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Airsoft Information Thread
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Sverige
Airsoft Information Thread
Figured this forum needed something like this. I don't have the vast knowledge of airsoft needed to put something like this together, so if you have some good stuff to add I could put it all up here. I think we should have a bunch of general stuff for beginners and such here. So I'll start with a few things, some of them just links to the airsoftforum.com which will obviously have more/better information for beginners. I'll just find some of the better threads and post them up.
What is airsoft?:
For an excellent all around guide see Blackwidowrenagade's posts below!
AEG upgrading guide:
Simple guide to choosing class:
Sniper Rifle/Sniper Complete Guide
Airsoft Glossary:
Thinking about upgrading to Li-Po? Read this:
Good AEG brands:
budget up to $200:
JG, AGM and echo 1 are great starter brands. They have good construction, decent fps and rpm and most importantly are cheap. But, personally I think the G&G plastic series is the best for the lower price range.
Tokyo Marui, G&G, KWA, ICS, VFC, Classic Army:
All have their ups and downs but are all high quality. Many will tell you that TM is the most reliable and they are quite good stock. classic army has had quality control issues in the past but I think they are improving. KWA is quickly becoming the new gun to have because of their superb stock internals and high fps out of the box. G&G is also very good but not quite as good of internals as KWA stock, though many people still prefer G&G for other reasons. I don't know much about ICS, I'll let someone else add their input.
over $500:
King Arms, Systema, ARES, VFC: better do your research if your gonna spend this much on a gun, but everyone knows systema is pretty much the top of the line here.
Places to buy airsoft stuff:
I'd like to claim no responsibility/blame for any of these links or whatever they may contain. Leave pbn at your own risk
but really they should all be legit to my knowledge.
That's all I can do right now..its bedtime. I'll add more stuff tomorrow.
New Mexico Paintball
Last edited by t("t) : 02-22-2010 at
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What's the deal on hi-cap, low-cap magazines?
Would i have to keep winding hi-cap?
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HiCaps you just wind before the game and you can get maybe 50-100+ shots off a good wind, when it runs out you just wind it some more again, its not hard and doesnt take long.
Lowcaps only gold maybe 20-40 rounds so youwould need quite a few but you dont have to wind them you just use a loader (or your fingers) and fill it up. But they are costly since youll need 4-5+ mags just to play a decent game.
A good alternative is midcaps, they hold 90-100 rounds and they are spring loaded so you do not have to wind them. They also do not rattle like highcaps do you so it helps keep you quiet. They still cost some money but they are good to look for when you look to buy new mags.
Also I would not reccomend buying for Airsplat.com, they dont have the best history for getting the correct packages shipped out in a timely matter. Also the items descriptions are way overhyped and sometimes blatent lies.
Another good place to buy from is ehobbyasia.com since its based in asia their prices are dramatically lower. However their shipping prices are incredibly high the low prices is still saves you some alot of the time.
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Thanks for the info ionballer.
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: O'fallon IL
I've ordered form AirsoftGI, Shorty USA, and Airsplat.
-ASGI gave me a great deal with fast shipping. They also have a great selection.
-ShortyUSA was the only supplier of a handgun I wanted but they overcharge a few $$. They didn't have a big selection but they did ship fast.
-Airsplat wasn't very good for me. Their info was inconsistent and they took forever to ship. I was satisfied with the product overall though.
As far as brands, my first AEG was a JG M4 S-system Enhanced. It was accurate, powerful, and it was very detailed. A large % of it was plastic but it still works like it was new.
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Guide that I found a long time ago.
Table of contents:
Basic equipment for a player
Cloth [Battle Dress Uniform - BDU]
Conversion tables for cloth
The weapons choice
Different aiming helps
Other equipment
Weapon maintenance
Checklist before a game
Basic teaming
General movement
Fire & movement
Urban Warfare and Close Quarter Battle - CQB
The two man team
Static & Mobile defences
Fire control
Weapon ID:
Wordlist of shortenings:
Different games:
Milsim & Tacsim
Game variants
Murphy's Laws of Combat:
Airsoft Rules:
Field protokoll
Basic rules
Basic equipment for a player:
The basic equipment needed to play Airsoft is protection goggles, a gun and ammunition. But to make the game more exciting and varying the player should get a decent equipment.
The only protection needed is a pair of goggles with or without face protection. The ammunition (bb) dont hurt that much, but if the weapon is upgraded or the distance between the shooter and the target is short, the pain increases. Knuckles, ears, lips an similar places is sensitive and a shot can hurt quite a lot. The cloth is often protection enough but hands and face is often unprotected.
Protection goggles shouldn't be affected buy a bb fired form under a foot buy the most powerfull weapon in the arsenal. Protection goggles have a tendency to fog, because the warm humid air between the face and the goggles dont disappear. The more air that flows between the face and the goggles, the less fog there will be. There is special lenses that don't fog. Thermal goggles work because there is two seperate lenses and the air between the lenses prevents fogging on the inner lens. Air dont transfer heat well. Thermal goggles is quite expensive though, so there is other methods to reduce fogging. The easiest method is to use a piece of cloth and wipe a thin layer of soap or similar solution on the inside of the goggles. This method reduce the fogging but the downside is that it dont prevent fogging and the goggles has to be prepared before each game.
A new type of goggles have surfaced in recent years. Mesh goggles. These goggles are made to be used in Airsoft and since they doesnt have a lense they cant fog. There only negative side is that in lowlight situations they're hard to see thru.
Yellow lenses increase contrast and the effect is that in daytime vision is improved, but yellow lenses is impossible to see thru in lowlight such as in the evening or night.
Cloth [Battle Dress Uniform - BDU]:
Don't play Airsoft in a suite or cloth that can't with stand rough play. Good cloth is a jacket and trousers in camouflage pattern and a pair of good boots. Military surplus and outdoor shops are good places to buy gear from. Cloth bought in these places is very hard to rip and can be cheap. Many pockets is usefull, but make sure that the pockets is sealed with big buttons or big zippers, that is easy to handle with gloves or when it's cold. And dont forget to make sure that the cloth is comfortable. Camouflage pattern isnt a must, green or brown is often enough. Dont buy black cloth to use during nightgames. Use regular camouflage cloth in nighttime or the cloth might be darker than the night and you will be spotted. The night often isnt black, just dark.
T-shirts, shirts and socks:
During a warm day a shirt or long armed T-shirt is to be preferd over a warm jacket. Even in normal games something has to be worn under the jacket and a shirt or T-shirt is the common option.
Socks is more important than many people think, because a good pair of socks decrease bruses and cold feet isnt good for your healt. It's better to use double pairs of thin socks than one thick pair, because the two thin socks isolate better.
It isn't smart to use a pair of sneakers to play Airsoft in. Real boots protects your feet and ancles better, and boots withstand mud and water better. Make sure that the boots is well worn in before you play in them. A tip is to use a pair of soaked wollen socks, and then walk around in the boots until the socks are dry, and then walk a bit more. A pair of boots can be consided as well worn in when you have walked about 20-30 miles in them. Thou not all in one time. For people that dont like boots with hard soles there is something called SWAT boots, manufactured by Magnum Boots, that has soft soles and sides.
Gloves will protect hands from getting hurt and also decrease the pain felt from a hit on knuckles and fingers. Fingerless gloves is often use, because gloves increase the grip when holding a gun or obstacles. Gloves also keeps the hand warm during cold weather.
Head wear:
Hats and other head wear is often used. Junglehats, bonniehats, caps and helmets is most common. The choice depends on personal preference, looks and protection from flying bbs. Hats also increase realism. A hat is very nice to have if the weather is bad and if it rains.
Vest and backpacks:
A good vest is very usefull to carry around spare magazines, spare battery, binoculars and all the other equipment an Airsoft player uses. There is may different types and in many different patterns, so chose one that suits you. During those warm games when only a shirt is worn a vest is a excellent investment.
Backpacks isnt that usefull for the common Airsoft player, but if you have to carry around lot of equipment or food a backpack will save the day. A backpack is also good to transport your Airsoft equipment around in when your not playing.
Load Bearing Vests, LBV:
A LBV or ALICE (All-purpose Lightweigt Individual Carrying Equipment) is a harnes with loose pouches that is hung on, and if the user wants more ammo pouches he can exchange som of the other pouches to ammo pouches. LBV is perfect to carry around a sorted gear in that is easy to access. LBV is available in green, black and many camouflage patterns.
In Airsoft its very important to melt in to the surrounding enviorment, because Airsoft is played over short distances, and if you cant be seen at a 30 meters (100 feet) or less, the chance to be shot decrease. Camouflage is the key if you want to blend in and camouflage patterned cloth is essential. Here is some of the different camouflage patterns that is most commonly available.
There is hundreds of different patterns around the world, so choose one that fit you enviorment. Camouflage that has soft round edges is better in wood that has a lot of trees with leaves, and patterns with sharp edges is better in pine and spure woods. A person that use camouflage cloth should also camouflage the other equipment to not expose themself. All cloth as hats, jacket, backpacks should be in the same pattern to increase the camouflage and because it looks better.
The biggest telltale on a camouflaged human is the fact that the camouflaged human still has the shape of a human. So to better melt in and camouflage the wearer, the ghillie suit was invented in Scotland in the 1800's. A good ghillie suit makes the wearer almost impossible to see at a couple of meters distance, assuming the wearer dont expose himself. A ghillie is manufactured to a specifik enviorment and cant be used in other enviorments with the same level of effectivity. The manufacturing of a ghillie is a time consuming job and is a handcraft.
Snipers often use ghillie suits. As stated above Airsoft is played over short distances and a good ghillie gives the wearer an edge. The bad things with ghillies suits is that they're warm and cumbersome. And the user has to move slow and silent to maximise the useage of the ghillie. If the wearer runs the ghillie can be ripped to pieces and possibly snare the user. Ghillie is ment for snipers and isnt something for the average user to consider.
