What You Need To Know Before Purchasing An Airsoft Gun

What is airsoft?

Airsoft is a team game based on live combat simulations. Airsoft normally involves two opposing teams of up to 40-50 players. Using airsoft guns to eliminate the enemy players and complete the objective. 

Airsoft is a game of strategy, skill, military-like tactics, teamwork and the desire to win.

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There are three 'levels' to airsoft. 
Weekend skirmishes: perfect for beginner players. Games are played throughout the day with regular breaks, game briefings and lunch.
Battlesims (battle simulation): an all-day event for more serious airsoft players and teams. Games normally start at 8am and last until 4pm. There are no set breaks and gameplay will often continue for a solid 8 hours.
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Milsims (military simulation): often played over an entire weekend. A milsim event has player requirements and limitations. It's as close to being on a real-life battlefield as you can get. This type of game is best suited for seriously experienced players.
Eye Protection
We cannot stress the importance of eye protection, especially when you are playing a sport with small plastic bbs getting shot at high velocities. 
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Most, if not all, airsoft fields and arenas will require the use of eye protection, whether it be goggles, full-face masks, or full-seal glasses. If you are under the age of 18, some fields require that you wear a full paintball style mask.
Face Protection
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We do not see enough people talking about the importance of face protection for beginnners. Honestly, face protection should also be a top priority for any airsoft beginner and should be used alongside your eye pro. 
A mesh mask, full-face mask, or even balaclava with mesh insert (even a mouth guard), can help prevent injuries from BBs and help avoid a pricey visit to the dentist. 
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One of our favorites for new airsoft players, is the Empire Helix goggle because it provides maximum coverage of your face and eyes.

Airsoft Gun

Although this may seem like an obvious one, you'll need a working airsoft gun. The best way to find out what type of airsoft gun you'll need is to find out which play style you prefer, or find a gun that can accomodate all types. 
If you arent sure, most fields offer rental packages that will include a rifle, batteries BBs and even gear.

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To make gameplay fair, once you've been hit, you are no longer able to communicate with your team. This is commonly referred to as 'dead men don't talk'. This is to stop you from giving away enemy positions.

Don't worry though, being hit doesn't mean your day is over.
It means you simply go back to your respawn point. Your respawn point will be outlined by a site marshall at the start of every game. 

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You make your way back here each time you're hit and simply rejoin the action once you've spawned again.

There are some important things to keep in mind during most airsoft games:
If a BB hits your rifle, it can be classed as a weapon hit. If your gun is in a window and a BB strikes the barrel, this is not a hit.

Playing airsoft indoors means BBs will bounce off walls, doorframes and the floor. These are called ricochets. If you're hit by a ricochet, this is also not a hit. However, if you're in doubt about whether you've been hit or not, we recommend declaring yourself hit. This avoids accusations of cheating.

If a grenade is thrown into a room you're defending, you can hide behind hardcover to stay alive. Hardcover is usually doors, walls, and anything you couldn't physically move. If you're unable to get behind cover and you're within 5 meters of that grenade, you've been hit.

You cannot shoot what you cannot see. This is called blind fire. You're not allowed to hold your airsoft gun out of doors, over objects or through windows without being behind the gun. This rule is for safety. You have to be behind the weapon system before you start unloading your magazine.
You cannot shoot through small gaps. 

Most marshalls on game day will define what a small gap is (typically nothing smaller than an A4 piece of paper). This stops players from shoving a replica assault rifle through the crack of a door and firing BBs at people.

Smoke grenades are a great use of cover but can be extremely toxic. Most airsoft sites do not allow smoke grenades to be thrown into rooms for player safety. Because smoke grenades can be purchased on-site, it's worth checking the rules on where you can and can't throw them first.