Airsoft Guns

While many people who play Airsoft like to fly solo, it is far more rewarding, challenging and exciting to play on a team. Like any team, an Airsoft unit has to work together to achieve maximum effectiveness. There are four possible roles you can play in a typical Airsoft unit: CQC/CQB, Field/Woodland, Gunner and Sniper. In today’s post, we’ll explore each of these roles, what they involve and the equipment they require so you can choose your mission and get started right away.



CQC/CQB
Close Quarters Combat (CQC) involves engaging the enemy and maneuvering within an enclosed space, usually an indoors arena. There is an intensity to CQC games that does not exist in any other type of Airsoft combat: distances are shorter, reactions are faster, and movements are more calculated. CQC equipment is centered on one aspect: mobility. Lightweight weapons are preferable here, as they will need to be brought up and utilized at very short distances. The compact weapons used in CQC are characterized both by a very high rate of fire and a short barrel, often with a lower FPS rating to avoid injury due to the short ranges involved. A common variant of CQC is handgun-only, where a gas blowback pistol is the usually the weapon of choice.

Field/Woodland
Woodland or open-field Airsoft play is very similar to CQC, but it usually tends to be slower-paced and less intense. There is a slightly different skill set needed for woodland operations, as the soldier must be proficient at camouflage, movement to and from cover, and identifying and engaging targets at distance. The main difference lies in the weapons involved. Because the distances at which targets are engaged are greater than in CQC, the weapon must be high-powered enough and accurate enough to make the shot. A soldier who plays in outdoor or open arenas usually will employ a high-powered AEG battle rifle or assault carbine.

Gunner
The basic role of a gunner is support - gunners supply suppressing firepower for their team so that they can make advances with minimal casualties. Gunners move and act in unison with the rest of their unit until enemy contact. Upon engagement, the gunner sets up his weapon and suppresses the enemy with bursts of 7-10 seconds (as opposed to the infantryman’s 3-second burst). Simply holding down the trigger not only wastes ammunition but can overheat the weapon. In addition, the gunner can keep his weapon on target better with a shorter burst. A gunner’s weapon of choice must be high-powered, have a very large magazine (usually box-shaped) and be able to sustain an extremely high rate of fire. Gunners usually employ a machine gun AEG Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW).

Sniper
The role of sniper is perhaps one of the most coveted and most misunderstood roles on the battlefield. A sniper is an excellent marksman, has almost unlimited patience, is a camouflage and concealed movement virtuoso, is usually a bit of a “lone wolf” and, above all, is silent. These skills take a great deal of time and effort to perfect, and being a sniper is not for everyone. A sniper’s equipment includes proper camouflage, a sniper rifle and a sidearm. Proper camouflage for a sniper goes far above and beyond simply donning a ghillie suit. US Army Field Manual 23-10, Sniper Training, has a section dedicated to camouflage – it is a must-read for anyone who wishes to become an Airsoft sniper. A sniper’s weapon must have an extremely high FPS rating and a long barrel for precision. To maximize the effectiveness of the rifle, snipers will usually add scopes and bipods to their weapon. Finally, a sidearm is a necessity for a sniper. This is used for self-defense if an enemy contingent happens upon the sniper’s position and he is unable to engage it with his normal weapon.

Now that you are familiar with the different roles and positions within a typical Airsoft squad, choose your mission, get out there and start practicing your new Airsoft role!

About the Author: Mike Zhang is the President and COO of Airsoft Megastore, an online airsoft retailer offering electric and gas powered airsoft guns, as well as airsoft upgrades and parts. Visit Airsoft Megastore to shop for airsoft AEGs and the latest full metal airsoft sniper rifles for players of any experience level.

Labels: airsoft positions, airsoft roles, airsoft squad roles, airsoft team positions, airsoft team roles

With larger airsoft teams, it’s important to assign specific roles to each member of the squad. Each role provides a particular team function, but there are certainly situations where some crossover does occur. In an attempt to keep the team structure as simply as possible, we have narrowed down the various airsoft roles into three distinct classes.

Rifleman/Assault Soldier

The rifleman is the most common and versatile role on an airsoft team. Their main responsibilities include eliminating hostile forces and assisting with team goals. The rifleman squad will typically incorporate battlefield tactics such as flanking and suppressive fire in order to achieve their objectives. A rifleman should be able to rapidly deploy and quickly respond to identified threats with appropriate action. They should also be willing to take orders without question.

Sniper/Spotter

The sniper/spotter usually operates autonomously from the rest of the squad and is considered the “lone wolf” of the team. Their primary responsibilities are to pursue, harass and indentify the opposing force while at the same time remaining unseen. They’re also tasked with communicating the enemy’s position and movements to the rest of the squad. Generally, the sniper role should be filled by someone who is stealthy, quick and doesn’t mind working alone. The sniper should also have a pair of binoculars or a scoped airsoft sniper rifle in order to hit and spot targets from an extended range.

Support Gunner

The support gunner’s main responsibility is to simply suppress the enemy force in an attempt to allow his or her troops to move more freely. The support gunner is able to accomplish a high level of suppression by using a fully automatic weapon. A support gunner’s weapon will typically feature a large capacity airsoft magazine and a high rate of fire. Their marksmanship and tactical awareness are not all that important, because their primary objective is to merely suppress the enemy and not to eliminate them. However, a support gunner will need to be strong and agile in order to quickly move with such a heavy weapon.

About the Author: Mike Zhang is the President and COO of Airsoft Megastore, an airsoft retailer offering electric and gas powered airsoft guns, including high-powered spring and pump airsoft shotguns. Please visit Airsoft Megastore to shop for airsoft AEGs, full metal airsoft rifles or the right airsoft gas gun for players of any experience level.

Labels: airsoft cqc, airsoft gunner, airsoft rifleman, airsoft roles, airsoft sniper