Safe Airsoft Games

I get asked many questions on the Airsoft Battle Zone Forums about "Safe Airsoft Games" and how to play and run them. I typically will answer by saying with safety educated players the safe airsoft games just happen. Our Wisconsin airsoft game field has many rules and regulations in place to help keep everyone on the field as safety minded as possible. Airsoft safety netting (as seen in photo) needs to be in place in "Safe Zones" and players must be aware of the rules associated with these areas.

Players on the ABZ field are required to take the magazines out of their airsoft gun and place a barrel condom or barrel blocking device over the airsoft gun muzzle when entering. This coupled with a keep your finger off the trigger rule keeps everyone in the safe zone, SAFE. Inside of these safe zones is the only place you are allowed to remove your goggles during an airsoft game in play.

This concept only works if everyone is aware of the field rules and follows them. Our job as airsoft field owners and event organizers is to communicate to players what we demand of each of them for the safety of all people participating in the game. Making sure all players hear the game briefing, and announcing special scenario game rules that might be in place for the day is top priority...How can new players be expected to follow the rules if we or you do not tell them. Make sure all players are fully aware of field property boundaries, indoor airsoft CQB-CQC rules, eye protection rules and guidelines plus any other special rules that may be enforced for the particular game you are attending.

We use running vehicles in many of our airsoft games and extra attention to detail must be used to prevent accidents or injuries from a fully armed jeep, or our new Bobcat based airsoft tank rolling across the field with 30 to 50 players running around. Only designated drivers and gunners are allowed closer than 10 feet while the vehicles are moving. Referees are on the field during games for all players safety, listen to what they are telling you their word rules! If you do not listen or follow the rules they will eject you from the game and perhaps from the field itself if you continuously violate the rules.

Most airsoft game fields will have protective clothing and eye wear rules as well that must be adhered to. Some fields only allow full sealed face protection while others will allow just safety glasses. At our ABZ field players 18 and over can wear full seal goggles or mesh type goggles that are safety rated or field approved, but under 18 must wear full face protection. This picture of "snake" shows a player safely dressed for an airsoft game. He is wearing a full face mask with eye protection and also has full skin coverage which allows him to enter and play in buildings on the field. We also require the red rag he is carrying which is a signal he has been hit. Displaying the kill rag and yelling "hit", when you have been shot, helps signal other players to stop shooting at you. The helmet is not required, but is nice to stop bb's from bouncing off your melon...which is not dangerous, but does hurt.

Players over the age of 18 are not required to wear the full face protection, but must have ANSI rated, full seal safety goggles. Below B-rik of the Minnesota Airsoft Association, sports some fine safety goggles along with his "Gucci" style kill rag. The gloves are not required but can stop those painful finger shots from hurting so much. The rest of his gear is completely optional and might change from game to game. Other safety tools like a compass or signal whistle, you might consider carrrying on your loadout as well...Just in case you get lost or sprain an ankle in the woods and need them. Water to most people is not considered a safety tool, but at airsoft games it is very important. Most players have a canteen, or bladder bag style backpack so they have water with them at all times. Playing airsoft on a hot July day and running up and down hills and through the woods can dehydrate a player in full load out gear in a hurry. If you are deep in the woods the dehydration can make you become disorientated in a hurry and suddenly you have a serious situation on your hands. I have seen players become dehydrated just as fast during winter games as well, so be sure and drink plenty of water during airsoft games. Some scenario events can run 1 or even 2 full days so snacks like energy bars or granola can be a good thing as well. Most airsoft players are self proclaimed adrenaline junkies and love the heart pounding intense feeling a full assault on an enemy base can create. 30 players in full load out gear charging down a hill with airsoft guns blazing and team commanders yelling orders and assaulting your teams base or position while you try and hold them off is an exciting time for all. Holding them off and pushing them back up the hill with massive airsoft firepower and watching them retreat back into the woods is more fun than any video game I have ever played, and can be completely safe and harmless fun if you just follow the airsoft safety rules.

One last thing I would like to mention is "where you play your airsoft games" this can be a huge safety factor. Secluded private areas are important so you do not have issues with neighbors or hikers. Our Wisconsin airsoft game field is set deep in the woods of Eau Claire County, on private land. Imagine looking out your window one day and on a tree line across the street from your house you see people dressed like the guys in the pictures shown here and sporting very real looking assault rifles and pistols. Your first reaction would probably have you calling 911 in a hurry. If the police are called to an airsoft game, it means they are responding to a call about people with guns and will react accordingly. They do not know they are airsoft guns until they touch them. This is a very dangerous situation and one you must avoid. Only play airsoft games on airsoft fields or private secluded land that is out of site of the general public, To do otherwise could cost you your life, for real! Airsoft is a fun, social and healthy game sport and will continue to grow in popularity if we all do our best to promote Safe Airsoft Games.

