Noob Guide

From North Texas Airsoft Wiki

Rules of Engagement (ROE)

This is first for a reason. If you are going to play, participate, engage, enjoy,....pick one or make up another the sport/hobby of Airsoft you MUST know what it is about. The Rules Of Engagement (ROE) cover velocity, rifle classification, safety, etc. The consequences if not following the ROE go far beyond pissing someone off. SERIOUS bodily injury can occur. Enough said here - it is important! Read and remember. Lets start with ROE – Rules of Engagement. You can read the TASO rules here. Very important – Rifle velocity and engagement distances.

INSERT ROE HERE

Eye/Face Protection

By Ghostdancer

If you are reading the guides in order, you will find this is the Second post for a reason - VERY IMPORTANT information here.

Eye Protection - Cannot be compromised – you only have 2 eyes, and loosing one is not the way to go. So, of the utmost importance is…..eye protection. But so many choices. Full mask, goggles only, safety glasses, fans? (to move air – not follow you around), wire mesh, the list can go on.

Any eye protection has to have the ANSI Z87.1-2003 rating. If it does not - they will likely break and allow bb's or shards of material into your eyes.

No, safety glasses will not work – they need to be full sealing – and why risk it anyway? I cannot stress this enough – eyes don’t heal easily. Some fields do not allow Mesh goggles – sometimes bb’s can shatter and go through mesh. Comfort – cheap goggles have cheap foam padding. The nicer goggles can have rubber or cloth lined foam. When you can try them on, it’s best. The difference will be known after a full day of playing.

Profile – some goggles come in a lower profile – this makes it easier to get your head closer to the gun and the sites. Do not forget if you wear prescription glasses – they need to fit inside or your get special goggles.

Fans – fogging – these work and are AWESOME – and – EXPENSIVE. I have added fans in my goggles for under $15, but a cheap pair of goggles – crappy foam lining, abrasive to the face. http://www.esseyepro.com/TurboFan-Series-Goggles_31_category.html

This is SteadiTex – sporting a JT full paint ball mask double thermal lens on goggles, mask trimmed for gun clearance

He has stated with the double thermal lens’, virtually no problems with fogging, although enough moisture can build up inside and you will see it.

Face Protection – the closer it fits to your face, the easier it is to aim. You will see MANY people not wearing face protection. Some have paintball masks, some use a modified painter mask (Rockethound), I took a Halloween ‘Jason’ mask – cut off the top and trimmed to fit with my goggles – works great. What ever works for you. Some wear a shemagh around their neck, to partially cover the face – I do and this adds protection around the neck. I have seen neoprene masks worn also. Mouth guard for sports also good. Lots of choices here and I highly suggest one. 18 and under are required my many field to have full face protection – not optional. Sometimes you will come across rules you feel are stupid or over the top – keep in mind safety first. Eyes – non replaceable. Teeth – yes replaceable but the pain and money - $1500? http://www.northtexasairsoft.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3270

My Rocket Mask

I am adding on the this section to show my latest project - just one of many. But this mask is great - fit, form, and function. Remember you have to get mesh that is strong enough. But even if a BB were to punch through it - the velocity of the bb will be next to nothing now.

My current mask: Cause I like RocketHound so much - lets call this the ......... GhostMask

Ghostmask Build Instructions

EDIT by Steaditex: I have had some inquiries about the full seal issue. The rule is that your eye protection must be full seal. There cannot be room for a BB to pass between the goggles and your face anywhere around it's entire perimeter. The way you test that is to put them on and take the eraser end of a pencil and probe around the edges all the way around. If it can fit between the eye protection and your face, they are not full seal. Basically, if they do not have some kind of soft material like foam rubber around the edges, they are not full seal. Can't make it any more clear than that.

Some have said of ANZI rated glasses that they are the same the guys in Iraq wear so they must be good. If a bullet comes at a guy's face in Iraq, it doesn't matter what kind of eye protection he's wearing... he's gonna die. In airsoft, the kind of eye protection you wear can mean the difference between keeping your eye or not. I have seen an eye hit when a guy was wearing glasses like those. (Alex Mulder of UAL) It came in from the side and got him. Fortunately for him, it was not that serious, but it looked like he had been a serious fight!

Hydration

cjripper wrote:

Summer time Heat Injuries

Summertime is upon us and as you all know that the heat can be our primary enemy. There will be more heat related injuries on the field of battle then all other injuries combined. I want to take this opportunity to give you all a heads up on this very serious threat. I will list the signs and symptoms of your basic heat injuries and some measures as to how to treat them.

There are 3 primary types of heat casualties. The first and least severe are Heat Cramps. The second is Heat Exhaustion and the third and most life threatening is Heat Stroke.

To identify Heat Cramps the Arms, legs or abdomen will be cramping. You will be sweating profusely and you will be constantly thirsty. If you notice some one else with these symptoms you need to take notice and either notify some one who can help or try to monitor them and get them to sit down in a cool shady area and drink water.

The Signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion are:

profuse sweating with pail moist cool skin.
Headache, weakness or dizziness
loss of appetite.
heat cramps (full onset)
Nausea with our with out vomiting
Chills (goose bumps) Rapid breathing, tingling of the hands and or feet and confusion.

The Signs of Heat Stroke

Red (flushed) hot, dry skin
severe headache, dizziness and nausea (stomach pains)
Confusion.
Weakness
Loss of consciousness and Seizures.

this condition often leads to death if untreated

Now i will go over several treatment measures that we can do out in the field to assist our buddies and keep them healthy. Heat Cramps we touch on earlier so i am going to go on to Heat Exhaustion...

move casualty to a cool or shady area or improvise shade.
loosen or remove the casualty's clothing and boots
pour water on the casualty and fan him or her
have the casualty slowly drink at least one court or one canteen of cool water.
Elevate the casualty's legs and monitor the casualty until the symptoms are gone or medical aid arrives.

Note: the Casualty should not participate in any further activities for the rest of the day.

Heat Stroke. This condition causes DEATH. It is no joke. but the best we can do is to help the player until medical personnel can arrive. Heat stroke MUST be considered a medical emergency.