Cloth conversion tables:
Shirts Trousers
Size Chest Waist Inseam
measure measure length
X Small/Short 29 - 33" 23 - 27" 26 1/2 - 29 1/2"
X Small/Regular 29 - 33" 23 - 27" 29 1/2 - 32 1/2"
X Small/Long 29 - 33" 23 - 27" 32 1/2 - 35 1/2"
Small/Short 33 - 37" 27 - 31" 26 1/2 - 29 1/2"
Small/Regular 33 - 37" 27 - 31" 29 1/2 - 32 1/2"
Small/Long 33 - 37" 27 - 31" 32 1/2 - 35 1/2"
Medium/Short 37 - 41" 31 - 35" 26 1/2 - 29 1/2"
Medium/Regular 37 - 41" 31 - 35" 29 1/2 - 32 1/2"
Medium/Long 37 - 41" 31 - 35" 32 1/2 - 35 1/2"
Large/Short 41 - 45" 35 - 39" 26 1/2 - 29 1/2"
Large/Regular 41 - 45" 35 - 39" 29 1/2 - 32 1/2"
Large/Long 41 - 45" 35 - 39" 32 1/2 - 35 1/2"
X Large/Short 45 - 49" 39 - 43" 26 1/2 - 29 1/2"
X Large/Regular 45 - 49" 39 - 43" 29 1/2 - 32 1/2"
X Large/Long 45 - 49" 39 - 43" 32 1/2 - 35 1/2"
X X Large/Regular 49 - 53" 43 - 47" 29 1/2 - 32 1/2"
X X Large/Long 49 - 53" 43 - 47" 32 1/2 - 35 1/2"
Internationall shoe and boots conversion table:
This chart converts U.S. sizes to those in Europe, Asia and the UK.
American 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Brittish 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
European 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48
Asian 23½ 24½ 25½ 26½ 27½ 28½ 29½ 30½ 31½ 32½
Finding the right hat size:
Place a tape measure around your head.
Inch CM Size
20 3/8" 52 6 1/2
20 3/4" 53 6 5/8
21 1/8" 54 6 3/4
21 1/2" 55 6 7/8
22" 56 7
22 3/8" 57 7 1/8
22 3/4" 58 7 1/4
23 1/8" 59 7 3/8
23 1/2" 60 7 1/2
24" 61 7 5/8
24 3/8" 62 7 3/4
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Finding Your Glove Size:
Using a measuring tape, measure around the palm of your hand at the widest point not including your thumb.
Small Medium Large X Large
Inch 6½ - 7 7½ - 8 8½ - 9 9½ - 10
Size 7 - 7½ 8 - 8½ 9 - 10½ 10½ - 11
Military size 3 4 5 6
The thing that people think first and most about is probably the weapons and the accessories. This is also the part of Airsoft that cost most and it's therefor essential to make a good choice and a choice that player will be satisfied with.
Basic weapons information:
When you buy an weapon make sure that it's from a good brand. Most Airsoft weapons is manufactured in Japan, so buy one of the japanese brands, like Tokyo Marui, Western Arms, TOP, KHC, KWC, Tanaka, Marushin, Maruzen, JAC or Asahi. The weapon will be more durable, easier to get upgrade and spare parts, and they often look better.
Airsoft weapons use air or gas to propell a round six millimeter plastic bullet. The airpressure is created thru a small spring loaded piston in a cylinder. When the weapon is cocked the piston is drawn back and the spring is tensioned. The piston locks in the rear position and a bullet is feed into the barrel. When the trigger is pulled the piston lock is released and the piston is driven forward by the spring. The fast moving piston compress the air infront of the piston and that airpressure propells the bullet.
All Airsoft weapons is divided into one of three main types. Spring, Gas or Electric (AEG). Each has its own pros and cons. All Airsoft weapons fire, as stated above, a round six milimeter plastic bullets. There is many different qualties and weights of the bullets. The weights is 0.12g, 0.15g, 0.20g, 0.25g, 0.30g, 0.36g and 0.43g, and of those 0.20g and 0.25g is the most common. A lighter bullet is more affected by wind and loses its energy faster due to air resistance than a heavier. To limit how high the muzzelvelocity a weapon can have and still be legal, the energy of the bullet is calculated. The standard weapons have a maximum of 0.8 joules of energy, ie 90 m/s with a 0.20g bullet. The energy is calculated with the following formula:
Different countries has different laws. In my country, Sweden, the laws allow extremly high velocities, higher than anyone want to play with. For semi and fully automatic weapons the limit is set to 3J, but with manually cocked weapons the upper limit is 10J. All measured 4 meters from the barrel. According to my information Sweden has one of the highest limits in the world. The standard weapon with 0.8J has an effective range of about 30m (100 feet). With the term effective range I mean the distance a weapon will put 90% of all bullets thru a 0.3 meter (1 feet) target. This means that the bullet is within 0.15m from the optimal bullet trajectory.
Spring handguns is the most common weapon for people that start with Airsoft, and most players has one or many "Springers" in their home. There is a lot of different brands and versions and all is far from good. The best spring pistols is manufactured by Tokyo Marui and KWC, but there is more good manufacturers. The Marui weapons have an edge in the fact that they often has 25 bullets in a magazine and the standard KWC only has 12. The biggest advantage any spring weapon has, is the easy, reliable and high power mechanism and also the high precision a spring weapon can have. The best and most reliable precision rifles are spring rifles. The biggest disadvantage is that the weapon has to be cocked between each shot, so the rate of fire is low.
The really good and nice looking rifles cost equal to or more than an AEG. A spring pistol is not expensive and the money isnt wasted when you buy an AEG or Gasgun, because a spring pistol is an extremly reliable and cheap backup if for some reason the main weapon should stop working. Spring weapon is not affected by water unless the air chamber gets filled with water. So empty the barrel before the weapon is cocked and dont use a cocked weapon under water.
Gas weapons has been around for a long time and the first gasguns was developed in the beginning of the eighttees. Since then development has gone far, though today most gasrifles has been replaced with AEG, the gas systems still has a big market when it comes to pistols and smaller Airsoft weapons. The gas systems used today is reliable and good. The advantages of a gas systems is that they're semi or full automatic, can have very high muzzelvelocity while still being compact and to increase realism in weapons, the new handguns is almost always blowback versions which produce recoil and works the slide. Gas system also has a number of disadvantages like they consume gas, require more maintenance and the gun can freeze up when fired rapidly. They're preformance also depends on the weather and temperature in which they're being used. The warmer weather is the higher the velocity is.
Gas pistols is as said before common, because they're the only pistols that is semi automatic and can even be full automatic. The development of the EBB (Electric Blow Back) might change this in the future, but today the only pistol size weapons that has good preformance is gas pistols. Gas weapons, as with all weapon types, has its good and bad gas systems, and there is a huge different in preformance between different guns. The cheaper pistols is often NBB (Non BlowBack) but an NBB uses about half the gas an GBB (Gas BlowBack) do, because they dont have to operate the slide and produce recoil. Most of the blowback systems used today is good and the guns a reliable. Magna BlowBack is probably the best system though. The first gas systems used external tanks connected to the weapon thru a hose, but the modern pistols of today has an internal gas chamber in the magazine.
The preformance of a gasguns is about the same or slightly lower than a standard AEG, but the weapons is pistols and not rifles. Far from all gasweapons work under water, but they're better than AEG in a very wet enviorment.
Electric - AEG [Automatic Electric Gun]:
AEG was introduced in the end of the eighttees, but the AEG introduced then wasn't that good, so gas weapons was still the main weapon system available and used. The system has, as always, improved and today the AEG is the most common weapon used in the field. The principle of the system is to use an electric motor to pull back the piston and then release it. The rate of fire can be high and there is even an electric minigun which can shoot 100 bullets per second, but the standard AEG has a more economic and usefull 12-18 bullets per second. The regular magazines has a capacity between 50 to 80 bullets and almost all AEG has a fireselector so that they can be switched between semi and full automatic.
Tokyo Marui is the biggest and the best producer of AEG. The advantages with AEG is that they're has both semi and full auto, is very reliable, spare parts and upgrade parts is easy to get and high magazine capacity. The basic maintenance is easy and unless you forget to charged the battery an AEG will work excellent. The disadvantages is that an AEG is expensive to upgrade much and the mechbox in an AEG isn't a thing that most people should take apart. There is one more disadvantage and it's more annoying than anything else. Due to the cogwheels in the mechbox an AEG sometimes wont fire when the trigger is pulled, if the weapon is set for semiautomatic. It's rare but when it happens a short fullauto burst will fix the problem.
In the end of 1999 Tokyo Marui released their new electric pistol. The system is called Electric BlowBack or EBB. The first pistol to be released was a Beretta M92. The advantages of using electricity as a power source is obivous, because the wont be any gas problems and the gun will work as long as the batteries are freash. The problem with EBB is that in a pistol there isnt enough room for a big powerfull system, so the guns lack in preformance, and most of the grip is filled with batteries and the magazine is therefor of stick typ. The only reason to buy an EBB is that they're cheap compared to a gas pistol and they can be a reasonably good backup.
Rain and raindrops isn't a big problem for an AEG, but the weapon shouldnt be use if there is big quantities of water in the weapon or if the barrel is dirty or filled with water. If for some reason the AEG has been submerged in water, just disconnect the battery and let the weapon and battery dry before used, and if the water was dirty a complete cleaning should be done.
HopUp - The Bernoulli effect:
The Bernoulli effect is a physical law that says that if a bullet is given a backspin an overpressure is formed under the bullet and an underpressure is formed on the top of the bullet. These pressures effect the bullet as on an airplanes wings a lift is formed. The bullet is sucked up. If the Bernoulli effect is equal to the effect of gravitation the bullet will fly longer and straight until the bullet loses its energy and the bernoulli effect stops working. Tokyo Marui technicians developed this effect and put it in their weapons. They also named it HopUp. The practical difference the user of the weapons notice is that the bullet will fly longer. The disadvantage with HopUp is that the amount of HopUp has to be tuned the bullets weight, the weapon cant be tilted and the HopUp steals some of the bullets energy. The amount of gained range compensates and thats why HopUp now is a standard and something that most weapon uses.
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There is other system to make a bullet go longer or with more precision. Cyclone system uses the fact that a bullet that spinns around the axis of the trajectory will stabilice itself, and the Cyclone system is basically a rifled barrel. Cyclone produce a nice grouping of the shoots but only work under 15 meters and the bullet wont go much longer than 20 meters. Cyclone cant be combined with HopUp and that's why HopUp is the most common system.
