Are you special?

Do you want to be?

Should you be?

This week, a friend sent me a Reddit post about load bearing in Airsoft. It was an interesting read, lots of different opinions. Then I saw a comment about a plate carrier. They’re just not an option for me in any situation. His response got me thinking :

A time and a place. Go on, I’ll give you that…

In Airsoft we have an absolutely infinite number of gear combinations. The vast global supply of real military kit and hardware coupled with the booming reproduction market allows us to play however we want. But the key for me, and that a lot of players miss, is flexibility. To go back to the plate carrier as the first example, during a door breach it’s a good idea, because you’re expecting a hail of fire in your direction as you burst through the door. But what about the rest of the game? Is it a good idea for example having pouches on your back, in those moments where you’re the last player alive, or you’re separated from your team? Is it something you can crawl around in flat to the floor while you try to flank the enemy?

In that one moment during a breach, it’s good but even just a normal skirmish day can throw a lot of different situations at you and it might not be suitable for the rest of it. I had a bump helmet because there was one low doorway (I’m 6’3″) that I kept walking into. But the rest of the day it was just hot, cumbersome and uncomfortable and restricted my movement. Wasn’t worth it for the one doorway.

Another example is the LMG. I see them everywhere these days and they suit the newer players who like to hold the trigger down and spray rounds everywhere. You might have an idea in your head that you’ll take a particular position on the field and be able to sit there and put a lot of fire down to help your teammates. Again, it’s great in that one moment but what about the rest of the day? What if you have to jump on a door breach? Or move into buildings where it can’t be used? At that point, unfortunately, you’re dead weight to your team.

I’ve just read a post this morning from a guy asking about buying a 6-round grenade launcher because it’d be fun to use. Sure, that first time will make you smile, but those six shots are limited use and I bet the novelty would wear off. You could also attach that tag to snipers, although it pains me because I have written about using bolt actions in a variety of situations. In a forthcoming urban game, I’ll be ditching my VSR for an HK because it just suits the game better.

I know everyone these days likes being tagged as something or have something about them that makes them stand out in a crowd, but in a game we’re playing in hope of playing in that one moment or opportunity where it’s needed. Even then, there’s no guarantee that you’ll be in the game and in the right place for it. As boring as it might sound to a lot of players, a simple assault rifle and a balanced loadout will equip you for all types of events and all types of situations. Flexibility is important.

Can you tune your loadout to a specific event? It depends on the event. As mentioned above, I’m competing in Scotland vs England this year which is a fast paced, two day event with a lot of building clearance. It’s a game type and a site I know very well, so yes I can make a few decisions on kit to be as effective as possible in that environment. Although an urban environment with a lot of heavy CQB, I run light and with little in the way of bulky protection, which allows me to ninja myself through windows, and that totally still happens.

At my local skirmish site, Dirty Dog, every game on the day is going to be different and it’s a mix of urban and woodland areas, so even though I’ve been playing there for years and years, I can’t predict what it’s going to throw at me although I might have a run out as a sniper to test new rifle parts or camouflages. If I travel around the UK, or beyond, then I have absolutely no idea what’s coming.

Sadly, the big bulky Delta loadout doesn’t see much action because although it’s good for breaching buildings, it’s rubbish in the woods (especially with desert camo). It’s cumbersome, and with the backpack added there’s a lot of restrictive and uncomfortable straps everywhere. If I want to play a longer game, it’s a nightmare taking kit off for a quick breather or those moments where you really, really need a shit.

I have been following Verage Events recently with the Airsofter World team events – an interesting concept of competitive team events. In the UK we have TacEval doing something similar; small team based action where you can organise your team and roles to maximise their effectiveness and complete objectives. But, here’s the thing :

• You don’t know what the objectives are
• You don’t know which teammates you might lose and therefore their capabilities as well
• You don’t know what your opponent is using
• You might not know the site you’re going to

As a team, you’re going in blind most of the time. It makes the most sense to gear up for a range of possibilities but without carrying a ton of kit, as tempting as it is to fill up pouches and add them to your rig. As much as everyone seems to need a label these days to stand out, the bog standard rifleman loadout is by far your best choice, and a nice basic setup is going to allow you to run and move more.

A compact, lightweight weapon with decent ammo capacity, capable of full auto or single for stealth gives you the flexibility to attack and defend effectively, both in tight spaces and out in the woods. Simple chest rigs to just carry a couple of spare mags and a radio, plus a bit of pyro, is all you’ll need. Forget dangler pouches for snacks – you don’t need to eat every 30 mins. No big foam pads getting in the way. Ditch phones, laptops, batteries and recording equipment and focus on fighting order. Light is definitely right, allowing you to get in and out of cover with ease. This is why new players and rentals can so often surprise the more heavily loaded regulars. I’m not advocating DYE masks and polyester sports clothing though; the bulky plastic masks restrict peripheral vision and I’d always recommend camouflage because being easily spotted in a game of hide and seek with guns is just not a good idea. Lonestar Tactical masks are my favourite lightweight option, along with a pair of WileyX Sabers for my eyes. I’ve even given up on kneepads now.

In a world where everyone is a sniper, support gunner, minigunner, Instagram model or special forces wannabe, the humble rifleman probably is a bit special by being nothing special at all. That’s probably why a lot of more experienced players just run around in some simple, bargain bucket stuff from the local surplus store.