Move the casualty to a cool or shady area improvise shade if none is available
loosen and remove casualty's clothing and boots.
spray or pour water on the casualty and fan him or her.
Massage the casualty's arms and legs to assist their blood circulation.
elevate the legs
If the casualty is conscious, have him or her slowly drink a minimum of 1 quart of water. and monitor them at all time until EMS arrives.

There you have it. the signs and symptoms of heat injuries. I hope that this summer we don't have to resort to these measures. So keep drinking water people. if you have to be told it may be because some one is noticing that you are exhibiting some of these signs. so just do it.

AEG's - and maintenance

AEG Care

It has come to our attention that many AEG owners out there don't know the corner stones of AEG care! Although Marui has started printing its manuals in English, it still does not emphasize some of the most important things you must watch out for. So without further delay, we'll address some of the key points here. Nevertheless it is advisable to always read the manual. Even if it is in a language you don't understand, the pictures tell more than a thousand words!

Don't recycle BBs

Number one rule: Don't use shot BBs again, no matter how good they look. BBs may deform when fired out of an AEG - and will definitely deform and sometimes chip and crack when colliding with targets. Using BBs that are not completely round or that have chips and cracks may rip the hop-up rubber seal and damage the hop-up mechanism, or even get stuck into the barrel and cause severe damage to the gearbox! BBs that you pick up off the ground may also be coated with a thin layer of dirt - which again may scratch the hop-up seal and barrel.

Cleaning the Barrel

One of the most common factors leading to the loss of range and accuracy comes from dust and dirt buildup within the inner barrel. Once dirt builds up, it interferes and slows down the BB as it travels through the barrel, leaving you with less power and horrible accuracy. Also the lubricant from the cylinder may find its way into the barrel when a newly maintained AEG is operated, so cleaning the barrel is important even if you weren't shooting in a dirty environment. Cleaning is a must if you play a lot and doing so takes only a couple of minutes. Marui includes a cleaning rod with each of its AEGs. If you don't have one and use a rod made for real rifles (5.56mm) instead, make sure it's one piece to prevent scratching the barrel, and don't use any real gun solvents or brushes. First you need to stick a piece of cotton into the "needle eye" of the cleaning rod, spray some silicon onto the piece of cotton, and then push it gently down the barrel. The most important thing to do before cleaning the barrel is adjusting the hop-up to minimum setting. If you leave the hop-up on and you try to force the cotton ball down the barrel right into the hop-up assembly, it may damage the hop up mechanism. After cleaning the barrel with a silicone patch, take a dry cleaning patch and repeat. If necessary, continue cleaning the barrel with clean dry patches until they come out as clean and dry as on the way in.

Silicone spray

When maintaining Airsoft guns, don't use any mineral solvents such as WD40 or real gun oil. As good as they are for squeaky hinges, they will attack the rubber seals and ABS plastic parts of Airsoft guns and actually damage them. Only use silicone oil made for plastic and rubber parts. Using a thin weight silicone oil (10W-30W RC car shock oil for example) will provide smoother operation of the moving parts. The manual illustrates the lubrication points to some extent, but generally you should spray some silicon onto moving parts and also into the BB feeding tube (the part where your magazine meets the gun...or, where the BBs are fed up into the hop-up unit. Doing this periodically will ensure you don't get BB jams at critical moments. Be sure to wipe off excess silicone, or you will quickly end up with a dirty gun. Do note that excess use of silicone will attract dirt, and get where the oil is not supposed to be (electronics). The barrel of an airsoft gun is most accurate when it's as dry as possible. In the feeding tube clean surfaces are more important than a gallon of silicone: If the BBs jam because of dirt, silicone won't fix that problem.

Tighten screws

In the heat of play and vibration from shooting the AEG, some screws may become loose. If you don't tighten them, you may end up with lost parts after you return from a game. Critical screws to check for include those that hold the front sights and muzzle (especially so on the MP5 and G3 series AEGs), the screw that fastens the selector switch (again common on the MP5 and G3 series), and screws on the grip butt-plate. It's also a good idea to ensure any screw you can find on the gun is firmly screwed in (although don't screw them in too hard, or you may strip them). We're told by our customers that the front sight retainer screw on the MP5 A4 / A5 comes loose easily, as does the large screws that hold the M4A1 upper receiver handle to the lower receiver. As a rule of thumb, any screw which meets a metal thread is prone to loosening, if it's not secured with thread locking agent and/or a spring washer.

Motor tuning

The motor in AEGs is precisely positioned so that it mates correctly with the gearbox gears. The way this is tuned is done by adjusting the hex nut on the bottom of your grip butt-plate. You will notice that there is a dab of red wax-like material on the nut - this was applied by Marui at the factory to prevent the screw from unwinding itself. Some models have a nylon disk on the inside to secure the screw. If in the unlucky event that this hex screw becomes loose and unwinds itself, the motor will shift downwards within the grip and come away from the gears. If this problem becomes severe enough, then you may find yourself with a stripped pinion and damage the bevel gear. We would recommend you don't tamper with this screw unless you are sure that it has come loose. Visual inspection may help identify this, but the best way is by listening to the motor. To a trained ear, it is very easy to tell - a shifted motor will often allow much more play in the gears and your shots might sound much more hollow and the motor takes longer to wind up and get a shot off.

Should the need to adjust arise, it is advisable to make small adjustments (1/8 turn between shots). When the motor becomes too tight, the firing rate drops. Back out a bit and the position should be fine. In some cases the top face of the pinion may collide with the anti reversal steps on the bevel gear. You can tell this when the sound becomes clearly louder as you tighten the motor.

If the gear sound gets even louder when you tighten the motor, but loosening does not help either, the bevel gear needs to be shimmed again. It is most advisable to leave this to a professional. To sum it up, normally don't tamper with the hex screw, and especially if you don't fully understand what it does. Over 99% of AEGs go through their life without ever needing this operation. If you have a modified AEG or if you have disassembled the grip butt-plate at some point in time, then this may apply to you.

