So today I went skirmishing for the first time...

[SuicidalBarrelRoll]

We arrived nice and early, gameplay beats paintball and I loved being liberal with ammo. But honestly, I have a query: is everyone playing always a massive wierdo? Seriously, me and my brother felt quite uncomfortable with everyone who had "done it for 6 weeks" and had some stupid upgraded DMR, worst of all the player with an A&K PKM swanning around at the back with his two lackeys IN GAME, doing absolutely nothing. Hit taking was so so questionable from even regulars, and it was quite uncomfortable seeing people who aren't good and can't play well with £700 quid VSR 10s and £800 Top Tech M4s. Is this normal, or did I have bad luck?

[Airsoft_Mr B]

Sounds like you got a few nobhed players at the site that day

If people aren't taking hits etc then the marshals should be doing summut about it

[Jambo88]

What did the guy with the PKM do?

[SuicidalBarrelRoll]

What did the guy with the PKM do?

Swanned about doing jack constipation and was arrogant

[SuicidalBarrelRoll]

Sounds like you got a few nobhed players at the site that day

If people aren't taking hits etc then the marshals should be doing summut about it

It was more the absolute tettifyingnutter nutter culture,and also " my gun is my manhood" approach ( as dad put it )

[straffham]

Try another site next time maybe? And learn to be stealthy. Once you start hitting the guys with expensive guns you'll feel better about it, just don't let idiots spoil it. As for non hit takers, if you are 100% sure you're hitting them then have a quiet word with the marshalls, don't get into a slanging match.

[M_P]

Sounds about par for one of the bigger sites to be honest.

[SuicidalBarrelRoll]

Sounds about par for one of the bigger sites to be honest.

It was teensy

[SuicidalBarrelRoll]

Try another site next time maybe? And learn to be stealthy. Once you start hitting the guys with expensive guns you'll feel better about it, just don't let idiots spoil it. As for non hit takers, if you are 100% sure you're hitting them then have a quiet word with the marshalls, don't get into a slanging match.

The game play was awesome! It was just the atmosphere of the showoffs, is that normal? As for hit taking I just full auto'd at the head till they took it bang killed some guys, one with a PDRC and the other with some nutty ROF DMR, (yup the marshals didn't enforce mechanical lock, just the switch on semi)

[DEDSEC]

You're always going to have people that splash hundreds to make their gun look "cool" even if they're trash at thinking tactically and don't think of it as a real life situation. This can obviously anger players who expect a little more realism such as yourself I take it?

 

Try going to more smaller games. I play at Bunker 31 in Aberdeen and it's never loaded with 50+ players. I play with old friends from when I was back in the military so we take all our tactics and play style very serious. With larger fields, you tend to get just any old people going. Kids wanting a day out with their mates as it's close to big cities or towns. Bunker (being more secluded and out of the way, it's mostly adults who go who have combat experience. There's a group other than mine who were ex-military other than mine so it's much more enjoyable rather than run and gun/ piss around.

[Happy]

No enforcement on DMRs? Wow, I wouldn't play there if they overlook things like that.

 

You get nobheads in every sport, just unfortunate it was on your first game.

[M_P]

No enforcement on DMRs? Wow, I wouldn't play there if they overlook things like that.

You get nobheads in every sport, just unfortunate it was on your first game.

He didn't say that there was no enforcement on DMRs

[n1ckh]

Unfortunately for guys like that its the 'all the gear and no idea' and can't play tactics for toffee and dont know how, there part of the 'spray and pray' culture

 

As you said, sink all the money into the rifle etc, dont let them get you down, once you start tagging them and get better with tactics, it turns into a 2 sided game for you and you'll realise your tactics are better

 

There are so many ex military of us in the sport, you can tell us apart from the others, talk to and stick with us and you'll learn so much

 

The amount of times I've snuck around/up on people and tapped them on the shoulder its unreal, they hate it when you do that

[Lozart]

