In the third part of our Starting Airsoft series, we’re letting you know what to expect on your first game day. We have summed up all the important parts ina free video course. Check it out or explore a bit of it through this video:

When You Arrive

So you’ve decided to go and play airsoft (good decision 😎). You’ve booked on to your field and sorted out your kit, but what will happen when you get there?

When you arrive you’ll need to sign in so the site knows you’re present and will usually give you a wristband to wear. If you’re renting your equipment they’ll give it to you when you sign in or you’ll collect it shortly afterwards. Only if you’re using a friend’s gun, it’ll need to be chrono’d (this is when the site checks to make sure it is firing at the right power). It’ll be much easier if your friend does this for you.

Most likely there will be a load of people wearing full camo and tactical gear. There may even be a few ghillie-suited snipers walking about. But try not to feel intimidated or like you don’t belong. Everyone came to airsoft for the first time not wearing full tactical attire. As long as you have your boots on, you’re good to go!

Btw, here is a video of what it looks like if it doesn’t work out as expected…

Getting Ready for Games

Try on all of the kit, fill your magazines and if there’s a shooting range (usually where they chrono guns) it’s a good idea to head over and fire a few shots. This way you can learn how the gun works, set your hop (check out our video course for more info on that) and make any changes to your kit before going out for a game as there’s nothing worse than trying to do this when people are shooting at you.

Once you’re happy with the gun and your kit, keep an ear open as the site will give a safety briefing and go over the site rules. All sites will differ in some ways, so make sure you pay attention (even if your friends are not) as all of this information is 100% necessary to ensure you have a safe and fun day.

The Most Important Rules

Of all the rules, the most important one is to call your hit. If you hear or feel a BB hit you, no matter how soft or hard it may be, put your hand in the air and call hit. Airsoft is a game of honour, and the more honest you play, the more honest people will play around you.

If you think you hit someone and they don’t call it, do not call them out or get angry. As much as we want to have the best aim in the world, BBs aren’t that aerodynamic and you most likely didn’t hit them. Calling this out will only make other people angry and can cause the game to spiral so if you are convinced you hit them and they’re not calling it, talk to a marshal and let them deal with it. There’ll always be one close by.

More on the rules in a later part of this Blog Series.

Don’t Expect to be John Wick

Now don’t get down if you don’t get a lot of kills. Airsoft is difficult when you start and there’s a lot to get used to. The best thing to do is learn how to use your gun and how to move with it. Building up this muscle memory will allow you to use it without thinking which means you can focus more on where the enemy is and where to go.

You’ll most likely hang back, but don’t be scared to go right up to the front lines. Most teams win by pushing hard and forcing the enemy team back. If you do this, you’ll be surprised at how quickly you can impact games.

You can also squad up and play with your team. Find someone who looks like they know what they’re doing and play with them. You’ll pick up a lot from where they go and what they do.

The Flow of the Day

If you’re playing for the full day which we always recommend, usually you’ll play a few different games for about 2.5 hours, break for lunch and then play again for another 2.5 hours in the afternoon.

Make sure you drink a lot of water throughout the day, especially if it’s hot as it’s really easy to become dehydrated. Also check to see if the site does food beforehand. If not, you’ll need to bring a packed lunch.

Once games are finished, if you rented your equipment you’ll need to return it to the site office where they’ll log you’ve given it back and then you can head home

If the site was muddy, it’s probably worth changing clothes before getting in the car as you’ll just have more to clean

You Just Played Airsoft

And that was your first time at airsoft! A lot of sites will have a photographer roaming around so go and check out their Facebook page or website to see if they snapped you in action

Hopefully, you’ve got the bug and want to play again. If you have, it’s time for you to start buying your own kit! And we have just the right stuff to kit you out.