How do you get involved in a team?

cobra 08

Hey lads would love it if you give me some hints on how too get involved with a team. I played with the RATS the other week (Great bunch of lads had a great day) and that made my mind up about teams. I think if the sport is to grow there should be more focus on team side of it. I would appreciate any sugestions about how to get involved in a team while been considered a noob.

Leftyflip

Just keep playing, get to know all the lads and ladies and eventually you could get asked to join.

cobra 08

Thats what hear but none of mates share the passion to get involved so its not that easy to go out on your own every week. I gave the RATS my no. hoping to get a text telling me where they are playing but didnt get one ( they did get alot of numbers that day)

Firekitten

cobra 08 wrote: »

Hey lads would love it if you give me some hints on how too get involved with a team. I played with the RATS the other week (Great bunch of lads had a great day) and that made my mind up about teams. I think if the sport is to grow there should be more focus on team side of it. I would appreciate any sugestions about how to get involved in a team while been considered a noob.

If we want the sport to grow, there needs to be a FAR bigger NON team player base... Individuals can play airsoft just fine... groups of total strangers have no problem playing together in the UK... infact 80% of uk airsofters are not in teams.

The team culture here is somewhat isolationist and segregating if you ask me... its Detremental to growth.

cobra 08

Firekitten wrote: »

If we want the sport to grow, there needs to be a FAR bigger NON team player base... Individuals can play airsoft just fine... groups of total strangers have no problem playing together in the UK... infact 80% of uk airsofters are not in teams.

The team culture here is somewhat isolationist and segregating if you ask me... its Detremental to growth.

Well that could be a fair point but its the milsim I would like to get involved in and the teams are what makes them work so well.

Leftyflip

You don't need to be on a team for milsim, it helps, but if you're with a group of like minded individuals, you'll do fine.

cobra 08

Leftyflip wrote: »

You don't need to be on a team for milsim, it helps, but if you're with a group of like minded individuals, you'll do fine.

And which site would be the best for milsim?

Puding

best bet is to play play and play some more, find out what areas of airsoft you like, play as much milsim as you can first, meet people and tbh you will naturaly form 'teams' of like minded people without even knowing it

cobra 08

Firekitten wrote: »

If we want the sport to grow, there needs to be a FAR bigger NON team player base... Individuals can play airsoft just fine... groups of total strangers have no problem playing together in the UK... infact 80% of uk airsofters are not in teams.

The team culture here is somewhat isolationist and segregating if you ask me... its Detremental to growth.

Bye the way are you involved with a team?

Firekitten

cobra 08 wrote: »

Well that could be a fair point but its the milsim I would like to get involved in and the teams are what makes them work so well.

Actually, being part of a team going to a milsim game has only caused problems from my viewpoint as a Commander... Infighting and bloody egos make it like herding cats...

cobra 08 wrote: »

And which site would be the best for milsim?

Currently none. but the Jebrovian games at HRTA are the business so I'm told.

cobra 08 wrote: »

By the way are you involved with a team?

I am Firekitten... no team has yet proven themselves worthy...

Sorry, joking, In all seriousness, nope. Was part of one once, left because I didnt have the time, most if not all games I've played as an individual player. I play along side friends, and other site regulars at my usual sites, and the best part of not being on a team, is you meet new people... you arent with the same group each week... not meeting differnt folk. I make a point to get around and know people... its fun, and its sociable Which is what airsoft is about for me: Shooting and chatting.

cobra 08

Firekitten wrote: »

Actually, being part of a team going to a milsim game has only caused problems from my viewpoint as a Commander... Infighting and bloody egos make it like herding cats...

Currently none. but the Jebrovian games at HRTA are the business so I'm told.

I am Firekitten... no team has yet proven themselves worthy...

Sorry, joking, In all seriousness, nope. Was part of one once, left because I didnt have the time, most if not all games I've played as an individual player. I play along side friends, and other site regulars at my usual sites, and the best part of not being on a team, is you meet new people... you arent with the same group each week... not meeting differnt folk. I make a point to get around and know people... its fun, and its sociable Which is what airsoft is about for me: Shooting and chatting.

