The Airsoft Tactics Guide: Part 1

Firekitten

The Airsoft Tactics Guide

Part 1

This section of the project will go into the world of Tactics, and Tactical gear. In short, what do you need to do the job, and how do you do the job?

First thing we need to do, is look at what we hope to gain. Which I think personally, is to achieve an objective. That can be a whole range of things. A flag, clear a building, or attack a bunker, ranging up to the most complex milsim scenarios. But if you want to just shoot the bad guys, it’s all relevant too.


How you kit out, and how you play, factor in you getting shot less and the other player getting shot more. To put it in the simplest possible terms: survival.


This section will initially cover kit choices, and how they affect ones play style, and how the kit can be used, before moving on to the basics and more advanced levels of airsoft combat.


I will use anecdotes from actual military training that are relevant, while cutting out the chaff from the airsoft wheat. Yes, some actual tactics help, and some are pointless for our sport due to the nature of the weapons we use. However, at the end of the day, what we are engaged in, is still a form of combat.

Tactical Equipment and you:


Tactical gear and its practical uses are commonly under looked components of airsoft. As much as we fetishize gear, and guns, we rarely look at what they can do for us: Tactical equipment serves a purpose, and that purpose is to improve the efficiency of one’s ability to fight. While it’s entirely possible to play airsoft with a single magazine in you rifle, and a bag of ammunition in your tracksuit pocket, I believe we can all agree that this can have drawbacks.


This first section, will examine the components of the airsoft loadout or ‘outfit’ if you will pardon my choice of words, in general terms, and look into the specifics of our load beating equipment.



Combats:
Camouflage is a hotly contested subject on airsoft forums, with individuals rubishing one style, while talking up their own favourite, and the author herself will not claim to be above such antics. Airsoft has its fashion element, that is undeniable.

Whatever camouflage is worn by a Hollywood action star, or video game character will gain prominence, and why shouldn’t it? We after all, are playing for ourselves, and our own motivations.

However, Should you want to consider it, camouflage can be useful. Multicam works in certain conditions, just like DPM and even UCP (Commonly referred to as ACU).


You can make this as complicated as you wish, from a choice of design because you like it, to team colours, and even changing each game to suit the environment…. The choices are endless, and highly personal.



Boots:
Good boots with ankle support are a necessity for airsoft. They might be annoying to have to buy when you want to spend your pennies on a shiny new bit of kit, but they will last you a good long time, and will save you from painful injury, and potentially dangerous objects like broken glass, and metal on the ground (Note: very painful).



Gloves:
Useful to have, takes the sting out of bb hits to the fingers and hands, and helps when crawling in unforgiving undergrowth.



Load bearing Equipment:
The true centre of airsoft kit: Boots are boots, and combats, regardless of pattern, are combats. There is a bewildering amount of kit available to carry your tactical mars bars and your precious ammunition. At first glance, it all looks the same… it generally straps around your torso, and carries stuff. But what is best for what you do?


Different systems and setups help greatly with different types of combat. It’s best to consider how you play, or will play when buying load bearing equipment. Are you likely to spend most of your time standing and kneeling, or prone on your belt buckles? The subsections bellow will further examine the individual qualities of different load bearing equipment.

Assault vests:
Assault vests are great for upright and fast moving combat. Everything is conveniently on your front and sides, and can be accessed quickly; they even provide some padding from BB shots. They range from minimalist systems like the US Army LBV (Load bearing vest) to full cover ‘vests’ like the Blackhawk Omega. Both of which have been copied extensively by airsoft kit makers.


US Army LBV (Load Bearing Vest)
(genuine issue available for roughly €40)

BHI (Blackhawk) 'Omega' Vest



It is worth to note that while extremely useful for upright combat, The Assault vest can become a hindrance when hugging your native earth. Pouches full of tactical goodies now keep you precious inches higher from the ground, and reaching them becomes an act of contortion.

Chest rigs:
Chest rigs are load bearing equipment that sits entirely on the chest of the wearer, using straps to hold the rig. Like assault vests, these are excellent for upright and urban fighting in airsoft, though like vests, pose significant problems when the wearer wishes to go prone, trapping kit under you, and restricting access. They also make the prone position rather uncomfortable.

As a side note to female players, these rigs can pose problems fitting comfortably due to the locations of the straps and the shape of the female body making them rather uncomfortable, and difficult to fit properly.