HiCap Magazine [Clockwork Magazine]:
The regular magazines in a AEG has between 15 to 80 bullets, but as magazine isnt cheap and thats why something called HiCap was developed. These magazines is only available to AEG. The magazine contains a hollow space where the bullets is poured in. In the bottom of the magazine a clockspring is used to turn a big wheel that feeds bullets from the space to the feeder tube. These magazines dont cost much more that a regular magazine but they contain between 200 to 600 bullets. In some magazines not all bullets cant be fired in one long salvo though due to the small size of the magazine, and the clockspring has to be rewinded after about 70 bullets has been fired. The disadvantage is that the bullets rattle around in the magazine and these magazines demand more maintenance than other magazines.
The tracer looks like a silencer but inside the body of the tracer, there is some simple electronics that used IR light to sence if a bullet is passing thru. If a bullet is senced a lightbulb flashes and the bullet is illuminated. The effect is that the bullet glows in the dark and the small bullet can be easily seen in low light. The disadvantage is that the usual bullet cant absorb light and special tracer bullets has to be used and these is about 4 times more expensive than the regular bullet. Many players leave the Tracer attached to the weapon even during daytime because it looks as a nice silencer. 4 small batteries is required or the tracer wont work.
The weapons choice:
The weapon is probably the most expensive thing an Airsoft player is buying and a good choice is essential. The first decision to make is where and how the weapons should be used. In close quarters most players use a short or compact weapon, but as most games are outdoors and is played in forests over other long distances a weapons range is important. The most dense forests here in northern Europe is young leaf forests. They're so dense that even a small machine gun like the MP5K is too big sometimes. So consider the enviorment the weapon will be used in first. Weapons can be divided in to four groups:
• Pistols and small machine guns (SMG - Sub Machine Gun).
• Carbines and Automatic Rifles.
• Support weapons (LMG - Light Machine Gun).
• Rifles and shotguns.
A pistol or SMG is a small and compact weapon but the range and precision has suffered. These weapons is best when the distances is short and a big weapon is cumbersome. A pistol or SMG is also good as a backup weapon. Examples of SMG are MP5, UZI, M10 and TMP. Many players first buy is one of these weapons and a MP5 is the usual choice.
Carbines and Automatic rifles are the best allround weapons. A longer barrel than a SMG increase range and precision and these weapons often has a larger ammo capacity. M16, G3, AUG, FA MAS, SG55x and AK47 is all of these types. A bonus with these rifles is that they often has a Large battery and therefor a much higher battery capacity than a smaller weapon. By using a box magazine with one of these weapons the weapon is basically a support weapon. These are the most common weapons and also the weapon that is recommend to a beginner.
Support weapons is often called LMG (Light Machine Gun). In Airsoft a support weapon has a big ammo capacity between 1000-4000 bullets, an they can shoot long bursts. A LMG often has a bipod so that the operator dont have to hold it for long periods. M60, M249 and M63a1 is all different support weapons. In normal games these weapons is used to defend or to give suppressing fire when friendly troops advance.
Airsoft Rifles is special weapons because of their usage and requirements. The typical sniperrifle is just a variant of the common hunting rifle though the pray is different. The mechanism is the same. A bolt is operated to chamber a bullet and in the same motion cock the rifle. That's why almost all rifles is bolt action rifles. There is no need for a semiautomatics and a fully automatic rifle isnt easy to aim. In Airsoft this is different. There is no big recoils and the distances is much shorter and a second shot is often important. An upgraded spring rifle can be quite hard to cock and a big motion can reveal the sniper, so to many high power rifles there is often a gas system available. The bolt still has to be operated but the action is faster, smother and no big motions has to be made.
A shotgun in Airsoft is also a special weapon. There is both spring and gas shotguns, and the difference is that some of the gas shotgun is semiautomatic. The gas shotguns uses shells and each shell has about 5-10 bbs, all fired in each shot. The spring rifles usually has a magazine of bullets and each shot fires 3 bullets each time the trigger is pulled. Spring shotguns has to be cocked between shots to feed new bullets in to the chamber and to cock the weapon. Shotguns shouldn't be recommended to the beginner. Sure, there is players that use shotguns but they has often played for a long time.
Gas or electric. A beginner should buy an electric carbine or rifle. They're good and reliable weapon that is quite easy to maintain and easy to operate. A gas weapon require gas while a AEG only needs its battery to be loaded. The weapons cost about the same but a AEG is easier to buy and there is much more spare parts. The AEG should be one of Tokyo Marui's standard weapons.
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It's nice if the battery is the Large type (1300mAh) so it last longer and since it's the same kind of battery as in a RadioControlled car its easy to buy another one. The smaller batteries (600mAh) will last until 1000 to 1500 bullets has been fired, but that depends on what kind of fire has been used. Full automatic draws less current than single shots and the battery last longer if only fullauto has been used. How many shots a player fires depends on the game and the playingstyle. Some players shoots 20 shots if they see a branch moves, and some player only shots one shot when they have the target in the sights. The barrels lenght effect the precision and range of the weapon, but a weapon with long barrel is often long and can be difficult to use in dense terrain. A solution is to use a bullpup weapon. In a standard automatic rifle the mechanism and magasin is in front of the grip, but in a bullpup the magasin and mechanism is located in the stock of the weapon, so the barrel can be as long as in a automatic rifle when the weapon is the size of a carbine. FA MAS and Steyr AUG is both bullpup weapons. The AEG's from Marui has a motor from one of three main types, EG560, EG700 and EG1000. EG560 is the oldest motor and the weakest. EG1000 is the latest and strongest. There is no big need for a stronger motor if you're not going to upgrade, but a EG700 is to prefer over a EG560.
Question other people what they think is positive and negative with their weapon, and read reviews that other people has written. It's important to look after information and get as many opinions as you can. Dont just rely on one opinion. Try to avoid posting on discussion boards asking people what gun you should choose, because that question has been asked so many times and the information is available in reviews and old discussion if you look. In the end there is just one thing that really matter, and that is that the person how shall use the gun likes it and is happy with the choice. And don't let the prize be the biggest issue. Think of it this way. It's stupid to spend a lot of money on weapon you like, when you can add little more an get the weapon you like the most. Everything else comes second to that. Trust me.
When you have decided and know what gun you should buy check out the different retailers and compare their prizes, but dont forget that some sell their weapon with battery and charger and some dont. So dont just look at the prize. Calculate the cost of the entire kit (weapon, battery, bullets, charger and other accessories), add the transportation cost and if you order from another country add toll. I recommend buying from the same country that you live in when you start. It's easier and it's cheaper to talk to someone in the same country.
A charger is a must if your want to be able to use your AEG. There is different types of chargers, like fast, slow and automatic. It is important that the battery isn't overcharged, since the battery might "burn". Most batteries "burns" if the inner temperature reach a bit over 50°C. A battery that is "burned" will never work good again and the capacity of the battery is halfed. The securest way to charge a battery is slowcharge over 14-16 hours. The battery is fully loaded and it doesnt take any damage if the charged continue for some hours.
If a battery is always drained a bit and then recharged, the battery might develop a memory effect and wont be able to use the full battery capacity even if it's completly drained and recharged full.
The ammunition [BB]:
This is one of the required accessories. If you dont have any bullets, you wont be able to use your Airsoft. All Airsoft weapons use 6.0mm plastic or biological bullets, but the weight is different.
Almost all springpistols of good quality like Tokyo Marui's and KWC use 0.25g bullets. AEG with adjustible HopUp can use 0.12 - 0.30g, but recommended is 0.20 or 0.25g. Never store the bullets loose in a pocket, since fluff and other things might end up in the weapon or magazine during loading and that isnt good. Have the bullets in a bag that you can seal. Biodegradeable bullets is the best to use outdoor because they will disolve after a couple of weeks in a wet enviorment. Below is a table of the most common bulletweights and their usage:
0.12g Only used by cheap gas and spring weapons. High velocity and low stability.
0.15g Same as 0.12g.
0.20g Standard weight for most weapons. AEG uses these or slightly heavier bullets.
0.25g Heaviest weight for standard AEG, BlowBack & Spring guns.
0.30g Standard for most sniperrifles.
0.36g Heavier bullets. Very slow but high stability.
0.43g Metal coated bullets intended to use in target shooting.
Biodegradeable is available in 0.20g and 0.25g weights.
Tracer bullets is available in 0.15g, 0.20g and 0.25g weights.
Spare magazine [Clip]:
One or more spare magazines is important to buy since they will be used. If you use an AEG you can buy a HiCap instead of buying standard magazines. A magazine is emptied very fast in a firefight.
Magazine Clamp:
This is a smart invention. The clamp lock two magazines together and to switch between the magazines takes only a second or two. In movies magazines are often taped together up side down, but this isn't smart to do since there is a high probability that the bottom magazine gets dusty and that dust will end up in your weapon. So a clamp is a good investment if your not using a HiCap. Sig SG55x magazines can be snapped together without a clamp.
Spare battery:
Its always smart to have a spare battery with you, even if you doesnt empty a battery during a full days play. A battery might stop working or a temporary short circuit might empty the battery. Investing in a spare battery is a good choice but it can wait until your funds has improved.
A good sling is worth alot. You can carry around your weapon comfortably without the risk of dropping it and a sling isn't expensive or hard to find.
Different aiming helps:
Open sights or Iron sights:
Iron sights is what the usual metal sights on a weapon is called. They work in most situations but in low light they're useless. But a little selfilluminous paint or tritium sight makes the ironsights usable in any light condition.
Telescopic sight or Scope:
On an Airsoft weapon a scope isn't that usefull since the distances is short but if you feel that a scope is usefull, use one. The best scopes for Airsoft is those with a low magnification but a with big vision field. 4x32 or 4x40 is the most practical scopes. Bigger magnification than 4 times isnt recommeded. Sniperrifles should use a scope or they look wrong. Scopes can be usefull in lowlight because the collect light, but the diameter of the objective should be as big as possible.
Reddot sights:
Most reddot sights doesn't have any magnification, and instead of a haircross in the middle they have a glowing red dot. The difference is that if you fire, what ever the red dot is over will be hit. So a reddot is quick to use and aim with. Reddot sights can often be used with both eyes open and that increase your field of vision. A big tube is important. Don't buy smaller than 25mm.
Laser sights:
Lasersights is fun and usefull, but the also give the user away and alert the enemy. The biggest advantages with a lasersight is that it's quick to aim and the enemy know that a bullet might come any second if the dot sweeps over their heads. The laserdot can be very hard to see if the sun is bright.