I do see your point but not many of my friends are into it. And when your on a site and teams turn up sometimes you can get shifted around to suite them which makes it harder to enjoy the day.

Dread-Lock

cobra 08 wrote: »

Thats what hear but none of mates share the passion to get involved so its not that easy to go out on your own every week.

Thats how I started...
Loads of my mates said oh yeah airsoft, that sounds deadly. Yeah we'll even make our own team. I knew that wasn't going to happen so I just told them when I was going out airsofting (offering them a lift), just got a bunch of excuses every time. I stopped offering fairly quickly as it was just wasting my credit.

So I just went on my own and started chatting to people. It might seem "intimidating" at first, but tough, thats life. How else are you going to get to know other people? Just get your ass out there and skirmish. And of course don't forget to be friendly and others will return the favour. Thats how I got to know all my airsoft friends.

I myself am interested in joining a team as well. But I feel when I'm approached by a team and asked to join, then I'm ready to join a team. And how is that going to happen? By getting out and skirmishing .

Firekitten

cobra 08 wrote: »

I do see your point but not many of my friends are into it. And when your on a site and teams turn up sometimes you can get shifted around to suite them which makes it harder to enjoy the day.

Ireland is too damn team orientated... but tbh, just go... talk to randoms, meet people... and MAKE friends. I had no friends that played when I started, I went with a group, and was the only one that stayed.... i just got to know people, and make a point to talk to new people, different people all the time. Perhaps its my personality, but I'm quite a social person. I like to talk to new people, and airsoft is no bother if I go to a game alone... I just strike up a conversation and get to know other players i end up with. Trust me,,, it works, if all else fails, ask them about thier gun, that should get them talking

Spooky-Vinny

Firekitten wrote: »

...if all else fails, ask them about thier gun, that should get them talking

This has ALWAYS worked for me.. ALWAYS. But usualy i am interested in thier gun anyways and if they are friendly and worth getting to know they will continue the chat
I agree with everyone that has posted so far *thumbs up*
xXx

Toherinator

cobra 08 wrote: »

Thats what hear but none of mates share the passion to get involved so its not that easy to go out on your own every week. I gave the RATS my no. hoping to get a text telling me where they are playing but didnt get one ( they did get alot of numbers that day)

Same thing happened to me had a big group of friends wanted to play and get a team going but alot of them dissappeared but i wanted to keep playing so that what i did. I got to know most of the R.A.T.S and just kept playin where they played and eventually joined up. I think its better to be on a team cause you get to know how people play much better. Where as an indavidul your stuck with random people and you don't know if going to sit back and shoot from a distance or get stuck in and super agressive.

The R.A.T.S are playin in Rathbeggan today and i think Hellfire next weekend.

P.S. The R.A.T.S wouldn't be great for milsim must of us prefer a more fast paced game, or killsim as its been called lol!!!

Airsoft Reloded

Teams sometimes have different rules that won't suit and may play in certain places that you don't want to play in or find hard to get to.

I've always liked being on a team myself so I know where your coming from, I started in DNR, joined The Vipers and then formed A.O.N. Each team was extremely different in their approach. DNR was holier than thou, The Vipers a laugh in which you could either buzz with them on weekends or excell through the ranks of the team and A.O.N are extremely strict in regards to the fact that you have to either skirmish or train once a week and most do both.

Plus they move around a lot which The RATS (lads how can you call yourselves that?) do also.

Think about the home ground of the team, their rules and make sure that you can bear the people on it before you commit.

Check out the teams thread:http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055221876&page=35

Firekitten

Question I pose here to anyone....


)Do you as players find it hard to think for yourselves, or make your own decisions of when, where, and how to play airsoft?

It honestly seems to me here, that a lot of these reasons are 'id rather be in a team than not' 'why?' 'er because'. Theres not been one mention of using tactics, or 'because x team does a certain loadout' or 'because team y are a great bunch of lads and we all get on so well and gel together on the field'

It simply seems to me here, that the culture dictates you be part of a team and attaches some for mof stigma to not being... It's last to be picked for football syndrome...

