:: International laser tag festival "May Maneuvers" ::
"May Maneuvers" is the largest annual outdoor laser tag festival in the CIS, which LASERWAR runs in early May. It is not a 10-player club tournament or a trade-show demo: teams from regions across Russia and neighbouring countries deploy to a polygon to play multi-hour tactical scenarios on professional eighth-generation equipment.
For the industry the festival is a showcase for outdoor laser tag: tagger premieres (in 2025 — the HELLFIRE line), the golden cup every participant knows, and a "real war" atmosphere without paintball bruises. TRUTNEE has tracked May Maneuvers since 2016 as a key calendar event (see the calendar).
Festival timeline
- 2016 — "Thanks for the game": the tradition of a multi-day field format and a community around the festival takes shape.
- 2017 — "In the heat of battle": more scenarios and wider media coverage of outdoor laser tag.
- 2019 — a major edition on the polygon; the festival becomes a May "anchor" for clubs.
- 2020–2024 — pauses and reduced formats in some years; the community stays active on social media and LASERWAR venues.
- 2025 — return to the familiar polygon in Gusino (Smolensk region). Organisers confirmed the venue after polling players in the "International laser tag festival May Maneuvers" group — many guessed the location in advance.
How the festival works
Venue. An open polygon with tree cover, bunkers and respawn zones. Play runs by day and at dusk; organisers publish camp layout, registration and scenario schedules in advance.
Participants. Club teams, corporate squads, veterans of May Maneuvers and newcomers who arrive for the first time after indoor laser tag. A typical turnout is dozens to hundreds of active players over the weekend; exact numbers depend on the year and weather.
Equipment. LASERWAR vests and taggers with multiple hit sensors, OLED indicators, tagger–headband pairing and scenario software. New gear can be tested before mass club deliveries — in 2025 the focus was modular HELLFIRE taggers.
Scenarios. Point capture, base defence, escort, pushing the enemy off territory. Refereeing uses hit-registration logs; disputes are settled from data, not "by eye" as in casual paintball.
Trophy. The golden May Maneuvers cup is a recognisable symbol of victory; in 2025 it was even shown at the Smolensk region stand at SPIEF as part of regional and laser tag industry promotion.
Report: May Maneuvers 2025
Spring 2025. After long community debate organisers announced: the festival returns to the polygon in Gusino. For regular participants it is a homecoming — the same ground where 2019 finals played out, the same "tent — respawn — forest" logistics.
Registration day. Teams receive kits and a briefing on that year's rules (lives, medics, dead zones). Technicians check firmware — the festival does not tolerate "dead" sensors in the first round.
First scenarios. Woodland strip, fast contact. Newcomers feel the difference from an arena: longer ranges, radio comms matter, open ground is lethal. Experienced teams spread on flanks immediately; those who bunch on the road get wiped in minutes.
HELLFIRE demo. LASERWAR brings modular taggers to the polygon — players compare ergonomics, weight and response with the previous generation. For clubs it is a practical test before purchase.
Final and awards. Winning teams lift the golden cup; photos and videos go to social media and the LASERWAR Rutube channel together with archives of "Games of the Future" and past Maneuvers editions.
Tips for participants
- If your experience is indoor-only — read outdoor guides in Player Tips on TRUTNEE.
- Wear dark weather-appropriate clothing, spare batteries, gloves and water.
- Agree on radios in your team — on the polygon they are a must-have.
- Follow announcements on laserwar.ru and in the official festival group.
TRUTNEE and media materials
- Venue for May Maneuvers 2025 confirmed — portal news.
- HELLFIRE at the festival.
- Golden cup at SPIEF 2025.
- Events calendar — festival card in the feed.
May Maneuvers bridges club laser tag and large-scale outdoor sport. For championship history it is not a translation of a 1980s LaserTron article but a living chapter TRUTNEE records separately — alongside classic tournament history on TRUTNEE RU.
(c) TRUTNEE, report prepared in 2026 from LASERWAR materials and the portal calendar.