Flashlights are excellent to use in dark buildings or in the evening and night. They makes it easier to see when dark, but the also screams out the location of the user. So use them at the right moment. A big drawback is that flashlights destroys nightvision, both for the target and for anyone that sees the light clearly.
Image enhancers or Night Vision Gear, NVG:
This has got to be the most uncommon sight an Airsoft weapon can have. An NVG greatly improves vision during the night and the user can see as if it was day. A IR light makes the user able to see even in total darkness. The image enhancers was developed during the sixties and todays NVG are much better than those first developed. NVG isn't cheap and a high generation NVG cost many times more than the cheapest, but they're much better too.
Generation I:
Light enhancement: 1000x
Generation I is often big and has bad starlight capabilities. The image is distorted and is filled with static. The light enhancement tube last for about 2000 hours.
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Generation II:
Light enhancement: 20'000x
This is a clear improvement over the first generation and can be use in starlight. Generation II+ is an improvement with better contrast. The tube has a life lenght of about 2500-4000 hours.
Generation III:
Light enhancement: 30'000-50'000x
This is the best of the currently available generations. Generation III can se IR light better and because of that the image is much better and clearer. The tube last for about 10'000 hours.
After a while most players begin to think about upgrades and to improve their weapon. The first thought is probably to increase the muzzelvelocity to gain extra range. But the only weapons that needs longer ranges is rifles like sniperrifles and the real important upgrades isn't to improve preformance but to make the weapon more durable and to increase lifespan. Most players settle for only changing the battery to a bigger and to put in a slightly stronger spring.
When an airsoft weapon is upgraded to increase muzzelvelocity the weapons lifespan will decrease. How powerfull an airsoft weapon is depends on three things. The strength of the spring that pushes the piston forward, the amount of air the piston compress and the precision of the barrel. When a weapon is highly upgraded it becomes a specialised tool for serious airsoft skirmish and to dryfire (ie without bullets) puts even more strain on the parts.
There is two ways to measure how strong a spring is compared to a standard spring. The Percentage system and the Meter Per Second system. A standard AEG has a muzzelvelocity of 90m/s (100%) with a 0.20g bullet. A M100 spring increse this velocity to 100m/s. The corresponding spring in the percentage system is 110%. There is M100, M110, M120, M130, M140, M150 and M160 springs. A very powerfull spring requires that all of the gearbox is replaced.
Bearings & bushings:
The axles inside the gearbox is attached to the housing by small plastic bearings and these will eventually wear down. If these bearings is exchanged to metal or ballbearings, the lifespan of the mechbox will increase (almost double according to many players). Bushings is small thin plates that make sure that the gears in the gearbox is precisly aligned. These can be changed to "Accelerated" synthetic ones to reduce wear, although I personally trust the metal ones more than the accelerated.
The barrel in a standard airsoft often has a internal diameter of 6.12mm. If this barrel is exchanged for a precision barrel with a 6.04 mm internal diameter the amount of air that slips by the bullet reduces and the benefits is that the bullet has less spread and about 5% extra velocity. The downsides is that the barrel clogs up more often and has to be cleaned. A longer barrel increase range, but the barrel can't be too long since if the amout of air in the barrel is more than the amount of air the piston push forward, a vacuum will develop in the barrel and the bullet will be sucked back with a big speed reducement.
There is a method called "Cratercutting" that has the effect that just before the bullet leaves the barrel the air slips by and cuts a hole in the wall of air that is formed infront of the barrel. This isn't something for the common player and this is only used by the players that tries to increase the range as much as possible.
If a batteries voltage increase, so do the rounds per minute in an AEG motor. All standard AEG batteries has a voltage of 8.4Volts and the only difference between the different sizes is that a Large battery has a capacity of 1300mAh, while the other small standard batteries has capacity of 600mAh. This means that a Large battery will last for about twice the amount of shots. Upgrades inside a gearbox often reduce the rate of fire and if you then use a battery with a higher voltage like 9.6V or 10.8V the rate of fire wont drop as much or even increase. A higher voltage also wears a motor down faster and more maintenance is required. It is possible to use 12V to power an AEG but this isn't to recommend since the wear is increase very much, the contacts in the trigger is faster worn out and the overall lifespan is sharply reduced.
A battery with a higher capacity (more mAh), can be used under a longer time and can fire more shots. An upgraded weapon also require more current and the amount of shots that can be fired will decrease unless a bigger battery is used. The usual batteries is NiCd (Nickel Cadmium), but there is an other type called NiMH (Nickel Metal Hybrid). The NiMH usually has a higher capacity (mAh), but they cant handle big currents very well and so they dont work well to most airsoft weapons unless they're very big (about 3000-5000mAh). NiMH is more expensive and harder to charge and they shouldn't be fast charged.
The normal gears in a gearbox has an approximate lifespan of 30'000 shots, an a new set of gears will last longer since they're made from better material. There is sets that increase rate of fire and reduce the motors power or reduce rate of fire but increase the motors power. The "Helical Cut Gears" is special gears that has a better grip between the gears and doesn't brake as easy as standard gears. The biggest supplier of upgrade and replacement parts i Systema.
This is a small metal or plastic nozzel that transfer the air from the cylinder to the bullet. This is a cheap upgrade and the muzzelvelocity increases slighty.
Most upgrades reduce the rate of fire. By switching to a stronger motor the rate of fire isn't reduced as much. An upgraded AEG should have atleast an EG700 motor. The strongest motor is EG1000. All new models that Tokyo Marui releases has EG1000 motors, but many of the older models has EG700 or even EG560. Not all AEG can have a motor upgrade. If the spring isn't replaced with a stronger than M120 the EG560 motor can take it, but the battery will probably has to be changed to a 9,6V or even 10.8V.
A piston can be equiped with a "Silent" or "Anti-Vacuum" pistonhead. The silent pistonhead reduce the impact the piston makes in the cylinder and also reduce noise. The Anti Vacuum pistonhead prevents the forming of vacuum in the cylinder.
This is a totally new mechbox with new and better gears, stronger spring, nozzle and other improvements. This isn't a cheap upgrade but the duralility and lifespan increase and so do the muzzelvelocity and overall preformance. A new mechbox isn't available to all models, like the FA MAS doesn't have a upgraded mechbox.
There is different versions of mechboxes since they're used in different weapon models. Version 1 is only used in FA MAS.
Version 2 is the most common and is used in M16, G3 and the MP5s.
Version 3 i used in AK47, MP5K & MP5K PDW and Sig SG55x.
Version 4 i only used in the PSG-1 and is only semi automatic.
Version 5 is used in the UZI and has the recoil system.
This upgrade isn't cheap, but the durability and the damage resistance increase as well as the look of the weapon. The older models has often much cheaper bodies than the newer models.
Other equipment:
Besides the weaponary, protection and cloth there is some other things a players should have like a watch, a few tools, something to eat and drink, and a First Aid kit.
All players should wear a wristwatch since many games is timecontrolled and they help to coordinate movement and actions with the rest of the team.
A multi tool as a Swiss Army Knife or a Leatherman is something that most players has and uses. It's handy to make smaller fixes in the field and they're also handy when cooking and in other occations. But make sure that you keep it safe. Store the tool so that no one, including you, can accidently damage or get hurt.
Food and drink:
As an experienced player know you need food and something to drink when you playes. Take always with you some form of liquid to drink, because dehydration is a problem. Water, Juice or similar is the best drinks. DO NOT drink dehydration drinks as Coffie, Coca Cola or Tea.
Even the food has to be thought about. Fruit, biscuits or similar is the best to eat during games. Don't bring chocklade bars. Sure you will have plenty of energy during a short period, but then suggerhalt in the blood is lowered. And chocklade gets sticky when it's varm. Whatever you do, don't drink alcohol before or during games.
First Aid:
Always make sure that there is aleast someone that can use a First Aid Kit on the field, and make sure that there is a First Aid kit at the field. Airsoft isn't a dangerous sport but accidents do happen and First Aid can be the difference between resting a couple of days or be confined to bed for days. If First Aid is used wrong it can do more damage than help. And don't forget, that in the most accidents that happen to you, you're self responsible.
Equipment maintenance:
Weapons maintenance:
The weapon is a big investment and it's important to maintain the weapon for it to work properly and without loosing preformance. Before any maintenance is done to the weapon don't forget to remove the magazine, empty the weapons of shots (shoot som shots so that no bullets remain in the feeder or is chambered) and then remove the battery or gas. First begin with the cleaning and be carefull not to scratch the surface. Use soft paper or a piece of cloth and a solution of water and soap. Remove any dirt in the mechanism or barrel. After the cleaning the weapon has to be lubricated, and in airsoft use only siliconbased lubricants like Silicon Spray and Silicon grease since oilbased lubricants will destroy rubber o-rings and similar. Oilbased lubricants can also destroy the surface on some weapons.
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Spring weapons:
The maintenance on these weapons is very simple since these weapons has the simples construction. The only really serious problems is damaged or worn out cylinders and mechanism. Barrel blockage is often due to low quality bullets and upgraded barrel. A dirty barrel will cause a decrease in preformance.
The basic routine to keep you weapons in good condition is as follows. If the weapon is fieldstrippable, strip the weapon and remove dirt and particles before you lubricate the parts. Spray or use other means to apply a thin layer of lubrication on the parts that slide against each other, and don't forget to lubricate the HopUp and rubber ring that holds the bullet so it doesn't dry. Clean the magazine but don't lubricate it (atleast not much) so that the bullets gets sticky and the mechanism clogs up. After the lubrication is finnished you should remove eccessive lubricant on the outside with a soft piece of cloth. The HopUp will be somewhat unstable until the eccessive lubrication has been worn of.
Gas weapons:
These weapons is a bit harder to maintain, altough their construction is simple. This is just some extra hints to keep the gas weapon working longer. Basically all gasweapons has a valve, either in the magazine or in the weapon it self. To keep these valves in the right condition, use a screwdriver (in the right size) and carefully remove the valve. Apply a few drops of thin silicon oil inside the gas reservoar, and then carefully replace the valve. Don't tighten the valve to hard, just so that it sits. There is gas with silicon oil mixed in so this extra job can be avoided.
Gas BlowBack weapons:
BlowBack weapons is some of the more maintenance hostile weapons there is, with the exception of the Mechbox of an AEG. But the basic principle is the same as for other weapons and with the help of some common sence and a little information, most people should be able to maintain a BlowBack.