Tommyboy71

Most people will gravitate towards a team. It is human nature to seek out a "clan" to be a part of.

When I started playing two years ago, it was a case of travel to the venue, try to get chatting to the other players (easy), learn from them and enjoy the day. None of my non-airsofting mates had the the inclination to try the sport. I met some wonderfully weird people and got to know the ins and outs of the game.

I was then asked to join First Recon, which I did. This didn't work out for various reasons, so I went solo again. Was asked to join The Hawks, said yes and the rest is history.

Some people just want to play as a lone-wolf and that is the way they enjoy it. I love it when it is a team day but also I enjoy playing as a solo player.

If you play well, honourably and show promise, Teams might come looking for you. Then again, you might prefer the solo aspect of the game.

Best advice is to follow what has already been said. Figure out your own playing style. That will help in your decisions.

Masada

OP, you shouldn't really come into the game with the mindset of becoming part of a team. its about having good craic at first and as you meet people and get to know them, you'll get invites to join teams. not all teams openly recruit and in the past, teams have gone from being decent gang of skins to being muck and falling apart thanks to the drive to recruit all the time.

the best approach to to get playing with people and see if you fit in with whatever teams they are involved in. My own team was a 4 man operation when I first got involved, over the space of a year or two we gradually picked up players that we got on well with but we had to play with them a lot to be sure they were right for the team. the result was a team of mates that get on great, love the game and are honest, driven players.,

If ya do join a team, do it because you get on well with those players and like the atmosphere there, don't do it because you think you need to be in a team.

Firekitten

Tommyboy71 wrote: »

Most people will gravitate towards a team. It is human nature to seek out a "clan" to be a part of.

Only in Irish airsoft...

Masada has a good point

Puding

all depends what you want from the team, it is true as humans where drawn to groups and stuff like that, sometimes when we talk about teams deferant people see diferant things and we get crossed wires

teams in ireland see to have a structure and objectives similar to a football team, train hear play hear, know that is fine and all well can good, but airsoft is such a big hobby with so many different areas to explore and experience it is a bad idea to limit yourself to a set thing to early on, get yourself involved in a team where you have to all play at the same place each week or get thrown out or have to do this and you could easly miss out on so much in this hobbies

like i said do you see airsoft as a sport or a hobby is really the crux of the matter, if its a sport to you then its about getting into the best team if its hobby you will be looking for people with the same interests in terms of theme, know these are two extremes and its a sliding scale with many points in the middle where there is cross over

only tip i would give is go out play as much as you can, experience as many aspects of the hobby as you can, and the rest will fall into place

Airsoft Reloded

Good question, I like playing with the same bunch of lads I think. No need to wonde if there is going to be any hastle because you know the guys your playing with.

Also (for instance) since forming A.O.N a lot of people in it have became great freinds outside of airsoft, I find that airsoft is almost like one of those social clubs that lonely people go to lol.

I have made freinds since joining this sport that I never would have met otherwise, I think its a great aspect of the sport. I obviously don't find it hard to decide things for myself as I formed the team and the rest of the lads joined because we all get along which is the point I think.

Firekitten wrote: »

Question I pose here to anyone....


)Do you as players find it hard to think for yourselves, or make your own decisions of when, where, and how to play airsoft?

It honestly seems to me here, that a lot of these reasons are 'id rather be in a team than not' 'why?' 'er because'. Theres not been one mention of using tactics, or 'because x team does a certain loadout' or 'because team y are a great bunch of lads and we all get on so well and gel together on the field'

It simply seems to me here, that the culture dictates you be part of a team and attaches some for mof stigma to not being... It's last to be picked for football syndrome...

TheDoc

I've told my story many a time.

I started this game on my own, and had every intention of being on my own all the time. Didnt know about teams, didnt care.

Met Fayer through idle chit chat one skirmish and we just kinda stook together wreaking havoc as a two man team.

At the gathering I met Gerrout and started playing with him a fair bit with the same affect.