Decompress the spring after each game and before storing

This is the most basic rule that everyone should follow. Due to the design of AEGs, it is important that you shoot your AEG in semi-auto mode for about 2 to 3 shots before storing it. Doing this will ensure that the spring is full decompressed! If you simply walk off a battlefield after much full-auto fire, and then store the gun for the days - chances are that your spring is in a partially or fully compressed state. Springs that are held in their compressed state for an extended amount of time loose their strength and you'll get a decrease in power the next time you use your AEG. Note to TM PSG-1 and G&G L85 owners - this method does not apply to you. The default position for the spring in these models is in a compressed state - meaning every time you pull the trigger, it releases the spring from the compressed state, fires off the shot, and recompresses the spring - ready for the next shot. That's why there is NO delay when you pull the trigger. To decompress the spring for storage, refer to the manual which describes the little spring decompressing lever next to the trigger. In the L85 the lever is located inside the magazine well.

Batteries - Ni-Cad, NMH, Li-Poly

By SteadiTex

Batteries – what size, voltage, makeup – much to know here.

Link from SteadiTex http://www.onlybatterypacks.com/qa.asp

Ni-Cad – less expensive, does have memory issues ( need to discharge before charging other wise will shorten the cycle ). NiMH – more expensive, but no memory – discharge/charge, use half way, charge – good to go. LiPoly – very light, expensive – high discharge rate, can explode – due to discharge can cause damage to gun. For experienced players.

Remember, voltage deals with ROF. Amperage (1100ma, 2500ma, 3000ma) How long the battery will last. Chargers – batteries are no good if you cannot charge them. Lots of choices, just be sure to get a good one – some can connect to car battery for power (good for charging at games) and still run on 120vac. Some are fast chargers, some are ‘smart’, check around. Even the best gun is worthless if the battery is dead.

Do not forget, you need a backup battery. You never know if you will be shooting a lot, or a little. You may have a battery go bad, wire break, or perhaps you are a swell fellow and can loan the spare battery to another player. Never can tell what will happen on the field of combat.

By Arcteryx

Here is a quick guide that would really help those who are planning to use li poly... Damage lipo are primarily due to improper handling of the battery.. Most of the time when new players buy a lipo they just directly plug it to their stock charger on the tamiya plug, resulting to a damaged lipo... kaboom lipoly (may even lean to kaboooom house)

When considering a lipoly make sure you are also planning to buy a lipo charger with balancer. So how do i know if my current charger has a balancing capability to charge lipolies? Answer to that is that you make sure your current charger has a CHARGER Plug: JST-XH. If you were into RC then you are already familiar to this.

Now you realize that your charger doesn't have the JST XH plug, you can purchase a multi-charger just like the picture above which for me is a good deal. It has many function including battery cycles to all types of battery (nimh/nicad/lipo's etc). Another good thing about this charger is that it can be plugged in your car battery for field use... cost is less than 40 bucks!

If you are on a tight budget you may opt for a cheaper lipo charger with balancer like this.... cost about 5 bucks....

Next issue is when to know if your lipo is already low batt. Will it be okay to charge it before each game day even the last weekend's game you used only half a mag? A very simple way to tell is using this gadget shown below. It will tell the total voltage, and the voltage per cell. So if its still on its full charge let us say the total voltage is 11.2v, then no need to charge it. If you suspect that your lipo is not on its full potential, you can use this lipo accessory to tell if one of the lipo cell in not functioning also.

Hey, you've been reading for a while yet another question looms in your head? where shall i purchase all of these things? There are so many online lipo shops around so google comes handy here. Mostly you will be direct to websites that is related to RC...

Here is the thing, purchasing from our trusted/fave "online airsoft shop" for li poly's would be like being held at gun point. They are asking for an average of $100 for a single lipo at low mah and a basic charger when i can get a similar one less than $30 (this includes charger)? SO go ahead and use the power of google to find sites that are way way way cheaper.

The online hobby shop would be offering you the same lipo specs at a lower cost. But you will notice that the lipos there are being sold on Deans plug compared to the tamiya plug common to your AEG's. Now which is better? For me, i'd go for deans plug. Why? its much compact and smaller in size. It fits better, no movement of the plug whatsoever.

Deans Plug

(need image) tamiya plug

Problems with the tamiya plug is that it is very prone to connection problems. Haven't you noticed that its sometimes hard to connect the tamiya plug? This is because the contacts sometimes don't exactly meet perfectly and can lead to some electrical issues --- loss contact problems and i've even seen burnt tamiya plugs. But using the deans plug, you wont have such problems...

Which lipo is for me? 7.4v or 11.1 v... this is a bit tricky and i don't want to drain brain cells here. So ill keep this simple. There are basically two lipos that would fit airsoft in terms of voltage. It is the 7.4v and the 11.1v, the rest would be to much or to little. There are no in betweens since lipos are 3.7v/cell.

We all know the relationship of between voltage and rate of fire (ROF) so i wont delve into that anymore. A 7.4v would be sufficient enough to run a stock AEG on a descent ROF. How come that my 7.4 lipo has about the same ROF then my stock 8.4 battery? This is because 1 full charged cell of a lipoly is 4.2v, a 7.4v is composed of 2 cells. Therefore 7.4v lipo = 8.4v at full charge = 8.4v stock nimh/nicad. :shock:

This is because nimh/nicads are just rated 10-12c while lipos start 10C and above. C is the discharge rate, basically the more C the higher the faster it can give power... If we compare a 7.4v 25C lipo (at full charge) vs 8.4v nicad/nimh (remember nicads/nimh are rated only up to 12c) you will have faster time (2x) to achieve the maximum ROF with the li poly.

The downside of using a 7.4v li poly is the fact that it will be struggling to keep at the full charge level. In turn, after a while the voltage drops, falling bellow the 8.4v line decreasing the ROF compared to the nicad/nimh which can keep steady.

Going back to the question which is better a 7.4v lipo or a 11.1v lipo? I guess you are pretty much sure which to choose. I'd say the 11.1v. This is so that it will always stay above the minimum voltage of 8.4v and pretty a much greater ROF. Many would say that 11.1v is too much. You are probably correct. The faster ROF the greater is the wear and tear of your AEG. Like many things, both has pros and cons.

