Struggling to adjust to airsoft

[Natah]

As the title suggests, I'm struggling to crack the rhythm of the game. I'm an active CMT in the Reserves and so initially I was playing extremely defensively. Fire and retreat, engaging and covering 50m distances, sprinting around like a maniac (and hurting myself trying to jump around and over stuff). Acting extremely conservative with my ammo etc... I'm sure you guys get the idea.

As I start loosening up and playing more freely, moving closer, firing more, and acting more aggressively, it feels like you're getting pummelled into the ground. I got perhaps 2 or 3 kills during the entire day of play and yeah sure It's with rental kit but at close range on small maps it shouldn't matter a whole lot.

Struggling to find a balance. Any tips? (othering than getting my own kit. I'm working on that)

 

[Mtemprell]

As the title suggests, I'm struggling to crack the rhythm of the game. I'm an active CMT in the Reserves and so initially I was playing extremely defensively. Fire and retreat, engaging and covering 50m distances, sprinting around like a maniac (and hurting myself trying to jump around and over stuff). Acting extremely conservative with my ammo etc... I'm sure you guys get the idea.

As I start loosening up and playing more freely, moving closer, firing more, and acting more aggressively, it feels like you're getting pummelled into the ground. I got perhaps 2 or 3 kills during the entire day of play and yeah sure It's with rental kit but at close range on small maps it shouldn't matter a whole lot.

Struggling to find a balance. Any tips? (othering than getting my own kit. I'm working on that)

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It sounds like your like me. I play aimed controlled shots as I was taught in my time in the forces. I even run gbb with real cap mags. I love this style of game play and find in everyday skirmishes I am out gunned by the aeg mid cap players on full auto.

If recommend you try a more milsim or battle SIM game as you'll find these days are more catered to the real side of play and tactics.

In A general skirmish day don't be disheartened by small amount of kills as long as you enjoy the day. You'll hardly ever get on top of the full auto spammers but by learning the right tactics you'll get them eventually.

 

[Adolf Hamster]

It'll just take time to find your style, learn your site, learn your gat etc.

I wouldnt focus on the number of kills, deaths, wins or losses, just focus on having fun. Getting steamrolled isnt always a skill issue, if theres imbalanced teams or crappy site design the cards are stacked against you but you can still have fun losing by making the other guy have to work for it.

 

[Punisher3990]

I think a lot of people go through this. One thing that helped me was following other players rather than trying to make plays on my own. Stick with someone who's clearly experienced and watch how they move, when they push, and when they hold back.

Also, remember that rentals tend to be at a disadvantage. You're often going up against people who have spent hours (and plenty of money) fine-tuning not just their guns, but their gear as well, so don't beat yourself up over the kill count.

The more game days you get under your belt, the more you'll naturally find that balance between being too cautious and charging in. I found that running around like it's CoD usually just gets you lit up from multiple directions. There are game modes where speed is a huge advantage, like capturing flags, but a lot of the time it just makes you an easy target.

When I first started, I struggled to keep up with everyone else and preferred to hang back, support my team, or try to flank using stealth rather than leading the charge. Over time, I naturally found that I enjoy playing as a sniper/DMR, spotting enemy players, feeding information back to my team, and trying to counter enemy snipers or deal with players who are causing problems for our side.

As Mtemprell mentioned, it sounds like you would like milsim games, as they are a lot more realistic and things like stealth and tactics matter a lot more.

 

[Raiden]

Don’t be too disheartened. The instinct is to blame the rental gun and sure sometimes you’ll be out-ranged but most of the time as a beginner I got lit up without even knowing where the person was, it wasn’t often that I could say I died because the other person simply had a better gun.
I then bought a leaf suit thinking my camo was the problem and thought it’d be some sort of invisibility cloak but it wasn’t that either.

My upward trajectory started when I was starting to learn the map/site. I hate to compare it to CoD but when I play a new CoD map that I’ve never played before, I’m awful, but once I know the map inside out it’s a completely different ball game and that rang true for me in Airsoft. It really is one of those things where the more you play, the better you get.
Like others have said though, don’t worry too much about the kills, I have days where I only get a few kills but have been some of the most fun game days. Just figure out what playstyle you enjoy the most and have fun with it!

 

[Natah]

When I first started, I struggled to keep up with everyone else and preferred to hang back, support my team, or try to flank using stealth rather than leading the charge. Over time, I naturally found that I enjoy playing as a sniper/DMR, spotting enemy players, feeding information back to my team, and trying to counter enemy snipers or deal with players who are causing problems for our side.

As Mtemprell mentioned, it sounds like you would like milsim games, as they are a lot more realistic and things like stealth and tactics matter a lot more.

