An interesting question popped up on the UKAL podcast a few days ago, which I was watching because Verage Airsoft was on as a guest. “What is Milsim?” is probably a question that can throw up many answers and interpretations. So, I thought I’d put mine out there.

I love Sunday skirmishes. Easy, simple games where nobody has a clue what they’re doing and it’s just chaos. But it’s fun, and it’s where we go to unwind and see our friends, and make new ones.

Milsim for me is the more serious, long game (usually a full weekend). It’s obviously more simulation than a normal game, and will require a bit more kit to be able to camp overnight. The scenarios are designed to be more realistic and will attempt to deliver a more realistic military experience. I don’t think it’s necessarily true that Milsims are “bigger” in terms of player numbers, because you get some pretty big skirmish sites these days and there are special events and festivals that would also attract more skirmishers too. I’d say it’s bigger in terms of scale and production, for want of a better word, in that scenarios are more detailed and some events bring in actors to play roles within the game. Serious doesn’t appeal to everyone; Airsoft for many is just a way to unwind on the weekend so Milsim isn’t something that will suit all tastes and that’s probably why it gets a bit of flak on social media.

I do think it gets extremely confusing when we try to be more specific about the type of event, and introduce terms like “filmsim” (simulating a film, like a play along story), “battlesim” (I think a shorter Milsim played more casually), or “Milsim light” (think it’s a Milsim, but not quite a full Milsim for some reason, so it’s just a partial Milsim for people who want to Milsim without actually doing a Milsim, just so they can get a taste for some aspects of Milsim without the hardcore stuff. Essentially the same as a Battlesim although I’m open to correction). It’s unnecessary branding I think, and I’d rather just split between skirmish, full weekend skirmish (casual but longer, such as AI500 in the UK), or Milsim. That’s how I look at the events that come up. Obviously, organisers can arrange their event any way they choose, but it’s maybe overdoing it a little to have so many different terms for essentially the same thing.

I think it suffers from an undeserved “elitist” tag a lot of the time, although to be honest I find there are more elitist gear posers at skirmishes trying to flex their Blue Force Gear while being lit up by first-time players. Milsim I’ve found is much less elitist, and although there are guys who do clearly spend a lot/too much on kit, a lot of it is cheaply available from surplus stores for less than the cost of a skirmishers’ GoPro. There are usually camo rules to distinguish between different teams, which is much better than trying to spot an armband – and it means you don’t have to worry about the dreaded armbands. Some will be fairly lenient and go with a green team vs a tan team, for example, whereas other scenarios in order to preserve the realism may request players to be in unit-specific kit, which as you can imagine is a bit of a strain on the budget, but you get a really cool, authentic kit out of it.

One of the biggest differences between Milsim and a normal game is the perceived lack of action, if you’re measuring it in terms of just pulling the trigger. Some Milsim players will go through an entire weekend using only a handful of bb’s, some none at all. There’s more patrolling, securing areas, communicating, setting up camp etc as opposed to just holding the trigger down and getting excited about it. That’s not to say it’s any less fun, I had a conversation last week with a friend about my best memories as an Airsoft player and all of them were on Milsim events, all without pulling the trigger. It’s enough fun just being involved, especially with a good storyline.

On that note, I’m not into the role-playing much. I enjoy the tactical side of things and running as part of a bigger, more organised team. I can’t pretend I’m a Somalian Warlord, but I can get immersed in my teams mission and focus on completing tasks etc the best I can. It’s a test of kit and skills and that’s what I want out of it most – seeing where I need to improve.

And instead of a quick 1hr game, before returning to safezone, it goes all day, all night, and the next day too. There’s no safezone visit, breaks, or living out of the back of your car. Endurance is important, as is the need to be able to eat, sleep, drink, and make toilet yourself. It’s a physically demanding weekend where self-sufficiency is key, and that’s one of my favourite aspects. There are no hotels, no takeaways in the early evening, nobody to turn the heating on for you when the sun sets.

And that, for me, is the essence of the Milsim. No frills, no luxuries. Pure gaming all weekend long that challenges you more than any skirmish game will.