As far as I know all Blowback weapons is dismantible in some way. You might need the manual to disassemble and reassamble it right. This is just some guidelines. First lubricate the gasreservoar as said above, and after the weapon has been disassembled locate the BlowBack rubber gasket that should be in the upper part below the rear sight. Lubricate that o-ring. Don't pull to hard in the pieces since they might be connected with a spring and you probably don't want that spring to fall out. Clean and Spray the glide surfaces on both the upper and lower part. Then there is just the problem with the reassembly left, and the maintenance is complete.
Electric - AEG:
There isn't much a common player can do to maintain a AEG except cleaning the barrel and occationally lubricating the HopUp.
Use the tool that comes with the weapon to clean the barrel. One end of the the rod is beveled and this is used to remove clogged bullets in the barrel. If a bullet is stuck in the barrel, put the safety of the weapon to safe and remove the magazine. Then gently push the rod down the barrel with the bevel end facing the magazine well. All clogged bullets should then fall out of the bullet feeder.
The other end of the rod is a rectangular shaped hole. Use a rectangular shaped piece of cloth or soft paper, push it thru the hole and then gently roll it to a tube around the rod. Lubricate the tube with a few drops of oil and gently push the rod down the barrel until it reaches the red markings on the rod (before you reach the HopUp). Pull out the rod, replace the cloth and repeat the process until the cloth is clean. This cleaning process should be done every 2000 shots, but if the weapon has been used in a game that was really dirty, the barrel should be cleaned after. A clean and smooth barrel is important to preformance.
Other than that, the battery is the only thing that needs to be maintained. Never overcharge a battery, because it might "Burn", and a battery that has burnt will never preform good after it. The battery shouldn't be small charged either since it might develop a memory effect and the capacity of the battery is decreased. The battery shouldn't be completly discharged and the discharge should be aborted when the batterys voltage drop to about 70% (6V for a 8.4V battery). When the motor doesn't have enough power to turn the gears, you should charge the battery. Slowcharge the battery to keep them in the best condition. Fastcharging aint good for batteries and their lifespan is dcecreased. Don't charge them faster than 15 minutes, and remember that a fast charged battery has to cool down before use and a it wont have the same capacity as a slowcharged battery. The slower the better. I dont recommend faster charging than 1 hour since it is a good compromise between charge time and battery condition, and the battery is just a little warmer. Automatic chargers is the best charges since the cant overcharge a battery,
HiCap Magazines:
AEG is the only weapons that has the option to use HiCaps. These magazines should be maintained each 5000 shots or so, but as the magazine gets older maintenance requirements might increase. Just as with bigger AEG maintenance let an experienced person do the maintenance of the HiCap. To avoid missfunction and a long lifespan, try to keep the magazines away from dirt, grease, pieces of leafs and damaged bullets.
When you plan for a game, think after before you leave home: What is there on the site?
• For how long will you be at the gamesite, and how much food and water do you need (always bring more than you think).
• Is there a toilette and water, or do you need to bring toilette paper with you. I recommend that you always bring some paper, to clean goggles and other things.
• What will the weather be and how will it effect gameplay? That weather effects the cloth you should have and if the weather is bad I suggest that you bring extra cloth, because it's stupid to have to stop playing just because you forgot a spare set of cloth.
Checklist before a game:
• Pants, T-shirt, Jacket, hat/helmet/bandana (whatever), gloves and boots.
• Goggles, paper to clean goggles with.
• The weaponary, with gas and battery fullt charged. Do a fast functions check.
• Loaded magazines and extra bullets. Don't forget the loading tube.
• Food and something to drink, a wrist watch and a First Aid kit.
• Radioset with freast or extra batteries, or similar electronic equipment.
• Multitool, and the cleaning/jamming rod.
• A backpack to carry all other stuff around in.
• And dont forget team markers and stuff like CTF flags.
To improve team coordination and team play, this chapter go through the basics in tactics.
Basic teaming:
In order to organise the team, the team is divided into two man Pairs. Two pairs make one Group. So one group consists of four men. A group should consists of 3 persons armed with standard weapons and one man with a support or sniper weapon, but this isn't necessary. In a group there is one person that is the Boss and one that is the Vice Boss. These two persons isn't part of the same pair, and each par there for has a Boss.
General movement:
When the group can move coordinated and quiet the group has reach a long way in becomming a good team. In Airsoft there is two kinds of general movements. Patrol and Tactical movement.
Patroling is used when sweeping a big area of enemies. To use tactical movement when sweeping an area of 1 square kilometers or 2 takes a very long time. It can also say in a scenarion that patroling should be used. It's in times like this that patroling is the best option.
The group walks in a single line, with a space between the players of about 3 meters so that all can see in all directions (the black dots in the picture). If they get attackt or stops, person 1&3 dives to the right and person 2&4 dives to the left. These new positions is marked with circles and from this rombic pattern the group can advance or fall back. When you walk on a patrol sweep back and forth with your eyes in search for the enemy. The person that walks first is called the pointman.
Tactial movement:
Tactical movement is used when the group is moving thru an area where there is enemies present and a firefight can break out any moment. The movement is in form of a square where the pair that walks first watch the forward arcs (darkgrey) 70% of the time and their side arcs (light grey) 30% of the time. The rear pair checks the sides and rear (medium grey) 50% each of the time. The distances between people should be 5-10 meters.
Fire and Movement:
This is based on the princip that all movement towards the enemies should be in the cover of friendly fire. This gives the advancing players benefits that they shouldn't have otherwise. The enemy give themself away with movement, noise and BB's that flys, and that gives the support team information to the whereabouts of the enemy and they can eliminate enemies, or atleast give suppressiv fire so that the enemy cant shoot on the advancing units. This prevents the enemy to effectivly fight the team and to regroup. A bonus is that the enemies might retrear or be divided into smaller units that is easier to eliminate. There is some things that makes this manouver hard:
• To give suppressive fire with Airsoft weapons can be hard since the relativly short distances an Airsoft weapon has. To fire continously is fun, but it isnt an effective way to use ammo.
• Advance cant be made in steps longer than 15 meters since an Airsoft doesn't reach to far.
• The third problem is that the support team stays in place and because of this is a target for flanking enemies.
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Besides that, this is the basic tecnic that many other tecnics are based on, and here is one of them.
Fire & Movement:
As said before, each group is made up of two pairs. Lets call these pairs Alfa and Beta. In this tecnic, Alfa gives suppressive fire while Beta advance 10-15 meters and then takes cover. When Beta has reached cover they start giving suppressive fire and Alfa stops giving suppressive fire and begins to advance. Alfa advance past Beta and another 10-15 meters and takes cover. Then Alfa gives suppressive fire and the procedure start over. Suppressive fire is great, but think about conserving ammunition.
Smoke is one of the most helpfull tools if used right. The first thought is probably to saturate the entire area in thick smoke, and all though this look fantastic neither you or the enemy can see more than 10 meters and that is where the problems begin:
• If the recon units hasnt pinpointed the enemies location and number you wont know what you're about to step into.
• During the time when you cant see the enemy, the enemy might reposition or make a flanking attack from the side or from behind.
• It is hard or difficult to have the situation under control, coordinate the team and the attack.
Smoke should be used to cover a retreat, as a decoy for an attack or to make a mess of the enemies attack. Another great usage area is in Urban warfare, but that will be coved more in that section.
Urban Warfare and Close Quarter Battle - CQB
This is basically the same tecnic as said before but here is some things to think about.
• Dont go down the main street.
• Do movement in short steps between cover, and move as a unit and not one and one, because a sniper will have shorter time to react.
• Move as in Fire & Movement with one pair covering and continue moving, and consider each new cover as a place where the enemy might hide. There is simply no way in telling what might be around the corner in CQB.
• Avoid windows and doors. Remember to duck when you pass a window, and avoid walking in and out of doors, if there is an alternative.
• Crouch down and keep low. The most people aim above the stomach so don't walk around a corner in this altitude. Lay on the belly, because that way you're a smaller target.
• When possible: Use smoke to cover your movement.
• When moving down a street, place the supportgroup on the side with the most cover. Movement should take place over shot distances, while windows, doors and roofs is covered.
Shooting positions:
Avoid using obvious places as windows and doors. If you decide to use them make sure that the barrel isnt sticking out. Keep in the shadows and try to mask your position. Roof tops are good places, but if the enemy sees you it can be really hard to get away.
Room clearing:
Don't forget what types of weapons that is the best for this type of combat. Shorter weapons as SMG and pistols is the best, but shotguns and carbines can be used just as well if used right. The basics for room clearing is as follows. This is the military version when your not intrested in hostages.
A group should be doing the room clearing together. 3 persons do the clearing while one stays outside and check the rear incase an enemy should happen to look thru another door.
Before you begin the clearing look after a few thing. Does the door open in or out, does it have a lock and is there more than one entry. If there is more than one door try to go thru all the doors at the same time, although it might require more than one team. If the team has grenades this is the right time to use them.
The first man stands ready on one side of the door, and the second man stands on the other side and arms a grenade. The third man stands on the same side as the one with the grenade. The forth man check the surrounding area. The first man open the door and the grenade man throws in the grenade. Immediatly after the grenade explodes the first and the third man moves in and the first man look thru the room while the second man covers from a location where he can see as much of the room as possible. The grenade thrower has by now picked up his weapon and covers the room from the door.
When a room has been clear, proceed to the next as quick as possible. Dont shout Clear! or other since it only alert any nearby enemies. Never mark a roomed as cleared. Under the time that has passed a since it was clear, enemies might have retaken the room. Consider each room as hostile.
General hints about movement:
• Before movement begins make each man jump on the spot to reveal any gear that makes noise. Half filled waterbottles is a common mistake a beginner makes.
• Avoid walking on a path since is quite obvious and the enemy probably have someont that checks them and it's easy to make an ambush on a path. The path might be alarmed too.
• Avoid walking on obvious places as streamshores and over open areas.
• If the group is attacked by a bigger force, dont just turn and run. This will probably only lead to the group is divided and eliminted. Instead use Fire & Movement, where the forward pair retreats while the rear give suppressive fire.
• If the group has to cross an obstacle, think out in advance how the crossing is going to be made. It is quite common that a group is so occupied with the crossing that they forget t watch for enemies. Stop and plan before you reach the obstacle.