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I think now playing a few days I'd enjoy a setup that allows for longer range gameplay. Do you have any suggestions for a first sniper/DMR? I'd prefer a GBB but I've seen AEGs are cheaper (when it comes to rifles at least)

 

[Punisher3990]

I then bought a leaf suit thinking my camo was the problem and thought it’d be some sort of invisibility cloak but it wasn’t that either.

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It can be; I got stood on by a teammate on Sunday as I was blended so well. That was definitely a new experience lol

You are right about learning the map though; knowing the sneaky routes, the kill lanes, and the spots with the best vantage are all key parts of it. The CoD analogy seems weird to say, but it's true and does translate over to airsoft quite well. If you're a rental going against people who are regulars and have been to that site 30+ times, it's natural they will know the best spots or the best ways to push an objective.

I think now playing a few days I'd enjoy a setup that allows for longer range gameplay. Do you have any suggestions for a first sniper/DMR? I'd prefer a GBB but I've seen AEGs are cheaper (when it comes to rifles at least)

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My DMR is a Specna Arms V26 One series LVOA that I have locked to semi and upgraded. Its good but if you were to go down the DMR route I would try to find a DMR-specific gun you like. I am sure some DMR mains on here would be able to recommend a decent DMR.

Sniper-wise - For ease and out-of-the-box performance, you cant go wrong with any of the Silverback Tac 41 or SRS rifles. Some people prefer the VSR rifles but they require upgrades most of the time and the TAC41 shoots great out of the box. A TAC41 with a 2J spring is pretty much ready to go. They are a bit more expensive, but the Novritsch rifles are also pretty decent.

 

[Cannonfodder]

Welcome to the madhouse.

As others have posted, experience and knowledge of a site layout will have a big impact on how "well" you do in a game. These will come over time. That being said sometimes a fresh set of eyes can see something others have missed and trying something unexpected can change how a game goes. When the worst thing that can happen is a short walk back to respawn then there's no big problem if it doesn't work.

As others have posted, don't get too hung up on kill counts or who's winning or loosing. Some of the best games I've had have been when I hardly fired a shot or was on the end of an arse kicking

I then bought a leaf suit thinking my camo was the problem and thought it’d be some sort of invisibility cloak but it wasn’t that either.

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Good fieldcraft will always beat fancy camo.

 

[Punisher3990]

Good fieldcraft will always beat fancy camo.

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This 100%

Camo is a great tool, but you have to craft it properly for your environment and know how to use it; it's not a cheat code (like a thermal scope is). No point having a great ghillie if you're 50m+ away and can barely see anyone or shoot for the objectives effectively because there's cover blocking the way or you're open to the enemy team.

 

[Adolf Hamster]

Camo=good

Being where they arent looking=better

 

[Impulse]

I then bought a leaf suit thinking my camo was the problem and thought it’d be some sort of invisibility cloak but it wasn’t that either.

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As someone who has done the whole ghillie sniper thing since before it was cool (ah, dyed hessian my not-beloved...), I find a lot of ghillies these days are actually really crap because they rely on the suit to keep them hidden. I actively try to not use mine sometimes just to make sure my fieldcraft stays sharp. It helped me a lot last weekend because I managed to stand in some thick ferns and take potshots at a bunch of players who had no idea I was there, and I was simply wearing an olive t-shirt and ballcap but had chosen my position well, was only moving when they weren't looking in my direction, and kept any small movements like pulling back the bolt very slow and deliberate. Someone with good fieldcraft in regular DPM will hide far better than someone with a fully-crafted-over-engineered-bush-suit with no clue how to use it. (yes, I am not a fan of these all encompassing bush suits that make you look like a bog monster)

I am sure some DMR mains on here would be able to recommend a decent DMR.

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Not a DMR main, but definitely a long gun with MED main so I'll give it my best shot (I use both bolt actions and DMRs)

Cyma Platinum SR-25 is pretty good for an AEG DMR. It's a proper DMR platform, so you can take it to milsims and battlesims that may require that, and all you really need to do is change out the hop and then whack a more powerful spring in it as they're built to deal with higher power and are just downgraded when they come into the UK. Semi-auto conversions are pretty easy too.