We arrived nice and early, gameplay beats paintball and I loved being liberal with ammo. But honestly, I have a query: is everyone playing always a massive wierdo? Seriously, me and my brother felt quite uncomfortable with everyone who had "done it for 6 weeks" and had some stupid upgraded DMR, worst of all the player with an A&K PKM swanning around at the back with his two lackeys IN GAME, doing absolutely nothing. Hit taking was so so questionable from even regulars, and it was quite uncomfortable seeing people who aren't good and can't play well with £700 quid VSR 10s and £800 Top Tech M4s. Is this normal, or did I have bad luck?

I'd say a spot of bad luck. This time of year you'll get the die hards and Billy-no-mates with nothing better to do. I'd suggest a different site for next time though.

[Happy]

He didn't say that there was no enforcement on DMRs

Must have not been clear. I meant in the sense that they're not making sure DMRs can't be switched to full auto. Most sites ask it to be mechanically locked.

[straffham]

On a related subject I raised an eyebrow that Blue Streak Airsoft allow fixed position support weapons to fire up to 500fps, according to AI Mag review on a recent game. Ouch.

[Happy]

On a related subject I raised an eyebrow that Blue Streak Airsoft allow fixed position support weapons to fire up to 500fps, according to AI Mag review on a recent game. Ouch.

Was at that game. They did but they had the same MED as a bolt action.

[SuicidalBarrelRoll]

Ah, probably a spot of bad luck

[Esoterick]

Ah, probably a spot of bad luck

 

Most likely mate, I've found the vast majority of players to be really sound although there are a fair amount of eccentric airsofters(although to be fair they are having fun and aren't hurting anyone). I went to a site where it appeared the marshals allowed hot guns to pass chrono and there was an enormous amount of cheating and general bad play, not sure how I would have felt if that was my first game.

 

I couldn't see myself going to games most Sundays if I didn't know that at almost any site I visit the players will be a good laugh. Sadly some sites seem to have regulars that get away with murder but I'd say they are more the exception the rule in my experience, especially as I've seen regulars at various sites get bollocked for misbehaving.

 

You may have mentioned it already but if you let people know where you are based you will get recommendations for good sites.

[SuicidalBarrelRoll]

Near Twickenham, this was tactical warfare airsoft ( not to slur their name, still overall a great day )

[Chock]

You got unlucky by the sound of it. As with all walks of life, obviously there are some knobheads who take it way too seriously, some who don't take it seriously enough, some who take the piss and - in airsoft - some who don't take their hits. But I would say that the people on this forum are a better typical cross section of the type of people you will meet at most skirmishes, that is to say, generally personable, helpful and not dickheads when it comes to understanding what you should be doing.

 

Needless to say, if the skirmish you were at was anything like the one I was at today (First and Only up at Bolton), it was snowing and pretty cold, so to at least some degree you could forgive the odd hit not being taken, as nearly everyone was layered up to keep warm (at least in the morning anyway before sweating takes over). You can't always hear hits even if you don't feel them either. Having said that, I certainly did hit a few people numerous times and very obviously so, as did other guys I was with, and we were observing players quite blatantly not taking their hits, as evidenced by clocking the typical 'ouch' reaction of the hit, followed by seeing them ducking into cover and then furtively looking about to see if a marshall saw them, which you get when someone blatantly doesn't take a hit. But as I said to some other guys I was with, if somebody wants to win that badly at a GAME, then f*ck em, there's no point getting pissed off about it, just let the marshalls deal with them and be honest with your own hit calling. To be fair though, there were certainly players there too who were taking hits that they could quite easily have not called (i.e. when a shot comes through a bush). I did in fact call a few such hits of that type on myself, as I hope everyone would, even if such hits are often more luck than judgement, i.e. there are decent players out there too.

