I'm Moving!

Because of the awesome response that I've gotten from airsoftzealot.blogspot.com I decided to make a full blown site to blog and promote airsoft from.

All new posts and information will be posted there.


http://airsoftzealots.com

See you there!
Austin

The Basics: Airsoft Equpiment - Part 1

Every single person who has ever or will play airsoft needs equipment.  It’s the definition of the game.  Whether this is basic eye protection and a spring pistol or a high end AEG, mini gun, and grenade launcher is up to you. 

Some of the more common things found on an airsoft battlefield are most obviously airsoft guns, but also: BB’s, tactical gear, speed loaders, gas canisters, extra batteries, and even smoke bombs. 

Other items such as vehicles, rocket launchers, and even trip wire mines are really not for the casual airsofter.  These are usually reserved for military simulation or mil-sim games.

Airsoft is really all about shoot your opponent so your weapon is the single most important thing you can research and buy (excluding proper eye wear of course.)  There are literally thousands of different types of rifles, pistols, and grenade launchers that are available on the airsoft market today.

Classification of Airsoft Guns

Spring

While all airsoft guns (except gas) use a spring the term “spring rifle” or “spring pistol” refers to the fact that the spring is powered by physically pulling it back each time.  Usually this is accomplished in pistols by sliding the top of the gun back until the spring is fully compressed and clicks in place.  To release the spring you pull the trigger.  In rifles however there are a variety of different types of levers to pull the spring back.

Another gun classified in the spring category are shotguns.  Shotguns function exactly the same way but with the “pump” on the shotgun pulling back the spring.  Shotguns are pretty much a class on their own because of the versatility provided by airsoft manugacturers making new types of shells.  Multi-shot shells having the ability to spray multiple BB’s with a single spring pull is what sets shotguns apart.

Electric

Electric air soft guns are probably the most popular type of gun in use today.  They are able to provide firing options such as semi-automatic, fully-automatic and three round burst.  Electric guns work by using electricity held in a battery to power a motor.  The motor then turns the gears with a lot of torque and speed to compress the spring. 

The downside to the electric system is usually only visible when implemented into handguns.  Magazine size is vital when putting a lot of BB's down range and pistols just aren't able to compete with larger rifles.  Also often times when trying to cram all of the important functioning parts into pistol form manufacturers are unable to provide a reliable backup weapon.  All too often I’ve heard the sick crunch of moving gears as someone whips out their electric pistol. 

Gas

The third type of airsoft guns are gas.  These are similar to Co2 pellet guns that many people are familiar with but in airsoft form.  They also are able to provide the semi, full auto, and three round burst capabilities, but they do not have as many moving parts as electric rifles. 

Gas pistols are the bread and butter so to speak for airsoft pistol manufacturers.  When a sniper is being rushed by someone wielding an assault rifle they aren’t going to want to depend on an electric pistol.  They’ll whip out a gas blowback Sig Sauer P226 and really lay down the law.  

The downside of gas guns conversely is when applied to assault rifles.  Gas run out relatively quickly when you’re laying down suppressive fire to the tune of 700 shots a minute and carrying around extra canisters for refills is a pain in the butt.  While a battery is relatively small and lightweights a gas canister is similar to carrying Lysol around on the battlefield.

The Basics: How to Play Airsoft

Airsoft is pretty much the greatest sport that you can ever play.  Like any great sport you don’t get ridiculously awesome epic battles without first having a framework of rules and safety precautions.  I’m sure you’ve heard or read the phrase, “It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt.”  This is especially true in airsoft because most event organizers will shut down the game if someone is injured.

General Rules
When you are playing airsoft, especially if you are hosting or started the event, you get to make the rules.  Keep in mind ridiculous rules will keep players from ever accepting invites from you again, but it’s up to you.  There are some general rules that are found pretty much throughout the airsfoting community.

Blind Man

The “blind man” rule is one of extreme importance because it is the safety word for everyone no matter what to stop shooting.  The phrase stems from the occurrence of when a civilian without eye protection is walking close to the match, but now covers a plethora of different events depending on who you talk to.  In essence though “blind man” means to pause the game.

Honor System

Usually in an airsoft match, especially a casual airsoft match, you aren’t going to be able to have a bunch of referees monitoring players to see if they get hit.  Airsoft is by and large based on an honor system in which the victim calls him or herself out.  Occasionally there are people who blatantly do not call themselves out and that’s fine because they just won’t get invited back.

Knife Kills

Often times if you are stealthy and your opponent is not you may find yourself sneaking up on his back.  In this case it is encouraged that you tap your opponent to signify that he is out so that you don’t have to fire on him at point blank range.

Mercy

Mercy rules are allowing another player to become out without getting shot.  This can happen in a variety of way such as their gun breaking, if they trip and fall, or even sometimes if they are in a compromised position and don’t want to get shot.

Specialized Rules

Specialized rules are those that are enacted for a specific type of game that you are playing.  These serve to make the airsoft game last longer or to be more challenging.

Medic

The medic is a exciting rule that you establish if you want the game to last longer.  While following a “if your shot your out” policy the medic can resurrect the “dead” players so that they can participate in the game again.  This can be achieved in a couple of different ways.

• Safe Zone

Safe zones are basically where “dead” people come after they are shot to wait out the game.  One of the way you can implement a medic rule is to have a shot players wait a certain amount of time in the safe zone before being allowed to re-enter the game.

• Bandaging

If you want to have a person become the medic then another way to have them resurrect people is the bandage.  You can give them a few cloth ties and require a knot be tied around the deceased players arm in order to resurrect them.  This makes the medic a highly targeted player in the ensuing match.

