In the second part of our Starting Airsoft series, let us briefly check out the process of finding the best field for your first airsoft game. Also, if reading isn’t your thing, we summed up all the important knowledge inthe free video course. Check out a sample here:
Is airsoft legal in your country?
Most likely yes. However, in some countries, airsoft isn’t really allowed. Therefore, a legal game of airsoft might be out of your options. For example, in China, airsoft is strictly regulated by the authorities. Regardless, as mentioned before, in most parts of the world, you should be fine, especially in the EU and in the USA. But make sure you google airsoft in your country if you’re unsure. There is also a useful guide on Wikipedia.
Finding the optimal field for your first airsoft game
As it often is with other sports, it is gonna make your life much easier if you have a friend to guide you. Before you start to lookup fields, see if some of your friends don’t play airsoft. If yes, definitely reach out. Many airsofters are keen to introduce new people to the hobby! And it’s always a great thing to have a buddy on the field.
Even if you barely know the ‘friend’ mentioned, it’s always a good idea to ask other airsofters. As we are more than not proud of our hobby, we love to show it to new people as it brings everyone a better experience. So toss your fears and talk to people. You will be surprised. 😉
Best bet: Googling an official airsoft field!
If none of your friends plays actively, the second easiest way to find the best one is to google for local airsoft fields. Just look for search queries such as “airsoft + your city/area” or similar.
💡 Start out on an official field that rents airsoft gear. That saves a lot of trouble.
Also, keep an eye out for renting services. These are a great way to start off with airsoft as the only thing you need to focus on is the gameplay experience. No need to invest a lot of money. More on renting airsoft guns for your first game in the next chapter.
Back to choosing fields. With all honesty, going for an official airsoft field that hosts public events every weekend or so is the best way to start off. It makes it fairly similar to paintball (but of course better, haha) in terms of organization and game style. For more details, see the comparison:
Upsides
- It’s legal. No one will call the police on you.
- Fields made for airsoft: no dangerous spots, better cover.
- Available renting: allows to focus only on the fun part
- You’ve got always people to play with.
- Enforced game rules = safer fun for everyone
- Often some refreshments… 😁
Drawbacks
- You need to pay for the entrance
- You may stumble upon unfriendly staff
- You need to drive to a specific location at a given time.
There are many examples of how a field may look. Just to give an example for all, here is one of our gameplay videos from a cool field near Vienna, Austria:
No luck? Try out Facebook Groups!
If googling a field didn’t work out for some reason, Facebook Groups would generally be the second place to go. Try finding a local airsoft group. It will almost certainly have airsofters discussing the best field options. And if not, you can always ask.
When searching for a group, try typing stuff like “airsoft + your place of origin” in your native language of course. Alternatively, you might want to try out “airsoft events + your place of origin”.
When already in a group, search for fields using the Facebook Group Search button first. If you don’t find your answer, just ask yourself. Alternatively, if it’s more your style, just pick someone from the group and reach out to them via private messages.
Another way: Look up a local airsoft team.
If Facebook groups didn’t suit you for some reason, you can also google local Airsoft teams, mostly via Google. If you find some, reach out and ask where would they recommend you start with the sport.
⚠️ Starting airsoft with a private game might be tricky.
Sometimes, airsofters or teams may invite you to their private events for your first game. These are usually a guess. Here is our breakdown of private games in terms of ups and downs:
Upsides
- Sometimes more interesting game scenarios
- More interaction and coordination
- Raw experience
Drawbacks
- Generally less player-friendly fields
- Not as much service
- Less strict rules – safety risk
- Mostly no official rental
In our opinion, it might be a better idea to stick with official fields but in the end, it’s your call. Judge by the way you feel about it.
MILSIM: A bad idea for your first game.
A last small tip: it’s not a good idea to go for a MILSIM (Military Simulation) as your first airsoft event. Despite the great looking footage you see on YouTube, these are usually very physically and psychically demanding, full of complex rules and less friendly towards beginners. Opting for a simple pickup game for a few hours is more fun in this case – allowing to explore the sport.
