Old git, new player.

[tluntbrauma]

I'm mid 40s and I've enjoyed FPS video games for years, so when I saw some airsoft videos and thought "I don't give a shit if people think it's daft, I i really want to try that!". My friends and I had Airsoft guns in the 90s, but never played, so the modern scene looked awesome.

 

I went to one of my local fields recently and despite struggling a bit with the social aspect (went on my own and to be honest I've got a bit of social anxiety) I was FULLY into the game.  Soon as the start klaxon went, I was thinking "yeah, this could be for me!" Defending a base while the enemy poured grenades over the walls was just the best!  And Good lord, crouching for hours behind cover is a good work out for your quads!!!

 

Just wanted to say "Hi" and i can't wait for next time, where I promise to try and chat more!

[Emergencychimps]

Welcome to the sport, I'm 40 and I've been playing for years now (think it's approaching 13.....man I feel old). 

 

Anyway, I wanted to make a few points. 

 

1. Hold off buying too much. It's easy at the start to think, it's amazing, I'm going to do this big time and spend a fortune. Most of what new players buy is crap and they realise it's crap after not long. Also, it's as easy to lose the love for the sport as it is to fall in love with it, then most of the money youve spent will be wasted. There's "airsoft" bits that really get some people and make them fall out of love with it. 

 

2. Everyone at airsoft are adults, dressing up to play pretend toy soldiers.....a bit like that trick where public speakers picture everyone is naked, you should try picturing everyone there as a massive nerd into playing toy soldiers.....which is exactly what we are so there's not really much reason to have social anxiety around us.....except for the neck beard body odor stinkers....avoid them. 

 

3. Everyone loves to talk about their gear and guns, sometimes it's hard to get them to shut up, even if you didn't ask. Great for starting conversations but can be extremely dull. 

 

4. Try different sites, some sites are great and some are crap, most are ok. But you could be going to a crap one and not realize it.....or you could be going to a great one and experiencing a crap one will make you appreciate the one you have been to. 

 

Anyway, welcome and stuff. 

[tluntbrauma]

17 minutes ago, Emergencychimps said:

1. Hold off buying too much

Thanks for the welcome! Yeah, I'm kind of glad that UK Airsoft has the UKARA thing, as it stops you going daft and buying loads after one game! Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to get my own RIF, but I want to make sure Airsoft us for me 1st.  All I've bought so far is goggles and mask.

 

21 minutes ago, Emergencychimps said:

2. Everyone at airsoft are adults, dressing up to play pretend toy soldiers

 Good advice. To be fair, everyone including the staff were very nice, but even though I have a public-facing job, I've always struggled in unfamiliar situations. Now I've got a bit of a handle on the routine of the day, I'm hoping next time will be easier. I know it's silly to worry about such things as an adult in his mid 40s, but here I am! Haha

 

Point 3 is good advice, and I'm happy to be bored by fellow nerds chatting about fps!  I can nerd it up for Britain, trust me.

 

Point 4 I'm lucky on this front. I live between 2 sites both about 20.mins away, both are apparently widely regarded as excellent.  They are both also rather different, one being natural woodland, one being much more man-made and 'intense', so I'm thankful I've got the choice.

 

Thanks again for the welcome, i have to say the community seems quite open and friendly.

 

[Chev Chelios]

Welcome to the forum and hobby.  Another old git here (41) been playing since I was 19. Been to sights all over the world solo most of the time, you will make pals very quickly.  Tell people you are new, ask about the kit they use and you will have new best friends in no time.  

[Impulse]

Ah, welcome to the madhouse! As @Emergencychimps said above, we're a bunch of adults dressed up and playing BB wars in the woods or in a CQB venue. For the most part, at least. There are some people who take it way too seriously, but they're easy to avoid because they also tend to stick to their cliques. I think the more you go, the more you'll start to feel comfortable; you'll see the same regular faces and eventually you will get chatting.

 

My main advice when starting out is don't ignore your local surplus shop. There's loads of retailers online that will sell the same kind of gear, but you can usually get better for cheaper at your local army surplus shop, and sometimes you'll get unique stuff or proper bargains as well.