Multi Shot Kill

The multi shot kill a rule where you have to be shot X amount of times before you’re dead.  This enables players to keep playing even if they get hit by a lucky shot.  The advantage is quickly negated when playing with fully automatic weapons.

Types of Game Play

Like we talked about before there are many different types of ways that you can play airsoft.  However there are few mainstream types that are more popular than other.

Team Deathmatch

Team Deathmatch is by far the most popular type of airsoft game played.  Basically all of the airsofters present separate into two evenly matched teams and then proceed to eliminate each other. 

Free For All

Free for all is pretty self-explanatory.  Every person for themselves.  Kill or be killed.  Eat or be eaten.  These are usually very short games followed by a longer stint at the end when it’s 1v1.

Capture the Flag

This is a very popular game to play when you have a group of 10 – 15 players.  Each team has a flag they can hide and the objective is to capture the opposing team’s flag. 

Protect the President

This game follows the idea that one team is a secret service team and the opposing team being terrorists.  1 player, the president, is supposed to be escorted to a zone by the secret service team to win.  The terrorists must kill the president before he reaches the zone.

Bomb

Bomb is pretty much the exact opposite of capture the flag.  There is a single “bomb” or flag on the field that each team tries to hold.  To win they must bring the bomb to the enemies fort to simulate destroying it.

Zombies

The zombie game is really a awesomely fun game.  There is a single zombie vs the rest of the players.  Any player the zombie eliminates automatically becomes a member of the zombie team.  Any zombie eliminated is out of the game for good.  Some tweaking to this concept such as  zombie invincibility for the first 5 minutes are necessary if your original zombie isn’t very good at getting kills.

Siege

Siege is basically a team deathmatch but with one team holding down a fortified position with the other team assaulting their position.  The winning team being whoever holds the fort after a certain amount of time has gone by.

A Disclaimer: Airsoft is a sport that is played all across the world.  There isn’t a standard set of rules that I can list here verbatim, however there are a few rules and game types that are pretty common.  If there is a certain rule or game type you think should be added by all means leave me a comment. 

Photos: These are all pictures that are taken at the Queen Creek Wash(Except the Med Kit).  It's a fairly popular place to play airsoft.

The Basics: What is Airsoft?

History: 
 
Airsoft was invented in Japan in the late 1970’s.  There was a generation or era in Japan during which a lot of interest was generated in guns and gun related paraphernalia.  However it was also during this time that the Japanese government created the “No-one shall possess a fire-arm or fire-arms or a sword or swords” law.  Whether the interest created the law or the law created the interest is unknown.

Not to be outdone by American entrepreneurs Japanese manufacturers saw an opportunity and they decided to create replica guns to sell.  Originally these guns varied immensely and there was no standard of ammunition or firing method, however as time has gone on standards were created and technology increased.  After progressing from rubber BB’s to standard 6mm or 8mm plastic BB’s and then having the capability to use batteries and small gas canisters, instead of their giant gas canister counterparts, to power the guns the sport started to take off.

Popularity:
 

Airsoft was introduced into North America in the 1990’s and has since exploded.  Some have speculated that it is the fastest growing sport in the world.  Even though it rapidly became well known once reaching North America it has crossed international borders and has become especially popular in Europe.

While popular for all of the reasons paintball became prevalent airsoft provides a multitude of other positives as well as fewer negatives.  With no paint to clean up airsoft games can be conducted nearly anywhere and with realistic weapons, magazines, and armor military simulation (mil-sim) games can be played.

Safety: 
 

The realistic weapon “positive” that airsoft brings to the table is perhaps its biggest downside as well.  Recent news stories have portrayed the sport as dangerous and a common activity of delinquents because of the difficulty civilians have in telling the difference between airsoft guns and real guns.  It is an extremely important concern considering a single law could put a stop to the rapid growth and new hobby that airsoft has become.

Although airsoft does have a few hurdles to cross it’s swift escalation into the “spotlight” will be a driving force into cementing it into a popular hobby for a larger demographic.

Pictures: 
Top: Bag of 6mm .25g BB's
Middle: Mini Electric Automatic Airsoft Gun
Bottom: JT Paintball Elite Headshield (What I use when I airsoft)

The Basics

As with almost everything when you start something new you should start at the beginning. Airsoft is a pretty simple sport to understand, play, and even compete in, but it takes a little bit of knowledge and that’s where the basics come in.

Over the next week or so I’m going to add new content that focuses mainly on the basics of airsoft. How to play, what equipment you need, etc. For those of you who are already seasoned pro’s you may just want to skim. A lot of the content you will already be familiar with but you never know. You may find a useful tip you’ve never heard before.

Some of the things I’d like to discuss are:

• What is Airsoft?

• What do I need to get started airsofting?

• What are the different types of airsoft guns?

• Where should I airsoft?

As well as any others that jump out at me over the next few days. If there is a question about airsoft that you would like answered be sure to e-mail me and ask. **Note: This link will take you to my other blog site that has a contact form set up. Just fill it out with your question and hit send.**

An Introduction

A little bit about me:

My name is Austin Hale. I live in the United States of America and live in pretty much the hottest state in the country, Arizona. I’m 18 years old and I’m currently attending college.

I started playing airsoft at 12 years old with a few neighborhood friends in our local church parking lot. Like probably everyone else I started out with a spring pistol.

<- First Pistol

Since then I’ve upgraded quite a few times and I now play airsoft quite frequently with lots of different people. I started Airsoft Zealot because I love airsoft! It’s a ton of fun and after trying to find some airsoft blogs to read I realized there weren’t a lot. Being at least a halfway competent writer I decided to start my own. Honestly what better topic could there be to blog about?!?!

Welcome

Welcome to Airsoft Zealot! This is the first post.