Or go to the (expensive) dark side and get an MTW-308. They're incredible DMRs, but they're also HPA so that's an external line and tank, or you get the unleashed version and use a 13ci tank as the stock (only really works if you're careful on the trigger; shoot too much and you'll run out of air), or the co2 adapter if you want it to look more realistic (but then you have to change co2 bulbs every so often)

I wouldn't recommend GBBR DMRs as a first one. They're very fussy, and I'd get a regular GBBR first before getting one as a DMR so you can learn how they work. Gas cooldown is a thing, and a GBBR DMR will never be as consistent as an AEG or HPA DMR purely because of the way they work. These inconsistencies can be minimised to the point where the difference is meaningless from a practicality point of view, but they're still there. However, they are a lot more fun. For GBBR DMRs though, VFC do a number of decent platforms, or you can get a TM MWS and convert it to be a mk12. WE-based GBBR DMRs are just not as worth it in my opinion, which is a shame because they do some pretty unique models; they're the only company that do a GBBR SVD or m14 for example, and I love my m14 but by God is it fiddly and fussy...

 

[Punisher3990]

As someone who has done the whole ghillie sniper thing since before it was cool (ah, dyed hessian my not-beloved...), I find a lot of ghillies these days are actually really crap because they rely on the suit to keep them hidden. I actively try to not use mine sometimes just to make sure my fieldcraft stays sharp. It helped me a lot last weekend because I managed to stand in some thick ferns and take potshots at a bunch of players who had no idea I was there, and I was simply wearing an olive t-shirt and ballcap but had chosen my position well, was only moving when they weren't looking in my direction, and kept any small movements like pulling back the bolt very slow and deliberate. Someone with good fieldcraft in regular DPM will hide far better than someone with a fully-crafted-over-engineered-bush-suit with no clue how to use it. (yes, I am not a fan of these all encompassing bush suits that make you look like a bog monster)

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I agree. I only have a ghillie cape, and it works perfectly for me, a bit of halo screen and some raffia, job done. I've seen one of the stringy ghillies playing out in 30-degree weather; must be torture in that thing lol. I took my MP7 on Sunday, and it was to hot in the afternoon, so I swapped to my DMR. I didn't have any of my ghillie on and still got stood on by a teammate because they couldn't see me lying on the floor. I have been almost stood on before when sniping but this was the first actual stepping on lol

 

[Tommikka]

Play how you like, play more and it gets easier
You could continue your style where you are and/or could look into other events.

MilSim events are an obvious suggestion, but just a larger event whether themed or not can be a very different experience to a local site
A typical site has the local crowd, an event draws a wider range and a particular style of event attracts player who like that style

Some people translate real life ‘army skills’ into Airsoft directly - that is acting as if you might really get shot and that would matter a lot
In Airsoft you’re less likely to be shot, due to range, accuracy etc (more likely to be hit by the random BBs amongst a spray) and the worst thing that can happen is you have to walk back to the safe zone


Experience gives you the right balance, it sounds like you’re acting instinctively to live at first, then get more ‘carefree’ (perhaps some frustration)

Time and experience will help with the right balance, so that you have a better idea on distances and an idea on how risky the incoming fire is
You’ll work out when you want to get a balanced aggression, and when you want to take a different direction (depending on the site it can work better for you to break off and find a flanking route or spot the little obstacles that don’t need to be cover but break the line of fire coming at you)

If it’s still fun, then crack on and test ideas
If it’s not fun then make a change to fix that

 

[Lyndication]

Yeah kills and wins don't matter much for me either, it's about finding your own fun. I find I enjoy memorable plays and moments but can't actually remember who won.

I personally like running GBBRs for the feedback and recoil, but also the way they force me to conserve ammo. I actually have to know how to run the gun as well. How do you clear a jam, how do you reload smoothly, how do you handle and point the thing? I also find them much easier to field strip and modify or maintain as a rule. Many models come apart very much like the real thing.

I do agree that GBB DMRs have less consistency unless you really work on them, so you wanna get used to working on them before you go that route.

I think it's also worth asking other Airsofters about their gun. Usually they'll be happy to let you have a shot, get a feel for it, and it gives you the chance to try stuff out.

 

[Impulse]

I think it's also worth asking other Airsofters about their gun. Usually they'll be happy to let you have a shot, get a feel for it, and it gives you the chance to try stuff out.

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Always makes me feel like an asshole when I'm VERY cautious about letting other airsofters handle my stuff. I'll usually let people have a shot, but I'm always internally screaming

Look, I've seen a lot of airsofters over my 20+ years of playing. It's a very informed opinion!

 

[ButcherBill]

Struggling to find a balance.

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Don't worry about getting kills or being hit (it's only a game & 6mm BB's don't do much damage, don't forget eyepro & a face guard tho), you'll find your style/flow the more you play. Do you want airsoft to improve your traing or just for fun? once you get your ukara the world of big boy toys is HUGE, & you could easily get an L85A2/3 or even L403A1 or basically any weapon you fancy, depending on your personal weapon in the reserves (that's how I started my collection L1A1 SLR). don't expect team/squad tactics to be effective tho... airsoft is like herding cats.