7.4v lipo:

equivalent to an 8.4v nicad/nimh at full charge
has higher discharge rate vs nicads/nimh
falls faster than the normal 8.4v minimum to crank a stock setup

11.1v lipo:

much greater ROF
stays well above the 8.4v even at low batt
increase wear and tear to aeg

Camouflage

By Lancer

There are a variety of cuts available in uniforms. This is the information I have on uniforms and cuts as well as manufacturers. However, there are a vast number of uniform options that I haven't listed.

The most commonplace is one is the standard BDU style layout with the traditional collar, horizontal chest, hip, and thigh pockets. Tiger Stripe (woodland/asian/desert), Woodland M85, chocolate chip (1991) desert, 3-color desert, woodland, desert, urban digital, and Multicam are available in this cut. There are countless companies who produce uniforms in this cut.

Next is the MCCU cut, which has a mandarin collar, slanted arm and chest pockets and slanted pockets on the thigh. This cut is exclusive to the USMC uniforms.

One that is popular with airsoft players is the ACU-cut uniform. This one features a velcro-closure collar, zipper closure on the blouse, slanted pockets on the arms, chest, thighs and a magazine pocket on the lower leg. Other features include velcro panels on the arm pockets, gusseted blouse, and velcro cuffs.

Woodland M85, 3-color desert, woodland/urban/desert digital, ACU, Multicam, digital Multicam are available in this cut.

Propper and Tru-Spec as well as the makers of digital Multicam produce this uniform type. Propper's BattleRip and Tru's TRU lines are the ones to look for.

Gear

LBV (Load Bearing Vest), drop leg rigs, slings, pouches. You can spend $30 on a vest with some mag pockets, adjustable straps, and a water bladder pouch in back – you can spend over $300 on a MOLE vest with all the different pouches for Water bladder, mags, accessories, radio, bb’s, pistol and mags. MultiCam costs more, MOLE vests let you customize – but every pouch costs money, NEVER-NEVER-NEVER buy black – it sticks out and black is not as common as you might think out in nature.

Drop leg rigs are good for extra mags, pistols and stuff but I suggest you hold off and get some games under your belt, see what works well – because there is a lot of gear sold that is crap. Best thing to do is get the camo and gun, come out and play. See what vests are used, talk around, maybe get a used $30 rig – in time the $300 LBV will be just what you need/want, and by giving it some time, thought, experience – you will not have 3 other vests in the closet while you are out in the $300 rig.

Proper fit of their gear. Of course, having your gear fit to you properly helps it look nice and sharp, but more importantly, proper fitting gear will improve your game. Gear that doesn't shift around, flop about, and stays close to you will prevent skin irritation, improve your mobility, and also distribute weight better.

Improperly fitted gear can irritate skin by putting weight down on the wrong areas. It can also get in the way of your movement, like in the case of a loose thigh rig or a larger plate carrier that sits too low. Gear that isn't fitted can also interfere in your ability to access what's in your pouches. This means your reloads may be slower and awkward. Finally, if it's not fitted right, the pressure on just a few spots on your body will also tire you faster as opposed to weight being spread out all over.

So when you new guys or even older vets go out and snag new gear, don't forget to check fit of the gear when you buy it to make sure it'll fit your body size. Once you clear that obstacle and take your gear home, properly size it to yourself so that your gear can be as good as it can be.

LBV - Load Bearing Vest

LBE - Load Bearing Equipment

MOLLE - (pronounced MOLLY as in the female name) is an acronym for MOdular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment - introduction in Oct. 2001

ALICE - All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment introduced in 1974

PALS - Pouch Attachment Ladder System is a grid of webbing used to attach pouches

Malice clip - polymer clip developed by Tactical Tailor used for attaching pouches to MOLLE gear

Natick Snap - uses a polyethlyene reinforced webbing strap with the 'pushthedot' snap for security

Just at it sounds - this carries most of what you take with you in the field, and there are TONS of options. Once you have determined the best vest for you and your style of play, and fitted the vest to you, keep in mind what you will be packing all over it. Ask yourself what you need quick access to, what can a team mate help you get, what is used for emergencies only?

Once you find the best setup - keep it. Unless you find a better, more proven way to go - Because.....Muscle memory. You want to keep things is the same place, this way the more you deal with it, the less you have to think about it. In the heat of battle, you will act and react automatically. You do not want to have to try and FIND that mag, or speed loader, or battery, or tape, or radio. So......find the right spot, and stick to it. Clearly you should ask around and research before you just slap on a pouch and say this is the place for it.

I carry tape, extra batteries, extra bb's, food, multi-tool, extra batteries, 100oz. water bladder half full, Co2 90z tank with remote line and regulator, radio with headset, small first-aid kit, M4 mags, pistol and extra mag, 2 M203 shells, 6 - 10 pocket vortex rockets. You cannot carry all of this and not think of weight, placement, and access.

You may have to load it up and try it out - does one pouch work better than another? Will my rifle and sling work with the loadout on the vest? Can I reach everything? Does the vest lean from weight? As the game progresses, will anything run out and change the balance - ie:Water - which you can refill often.

Raptor5191 wrote:

Folks, the following text is taken from a guide I wrote for a department for new SWAT team prospects. I tried to take out most of the stuff that did not apply to airsoft also, but might have missed a thing or two.

I hope it helps. Feel free to post questions here as well. Just try not to be stupid.

“Toys. Where does he get all of those wonderful toys?”-Joker.

Being that our duty belt is often referred to as a “bat belt”, it is no wonder, that, like Batman, Operators tend to thrive on their “tactical toys”. Most of us are of the opinion that if we have room in our home, we have room for more gear...and we better not get rid of any of it because “that” time may come when we need that one obscure “quadruple diagonally helmet-mounted M4 mag pouch holder with a tactical rail to mount the pistol” might make the difference in the success of our mission.