• Communication. When the group is within a gamearea no sound should be emitted. Silence is as important as the weapon because it decrease the change of discovery. Use handsignals instead. When someone discover something, crouch and point towards that something.
• If you're detected don't care about handsignal, shouting is faster and it might accually scare the enemy.
• Aggressivity works. In some cases and especially when you have nothing to loose, charge. This will often frighten the enemy and they might even run. When charging on to the enemy, fire fullauto or short burst against their lines. Fire & Movement is very good to use in these situations.
The two man team
A two man team is the smallest tactical unit capable of maintaining the advantages of covering fire and firesupport. A well trained and coordinated team can accomplish more that bigger units of less trained troops. In history there is many example that small well trained groups have defeated enemies that has had more men and equipment. The key to this is training and coordination.
This is by far one of the most importand advantages of the two man team. At any time during operations, there's the threat for reciving fire from an uncoverd area. When approaching any door or vehicle, a coverman should be in place. Additionally, during structure clearing or room combat, while one man can't possibly dominate 360 degrees, but two closely coordinated man can. Whatever an operator is doing, the operator feels safer when a friendly muzzle is covering his danger areas.
Fire superiority - In military operations the first stage of a successful assault is to achieve fire superiority, meaning delivering more accurate fire than you're reciving.
Converging fire - Two seperate fields of fire can be coordinated to cover the enemy sector. When your planning an attack or defense you should always ensure that the team members fields of fire can overlap one and other.
Covering fire - Movement through an area dominated by enemy fire should be avoided when its possible, and the surest means of suppressing enemy fire is by gaining fire superiority.
Flanking fire - In a coordinated two man team its possible to get one man to deliver flanking fire, while the other moves in on the enemy.
Mobile fire - If a vehicle is used the driver can focus on driving while the other man can deliver fire to the target.
Backup: In a two man team care should be take to make sure that the equipment and weapons is as compatible as possible.
Morale: A two man team has a great psycological advantage over a single man. Having a friend who can help if you get hit and to have a friend by your side in any situation is a great morale booster.
Static and flexible defence
In some scenarios and games you need to protect something. In Capture the Flag you must prevent the enemy from taking your flag and then you need a defence.
• First take it easy, consider the terrain and think. Who should you use the terrain if you where the attacker. Place your defence according to that, too counter act an attack.
• Obviously it will require static defence positions to reach the former point, but make sure that you save a pair or a group, so that they can plug any holes that might develop in your defence. The extra pair can reinforce the defence where needed, flank enemies and get you some extra time to reorganise the defence.
• The defence lines should be thick. A thin defence i easily breached but 3 lines last a long time. Each post should have one or two alternative fallback positions så that they can retreat a step when needed.
• The attackers biggest advantage is the mobility and possibility to use different covers. The defence has sacrificed the mobility. So if an attacker leave some players to defend the base, the rest of the units can be used in a big attack. To conteract this make sure that all fields of fire cover each other so that the different positions can give each other support.
• Hide all the positions. Hide bunkers and trenches so that the enemy doesn't know where they are before they open fire.
• Alarm mines and signal flares can be use both on day and night, since it gives information to the defenders where the enemy is. Don't place signal mines longer away than 10 meters so that the enemy is within range when the flare goes of. This increase the chance to hit because else they're going to know that there is a trap.
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• ACHTUNG MINEN! Yes, that is right. If you have some sort of mines use them to mine the entrance to the base an infront of trenches.
The theory behind an ambush is to figur out where the enemy will move through and then take positions and wait for the enemy to walk into the trap. This seldom work since in nine times out of ten the enemy go another way. An ambush should also be done where the enemy least expect there to be an ambush. The easiest way to do an ambush is to use a bait. In this example two groups, 8 men, is used. One pair moves ahead of the rest and they are the bait.
The baits job is to located the enemy, fire of a couple of round and the fall back to the main group that has made a hasty ambush. The bait passes thru the ambush and doesnt stop until the shooting starts, the bait then turn around an cover the rear of the ambush so that the enemy cant get away.
The main group should use simple tactical movement when they move. The pair that belongs to the same group as the bait is the rear guard. The ambush should be in the shape of a L of in a line, to avoid shooting at each other. In times gone by, an ambush was set with people on both sides, and then they wondered why they had casulties. The grey arrows shows how the bait pair moves thru the ambush.
Make sure that an support weapon is placed in the end of the ambush since it will have a good field of fire. If everyone shoots the same enemy the rest of them will have a second or two to react. All should fire at the same time, and everyone should have their field of fire. The last pair begin to shoot the first enemies, the middle pair shoots at the enemies in the middle and the first pair initiate the ambush when the enemies last pair comes in into their field of fire, and when the enemies last pair is eliminated they move their fire towards the middle and the rest of the enemies. If grenades is allowed, use them but make sure first that they cant damage your own team.
During an ambush make sure that you use signalflares and any other thing that confuses the enemy. Always check so that the enemy sets of the mines when they're will within the perimiters of the ambush. Try to wait until the enemy is within 5 meters since it increase the success rate. If a ambush goes straigth to hell, make a controlled retreat using fire & movement while smoke is used as cover.
Movement in the night is radically different than during the day. The first thing you'll notice is that your sences is more alert than during the day, so use these sences and hearing is specially important during nighttime. Your movement must be slow and before you set your fot on the ground check for dry leafs and branches so you move as silent as possible. This is rule number one.
The other big problem is "Skylining". As you probably know the night isnt completely dark and if your eyes have some time to adjust you'll see quite good. One of the first things you notice is how clearly you can se objects against the brighter sky. This is skylining. To put it simple, if something makes a siluette against the sky and that something is you, you will be shot at. So the second rule in nightgames is avoid Skylining.
If you need light to read maps or for other things, use a flashlight with red filter and look at the illuminated object, not the light source. Red light doesnt cause you to loose nightvision. It takes about 20 minutes before the eyes have adapted to the low light. In darkness the eyes work differently and if you look directly at an object, the object gets fuzzy and unclear. Instead look besides the object and move the vision focus point round the object. Try observing against a brighter background, like the sky, and you'll see clearer. If the moon is up you see easier with the moon against you back. Objects is precepted differently during night and day and if its possible try to learn the terraing during the day, so it's easier to see it during night. Binoculars is usefull at night since they gather light, but only if you use the lower parts of the binoculars field of vision.
During the night its harder to keep formations and its easy to loose contact with you teammates, but the same tecnics as used during the day work although you might want to half the distances between men. This meens that you should be able to see you partner when he moves but not when he is still.
Night Combat
The first problem with night combat is that the open sights is quite useless, but if they're painted with self illuminous paint or is tritium sight they can be use during lowlight and night situations. A dot on the forward sight and 2 dots on the rear sight is best. And most important of all, check your target and your field of fire so that you identify the targets before you shot.
Communication at night
Handsignals is often totaly worthless at the night since you teammates probably wont be able to see them. Use small sounds and tappings on bodies to communicate. A series of short tappings is the best method but it require that you're close to your partner. A comradio with an earpiece and morse signal is handy, and increase the range over which you can communicate. Throatmicrofones are excellent but expensive. The user only have to whisper and his voice will still be clearly heard in the headset.
Signal Flares
If you happen to set of a flare, immediatly close one eye and try not to look at the light. The reason is that you loose nightvision. By closing one eye you keep some of the nightvision. Don't flee in panic, use fire & movement to retreat in a coordinated fashion. Shout out the orders, since the enemy knows where you are. Its more important to make a god withdraw than to get divided. If you're setting up flares try to set them up so that the enemy either shows their siluette against the backlight caused by the flare or is illuminated by the flare. Signal Flares is also good to other things such as decoys.
Fire control:
To be able to use the right amount of fire and the right type of fire in any given situation can be the winning factor in a game. Any confrontation is often about gaining fire superiority. If one team has accived superiority and manage to keep it the fire fight should be won. Or atleast that is the theory…
Aimed fire:
Aimed fire is when 5-6 shots is fire per minute against an enemy. The fire is aimed and accurate. Aimed fire is used when the range is long and the target is showing a small surface.
Snapshooting, Double tapping]:
Two fast shots towards an enemy. Double taping is used since it increase the chance of hitting an enemy that apperas and disappears quickly.
Suppressive fire:
Suppressive fire isn't to pull in the trigger and spray in the direction of the enemy. That is called "Spray and pray" and should be avoided since it's often a waste of ammo. Instead shoot short bursts of 3-6 shots in the direction of the enemy each second. The closer the better.
Sustained fire:
This is used to stop the enemy from advancing without using to much ammunition. Sustained fire consists of 5-9 shots every 5 second.
Someone might notice that a standard weapon can only give suppressive fire for about 10 seconds before the magazine is empty (not HiCap). And it takes about 40 seconds before the magazine is empty if sustained fire is used. This is why there is something called a support weapon. A support weapon in Airsoft, like the M60 from TOP, can give suppressive fire for 5 minutes.
To get a team to work together efficiently require communication. So communication must be established and held during an operation. Your teammate must know what your doing and when your doing it. The easiest way to achieve this is by talking. Common sense dictates that this way is not usable if stealth is important. Handsignals or other form of communication is the right metod in those cases. Radio communication increase team coordinations over long distances and can boost morale. Some simple verbal commands is helpfull and the other team member should acknowledge when he understands, so there is no miss understandings.
Reloading! - This is given when a member needs to reload his weapon. He should not begin to reload until his partner has confirmed with "Covering!". While reloading always stay focused on your threat area.
Covering! - This is the response of the coverman when his partner needs reloading. Under this procedure the coverman has to keep both fields of fire under his curtain of cover.
Cover me! - This command is used when you're in need of covering fire under your movement. Don't begin to move until your partner has confirmed with "Covering!".
Moving! - This lets your partner know that your mobile and may cross his field of fire. The other team member should lower is muzzel and be more alert.
Stoppage! - This command not only informs your partner that you have a problem it also tells him that he must cover both your fields of fire and that he has no backup until you have fixed your problem.
Hit! - If you is wounded this command should be given, and it's the other mans responsibility to cover and evacuate you. You should keep on covering you sector.
These commands must be suited for the mission so that they cover mission specific needs. It might be wise to replace these command with codewords so that the enemy dont understand what you're doing.
