'Support' weapons, thoughts?

[The_Knights_of_Nert]

Apologies if this has been covered a thousand time but,

What are your experiences with support weapons? Do they give any sort of advantage over AEGs? One of our group is looking to get one, but purely for aesthetic reasons. The current thought is just getting a large drum mag.

Do milsims and other related events have more varied rules for using them? As we're all pretty new to airsoft the only game type we've played where they have an advantage are ones where full auto is restricted to support only. - With limited ammo for everyone else it really gives them an edge. But otherwise useless for your standard walk on.

 

[Sacarathe]

At the end of the day you can only ask everywhere you might take it. Otherwise yes you're already answering your own question. If you're going to lug that weight (and high cost which I presume is due to low volume) around though, might consider holding off on the purchase until you're more experienced with airsoft (because daytonagun).

 

[SeniorSpaz87]

+1 for Daytona.

Support weapons, in casual airsoft, are almost purely for aesthetics Sometimes you are allowed an extra 50 FPS, which, IMO, does not even out burden of the extra weight of these guns.

Support weapons, for MilSims, are completely different. Take my next MilSim, Operation Stonebreaker, for example. It is a semi-auto only event, i.e. no full-auto fire for us plebs (although I am running a sniper so I don't care). The only people who are allowed full-auto are the support gunners. So there is a definite advantage to be a support gunner in this particular MilSim.

 

[Loki7491]

Milsim games tend to allow a 2000 / 2500 ammo limit - one box mag. Rifles are usually limited to 600.

My local site allowed 450fps on true life support weapons (not a rifle with a box mag) but you had to follow certain rules:

30m MED

Trigger discipline (Marilyn Monroe, Marilyn Monroe, Marilyn Monroe has big tits)

It needed to be supported - either on its own bipod or on a window ledge etc.

If you were contacted from OUTSIDE your MED you could give a reactionary burst, move to cover and then engage as per the rules above.

Unless you go to a site with similar rules, then I am afraid that support weapons are just heavy rifles and don't really offer any additional advantage to counter the extra weight and bulkiness.