There are several things that are relatively KEY for any operator to have in their bag of goodies. This is not an all consuming list and does not cover ancillary items such as medical equipment, breaching tools, etc. This is simply the tactical equipment that operators must have to be a successful and functioning member of a team.

-High quality pair of tactical boots, minimum 6”. DO NOT SCRIMP ON BOOTS! If your feet, ankles, and knees are taken out of the fight because your boots are low quality, you are out of the fight. Some good brands are 5.11, Altama, BlackHawk!, Bates, Converse, Corcoran, Danner, Haix, Magnum, Ridge Outdoors, and Thorogood. Generally, (unless they are on clearance), you should plan on spending $55.00+ on a decent pair of boots. This does NOT mean that you must go buy the most expensive pair of boots you can find...overly expensive boots are not necessarily that much better. A good price range is $80-$150.00.

-BDUs or flight suit. Should ALWAYS be riptstop. Flightsuits are cooler, but are not modular (can not change from a long sleeved or torn piece, as the entire suit would have to be replaced). Propper is generally a good value in BDUs with very high quality (they are the main provider to the US Military). Some other notable brands are 5.11, BlackHawk!, EOTAC, LA Police Gear brand, TRU-SPEC, VERTX, and Woolrich Elite.

-LBE/LBV/Tactical Vest/Plate Carrier: There are many different types, and the operator should research and try on many different types before deciding on a method to carry their tactical load and ammunition. The operator should consider using a MOLLE based system due to its ability to customize to the operator.

-Primary Weapon: assault rifle, submachine gun, shotgun, or sniper rifle depending on the operator's role on the team and/or mission. Must have a quality sling.

-Secondary Weapon: Semi Automatic handgun.

-Gloves: Some type of flight glove variant, either short or long cuffed. Should be Nomex for flash protection, have leather on the fingers, and kevlar lining should be considered.. There are several types, and the operator should go and try several on before making a decision on the type and brand of glove. Some notable brands are 5.11, BlackHawk, Damascus, Hatch, and Oakley.

-I recommend at least a nonballistic lightweight ProTec type helmet to protect against impact injuries. Options for the helmets include Oregon Aero type padding upgrades, and ACH/MICH helmets in lieu of the PASGT or NonBallistic Helmet

-Ballistic Goggles: There are several types of ballistic goggles out there for the operator now. These are a must to protect the eyes from irritants, particles, and or projectiles when entering a hostile environment.

-Knee Pads: Protect the operator from injury when kneeling from hard surfaces, broken glass, etc. Some notable brands for these are 5.11, BlackHawk, Hatch, TRU-SPEC, and Pro-Tec.

DEAD RAGS!!!

A "Dead Rag" is a brightly colored cloth (preferably orange or red) usually about 12 to 18 inches square. It is an important piece of gear to have and you are expected to provide your own. It is used by placing it on top of your head after you have been hit. It is important for two main reasons. One, it helps to keep you from getting repeatedly shot after you are already hit. And two, it lets everyone else know you are hit, so your team mates know you cannot help them in the fight and cannot talk or move and need a medic if that is within the rules of the scenario you are in. It also lets players on the other team know that you are not currently a threat.

Notice that I said above that it helps to keep you from getting shot again. There are times when the opposing player can see part of you, but not the part that has the dead rag so they may shoot you again. Don't get upset when this happens, just waive your dead rag in the air and call out (without anger or malice) that you are already hit.

If you are in a firefight and get lit up, the fastest way to keep from continuing to get lit up is to waive your hands in the air and perhaps even stand up in the clear. Just yelling "Hit!" may not do it. The guy shooting you has an AEG on full auto going off right next to his ear and will most likely not hear you. You need to get your dead rag on as quickly as possible, but there can be a lot of BBs coming your way in the time it takes to dig out your dead rag, so throwing your hand up is the quickest signal, then get the dead rag out.

If you are playing a night game, you should have some kind of red light in lieu of a dead rag. A red glow stick will suffice, but make sure it is completely concealed when you are not hit. There are a lot of other options here, but the main thing is to make sure it is visible from all angles. It might even be advisable to have two, one for front and back.

If you lose your dead rag during a game, about all you can do is hold your gun up horizontally to indicate that you are out of play. You can lay it accross your head to make it easier to keep there. Bottom line is don't lose your dead rag. I've been playing over 5 years and never lost a dead rag. It's either in my left side pocket or on my head. (And it's on my head more than I care to admit! )

Magazines

By Ghostdancer

Mags – you have HiCaps – usually over 300 rounds, and they wind up with a gear on the bottom of the mag, some now have a small hole in the side where a ‘key’ can be used to wind up the mag. This takes 10 seconds, rather than 1 minute using the gear. MidCaps – under 180 rounds, these are loaded by shoving the bb’s down the opening where they feed into the gun. Why get both? Some ops require mid cap only, limits amount of bb on the field, offers a little realism to the game, offers more chances to live on the field – everyone firing 300 plus out of every mag is nonstop.

Edit: Realism? 30round mag, 130rnd, 300rnd? You are shooting BB's not bullets. The ROF on the guns is not like real steel. So for 'realism' go with low end mid's - 80 rounds or so. Remember these are my opinions - 30 rounds is impractical. 80 rounds make you KNOW what and where you are shooting. 300+ rounds, allow you to spray and pray. Food for thought.

Radios

Radios? – I am going to start with information I just received from Rockethound and SteadiTex - Your cheap radio and your cheap headset can destroy the entire network. I say this again - Your gear can shutdown all communications on the team to which you are trying to 'help' if you do not know how to properly use your radio gear!!!

It is imperative you understand how to use your radio. I do not mean you can turn it on, select a channel, and talk. You has better know the ins and outs of that radio strapped to your chest, or turn it off. PTT buttons, VOX, channel and sub channels, know it all. Hot Mic - what does that mean to you - means you will not hear any communication because your radio is constantly transmitting. This means everyone HATES YOU!!! Pay attention.

Does this mean anything to you? - From Rockethound:"'When i told them to put their radio on Channel 5 CTCSS PL tone 5 'they thought they did, but turns out they had DCS setup instead. Does any of that make since to any of you that don't have a HAM license... probably not. That's why it's important to know your radio."