[pyromancer6]

Nothing makes friends quicker than going 'oooh I like your gun, what is it?' and then watching their eyes light up as they autistically explain the intricacies of a 10.3" MK18 and the foundations of the CQBR concept, it's great.

We're all very stupid and that's what makes the sport great. We're all absolute plonkers spending god's Sunday running around the mud shooting smoothbore plastic chinesium sewing machines at eachother, so might as well enjoy it in good company!

[Cannonfodder]

Welcome. There's quite a few of us on here on the older side.

 

I agree renting till you get site membership means when you do get your first gun you'll have a better idea of wait suits you, eg I prefer shorter carbines and SMGs. I recommend getting some gloves too as shots to the hands bloody hurt

 

As other have posted most airsofters are more than happy to chat about and show off their kit. The hard part is getting us to shut up about it😁. Also definitely try as many sites as you can.

 

15 hours ago, pyromancer6 said:

then watching their eyes light up as they autistically explain the intricacies of a 10.3" MK18 and the foundations of the CQBR concept,

I swear this hobby attracts the neurospicy almost as much as trains

 

Edited 17 hours ago by Cannonfodder
Typo

[Barry Sayer]

Welcome 👋

I feel really old now at 52 😆....love the dressy up side of it too, I feel like a big kid sometimes. I've noticed the AS community don't care what people wear or shoot. You could game dressed as a chicken, or full on military load out, with a electric, gas, hpa, shotgun, sniper rifle, sub machine gun, It just doesn't matter as long as you're having fun 😉 

[Tackle]

Welcome youngster, I can say that, I turned 57 two weeks ago, thankfully in my head I'm still 12, like the rest of em here 😜

[EDcase]

Welcome ✋

 

Mid 40s pfffft.  You got a decade to go before you can start thinking of slowing down.  (Unless you break your back 🙄)

 

 

Edited yesterday at 01:08 by EDcase

[Tackle]

2 minutes ago, EDcase said:

Welcome ✋

 

Mid 40s pfffft.  You got a decade to go before you can start thinking of slowing down.  (Unless you break your back like me 😣)

Don't tell me.........motorcycle  ?

[Galvatron]

Welcome! I use airsoft as a way to fight my way through depression (plus being neurospicy) it has definitely helped so hearing your story of getting immersed despite your anxiety is great to hear, like another member here whose health and wellbeing have improved from playing.

 

A lot of us are now at an age that we don't have to care about being perceived as being daft. I would rather be daft and have fun than join the company of a miserable, joyless git with a holier-than-thou maturity complex.

[Hudson]

Welcome! 40 here, been playing since I was 13.

 

Where are you located and what site did you visit?

There may be local players on here that you can team up with and help lessen any social awkwardness beforehand!

[Impulse]

8 hours ago, Barry Sayer said:

I've noticed the AS community don't care what people wear or shoot. You could game dressed as a chicken, or full on military load out, with a electric, gas, hpa, shotgun, sniper rifle, sub machine gun, It just doesn't matter as long as you're having fun 😉 

 

There are definitely people who have prejudices in the hobby. I've seen and I've met people who uhhhhh... dislike all HPA players due to the actions of some. Same with ghillie snipers, but even though I am one myself I actually get this one with the behaviour of some ghillie snipers out there (some of which I've seen first hand with my own two eyes) making us all look bad that I assume is thanks to certain social media personalities

 

But yeah, generally people don't care what you're using or how you're playing, as long as you're not breaking any rules or cheating.

 

6 hours ago, Galvatron said:

A lot of us are now at an age that we don't have to care about being perceived as being daft. I would rather be daft and have fun than join the company of a miserable, joyless git with a holier-than-thou maturity complex.