 

It's not that uncommon to see someone with a lot of cool gear who hasn't got a clue about tactics either, but, if they are having fun and playing honestly, then that's their business, just don't make the mistake of thinking that because someone looks like they should know what they are doing because of all that fancy special forces gear, that they actually do know what they are doing. You'll pretty soon work out who the bullshitters are and who are not, and be aware it's not always the military veterans who know best either, so don't take that as a guarantee of tactical genius either.

 

As for people staying back and doing nothing, be aware that you don't always have to go charging up to the enemy's position like Audie Murphy on speed to be doing stuff that is useful, so occasionally people might look like they are doing nothing when they might actually be in radio contact with someone and executing a plan or whatever, although obviously some people do hang back and not play their part on occasion, especially toward the end of the day when everyone is a bit knackered. But, people can twist their ankle and be taking a breather, or be holding position whilst others try to drive enemies toward them, or be waiting for someone to join them, or sorting out a weapon malfunction, borrowing ammo etc, so what you see isn't always someone not pulling their weight.

 

Having said that, when I see people with an assault rifle just hold position and lean against a tree taking potshots at a silhouette 150 yards away, hoping a miracle is going to unblock the stalemate, it does make me wonder why they even showed up; I prefer to try to push up. When you do get people who understand tactics, even basic tactics like covering fire, fire and maneuver, using smoke, using cover and concealment, calling out contacts, covering the flanks etc, and you do push up, it makes it more fun and is after all what you've paid to play. In fact, it was because I was pushing up on the enemy's base today with some people who did know what they were doing, that I managed to get a bunch of kills with my cheap ass back up springer pistol (since my M4 had a stoppage at an awkward moment), three in fact (four if you include the guy who shot me as I shot him, and we both took the hit) much to the amusement of the marshall who was right next to me at the time and who complimented me on getting a bunch of kills with a springer.

 

In other words, maybe it was just a day where there were a lot of dicks at that site, maybe it's not a great site and you should try another, or maybe you should just avoid some of the tools, but whatever it is, don't let it put you off, most people in airsoft are pretty decent and realise that it is up to them to make it enjoyable by being an honest team player. But like any new endeavour you get into, it's occasionally a bit of a learning curve, and sometimes you gotta kiss a few frogs so to speak.

[AirsoftTed]

Near Twickenham, this was tactical warfare airsoft ( not to slur their name, still overall a great day )

 

Featherbed Ln? Yes this is sadly the norm for this site. Thought it was just me being the odd one out, seriously considered quitting airsoft last time I attended and I didn't even get to play mate - the atmosphere of snobbery and wierd seriously made me question what I was doing lol.

 

Had no idea you were so close, try UCAP's sandpit near blue water mate.

[Josh95]

What exactly do you mean by "Massive weirdo", To be honest it sounds like you're being a bit judgmental.

People that don't take hits are always annoying I agree...

 

Lets be honest grown men shooting each other with toy guns isnt exactly the social norm, but its fun so who cares.

So what if everyone isnt a super spec op killing machine, tagging every one just because they have expensive guns. it doesnt matter it just for fun.

[SuicidalBarrelRoll]

What exactly do you mean by "Massive weirdo", To be honest it sounds like you're being a bit judgmental.

People that don't take hits are always annoying I agree...

 

Lets be honest grown men shooting each other with toy guns isnt exactly the social norm, but its fun so who cares.

So what if everyone isnt a super spec op killing machine, tagging every one just because they have expensive guns. it doesnt matter it just for fun.

No I'm not being judgemental! I'm defo not conformed to many many social norms, just the awkward air of snobbery, superiority really wasn't pleasant

[SuicidalBarrelRoll]

 

Featherbed Ln? Yes this is sadly the norm for this site. Thought it was just me being the odd one out, seriously considered quitting airsoft last time I attended and I didn't even get to play mate - the atmosphere of snobbery and wierd seriously made me question what I was doing lol.

 

Had no idea you were so close, try UCAP's sandpit near blue water mate.

Sweet! Will do