When that statement means something you understand, you may bring a radio to the field :D

Also.... I know you thought I was finished, not by a long shot.....Chances are your 1/2 watt radio will transmit static and receive broken messages more than clear messages. At least those of us with 4watters, you will hear loud and clear.

Lets talk radios: Motorola Talkabouts and compatibles. For Goodness sake – TURN OFF the beeps!!! For more advanced radios, check out BlackBox radios - they are programmable to Motorola frequencies, are 4watt so your transmit is much stronger, and durable - they are also expensive, $170 or so. You get what you pay for. You have to be realistic - radios are on the bottom of the food chain when starting. It is possible to cause more problems with a radio than gaining any benefits from having it. The radio may say 15mile range - understand that is if both radios are on hills, the sky is clear, temperature is correct, atmospheric pressure is just right, Sun is in the perfect position.....you get the idea - you can get 15miles. You will be LUCKY for 1 mile on those radios in the field. Those transmit at 1/2 to 1 watt. Realistic expectations of a radio with 4 watts power is 1 mile outside coverage consistent. Bottom line with everything you buy in airsoft and outside of the sport - have realistic expectations.

Don't forget a head set- HIGHLY suggest checking with experienced players here, and if an opinion ever made a difference on something, it is radio headsets. Small in-ear 'earbuds', throat mics, Boom mics, full over the ear rigs - everyone has a preference. Much like the radio - with cost comes quality. Here is a local shop - OUTSTANDING customer service and quick. 3 different time I had radios repaired or programmed while I waited. This is a business - do not call for chit chat. If you want a professional level radio call, if you want a simple Talkabout, they have some. Again, this is upper level stuff, $170 to start.

Dallas Mobile Communications http://www.dallasmobilec.com/

I just have to add again - having a radio you are not fully capable of using can destroy the entire communication grid. Not Cool!!!

Footwear

Footwear – I have seen everything out there – but for goodness sake, get some boots – military style or hiking, something that offers ankle support and protection from the elements. You will be running around in some rough conditions. Thorns, shrubs, ruts in mud, rocks, creek beds, ravines, etc.

The Army Store http://www.thearmystore.com/ and Texas Army Navy http://www.northtexasairsoft.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=255 have a nice selection of gear and boots and cloths you can look at and try on. The army store carries condor vests and pouches. Good quality and prices.

http://condoroutdoor.com/default.php

Raptor5191 wrote:I would also note that if the boots are "only 20 bucks", don't waste your "20 bucks". Save up and get decent boots.

Some field reports I have on some of the popular brands (this is all from talking to other folks and/or personal experience):

1. Converse: Comfortable but tend to lose their tread and tend to have sole-seperation issues.

2. BlackHawk!: Comfortable and reliable, but can easily get priced out of most airsoft players' price range.

3. Bates/Wolverine (same company): OK, but you can find better. The lacing system can cause ankle problems. Not the best value for the money. On the plus side, you can get them almost anywhere.

4. Magnum: At one time were the only game in town. They seem to be struggling to keep up with technology and advances, and their products tend to be heavy.

5. Ridge Outdoor: Incredibly comfortable and lightweight. Made like cross-trainers. Have sole-seperation issues.

6. Corcoran: Decent, but heavy.

7. Danner: Good, but heavy and expensive. Will last forever.

8. Haix: Great, but highly expensive.

9. Oakley: Very good, very comfortable, and lightweight. Expensive.

10. 5.11 Tactical Series: Outstanding boots, but they sometimes have longevity issues . Very comfortable. If you can not find them on sale they can be pricey.

Here are some vendors that carry these. Note that AFMO/Tactical Gear Now! is local, as is CheaperThanDirt and The Army Store. AFMO has an awesome boot selection.

Http://www.lapolicegear.com Http://www.brigadequartermasters.com Http://www.rangerjoes.com Http://www.afmo.com Http://www.galls.com Http://www.cheaperthandirt.com

Teams

Teams – this is asked about often.

Start here – Blugin does a great job on the topic. http://www.northtexasairsoft.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2556

Here is my bit: I see this asked a lot online - How do I get on a team? Too much emphasis put on teams. WAIT….for those on teams no offense intended, I my self am on a team and it has worked out wonderfully. Teams will find you, you will not find a team. Go to games and ops, be mature, listen and take orders well, play hard and be responsible. Take care of your self and your gear, do not forget things. Be there for others. Listen, every team is different. Some play a lot, others may show up for big ops only. Some are big, others only have 7 people. Some require attendance at certain events, require uniforms, quantity of games and team training. And what many noobs may not know, you do NOT have to be on a team to play. Anywhere. What you need is a good head on your shoulders, hydration, and yourself. Everything else can be figured out.

Squad positions

Medic

The medic position – often thrust upon individuals rather than chosen – can make or break a squad, even an entire side. When medics are used in a game, each team the ability to continue fighting – perhaps limiting lost ground or being over run. Somethings to consider when Medic-ing a player:

Medics bring back the dead – others do not. Use great caution when moving in. Be aggressive but aware.
If a player is not calling for ‘medic’, there might be a reason: resting – reloading – organizing….who knows, but be aware.
Dead men don’t talk – you have to see where the fire is coming from – check with other players in the area. Proceed with caution.

Be swift, use cover, Be Aware.

As Medic you may not get as many kills at an Assault Rifleman, but you might save your squad in more ways than just bring them back to life. There have been more than a few times as a Medic I have shot the enemy while I was off the front line waiting until needed. They were trying to flank us or come up on our rear while we were holding a position. Had I not been Aware and watching our rear, we all would have been hit. As medic you stay off the front line until you are needed, so not to get shot. It does not mean you are napping or zoning off. You are watching.

YOU ARE A TARGET!!! The enemy wants you dead, Period. Once you are identified as a medic you are a target. Never forget. Be Aware.

