Airsoft is much like paintball, but no visible mark is left when you hit an opponent. This is because airsoft is played with guns that shoot small plastic 6mm BBs. All airsoft guns propel their plastic BBs from compressed air, but the air can be compressed in many different ways.
For example, the automatic electric airsoft guns (also known as AEGs) compress their air using an electric powered gearbox, which pulls back a spring plunger. Then there is the airsoft sniper rifles, which are single shot spring airsoft guns (they need to be manually cocked for each shot). Lastly, some airsoft rifles are powered by compressed C02 and or propane gas.
The actual airsoft games themselves don’t cost very much to play, but the airsoft guns can be pretty expensive, depending on what you want. Generally the spring powered airsoft guns (IE: the airsoft sniper rifles) are the cheapest, while the electric ones (AEG’s) are more expensive. Lastly, the gas powered airsoft rifles are usually the more expensive than spring and electric airsoft rifles.
The places where the airsoft battles take place usually feature tactical things like bunkers, buildings, towers, trenches, and more. This is much like the types areas that the military uses for their training and simulation purposes. Due to this fact, strategy plays a vital role in being a successful airsoft player.
The role that you play in the airsoft games (or scenarios) generally depends on what type of airsoft gun you have. Airsoft snipers use powerful airsoft sniper rifles, while those who like to move around more (and get more action) use automatic electric airsoft rifles (also known as AEG airsoft guns). The most popular electric guns are the airsoft AK-47, airsoft M4, airsoft M16, and even airsoft M249 SAW rifles (which are used for heavy support).
What type of game (scenario) you play will usually depend on the location, along with how many players there are. Usually if there arent very many players, short airsoft skirmishes will be the games of choice. However, in more organized situations, players will often do anything from military simulations to actual historical reenactments (such as World War I, and so on).
The rules of airsoft are pretty simple and straightforward. Much like paintball, if you get hit, you are expected to yell “I’m hit” (and raise your gun up in the air). Also, since the plastic airsoft BBs leave no visible marks, it is expected that players follow an honor system, and admit to being hit. Even if you are certain that you have hit your opponent, calling out the fact that you have hit the opponent is generally frowned upon.
Generally you will simply shoot your opponent in order to get a kill, but those who like to have mercy on their opponents can sneak up behind them and tap them on the back (when possible). This is also known as a knife kill, and is much less painful than shooting your opponent at point blank range. Believe it or not, it can actually be quite painful to get hit by a plastic BB, especially at close range.
Again, airsoft games are extremely realistic, and the airsoft guns look and feel very realistic as well (especially the high end, full metal airsoft sniper rifles, which you can check out by clicking here). Airsoft is a highly respected sport, and is even used by the military for training purposes. Airsoft generally requires a good deal of strategy and team work, much like many other types of sports.