Airsoft Gameplay Roles
There are many gameplay roles throughout the Airsoft sport. Standard roles commonly used in strategies are:
Runner – Designated role preset before gameplay, but a runner must make it through the entire course without getting hit.
Protector – Is heavily armed to aid in protecting the team.
Soldier – Armed with full ammo.
Sniper / Specialist – Snipers need to be knowledgeable of their surroundings and be effective stalkers. Snipers must be masters of camouflage and have speed, patience and stealth to take down an enemy. The most common weapon a sniper uses is a bolt-action spring rifle and some wear ghille camouflage suits.
Communicators (Team Referees) – Is a gameplay narrator that transmits enemy position and hits to the team.
Game Referee – Responsibility is to ensure game rules are adhered to by the game-players.
There are new game types strategies created often and while the role names are common, the responsibilities are many and can be vastly different depending on the game and its objective.
Airsoft Game Etiquette Is a Must
If you are new to airsoft gameplay, there are common courtesy etiquette rules to follow that may not seem so common for the beginner. It is important to know players expectations going in to help prevent rookie mistakes. There are two main types of etiquette, game-day etiquette and in-game etiquette.
Game Day Etiquette
Game-day etiquette is the preparation to step out onto the field to play.
- Be familiar with your team’s Rules of Engagement (ROE) if they have some. While most teams have similar rules there could be additions to or variations of general rules, or special game day rules for typical scenarios. A player being familiar with all the rules is an expectation.
- Be on time, if not early to be prepared to start the game at the set time. All preparation needs to be completed, no one will appreciate waiting for you to arrive or load the mags into your airsoft gun.
Gameplay Etiquette
- It is very important to follow all the rules in place for the game of the day.
- Ammo limits, Joule limits and FPS limits may exist, if so follow them.
- Be courteous when taking a shot. Consider how far the target is and aim for an appropriate spot. A center mass shot is the best shot, and a head shot is strongly discouraged.
- Keep in mind, airsoft is a team play game. Do not try and be the one to take on the entire opponent team; it could land you back at re-spawn waiting to get back into gameplay.
- If asked to hold a player’s gun, be courteous. It is not an invitation to pass it around to other players.
- If a player has the drop on you and asks you to surrender, do it even if it is not a set rule to do so. The player is being courteous by not shooting you at point-blank range.
- Follow and do not abuse surrender rules. Be sure you have your prey dead-to-rights.
- Are there new players? Offer to mix up the teams to make it a more balanced gameplay.
- Put your gun into its bag when not in play. Others can become uncomfortable with a realistic gun in view. It can also prompt a phone call to the local law enforcement by those who are not aware you have a non-lethal and legal airsoft gun. Not only is this a good practice, but protects your equipment from damage and is good etiquette too.
Stay Low, Go Fast, No luck, all skill. Airsoft is my favourite hobby, and I never get tired of it. eat, sleep, play airsoft.
Every real airsoft player out there