Medic rules can change from one operation to another – and they almost always do. Sometime medic rules change during an op. Some rules you will encounter:

No medic – when hit simply go to your sides regin location. Once there you may return to action. Sometime your commander may require 4 players at regin before returning to action. Reason? 4 people make a fire squad.
Tag and you are in – when hit, put on dead rag, medic simply has to touch dead player and they are back in.
30 seconds – each medic has a stop watch. When ‘medicing’ someone - hold onto player, start watch, after 30 seconds look away from watch and stop time. If last digit on the watch is a 3, 6, or 9 – player is dead. Otherwise, return to battle.
3 knots – Each player has a piece of parachute cord attached to their vest with 3 knots tied on it. When player is hit, medic unties one knot, player returns to action. Process is repeated until all knots have been untied (this is 3 times being hit). When cord has no knots in it and player is hit, player is out and must go to regen, wait 2 – 5 minutes (time varies) – tie the 3 knots back in the cord, and return to battle.
6 bandages – Each medic has 6 bandages. Each person tended to gets a bandage tied on their arm. Medics or appointed persons may get bandages from regin to restock the Medics bandage supply.

Now here is where the fun can really begin. When the medics can heal themselves – I have made it into enemy territory and killed quiet a few men only to be hit, medic myself and get some more. Good Times!!!!

Medics are another force multiplier position. One medic can take a 5-man fireteam and turn them into a 15-man squad. Two medics can turn a squad into a full-sized platoon. The key here is that medics keep an element in the fight, and keep them mobile.

One of the dangers of having a teammate shot/hit is that this will instantly slow a moving element down, if at least for the time it takes for the team to be ordered to continue an attack, or the time needed to heal that downed player. Good medics can get to a downed teammate or teammates, heal them, and help their element press the attack.

In a defensive role, a medic can keep an element in the fight even more:

The rule of thumb for assaulting a fortified position is to have 3 attackers for every 1 defender. For example, if an element of 30 is attacking a group of 10, the odds are even. However, if even one of those 10 defenders is a medic, then the odds of a successful attack are lowered because if that medic heals each of those 9 other players just once, then it's as if the 30 attackers are engaging 19 enemies as opposed to just 10. Make that 2 medics in that group of 10 healing each of the 8 remaining players once, you now have 30 attacking 26, and so on.

Successful medics (paging Foxy) are aware of their environment, assertive, and smart enough to know when to let someone bleed out. On that note - in real emergency situations, EMTs and others of that ilk often run triage to determine who is more than likely to survive in order to preserve the greatest number of lives and reduce the injuries done to those who are expected to live.

They're looking at all sorts of different factors when they decide to who heal first and who to skip outright.

Support Gunner

The support weapon is just that - a support weapon for the squad and then some. Contrary to what one may think, you will almost never setup at one area and just lay down cover fire. Remember, as the squad moves - so do you. You have to be able to carry the weight of the gun (15lb?) the extra ammo and batteries, plus your standard gear. The battle front moves all the time. Will you be able to keep up?

Keep in mind - with 450fps and higher ROF - the Support Weapon is priceless. Greater reach and high volume of bb's really can change the tide in an assault. I will pause with here - perhaps some individuals who frequent the SAWS can chime in.

SAW's give you a nice tactical edge when it comes to combat. I've had it where just myself and my team's SAW gunner were able to hold off a force of 12ish maybe more. The most important thing is the large volume of fire that SAW's are capable of and sustaining are important in allowing a squad to be free to flank, assault, withdraw, etc. with minimal casualties making it an excellent hinge piece for basing your tactics. These people generally have to keep a good 360 awareness to delegate which targets they should pin at a given time and also not to get flanked. It's also a good idea to have a guy watching your back and keeping you covered if something goes wrong with the SAW.

The maintenance on his 249 hasn't been as pricey as you'd think. So far the only thing I've had to fix on it was the hop-up and change the spring, which by the way has one of the coolest spring releases I've seen. The rifle may be heavy but the important thing is balance with it. If the rifle's too front heavy you'll feel it and visa-versa, but if its got a nice equilibrium then 15lbs doesn't seem as heavy as you'd think.

Rifleman

Being a rifleman on a squad is nothing that special(although they do provide strength), however, these are the guys you will see running to the front, firing away, and generally do get lots of kills. They are not really 'force multipliers', and most of the time a standard rifle has to be kept under 375-400fps(CQB games impose less).

But don't let that be discouraging. Remember, you are the muscle of the squad! Good riflemen can support, assault, flank, cover, and eat a bag of chips at the same time. Riflemen are often the first targets that medics will heal and the first targets to be shot, seeing as they normally protect the front lines.

Don't depend on the SAWs and snipers to cover you! They are not always available at the moment, so riflemen need to have good reaction times and a good understanding of their weapon. Know how to reload quickly, learn to access your secondary as fast as possible, memorize the layout of your vest pouches, know how many rounds you have left after an encounter, and check your sides and rear.

My take on Rifleman-

-They are the backbone of the unit! without them there is no unit. -A good rifleman undersatands his roll in the unit in relation to the mission, he tries to stay within that roll in order to accomplish the mission, he must be aware of those around him in order to support a manuver or provide cover for a manuver, he must be able to see the big picture and draw fire if that supports the mission. He must be physically fit because he will do alot of running back and forth.

-The rifleman must follow orders to the best of there ability. -You must chime in if you have a better idea and live with it if your idea isn't used. -You must have your head on a swivel, don't focus only forward, you must check your 6, 3 and 9 o'clock always, this is helps to know where your mates are, id threats, keep tabs on your leadership for directions. -You must understand fire discipline, you may not have to fire all the time, ammo conservation is important. -You must provide cover as needed for your mates manuver

As you regen gather a force and continue the mission, understand that mission is the priority, try to hook up with your mate and drive on.

Sniper

The path of a Sniper....

In a squad position, the designation unit of Sniper is often a force to be reconed with. Often this unit is the most experienced, physically fit, and overall a special force all on his own. No two snipers will be alike, and all methods/timing will be different than one another. In short, a sniper, or Scout-Sniper rather is your single unit you give the impossible stealthy mission tasks too. I could go on all day long about particular missions which require single unit combat, but unfortunately the subject here is about squads.

