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MilSim is a serious sport for serious players and it is not for everyone. There is a level of physicality and discipline required to excel in this sport. This level of sophistication is what brings players back to the field every week. MilSim is not a skirmish so your team expects you to have a greater knowledge of the rules, military tactics, and your role within the team. If you do not fulfill your assigned duty, you will let your entire team down. With this in mind, I give you 20 Common MilSim Airsoft mistakes that will ruin your game.
Gear Mistakes
Buying a Cheap Gun
If you skimp on anything, do not skimp on this. You don’t have to buy a 600 dollar airsoft gun to wreck on any given firefight. You do however need to spend some research on maximizing your dollar. Cheap guns break and break often. How many times have you seen someone eat it and get up to find that their gun is in three pieces? These cheap guns often double feed, the triggers get stuck, and the range is unimpressive, to say the least. You can buy a good solid airsoft gun for around 100 dollars or more. I would not go any less unless there is a sale. You want a gun that has a sturdy construction, and metal gearbox. For less than 150 dollars, the Lancer Tactical LT-12
Firing After a Jam:
If your gun jams, stop pulling the trigger! You exacerbate the problem by doing this. The best course of action is to take cover and deal with the problem at hand. To unjam your gun, immediately stop firing your airsoft gun. As mentioned before, take cover, your mission will not stop because your gun is jammed. If you continue to fire you can severely damage your gun.
First, remove your magazine and your battery, if using an AEG. Next, set your hop up to zero, and carefully insert a cleaning rod or unclogging rod into the barrel. With your gun upside down, carefully push the pellet all the way to the hop up. When the bb reaches the hop up, rotate the gun and allow the BB to fall out. You may have to do this several times before you fix the issue as several BB’s may be causing the jam.
Not Cleaning Your Gun:
Your gun may have jammed because of debris in your barrel, so after every event, take time to disassemble, and clean it properly. Have a system that you accomplish when you get home. If you are methodical and disciplined when maintaining your gun, it will shoot perfectly every time.
Not Washing Your Gear:
Do not be the guy who stinks like day three on day one, hour one. When you get home after an event, wash your uniforms. Also, take a damp cloth and go over your carriers and other gear. Take some pride in your gear, I’m sure you paid good money for it.
Not Bringing Waterproof Clothing:
When it comes to weather, be ready for anything. Rain happens, and when it does, you will be happy you brought your GoreTex
Underestimating Your Environment:
Whether it is extremely cold, or extremely hot, the weather can beat you before your opponent does so dress accordingly. Very cold weather can make your game day very uncomfortable so make sure you bring appropriate gear like jackets, gloves, and beanies. I like using a Balaclava
Tactical Mistakes
Improperly Responding to Contact:
If a member of your fire team is hit, don’t just stand around like an idiot, drop to the ground and get low! Yell “contact!” and start to communicate with your teammates. Try to determine where the shot came from and set up a counter attack. Have a portion of your team fire in the direction that the shot may have come from, and have a portion flank the enemy combatant. Do something, do anything, but don’t just stand there!
Running Into an Un-cleared Room:
Before going into an open doorway, stop, and let the room breath. Listen for telltale sounds like breathing or gear. When you make entry, have a plan and execute it. Do not just run into the room, there are too many unknowns. For more information on the subject, read my article; MilSim CQB Tactics: How to Clear a Room like a Pro.
Huddling Up:
Many new players find “safety in numbers.” What you are actually doing is providing the enemy with a larger target. When patrolling, spread out at least 5 to 10 feet from each other. You want to be far enough to present a smaller target, but close enough to hear each other speak.
Being Predictable:
When playing MilSim, try to be unpredictable on the field. For example, when utilizing a small bunker or another form of cover, stop popping out and shooting from the same location. A good sniper will time your movements and shoot when he or she believes you will show up. Use the other side of the bunker, and vary your height. Or, take a few shots and find another location. You may surprise the enemy and come up behind them while they are still waiting for you to pop out from the last place they saw you.