Plate Carriers:
Modular vests utilising the Molle System, these vests are designed to carry armour plates in real combat. Unless you’re particularly ‘walty’ (see: Walter Mitty), this isn’t going to be a factor for airsoft, though, with some tinkering, you can fit a hydration bladder in the rear plate ‘pocket’ or thin, hard plastic plates cut to shape to take some of the sting out of bb hits to the chest.



The Molle system means you can attach pouches in positions of your choice, by weaving the fastening straps through loops in the vest surface, allowing for a great level of adaptability depending on your personal preference. Some vests, as pictured below have inbuilt cummerbunds, or pockets, that can take magazines (usually m4) allowing even more space to be available.


The Molle system also comes in vest and belt format, allowing a user to own a single set of pouches, and 3 mounting systems, providing unparalleled levels of choice in preparing for a game or event.




Webbing:
The classic military solution to hanging warry stuff off ones body. This Consists of a belt, with suspenders over the shoulders to help distribute the weight, and pouches attacked to the belt to contain said warry stuff. Designed to allow the user to go prone with ease, pouches are attached to the sides and rear of the system.



It’s not as ‘Gucci’ or ‘flash’ as other setups, but invariably tougher, and far more rugged. Webbing systems do tend to be higher ‘profile’ to the sides and rear of the body, and can make operating in tight confines more difficult. A consideration if you play urban airsoft. While by no means impossible, Webbing like the British Army PLCE (Personal Load Carrying Equipment) can prove to be more of a hindrance than a help when faced with tight gaps, and the close confines of buildings.





Load Bearing Equipment comes in various sizes and configurations. Your choice is personal, and hopefully, reading this, you should have a more informed understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of the various types on offer. Choose wisely, it can make a lot of difference in game.


This completes section one of the Guide to Airsoft Tactics. Hopefully, people will want to add more tips and hints, and I encourage you to do so below in the topic. I will be writing (as time allows) the remaining 4 sections of this Guide, including:


‘Tactical gear: Where did I leave my mars bar?’ A guide to loading your plentiful pouches and why things go where they do.

‘Basic Tactics: Sir! the enemy are firing at us!’ A guide to the ground level basics of shooting at someone, while avoiding their gift of return fire.

‘Advanced Tactics: Sir! Where the hell did that tank come from?’ A guide to being a sneaky so and so, and other such polite behaviour.


And;


‘The Art of Pretend War: Wait, where are we on the map again?’ A guide to airsoft command, revealing the long held secret of how to herd cats.

Thanks for reading,
Firekitten

Decoy

More please!!

Growler!!!

Great article - keep em coming

swiftblade

Great article. Much needed!

On the note of vests, I've ditched mine for the summer. Instead i've switched to the good'ol 58. Vests or platecarriers are a nightmare for me during the summer.
I'm one of the main offenders for carring too much equipment. But that's changing......slowly

d_morff

A piece of kit I feel is conspicuous by its absence is kneepads. you mention gloves as useful for taking the sting out of hand hits, but personnaly I find myself (and other players) kneeling a lot.

Kneeling on a small rock or BB can be exceptionally painful, and a fall can really make a mess of one's knees. Kneepads are pretty cheap and can be a fantastic edition to one's loadout. The only downside I find is that the straps can chaffe the back of your legs something fierce.

Firekitten

As I said with the original topic, its a framework, a basis on which to expand the community knowlage.

If you think kneepads are important, Write about them and post it here!

This isnt 'Firekitten' tells all, nor is lefty with gearboxes. We're giving our knowlage to the community, for them to build on, and broaden. We want topics like these to become forum fonts of knowlage.

This goes to anyone. Think there's something important? Write about it!

If you dont want to, post, and I'll do my best to add something on it

Leftyflip

Was given a great piece of advice by Thermo last Summer for kneepads. Sew a loop of paracord or a belt loop off your combats to the trouser leg where the top kneepad strap goes. It'll hold them up and let you wear them looser

jeawan

Leftyflip wrote: »

Was given a great piece of advice by Thermo last Summer for kneepads. Sew a loop of paracord or a belt loop off your combats to the trouser leg where the top kneepad strap goes. It'll hold them up and let you wear them looser

That is good advice

Firekitten

Another method, taking a note out of the ACU combat uniform, is to sew material inside ones combat trousers to do the same job, negating straps entirely...

Or should you feel adventurous... velcro on your knees, with velcro backed pads perhaps? *ponders*
(No, your stripper pants dont count lefty)