One day in HRTA, after playing mostly on my own, Ghosts and the Hawks got involved in an amazing firefight that I pretty much just sat watching more then playing, it was insanely good viewing.

Few weeks later, out of literally nowhere, I got asked to join the Hawks. Mindset was " I'll try it out, sure if I dont like it, I dont have to do it".

There is a thing of many people joining a team, and theres alot of teams, but these teams come from different reasons and are going different places.

Zero here has a team that is solely based around Russian loadouts.

Hawks were mainly people that played in HRTA and joined to make a team, and over time have just developed to spreading out a little.

I think the vipers were all guys who played at Fingal and set themselves up.

And the list goes on.

Most teams formed are from people playing with each other over and over and one day going " hey we should make a team".

Other teams are just bunches of friends, who always play together, and are a team.

Theres nothing wrong with it, and I think its a wild accusation to say it will stiffle growth of the sport in anyway. We all know the advantages of playing in a team. And if you don't like it and its not working out, theres no obligation to stay.

Its as much of a social experience for me personally aswell, we meet up every so often, always in touch and always having a laugh onsite, on our forums or when we meet up outside of the game, its always great. And I'm sure every team has this.

Some people join a team cause they just want that atmosphere around them, and for a host of other reasons.


My advice for the OP and anyone in a similar situation is to get playing, get enjoying, and work yourself around to a number of different sites. And three opportunities will arise.

A) A team asks you. This means they are impressed and you have some skills. In some cases, joining this team will actually grow your game, as youll be working with stricter parameters, within a chain of command and learning and doing things you wouldn't do on your own.
You ask a team. You have found a team you like. You think they are good, and they can offer you something beneficial to you. Let them know your interested and elt it go from there.
C) You don't join a team. You'll have amazing craic, your your own boss and you can wreck **** up a million different ways.


I personally have had huge development from being in a team, and wouldn't know half the stuff i do know, or play the way i do if I was on my own.

But its down to everyones preference. I don't agree with the idea it causes some sort of segregation either. You take from the game what you want, and you enjoy it your way. If you wanted to go out with a pistol in a chicken suit, thats your right as a paying customer, and upholding the unofficial number run rule of airsoft " Have fun and shoot ****".

fayer

TheDoc wrote: »

Met Fayer through idle chit chat one skirmish and we just kinda stook together wreaking havoc as a two man team.

And we lived happily ever after

Firekitten

When's the wedding?

Sound advice there from Doc, as usual. Whatever you do in the end, its all about the craic... don't forget that, and you'll have a great time.

cobra 08

Thanks lads all great comments. I think the point seems to be to get out and play so I think thats what Ill do.
Thanks again.

Firekitten

Bit of a key component of airsoft that is

TheDoc

cobra 08 wrote: »

Thanks lads all great comments. I think the point seems to be to get out and play so I think thats what Ill do.
Thanks again.

You could spend months scouting out teams to suit you, I know I just got lucky.

Get shooting and get impressing

Puding

Get shooting and get impressing

you make it sound like a soccer try out :rolleyes:, a team could also have as much to do with a theme or time period as anything else in the end, no wonder people are starting to have a complex about this team thing its like being back at school and not wanting to be picked last

Bernie Mac

I must agree with most of the posts here, I have been part of a few teams over my time playing airsoft and altho i am part of a "team" its more just a group of players that wear the same badge. we rarely play as a "team" in any competiitons or anything. we prefer the social side of airsoft.

I regulary go out and play by myself and much prefer it because i meet some really interesting and friendly people. You should just go out and play and meet people and see what happens.

Do not get bogged down on the team thing it really isnt that big of a deal

TheDoc

Puding wrote: »

you make it sound like a soccer try out :rolleyes:, a team could also have as much to do with a theme or time period as anything else in the end, no wonder people are starting to have a complex about this team thing its like being back at school and not wanting to be picked last

I was basing it of the team type that operates as " we will come to you".

And if you want to get yourself into one of those teams, you obviously have to impress.

I stated earlier the different types of teams.

Invite only
Recruit by theme/loadout
Friends