spring-loaded magazine system that functions similar to regular M4 mags. The ammo is loaded by hand one by one, with the shells encasing the paintball round. Each RAM rifle magazine has a max load of 20 rounds, while the RAM pistols carry 9 rounds per clip.

Can the paintballs be loaded without the aluminum shell?

Yes, but only if you are using the RAM pistols. With the RAM rifles, the aluminum shell is essential in protecting the paintball from being squeezed together while also adding to the realism of the gun. The shells are ejected every time the gun is fire, replicating the brass ejection action of the real select-fire weapons.

How does one fire a RAM? Is it single or auto fire?

Just like the real guns it is modeled after, the RAM guns fire by applying pressure on the trigger. Unlike airsoft guns which use electronic triggers, the RAM requires a bit of trigger pull to fire. The RAM also features a select fire system, meaning the user can either shoot in single or full-auto modes. To be able to fire in bursts, the user must first set the RAM in full-auto mode and squeeze the trigger for about 2 seconds.

For the pistols, the setting is semi-auto fire, while the shotgun employs a single-shot pump action system.

Real Action Men field tests the Real Action Marker

As part of its initial promotional efforts of the RAM in the Philippines, ATACS Advanced Tactical Training Services recently invited the officers of the Regional Special Action Unit (RSAU) to include the new Mark V RAMs in one of their field training exercises (FTX).

Their reaction was spectacular!

The Regional Special Action Unit (RSAU) of the Philippine National Police is part of the training force that provides SWAT instruction for most SWAT teams in the country. Among their members are highly trained officers that have received schooling in counter-terrorism and urban warfare in the US.

During their FTX, the RSAU replicated a sniper-initiated assault on a four-storey tower, complete with designated rappel, ladder and entry-assault teams. Members of the RSAU designated as “hostage-taking terrorists” began exchanging fire with the assault force, adding to the realism of the simulation. After the shootout, the RSAU assault force rescued the hostage, “killed” three terrorists and captured one without a single loss on their part.


“The Real Action Marker of ATACS is a very realistic tool for tactical training and a must for law enforcers to experience, to enhance and to prove the effectiveness of their tactics,” stated Maj. Rex Malimban, Chief 3rd Coy, RSAU, a dynamic commendation for the recent entry of the RAM in the Philippines.

ATACS is also hard at work in providing live-fire demonstrations for elements of the Makati SWAT, the Philippine Airport Police and the Philippine Marines in the coming weeks.

“It is very important to remember that aside from being a realistic replica paintball gun, the RAM is an effective and cost-efficient alternative for tactical simulated ammunitions training,” stated Jasper Briones, Managing Director for ATACS Advanced Tactical Training Services. “We believe in the potential of the RAM and we trust in the products of our partner APS Paintball Ltd.

Makati City police training exercises go high-tech

By MICHAEL PUNONGBAYAN
The Philippine Star

Makati City’s officers from its elite assault and tactical operations team staged an anti-terrorist training exercise Tuesday using training guns used by the United States military and police personnel.

With Makati police chief Superintendent Gilbert Cruz and other officials playing terrorists, commandos of the Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) and other units of the Makati police tested the guns, which are designed to help police and soldiers sharpen their skills without getting anybody killed.

Known as the Real Action Marker (RAM), the "simulated ammunition" guns are rapidly gaining popularity worldwide as a safe and effective training tool for simulation training and live-fire exercises.

Exclusively marketed in the Philippines by ATACS-Advanced Tactical Training Systems (ATACS-ATTS), the guns are far more advanced than paintball and airsoft guns, and are meant for the kind of training needed by the military and the police.

In the exercise, Cruz and other officials played terrorists and took up positions on the fifth floor of an abandoned school while SWAT policemen hunted them down.

Both sides suffered "wounded" and "casualties" but the SWAT officers won.

"It was a great experience," said Cruz, adding that he will recommend the guns to the Philippine National Police for training exercises. Cruz was able to “kill” three SWAT officers before he was shot dead.

ATACS founders Jasper Briones, Jose Viven Balsomo, Jose Luis Valdes and Michael Salvador said the RAM training system they offer will provide affordable and modern "simulated ammunition" training systems for the PNP, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and security agencies.

According to Briones, the RAM guns are essentially a hybrid of the paintball and airsoft designs already in use Wednesday. They combine the best of both worlds in a replica firearm of the same size and shape as a Colt M4- or M-16 rifle. It also uses a paintball projectile that effectively marks hits via paint splotches.

Briones said the realism of the RAM design also features a magazine-fed ammunition loading system that can hold up to 20 rounds of paintball ammunition.

"Another unique touch in the RAM concept is the alloy casing that encloses the paintball round, protecting it while it is in the magazine and is ejected during firing to simulate the shell casing ejection of a real rifle," Briones said. "The CO2 propellant tank for the rifle itself is concealed within the stock of the RAM, making it an unobtrusive part of the simulated ammunition rifle."

Briones said the RAM is a very realistic tool for tactical training and a must for law enforcers to experience so as to enhance and to prove the effectiveness of their tactics.

He noted that the arrival of ATACS in the Philippines and RSAU’s field test makes the country only the ninth in the world to employ the RAM as a training tool for law enforcement.

The other countries now using RAM are Australia, the special administrative region of Hong Kong, Malaysia, Nepal, China, Singapore, Taiwan and the US.

In the United States, 15 law enforcement agencies use the RAM system, while two military installations have incorporated the technology in their training programs.

Affordable Simulation Training now in the Philippines

For professional law enforcers and military personnel, training has always been the key element that has differentiated them from uninitiated gun-touting people. It forms the backbone of their existence and hones their skills in protecting innocent civilians from criminal thugs and terrorists.