 

I've always been that way, ever since I was a teenager and it is 100% a healthier way to live. So many of my peers I see moaning and complaining about stuff and acting very "grown up" all the time. Being a grown up is boring and sucks (work, taxes, bills etc. are all not enjoyable aspects of life!), so why the hell anyone would want to act like one during their free time is beyond me 😂

[tluntbrauma]

11 hours ago, pyromancer6 said:

We're all absolute plonkers spending god's Sunday running around the mud shooting smoothbore plastic chinesium sewing machines at eachother

🤣So true.  The workmates I've told about it were actually really interested and at least one of them will probably come along at some point, so who knows.  We never really grow up, thank God!  The person that gave the safety brief even said "Remember everyone, we're just a bunch of adults playing army"

 

Thanks for the positive vibes on here, lots of sensible advice and encouraging replies!  Here's to being a big kid! 🍻

[Cannonfodder]

3 hours ago, Impulse said:

There are definitely people who have prejudices in the hobby.

Agreed. Fortunately these people are the minority and are easily identified do can be avoided or laughed at depending on your mood.

[EDcase]

11 hours ago, Tackle said:

Don't tell me.........motorcycle  ?

Getting out of bathtub 🙄

 

Spoiler

Yes, was motorcycle crash really.  At Brands Hatch

 

[Reef]

A great read this thread. I'm 47 and started this game a year ago after my son said he wanted to try it.

I was honestly expecting airsoft to be more serious but have had some of the best laughs I've had in years. 

As above, army surplus and airsoft boot sales are a great source of kit. I waited until the had the UKARA before buying and even then just got a 'cheap' £150 gun, I'm still using it a year later and only now looking to upgrade.

I have started running and trying to get fit as this is letting me down a bit, not a side effect I was expecting from Airsoft.,,    

[ButcherBill]

Welcome, 57 here & I airsoft to kinda justify my collection, I don't get to play often but when I do... It's great fun, bit of a heifer so it's also knackering.

Take plenty of fluids with you & wear suitable boots, as the above comments have said, don't buy until you get your UKARA then if you decide to play a lot buy the best you can afford (even <£100 pews can perform well), if you're gonna collect then buy what you fancy. Try as many different flavours as you can until you decide if you like AR's, AK's, Bullpups, SMG's, Modern, Retro etc but avoid Gas until you have a bit more experience.

[Nick G]

40 , I've got guitar picks older than that ! I'm mid 50's (actually play with a bunch who go by the Old Gits) but there are a couple of regulars at our local who are older than me. 

 

Welcome to the madhouse , have fun with it , call your hits and play any style that you like. It's all just dress up and toy guns at the end of the day .

[Rogerborg]

Everything they said.  It's a great hobby, and ideal for us more experienced chaps and lady-chaps to enjoy at our own pace.

 

Do you have a particular LARP theme in mind yet?  We're all doing it, to some extent. 😜 

[Cannonfodder]

1 hour ago, Rogerborg said:

We're all doing it, to some extent. 😜

This. Airsoft is at least 50% a tactical fashion show, whether it's a stitch perfect impression or a more personalised loadout we all secretly want to look the part when slinging plastic at each other. I know that while I tailor my gear to what's practical and works for me there's always the aesthetics that come into play

[Anonymoose]

1 hour ago, Cannonfodder said:

This. Airsoft is at least 50% a tactical fashion show, whether it's a stitch perfect impression or a more personalised loadout we all secretly want to look the part.

 

Oh yeah, me too.

 

[ruskitseller]

A very warm welcome to the old git club. I am a younger old git who enjoys the highs and lows of cutting about in ridiculous amounts of kit and taking things like comms with an frustratingly serious dedication at times haha! But..."at the end of the day" the hobby is just a bit of fun and in no way to be taken too seriously. My advice (for what it's worth which is normally approximately zero) is to start as you mean to go on in terms of site etiquette; it is better to over call your hits than under call them out of the uncertainty of being hit. You can never go wrong if you do that, apart from frustrating team mates who may say "that didn't even hit you (expletive)!" lol. Oh well, I'll be back in a minute...(in my head as "dead men can't talk"...) 🤣

 

Cheers

Edited 2 hours ago by ruskitseller

[Cannonfodder]

8 hours ago, Anonymoose said:

Oh yeah, me too.

Me three