Airsoft Guns

Airsoft as a sport relies on realism, and serious airsofters invest significant amounts of time researching the various airsoft products and technical gear they purchase. Focused attention to detail is the norm, particularly when it comes to ‘MilSim’ (military simulation games) and players seem to enjoy this aspect nearly as much as they do engaging in airsoft combat. Their historic selection of custom unit patches and ‘call signs’, their dedicated study and employment of military tactics and strategies, their theater-specific attention to weaponry, uniforms and equipment and their often long-distance travel to airsoft facility ‘combat towns’... all serve to more closely mimic real-word combat. Without such, airsoft would be little more than a chaotic afternoon of airsofters running about scatter-shot, and if that were the case, I highly doubt that the sport of airsoft would be growing so popular.

To a large degree, airsoft relies on successfully creating the illusion of real-world combat – an illusion which unfortunately can easily be shattered, regardless of the time and money invested in the sport, by airsoft players who simply don’t call their hits.

Unlike paintball, airsoft is a sport of honor (there’s no greasy marker paint involved), and relies upon those engaging in the sport to call ‘hit!’ when they’ve been struck with an airsoft BB projectile. Simple failure to do so lessens the illusion of authenticity airsoft players strive to maintain, and indeed causes frustration and anger for the participants who approach the code of airsoft conduct seriously. Not unlike the youthful game of ‘Cowboys and Indians,’ airsoft requires one’s acknowledgment of being ‘killed,’ and for anyone who engaged in the former as a child, they can attest to the irritation they experienced following having an inarguable drop on a playmate, only to hear them reply, ‘Nuh-uh! You missed me!’ If recollection serves, such dishonest interaction immediately sapped all enjoyment from playing ‘Custer’s Last Stand’ as a boy, and the same can be said for the sport of airsoft.

If you are reading this, then more than likely you’ve engaged in the sport of airsoft, and have therefore either witnessed dishonesty in hit calling, or worse, have been the culprit. Unfortunately it seems that every airsoft field has one: a player who’s tarnished their reputation by consistently not upholding the honor code, and whose name has subsequently become analogous with dishonesty.

So please, call your hits.

About the Author: Mike Zhang is the President and COO of Airsoft Megastore, the #1 fastest growing Airsoft retailer in the nation. Airsoft Megastore offers the latest airsoft guns and gear as well as a 125% low price guarantee on all new Airsoft guns and gear.

Labels: airsoft calling shots, airsoft rules, airsoft tips, how to play airsoft