Importantly, in a squad a sniper unit is mostly the Scout, and the "Can you kill this guy" bitch. Because of the experience of the player and his ability, the squad leader is enabled to send the Sniper into unknown territory for recon purposes when the shole squad, or other elements are much more at risk. One-man, two-man scouting parties are much easier to conceal. Because he can be considered a special commando element, his experience enables him to lower the risk of being hit durring game. It is also a blessing that because the sniper was killed, if possible, he may also be a faster regen due to physical shape and fitness.

I do not wish to talk about sniper rifles, or rather weapon selection in this post too in depth. However, he is for mentioned, the can you kill this guy bitch. Other than recon mission impossible, it is also a blessing that the sniper has the ability to shoot further distances, and in most cases more accuracy than a squad member may have. With this being said, this player class will be the support gunner negation in most cases. However, this tactic is mostly used on Targets of High Threat(COs & Veterans), medics, and Support Gunners.

The only people a Sniper element in a squad should ever focus on is the immediate, and instant killing of large squads when possible(while maintaining stealth), or the above mentioned special classes. For the most part, a sniper is equipped extremely lightly for favor of high mobility, and stealth conceilment. They are not equipped to take down large forces for extended periods of time, however many qualified Airsoft Snipers out there are trained in various forms of taking on this task.

Load Out

Top wrote: Well... here is my short list...

You need bbs, lots of bbs and a way to carry them (quietly) and reload fast. You will shoot alot! :D

Water Large camel back 100 oz at least. extra battery only one on person any others you can leave at the truck. powerbars for the boost.

Really though most ops have a break in them or if you need to reload, rehydrate, rest as long as you let the leaders know you can take a break. manytimes players have to go to the truck for something...

my 2 cents

Rockethound wrote: This is my gear list for every game op or whatever

2 G36s (1 C and 1 E) 4 batteries Battery charger 1 sidearm with mag Green gas 3000+ BBs 10 mid caps 2 m4 style reloaders (they are loaders that look like an m4 mag) Rhodesian recon vest 100oz Camel back which has storage in the back for my spare battery (cliff or power bars) radio battery defogger, barrel punch tool 2 radios with headsets 1 point sling drop pouch knee pads cammies eye protection I'll usually bring an MRE for lunch

All of this fits in a Blackhawk go bag. I don't even bring my tool box anymore cause i never used it

And that's all i bring and that's WAAYYYY more than you need

the minimum a person needs for a 1 day op is 1 AEG enough batteries to last all day if you don't have a quick charger 3000+ BBs Camel Back or water bottles eye or face protection dead rag

anything and everything else is optional

My Personal load out - Ghostdancer: Often asked is what to bring to a game. Why don't some of you guys list what you carry on your persons - like on your vest. This may help new players know what different things are brought. This list will change depending on the game and size - large ops will often have more gear compared to a 'day' game where a trip back to the truck is guarantied.

at BulldogIII..... Vest load out on the back of the vest 100oz camel back bladder radio with headset electrical tape and spare battery 4000 extra bb

On the front and sides 6 mid cap mags 2 pistol mags admin pouch with map 6 300count bb' tubes (3/4"pvc) for easier reloading munchies (beef jerkey and granola bars) second spare battery 2 pistol bb reloaders (only for Bulldog) green gas can

Total weight - 25lbs - I am leaning toward overkill

On the leg, pistol and leatherman multitool.

I will say this, I used the multitool several times, loaned a battery to Top and taped it to the gun, went through my second battery for myself, used all the bb, drank all the water, ate most of the food. Did not have to reload the pistol mags with gas. Used all the bb tubes.

BB's

'You get out what you put in.' Not just a saying this time. Literally, the bb's you put in your gun need to be quality enough to come out the other end.

Yes! BB selection is an important part in the sport of Airsoft. When spending hundreds of dollars on your AEG, you do not want to send crap down the barrel. Aslo keep in mind more and more fields are requiring Bio bb's. So above all else, RESPECT the owners decision on BB requirement on their field, because just as easily as we use the field, we can be restricted from its use.

So here it is: Your FPS (velocity) is most often measured using .20 bb's. You will find many individuals using a heavier BB, .23 - .25 - .26 - .28 in their upgraded AEG's. Up to .28 - the heavier weight gives better flight, and this weight still is easily handled by an upgraded AEG. Above the .28 you are looking at sniper rifles shooting well above 400fps. Around 550fps to be exact at its top limit.

Now you have the world to chose from for bb's. At this point in time, DO NOT purchase from WalMart or Academy. Their BB are not the higher quality you want in your AEG. Plus the bb's tend to shatter, not good when being shot in the face or goggle. One day they may get better quality, until that day comes...well, I am NOT holding my breath.

Quantity - 2k, 3k, 5k, 60k. So you can buy in many different sized bags. That is utterly up to you, and the selection available where your are shopping. If trying out some new bb, perhaps you want to try one bag - until you know they meet your high standards.

Next, Bio-degradable and Earth friendly. Not the same thing. Bio's are just that - they will completely degrade once exposed to sunlight, weather (water and heat), and earth. Earth friendly are colored so they blend in more. Nice, but not quite there. So when it's Bio, it's BIO No questions, no whining, just get them.

Some brands I have not had issues with, and have heard good things from. Several people posted in regards to these brands. Nothing negative reported. In no specific order. Airsoft Elite Matrix TSD Tactical Airsplat (.28's) Madbull

G&G Armament - had a team member use these - several came out of the bag cracked. He had to sift through 1000's to ensure quality.

Remember, starting point is .20. Try them out, see what you get. Learn how to adjust you hop-up. If you do not know what that is, ASK!!!!!

Storage - Keep your bio's away from heat, sunlight, moisture/humidity, and in an air-tight container. These are the elements that break down the bb's when in the field. You do not want premature degradation. :D

You can shop around, find a good deal - that does not mean low quality. As stated before, DO NOT CHEAP OUT!!! A dollar more for a bag of bb's is cheaper than new gears and the time spent rebuilding the gear box.