Wisconsin Airsoft Game Season

OK... we all played some winter MILSIM games and had some exciting spring skirmishes as well, but nothing kicks off the Wisconsin Airsoft Game Season like the arrival of spring thaw. All the white in the woods seems to have suddenly disappeared and made way for Mother Natures camouflage that is soon to come. Now if things would just dry up...and warm up then we could "Let the War Games Begin". The Midwest Ostfront is hosting a World War Two airsoft game "Springtime in Porkhov" in Neilsville, WI and the overnight camping this early in spring might be a little chilly, but I plan on heading over there Saturday morning. A snowy winter and wet spring have forced us to close the ABZ airsoft Field Saturday and Sunday April 11th and 12th. The driveway is in the process of thawing out and at the recent Hatfield and McCoys Airsoft game we had to implement parking restrictions. It was good to see the players who came out for this game and we sure had a nice day to play. It looks like we may have to close Saturday and Sunday April 19th and 20th for field driveway maintenance as well but we will see how spring progresses. The ABZ fairchild airsoft field has purchased a new Bobcat crawler...skidder just for making airsoft field upgrades and improvements and it should be delivered a week or so before the Airsoft Season Kickoff game "Operation Stormfront" on April 26th and 27th 2008. We also would like to welcome our new airsoft field safety director Scott Becker...He will be handling all our field safety issues for this season and hopefully many more to come. As of may 1st the Fairchild airsoft field will be open for free games on most Saturdays and Sundays and camping is free on Saturday nights with a reservation. If you have questions or comments on the games and events hosted at ABZ's Airsoft Game Field please visit our website for more details.

Airsoft Game Excitement

Hey, whats with all the excited hype about airsoft scenario games? Have you ever been to a large airsoft game?

Once you have you will know what all the excitement is. These airsoft games are an adrenaline junkies best friend. OK, so this guy in the airsoft picture to the right does not look too excited....BUuuuuT when you consider he was playing a two day airsoft game and this was the morning of day two, then you begin to see this as a different picture. Airsoft is considered an extreme sport and many of the scenarios are designed to re-create some of the stresses and extreme conditions of real world battle scenarios without the causalities. Twelve, Twenty Four, and even 36 hour game missions are not unheard of. The games typically follow a MILSIM (military simulation) storyline but games that follow world war 2 and sci-fi storylines as well as western, gangster and zombie scenarios are becoming more popular.

Typically these Live Action Role Playing or Airsoft LARP's will have dress code requirements for players. A milsim game may require players to wear one type of camouflage such as BDU, ACU or marpat. Gangster style airsoft larps may require people to come dressed as they wish as many different role players are needed for this style of game. Our Wisconsin airsoft games calender list games that have no dress codes and some that do. Many of the ABZ free airsoft games feature open game dates where players and event organizers can try out their own mini list of individual airsoft game requirements.

teams love to sport their gear and are happy at games to provide airsoft safety and field information as well. Many of these players have had and still have thousands of dollars worth of gear and their hands on opinions and reviews can save a new player allot of time when shopping or searching for a durable The amount of airsoft weapons and gear that is used and displayed at these events is enough to boggle the mind. Airsoft guns of every style and model are used and players love to share information about airsoft manufacturers and Airsoft gun field performance. Wisconsin airsoftairsoft gun. Some brands of airsoft equiptment such as Inokatsu are not widely known, although the M60 shown here is well known among airsoft gamers. So now you know what all the hype is, and why players get so excited about these games. Its a chance to be the hero or the villian and fully play the part you dream of, complete with simulated kills, battlefield sounds, skilled opposition or exotic belly dancers. (yes belly dancers have been included in an airsoft game:) Regardless what style airsoft game you choose to play its an adrenaline rush to have a carload of gangsters pull up to your hideout with airsoft tommy guns blazing while you and your mafia try to sneak out the back to avoid capture or worse. How about an attempt at exploiting the well guarded mines of a distant moon that is protected by the Federation Alliance Forces. The great thing is even if you lose the war or the battle the most you go home with is a bruised ego and some airsoft bb welts. This still beats sitting on the couch doing the same thing virtually, but only exercising your thumbs. If you are interested in finding out more about these airsoft games visit our Wisconsin airsoft forum and meet some of the players today.