MARS opens its year with Nikopol Bridgehead in Kansas

The Midwest Airsoft Reenactment Society, known as MARS, opened its 2026 season with Nikopol Bridgehead, a historical airsoft event held from 20 to 22 February on its field in Leavenworth County, near Easton in Kansas. The game was set on the Eastern Front in February 1944.

Who runs MARS

MARS is run as a limited company and has been organising events for more than ten years. Its field lies about 45 minutes from Kansas City International Airport. The group mixes airsoft with historical reenactment, and its games are built around the period being portrayed rather than around points or flags.

Events run over several days and are played company against company. Each side has a chain of command and receives orders, and players are expected to follow them. Ammunition and rations are controlled, so a unit has to plan how it uses what it has. MARS publishes authenticity guides that set out what uniform and kit each side should wear and carry.

The 2026 calendar

Nikopol Bridgehead was the first of the year's events. MARS has listed a training event for April or May, followed by Operation Santa Fe IV from 19 to 21 June, set in Vietnam in November 1967. The season closes with The Gothic Line X from 10 to 17 October, set on the Italian Front in October 1944. The dates for 2027 have not yet been confirmed.

The real Nikopol bridgehead was a German held position on the east bank of the Dnieper in Ukraine, which Soviet forces cleared in February 1944. MARS uses real campaigns like this as the setting for its scenarios.

What it means for players

Historical airsoft asks more of players than a normal Sunday skirmish. Kit has to match the period, which means sourcing replica uniforms, webbing and period style replicas, and many groups expect players to stay in role for the whole weekend. In return, players get a long, structured game where decisions made on the first day still matter on the last.

Players who want to try this style should start with the organiser's authenticity guide and talk to the unit they plan to join before buying anything. Most units help new members find the right kit, and some lend items for a first event.

For players outside the United States, MARS shows the kind of event that historical airsoft groups run in many countries, including the UK. We will report on the later 2026 events as dates and details are confirmed.