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Beginners Guide To Airsoft
Welcome
to the wonderful world of Airsoft! One of the most enjoyable, and at times
demanding, combat simulation sports there is. If this is your first venture into
the hobby, we hope you find this document useful and interesting reading, if
you're already a seasoned player, and wish to add something to this article,
please get in touch.
There is masses of information available on the Internet regarding Airsoft, just
check out our link pages for some of the best information websites and retailers
out there. It is easy to get carried away whilst surfing the net, drooling over
pictures of the latest Airsoft hardware, and whilst prices have dropped
significantly over the past few years, it can still be an expensive hobby. So to
save yourself money and perhaps wasting some time, we've put together what we
feel is a useful guide to starting out in the sport.
Visit A Skirmish Site
Before you do anything, if you have never played before, the first thing you
should do is visit an established Airsoft skirmish site, and experience the
games first hand. One of the common mistakes a lot of new players make, is to
spend a lot of money on expensive kit, before they've ever played a game... you
never know, it might not be for you! Airsoft can be a physically and mentally
demanding game, so we always recommend spending the day at an Airsoft skirmish
site, with a hire-gun to see if you firstly enjoy the games, and secondly find
the days play not too exhausting.
Another advantage of visiting an established playing site first, is that it will
give you some ideas of what kit to purchase, should you wish to. Most skirmish
sites have around 100 or more players that turn up each game day, and the vast
majority of them will own their own Airsoft weapons. It is an ideal opportunity
to have a look at that special gun you've had your eyes on, and make sure it is
for you. I made the mistake of purchasing an expensive sniper rifle (and I've
been playing for years!) without first trying out and seeing if it was for me,
it wasn't, and I've since learned my lesson.
Most skirmish sites will have an array of weapons available for hire, and they
usually comprise of (but not limited to) AK-47's, MP5's, M4's, FAMAS's and the
occasional G3 or G36. You will also be given eye protection, usually in the form
of a full face mask, some ammunition (the amount varies, but often over
1500rnds) and perhaps some camouflage clothing items. We however, highly
recommend taking the following items with you as an addition to what you'll
receive in your hire gun package :-
 Gloves
- Getting shot in the hand or fingers DOES hurt!
Packed Lunch - Don't always rely on there being food facilities
available, be prepared!
Plenty Of Water - When playing, you can become quickly dehydrated,
always drink plenty of water.
Small First Aid Kit - Even if it only comprises of bandages and
plasters, very useful.
Hat or Balaclava - I wear a full face balaclava for additional
head and face protection - recommended!
Small Plastic bottle - Very useful for filling up your magazines
quickly without spilling ammunition.
Boots* - Should be sturdy and come above the
ankle. You can pick these up cheaply from an army surplus store
Correct Clothing* - Wear the correct
clothing depending on the weather conditions, jeans are not recommended.
* You can pick up combats, combat jacket and boots for
very reasonable prices from a local army surplus store, which you can locate by
visiting www.yell.co.uk. If
you don't wish to purchase these in advance of playing your first game, see if
you can borrow some from a friend. Failing that, wear dark coloured 'civilian'
clothing, that you don't mind getting dirty, but try to avoid Jeans as they are
heavy if they become damp, and generally do not offer the levels of mobility you
will require.
To find your nearest Airsoft skirmish site, take a look at
www.airsoftmap.co.uk
which has pretty much every UK playing site listed.
Where To
Start
So, you've been to a Skirmish site, you've thoroughly enjoyed yourself and
you've decided to start buying your own equipment... but where to start? First,
thing to do, is set yourself a budget and try to stick to it! The cost of guns
and accessories can soon amount to staggering figures, and it's easy to get
carried away. You can kit yourself out, with everything you need to start
playing Airsoft for £300 quite easily, and then add to it from there. The next
thing to do, is decide on your playing style, as this will help you choose the
correct equipment for the job. In my opinion, there are three main playing
styles for Airsoft, we've included some 'Additional Accessories' you may
consider for these roles... These are:
CQB / URBAN - Be the first man through the door, moving quickly
from room to room clearing them as you go. This style of play is up close and
personal (and at times painful!). Ideally you'd be wanting a smaller weapon that
allows the highest levels of mobility to move swiftly. Something like an MP5-A5,
G3-SAS or MP5K are good examples.
Optional Accessories: Tactical Flashlight, Red-dot / Laser,
PMR Radios (with headset), GBB Pistol with Thigh Holster.
Woodland - Woodland style of play will usually be at further
distances than CQB / Urban, although it can get close at times. You will want a
gun with a longer range, and probably a higher magazine capacity.