Not Bringing Enough Water:
This is huge. Bring lots of water, at least two gallons per 24-hour period. In addition, drink plenty of water for a couple of days before an event. Stay away from caffeine and alcohol the day before. The headaches caused by dehydration will ruin your weekend. Utilize a water bladder like a CamelBak
Not Bringing a Daypack While on Patrol:
When out on patrol, bring a pack with you with some essentials. Often times, a 20-minute patrol will turn into an all-day mission. Bring extra batteries, BBs, and some chow. Also have some wet gear like a poncho, just in case it rains. Trust me, it is better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.
Not Training with your Team:
Prior to an event, take the time to practice with your team. This is a great opportunity for you to bond with your teammates and enjoy the great camaraderie of the sport. If you cannot set time aside for practice, study your team’s standard operating procedures if they have them. If the team does not have literature or SOP’s, study the following tactics on your own time.
- Responding to an ambush
- Setting up an ambush
- How to utilize cover and concealment
- Patrol tactics
- Room clearing
Friendly Fire:
Do not get so excited that you shoot your teammates. Take the time to study your team’s uniform or know your band color. A field may ban you for too many friendly fire incidents, so take this seriously. It is important that you keep open communication with your teammates so that you know their whereabouts. When you are in doubt as to whether the individual you have spotted is enemy or friendly, do not shoot. Wait until you can make a positive identification before taking the shot.
Etiquette Mistakes
Not Following Chain of Command:
As a military man and LEO, I understand the chain of command so I know how to take orders. Many of your peers in the field know how to take orders. You will need to learn to do the same. In addition, just like real life, you may have to take orders from someone you perceive to be inept or too young to know anything. This is the nature of the beast and ultimately part of the experience. Talk to your immediate supervisor during or after the pre-op briefing if you have any problems with what is being asked of you.
Being a Cheater:
Do not be the guy who tries to exploit every rule to his advantage. Just play the game as it was meant to be played. When you get hit, do not say a word. Either drop or pull your flag and walk. Dead men do not speak so keep quiet.
In addition, not calling your hits is the worst. Sometimes you get hit but do not feel it, and that is okay. However, if someone calls you out on it, the honorable thing to do is to take the hit. Unlike real life, you get to respawn, so take your walk and come back to the game. Not calling your hits is the absolute worst form of bad sportsmanship in any MilSim event. Once you have achieved this label, it is hard to wash off.
Also, do not make a big deal about someone not calling a hit. Just keep on hitting them until they can’t deny it anymore.
Not Respecting the FPS Limits:
Every event and field has FPS limits, generally 300 to 450. Respect these limits as anything higher could cause permanent damage and even death. Doing this is not honorable and doing so will give you a bad reputation amongst your peers. It is also extremely dangerous and quite frankly, foolish.
Not Knowing Your Required Equipment:
Most events have provided a required equipment list. Items like “death rags” matching uniforms, etc. Follow instructions. MilSim begins at home before the match, in the preparation for the event. Study your SOPs and any documentation that the event has provided. Study terrain maps of the course. Know what the weather is going to be like.
Not Knowing the Event or Field Rules:
In some events, you are not supposed to shoot someone from within 4 feet, but you yell “bang,” instead. Other games allow knife kills with touching, while others will allow you to say, “Knife kill.” Know and respect the rules of the event you are participating in. Pay attention to the briefings on the subject because knowing and following the rules will increase your professionalism and sportsmanship.
Being Late:
Be on time; it’s as simple as that. Do not be the guy who keeps your team from proceeding with the mission. Remember, have fun but follow the rules. The respect for the rules, regulations, and time constraints is part of the immersion. There is a reason they call it “military simulation.”
There are many other faux pas and blunders in MilSim; I just covered what I believed to be the worst of the lot. Remember, MilSim is not your average airsoft experience. Take the time to read the rules, and understand the concepts of your mission. And if you make a conscious effort to avoid the mistakes as mentioned in this article, I guarantee that you will begin to build a solid reputation amongst your peers.