Handsignals is used to coordinate a team and to communicate silently. I don't know where some of the pictures has come from, so if anyone has copyright on them please email me.
This is twelve different handsignals:
Halt / Stop: Look / I've seen something Rally / Come here
Stop and cruch down..
Rise up / Walk upright Cruch down / Stay down/ Hurry! / Fast!
Go low Go high Be prepared / Safety off
Obstacle / Object Two: Use fingers to show numbers.
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Weapons ID:
This is some of the most common weapons on field, and the purpose of this list is to help a beginner to be able to tell which is which. These are all AEG's manufactured by Tokyo Marui.
HK = Heckler & Koch
HK MC51, EG700, 70bbs, Mini Battery
HK MP5 SD5, EG700, 50bbs, SD Battery
HK MP5A5, EG700, 50bbs, Mini Battery
HK G3 SG1, EG700, 70bbs, Large Battery
HK MP5K, EG700, 28bbs, AK Batt.
Colt M16A2, EG1000, 70bbs, Large Battery
Colt XM177, EG560, 70bbs, Mini Battery
Colt M4A1, EG1000, 70bbs, Mini Battery
FA MAS F1, EG560, 60bbs, Large Battery
Steyr AUG Military, EG700, 80bbs, Mini Battery
AK 47, EG700, 70bbs, Large Battery
UZI, EG1000R, 40bbs, Mini Battery
Wordlist of shortenings:
This is a list of different shortenings that often is used in discussion groups, books, magazines and similar publications.
AEG - [Automatic Electic Gun] An electric Airsoft weapon.
AO - [Area of Operations] The Area of Operation that the game is taken place in.
ASG - [Airsoft gun] This is the correct way to shorten Airsoft Guns.
AWOL - [Absent WithOut Leave] To take a leave when no leave is given.
BB - [Prononced Beebee] The 6mm ammunition that is used in Airsoft.
BDU - [Battle Dress Uniform] The cloth that a soldier wears.
Click - Kilometer.
CO - [Commanding Officer] The Ordergiving Officer.
CQB - [Close Quarter Battle] Combat over short distances, used to discribe indoor combat.
DA - [Double Action] The weapon dont have to be cocked to fire it.
ETA - [Estimated Time of Arrival] The estimated time of arrival to a place.
FARP - [Forward Arming and Refueling Point] A forward bas for refueling and supplies.
FB - [Fire Base] A small forward base.
FOB - [Forward Operating Base] The same as FB but often bigger.
FOP - [Forward Observation Post] A small, a few men, observation post.
FOV - Field of View
GBB - [Gas BlowBack] Gas pistol where the slide moves when fired.
IMHO - [In My Humble Opinion] Often used on the internet.
K - Short for kilometer.
KIA - Killed In Action
LBV - [Load Bearing Vest] A special form of vest to carry objects in.
LMG - Light Machine Gun like the M60 or M249 SAW.
LZ - Landing Zone for helicopters.
MedEvac- Medical Evacuation
Medivac- Samma som MedEvac.
MIA - Missing In Action.
Mike(s)- Minut.
MilSim- Military Simulation.
OP - Observation Post, see FOP.
ROE - Rules of Engagement.
ROF - Rate of Fire.
NBB - [Non BlowBack] A gaspistol where the slide doesnt move.
SA - [Single Action] The hammer on the weapon has to be cocked or the weapon wont fire.
SAG - [SoftAirGun] Another name for Airsoft Guns.
SAW - [Squad Automatic Weapon] Light Machine Gun to increase the firepower of a group.
SMG - SubMachine Gun like MP5 and UZI.
SOCOM- [Special Operations COMmand] Military Organ in USA for Special Operations.
SWAT - [Special Weapons And Tactics] The USA Police Special Force.
TacSim- [Tactical Simulation] A SWAT or similar game often in buildings.
Tango - Standard Codname for terrorists and enemies.
UW - [Unconventional Warfare] Sabotage, Guerilla Warfare and similar.
Different games:
Almost all Airsoft skirmishes can be divided into one of the following two groups, TacSim or MilSim.
MilSim meens that the players try to use the tactics and style of military units, and the games is often strategic like Base Defence, Base Attack, Search n Destroy or other similar game.
TacSim is simulation of tactical situations. SWAT skirmishes is a type of TacSim.
Game Variants:
Last man standing (Ultimos homo statans): All against all in a game often with limited time and area.
Back to basic: A game where only spring pistols is allowed. Ammo can be limited.
Terminate (Team mot team): Two teams that fight against each other until time has run out or one team has been annihilated.
Capture the Flag: Two teams play against each other and tries to take the other teams flag back to their on base (flag). The flag has to be carried clearly visible. This game can be played in two variants, "Live Flag" or "Dead Flag". In Live Flag the flag is dropped if the Flag carrier is shot, and a another player can pick the flag up. In "Dead Flag" the Flag carrier has to return the Flag to the enemies base, if the Flag carrier gets eliminated, before the Flag can be taken again.
Two bases one flag: In this game there is two bases, but only one flag and that flag is placed in the middle of the field between the two bases. One team begin in each base. To goal of this game is to take the Flag to the enemies bas. When the flag reaches the enemies base, the enemy looses. If the flag carrier is eliminated anyone can pick up the flag.
Grab the flag: Two teams, or more, that tries to be the first to reach the flag.The team that has the first player to reach the flag, alive, wins. This game should be played in fairly open terrain.
Traitors: Again two teams and this is a version of Capture the Flag. But the judges descretly chooses one player from each team that is given both teams teammarkers. Try to choose a player that havn't had much luck during the day. Inform the teams that each team has a traitor. The game is played as Capture the Flag, but after the game has lasted for 5 minutes the traitors can change team anytime they chooses. Don't trust your teammates.
Man hunt: A volontary player is the prey and the rest of the players is the hunters. The prey is given a pistol and some ammo, and the hunters can have whatever they want. The hunters should be between 4-10. The prey wins if he can reach a specific place within the timeframe. The hunter that shoots the prey wins otherwise. The hunters cant shoot each other.
Bounty Hunters: An everyman for himself game, where each player is issued a teammarker. Then the start signal is given all players runs out in the field. When the next signal is given the game starts. When someone is eliminated, the shooter gets the eliminateds teammarker. The shooter chooses if the eliminated should go to the shooter or if the shooter should collect the teammarker himself. Teamforming is not allowed and the formers is disqualified. Gametime should be atleast one hour and the winner is the player with the most markers.
Wanted, Prefered Dead: A small team, 20% of the players (Prisoners) shall travel thru an area that is guarded by 80% of the players. The prisoners cant have any big weapons or support weapons. The guards can have whatever they chooses. Each prisoner that reaches the goal is consided a winner. Timelimit is somewhere between 30 minutes to many hours.
Commando Raid: A small group is the commandos. The rest off the players is divided to guard the objectives. The defenders goes out to the field and begin to guard the objectives. Each objective should be guarded by the same amout of guards as the commandos are. The commandos is taken to a small zone outside the gamearea. This is their Insertion and Extraction Point. When the commandos has finnished with the mission, atleast 1/3 has to return to this zone or they cant win. Inform the commandos that they have to reach a point in the game area, the "Drop zone", where they will find information about what target they should attack and find the Flag. When they has taken the Flag from the objective they should leave the "Flag" at the "DropZone" and then return to the Extraction Point. There should be a time limit. The guards can barricade themself and send out patrols, but not leave the objectives unprotected.
Paratroopers: Two teams is divided. 1/4 of the players is the Paratroopers and they're blindfolded and taken out to their "DropZone". At the dropzone they're given a simple map over the area. The other players is split to defend 3 objects in the area. The goal for the paratroopers is to "take out" a objective by stealing it's Flag and return with the Flag to the "PickupZone". When the judge at the "PickupZone" has the Flag the paratroopers has won. The map should have faults and one of the objectives should be marked at the wrong place, or an extra flag could be marked.
Hostage rescue: Two teams is again divided. One team is divided into "Hostage" and "Rescue", while the other team is Guards. The hostage has to be divided to different locations. The rescue team can carry extra weaponary to the hostage. The hostage can attempt to flee but they can then be eliminated (Shot trying to escape). 50% of the Hostage has to be rescued.
SWAT terrorist elimination: Classic. A SWAT Team (25% of the players) shall clear an area of terrorists. Buildings is to prefer.
Killing house: A player or a small team shall clear a house that has been rigged by the organisers on the shortest time possible. Each room must be clear of targets but no friendly targets can be hit.
Assassins: Two players has to eliminate a specific player and reach their insertion point before the time limit is reached.
Killing of the Officers: Two teams, and each team has an Officer. The goal is to eliminate the other teams Officer without getting your own killed. Ammunition might be limited. Another variant is that the Officers cant move.
King of the Hill: 1/3 of the player barricades themself on a hill or relativly open area and the rest of the players is the attackers. On the top of the hill is a Flag, and the team that is closes to the flag when the time is out, wins. The hill should offer quite a lot of protection.
Reinforcements: King of the Hill variant with two teams. From one of the teams a smaller group (1/3) is choosen. This group barricades on the hill, round a Flag, while the big team is placed below the hill and out of range. The remaining 2/3 of the team is take to a place 5-10 minutes from the base of the hill. The team that is closes to the flag when the game ends, wins.
Gametime should be between 20-40 minutes.
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Zombies: This is another Team vs Team game, but all the eliminated players go to a third start point. When three eliminated players has reached that point, they form a zombie team and can play again. The new zombie team fight against all other teams, including other zombie teams. The game ends when there is only one player left from anyone of the original teams.
Trenches: A rectangular area about 50x125m is divided into 10 sectors, 2x5. The two teams should be big, 15-40 players, and they start on the opposite short sides of the field. The team that controlls most sectors when the game ends, is the wins. It takes atleast 2 men and no enemies in a sector too control it. The flesh wound rule is used.
Drag the doll: A Doll (Stuffed and mansize, should weigh atleast 40kg) is in the middle of a square arena. The arena is open and flat, but with a lot of junk for cover. Each side is the start for a team of 3-5 players. The goal is to grap the doll and drag it to you side. This game is supposed to be intensive and fast. It's basically CTF in an arena version.
CQB (Close Quarter Battle): Indoor versions of many games. Often played in a big house or in many houses.