Optional Accessories: Scope (great for spotting too)
Sniper / Support - The role of a sniper or support gunner is the
most appealing to me. Usually working alone, or in radio contact with the rest
of your team, your role is to take out targets from afar, or lay down covering
fire so front line troops can move in. The sniper doesn't have to use a
dedicated sniping platform, such as a VSR or APS2, the Marui M14 (my personal
choice) is a good example of a standard AEG with excellent range, with the added
bonus of fully automatic fire. As for the support role, again, you don't need a
dedicated gun such as an M249 or M60... A G36 with a box magazine makes an
excellent suppressive-fire weapon.
Optional Accessories: Box Mag (Support weapon), GBB Pistol for
back-up weapon, PMR Radio, Scope.
Clothing
 As
mentioned earlier, it is very important to get the right clothing depending on
the conditions you'll be playing in. It should keep you warm and dry, whilst
offering a level of protection against hits. We recommend against wearing jeans
for Airsoft, as they can get heavy when wet and offer little impact absorbing
qualities. Boots are highly recommended, and should be sturdy and come above the
ankle. As for camouflage pattern, that is entirely up to the wearer. Some opt
for desert pattern, traditional UK DPM (disruptive pattern material) or SWAT
style black uniforms. It is worth noting however, that whilst the traditional
DPM combat gear can be worn in all environments, wearing all black in a woodland
setting will make you stand out somewhat. As I only play at an Urban site, I
have the black uniform, with tactical vest and all the relevant accessories.
A tactical vest is a highly recommend piece of kit too. It offers extra
protection, and makes carrying all the gear required for the day a lot easier.
It gives you somewhere to store magazines, extra ammunition, food supplies and
water provisions, some of them even include a pistol holster built into the
front, known as a 'crossdraw vest'.
A useful resource for Airsoft clothing is
www.flecktarn.co.uk, as
they offer virtually every camouflage combination available, as well as a huge
range of tactical accessories.
First AEG
When choosing your first AEG, there are a number of factors to take into
consideration. As above, certain types of Airsoft gun are suited to particular
playing environments, so first you need to choose your style of play. If you are
uncertain, then it is best to choose an AEG that is equally at home in any
environment. The M4 Carbine and the G36 are both excellent examples, both are
small enough to use in CQB/URBAN environments, but have the range to work in a
woodland setting also. To keep the initial cost down, one should choose a gun
that accommodates a large capacity battery, as it will last all day. Airsoft
guns that take a mini or stick battery might require you to purchase an
additional one, as the capacity is currently limited to 1400mah, where as
3000mah large batteries are common place. Magazine size is also a
consideration.. an AK47 hi-cap holds 600 rounds, whereas an MP5 only holds 200.
The choice of whether to use hi-cap or standard capacity magazines is entirely
up to you. STAR manufacture plastic standard magazines for a variety of
different models, which are priced at a very reasonable £49.99 for 10 magazines.
To purchase an AEG brand new, or get one second hand is also worth thinking
about. Marui AEG's are very reliable, and as long as they're looked after, will
last a very long time. Therefore it is often more economical to purchase an AEG
second hand, with the benefit the gun will probably come with a battery, charger
and several magazines, all of which need to be purchased separately if buying
new. I would recommend buying your first AEG second hand, as this gives you the
option to work out if the gun is for you, without losing too much money if you
change your mind.
To give you an example how long a Marui AEG can last... I bought a second hand
MP5K 7 years ago, I owned it for 2 years and then sold it on. The person who
bought it from me, still has it, and it is still running fine on the original
parts!
Pistol? or
no Pistol?
A common question people ask when starting out in Airsoft, is it worth buying a
pistol? In all honesty, I'd say no, save your money and buy that last. I've
owned several pistols over the years, and the only one I have ever really got
the most from, is my Glock 18C AEP. It's been very useful in certain situations,
and is excellent for clearing rooms on urban sites, but if you've already got
the right AEG, unless you run out of ammo, it's not worth spending the money on
initially. Still, nothing is more satisfying that getting a 'Pistol kill', when
the other guy has an AEG... There are so many things that you'd find more useful
to spend your money on initially, such as radios, spare magazines, batteries,
optical sights etc..
If you've decided on taking the sniper route however, a pistol is an essential
piece of kit. Typically most sites do not allow you to engage targets under
certain ranges with a sniper rifle, so you'll need a pistol to defend yourself
under these circumstances. Again, I would recommend the Glock 18C AEP to anyone,
purely on its practical value.
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And that concludes our short beginners guide to Airsoft. If you have anything to
add to this article, please get in touch with us at the usual email address:
defconairsoft@googlemail.com
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