In western countries, several modern forms of training have been developed to increase the operational readiness of their law enforcement and military forces. One of which is known as the force-on-force simulated ammunition training, wherein the stresses of real-life combat encounters and tactical scenarios are simulated using non-lethal training technology.

Such simulation scenarios allow instructors and trainees to train as closely as possible to the real thing without accidental injury or loss of life that comes when using blank cartridges or real-weapons modified for training.

The most accurate simulated ammunition technology known today is the MILES gear, employed by US forces and local police. The acronym stands for Multiple Independent Laser Engagement System, which employs a combination of modified weaponry, laser emitters and a computer-controlled system of laser receivers, that pin-point the exact trajectory of the simulated bullet. Hits are recorded via the computer system and the unfortunate trainee is alerted by a continuous electronic alarm signifying his “death”.

However, such a system can be costly to set up and can not be easily transported to another location, thereby limiting the choices of scenarios available.

Other law enforcement agencies who have also recognized the value of “simulated ammunition” training have experimented with alternative gear that could help enhance their training regimes, while costing a fraction of the cost of a dedicated MILES system. They found their choices in paintball and airsoft systems.

Paintball was of course the first apparent choice for simulated ammunition training, because of its capability to mark hits with paint splotches. This ability was highly significant since an instructor could easily identify the trainee that had been hit, as well as which part of the body the “bullet” impacted. But this useful trait was also offset by several negatives – the paintguns did not resemble the size, shape and weight of a real gun; an ammo cannister that holds the paintball ammunition effectively blocks the sights of the gun itself making it hard to aim at targets; and a gravity-feed system that does not allow the gun to be fired unless in the prescribed upright position.

Others began to switch to airsoft guns as training tools due the fact that this system featured a replica design, making them look, feel and even weigh like the real thing. Powered by battery or compressed gas and firing “ballistic ball” (BB) pellets, airsoft rifles offered more training potential in terms of movement and marksmanship.

Users, however,also noted that airsoft required an honesty system, since the BB pellets do not leave marks whenever they hit. Often times, during the rush of adrenalin, some trainees would fail to register hits and would continue to shoot even after effectively being “killed” by an opposing force. This crucial factor has made the training value of airsoft systems somewhat lacking, although its entertainment value as a hobby continues to grow steadily today.

In the Philippines, a new type of simulated ammunition system has been introduced into the market by a pioneering company known as ATACS Advanced Tactical Training Systems (ATACS ATTS), recently established by Jasper Briones, Jose Viven Balsomo, Jose Luis Valdes and Michael Salvador. This company touts a vision of offering affordable and modern simulated ammunition training systems for the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces and local security agencies. And their vision begins with the Real Action Marker.

“The Real Action Marker is essentially a hybrid of the paintball and airsoft designs, combining the best of both worlds - a replica body of the same size and shape as a Colt M4 or M16 rifle and a paintball projectile that effectively marks hits via paint splotches,” stated ATACS Managing Director Jasper Briones.

Briones further explained that realism of the RAM design also features a magazine-fed system that can hold up to 20 rounds of paintball ammo. Another unique touch in the RAM concept is the alloy casing that encloses the paintball round, protecting it while it is in the magazine and is ejected during firing to simulate the shell casing ejection of a real rifle. The CO2 propellant tank for the rifle itself is concealed within the stock of the RAM, making it an unobtrusive part of the simulated ammunition rifle.

The realism and training potential of the RAM design itself was tested in full when ATACS ATTS offered the new simulated ammunition rifles to be tested by members of the 3rd Coy, Regional Special Action Unit (RSAU) during one of their field training exercises in Camp Bagong Diwa.

The result was dynamic, as the RSAU replicated a sniper-initiated assault on a four-storey tower, complete with designated rappel, ladder and entry-assault teams. Members of the RSAU designated as “hostage-taking terrorists” began exchanging fire with the assault force, adding to the realism of the simulation.

After the shootout, the RSAU assault force rescued the hostage, “killed” three terrorists and captured one without a single loss on their part.

“The Real Action Marker of ATACS is a very realistic tool for tactical training and a must for law enforcers to experience, to enhance and to prove the effectiveness of their tactics,” stated Maj. Rex Malimban, Chief 3rd Coy, RSAU.

Briones revealed that the arrival of ATACS in the Philippines and the field test of the RSAU makes the country only the 9th in the world to employ the Real Action Marker as a training tool for law enforcement.

Among the other countries now using RAM are Australia, Hongkong Malaysia, Nepal, P.R. China, Singapore, Taiwan and the United States. In America, 15 law enforcement agencies already use the RAM in the training, while two military installations have incorporated the revolutionary simulated ammunition rifle in their training regimes.

Briones also shared that while the ATACS RAM rifles are available for retail purchases, law enforcement and military instructors may also avail of the company’s Engkwentro Xperience, an equipment rental service that offers RAM simulated ammunition rifles, complete with protective gear. Paintball ammunition consumed during training, however, is charged separately.

“The ATACS Engkwentro Xperience is a cost-effective way to allow our law enforcers, special military units and even security agencies affordable access to the RAM without the added worries of maintenance. We can go to their training site, equip their trainees easily and they can concentrate on enhancing tactics and strategies of their men,” stated Briones.

ATACS ATTS is the sole authorized distributor in the Philippines for the Real Action Marker. The simulated ammunition rifles are imported from and manufactured in Hongkong by Asia Paintball Ltd.

For inquiries about ATACS, the Real Action Marker and the Engkwentro Xperience, please contact 882-3550, or email us at atacsphil@gmail.com.