Murphy's Laws of Combat:
1. You are not a superman.
2. If it's stupid but works, it isn't stupid.
3. Don't look conspicious - It draws fire.
4. When in doubt, empty magazine.
5. Never share a foxhole with anyone braver then you are.
6. Never forget that your weapon were made by the lowest bidders.
7. If your attack is going really ok it's an ambush.
8. No plan survives the first contact intact.
9. All 5 seconds grenade fuses will burn down in 3 seconds.
10. Try to look unimportant because the enemy may be low on ammo.
11. If you're forward of your position the artillery will fall short.
12. The enemy diversion you are ignoring is the main attack.
13. The important things are always simple.
14. The simpel things are always hard.
15. The easy way is always mined.
16. If you're short of everything except enemies: you're in combat.
17. When you've secured an area, don't forget to tell the enemy.
18. Incoming fire has the right of way.
19. Friendly fire - isn't.
20. If the enemy is in range - so are you.
21. No combat ready unit has ever passed inspection.
22. Beer math is: 2 beers times 37 men = 49 cases.
23. Body count math is: 2 guerillas plus one portable plus two pigs = 37 enemies killed in action.
24. Things that must be together to work usually can't be shipped together.
25. Radios will fail as soon as you need fire support desperately.
26. Anything you do can get you shot - including doing nothing.
27. Tracers work both ways.
28. The only thing that's more accurate then incoming enemy fire is incoming friendly fire.
29. Make it tough for the enemy to get in and you can't get out.
30. If you take more then you're fair share of objects you will have more then you're fair share of objects to take.
31. When both sides are convinced they are about to loose they are both right.
32. Professional soldiers are predictable, but the world is full of amateurs.
33. Murphy was a grunt.
Field Protocol
Rule 1. Learn the rules and follow them!
Everybody who plays shall know the rules and obey them. If there are any
unclear matters, ask the organizers. The rules are made to make the game
safe and fun. Everyone who wants to play with other rules should talk to
the organizers, but everyone who plays in the area has to follow the rules.
In some games, some of the special rules may affect the base rules. I such
cases these special rules are told before the the game.
Rule 2. Accept the team.
The game organizers divide the teams for the game.
Rule 3. Be prepared.
Make sure that you are ready before the game is about to start. Check you
weapons and gear. The renting of weapons and gear, use "First come, First
served". The standby signal is given, when it is 10 minutes to game time. A
team walks in to the game zone at the same time. Don't be late.
Rule 4. Responsibility for the gear and for person.
The player is responsible for anything the player do and uses. If a player
brakes or ruin something the player is economical responsible. Accidents do
happen, but be careful and apologize if you are responsible for an
accident, and pay for the damaged gear.
Rule 5. Missing equipment.
Report missing equipment. Include markings and description of the thing.
Finders fee should exist. Equipment that has been found, and nobody claims
ownership of, are sold after 3 months and the money goes to the club.
Basic Rules
§1 Safety first!
1. Other weapons than Airsoft is prohibited on the game area. This rule is
so that only airsoft guns exists in the area, to minimize risks. All
weapons should have a Barrel Blocker just as an extra precaution, when the
weapon isn't use in a game.
2. No safety goggles - No play! All players will be using appropriate
safety goggles in the game and in the vicinity of a game. Don't remove
fogged glasses. Fog less goggles do exist. All goggles will fit good and
shouldn't move, even when the player run or moves.
3. Weapon and safety gear:
Personal gear:
The only required gear is safety goggles (§1.2). Face mask, ear protection
and so forth is optional.
Clips and ammo:
The max. weight of a bullet is 0.30 grams. The diameter is 6.0 millimeters.
Biodegradable is preferred.
Weapon classes:
All weapons are divided into one of three options, standard, Sniper and
- Support weapons is fullenght weapons with bipods (or look as a
supportweapon) that can shoot Full automatic and has a HiCap or Box
magazine. Up to 3000 bbs are allowed. Maximum energy is 1.0J and no heavier
BB's than 0.25g.
- Sniper rifles are Bolt action or Semiautomatic rifles. Full auto
capability and HiCap's isn't allowed. These weapons can be upgraded to 2.0J
and they can use up to 0.30g BB's.
- Standard weapons are almost any weapon. Maximum energy is 1.0J and the
bullets weight can't be heavier than 0.25g. There is often limitations on
the amount of BB's a standard weapon can have, and the limit is often
somewhere between 300-600BB's.
All weapon types are allowed to be upgraded with a 6.04 mm barrel.
4. It is not allowed to shoot anyone not wearing safety goggles. Inform the
player of the rules and report to the organizers later.
5. A "player" is someone who is aware of a game, is within the game area
and is part of one of the teams. A player follows the rules. Anyone else is
a Non player.
§2 One hit, one kill!
1. One hit on any part of the body is a kill. This include hits on gear
that is in the path between the shooter and the targets body. The only
exceptions is hits on gear that "protects" the body. This type of gear
include radios and water bottles.
2. Ricochets isn't hits. If a bullets deflects to some degree when it
passes grass, bushes or leafs then the bullet isn't a ricochet.
3. A hit from the own team, also known as "Friendly fire", is still a kill.
See §1.2.
4. Any player who has been eliminated will confirm this by shouting out
"HIT" and then holster or slings the weapon and put his/her hands on the
neck and slowly, without disturbing the game, walk to the rally point. If
the kill has happened during a big fire fight, or similar, the killed
player will sit down, still with the hands on the neck, and wait until the
fight has drifted away or ceased, so that the eliminated player can leave
without disturbing the game. In some games the player who gets eliminated,
shall NOT shout out the elimination.
5. In some special games there are some rules that concern elimination's.
They are as follows:
A player has been killed and returned to the rally point. After a pre
established amount of time the player is reincarnated and can walk back in
to the game area. The standard time is 10 minutes.
"Flesh wound":
It takes two hits to be killed or one in the head.
A hit in the head, chest or stomach is a elimination. A hit in a arm or leg
makes that part of the body useless. An arm is only allowed to cock a
spring pistol or similar. A leg is not to be supported on. If you get a leg
injury and want to move, jump on one leg.
Same as "Wounded", but there a medics with on the teams and the medic has
special boxes with strings of cloth. If a medic ties a string around the
wounded part, the part isn't wounded anymore. The medic has to be the one
who ties.
A piece of armor is something that is heavy and cumbersome. The first hit
on armor is ignored. Helmets is considered armor. A "bulletproof" vest is
also armor.
§3 No civilians as protection!
1. Taking cover or mixing among non players to avoid getting shoot at is
hostage taking. This is not allowed.
2. To attack or shot so that a non player can be shoot or injured is not
3. If a situation has occurred, so there is a hostage situation, all
players shall temporary take a time-out until the situation has passed, or
the players should move. The game continue when the area is clear.
4. Observe "No fire Zones". An active player can't move through or in a "No
fire Zone". It is also forbidden to shoot through a "No fire Zone".
§4 No violence, except with 6 mm bbs.
Naughty Dogs
Fan Club#121
Psyco Cocker Pump
AirrowGun on a Hoyt Bow
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Virginia
1. To constrain an other player, via gear, cloth or other is not allowed,
unless that person agrees to it.
2. The only exception is a light tap anywhere on the body. This is
considered to be a "knife kill". A "Knife Kill" means that the player has
been eliminated. The eliminated player doesn't shout out that an
elimination has occurred.
3. Avoid unnecessary violence. This means that all pointblank shoots should
be avoided. If it is necessary, try and aim at legs and lower body.
4. Shooting at eliminated players and judges is forbidden.
5. Fireworks , pyrotechnics and similar devices is only allowed to produce
safe effects, as smoke, light and sound, and they will have to pass
inspection before the game.
6. Knifes and other equipment with pointy or sharp edges should be placed
in pockets or in bags during games.
7. To aim for the head is not allowed, unless the target doesn't show any
other part of the body.
8. All electronic equipment is allowed, but...
A. Only active players are allowed to communicate with each other.
B. Equipment can be limited by the organizers.
C. Laser sights, flashlights and other can not be dangerous the eyes or
D. Only Laser sights that has an optical effect under 5 mW and a beam that
is at least 5 mm, at a 3m (10 feet's) is allowed. Probably every laser
pointer or sight passes this. Avoid pointing the beam in other peoples
§5 Dead men tell no tales...
1. Eliminated players are not allowed to give away any information except
confirming that they has been eliminated.
2. Observers, judges and others aren't allowed to pass on information
concerning an ongoing game. Judges are also the the only ones, except
players, that is allowed to be in the game zone during an ongoing game.
3. No time-outs. Unless its an emergency.
4. Players that for some reason can't continue a game, should eliminate
her/him self and walk of the game area.
5. Any gear problem should be handled ingame. It is no allowed to walk out
of the game area, fix the problem, and walk back. This is why some people
carry a backup weapon or extra gear.
6. Judges decision is final. Do not argue. It doesn't matter if it's wrong,
judges has the final word. Judges wears vests of the right color.
§6 To play or not to play...
1. Watch the game areas borders. The borders can change under curtain
situations. To damage other men's properties is forbidden. Be careful not
to damage the nature your playing in.
2. Vehicles isn't allowed unless the organizers says so.
3. All peoples are worthy of the same respect. Anyone who doesn't follow
this can be excluded from the organization.
4. Anybody who doesn't follow the rules can be excluded from games,
organization or similar.
Naughty Dogs
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Psyco Cocker Pump
AirrowGun on a Hoyt Bow
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Find More Posts by BlackWidowRenagade
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Sverige
Great stuff, thanks BlackWidowRenagade!
New Mexico Paintball
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Captain America
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Oceanside, CA
Echo 1 G36c... worth it?
Titsmania FTW
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Find More Posts by CAHunter3
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: NY/WA
Originally Posted by
Echo 1 G36c... worth it?
for a 100 more buy the KWA, 2gx gears and hop-up are WORTH IT!!!!
Im back on the saddle again
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Find More Posts by zimm41
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Sverige
Originally Posted by
Echo 1 G36c... worth it?
i recommend you try out a few different guns at your field if you can. if you think you will really get into airsoft, it may be worth it to invest in something like a kwa. but if you just play with your friends or whatever, echo 1 should be fine.
New Mexico Paintball
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Find More Posts by t("t)
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Sverige
This is now really old, but I see a lot of the same questions being asked in here. This should get stickied...
New Mexico Paintball
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