Player Guide: Airsoft Skirmish Tactics - Things to Avoid
Tunnel vision - Keep your head on a swivel
The first thing to discuss is tunnel vision. This term is used to describe a situation where a skirmisher forgets to maintain awareness of their surroundings, often brought about by the potential of a tempting target.
Once again we are making use of our ultra basic tactics graphic, starring Stick Stu and his X-ray buddies!
Our scenario begins when Stick Stu rinses out the HK417 user behind the cover in the foreground and makes a swift advance to bring the fight closer to the enemy. As Stick Stu approaches the cover he sees X-Ray 1 peeking out from the cover on the left. Stu cannot quite land the hit as X-Ray 1 is making decent use of cover, but he knows X-Ray 1 will reveal himself eventually so he keeps his sights on target, waiting for the shot with his finger on the trigger...
What Stick Stu hasn't noticed or even considered is that the two pieces of cover in the background have an unknown number of enemy players hiding behind them. X-Ray 2 pops his head up to see what is going on, and he clocks Stick Stu facing down with X-Ray one, with his attention solely on his target.
Most Airsofters will know the situation depicted to the left, and how tempting it is to lie in wait to take the shot as soon as the enemy leaves cover. What many will also have learned, is that while they are focused down on their next kill, other players can be flanking to take a better position, and may pop up from somewhere unexpected and unforeseen.
Obviously, the real Stu would never find himself in this situation, he is a seasoned Airsofter who knows how to play the game, but we are working with Stick Stu here and he does what we tell him to do. Stick Stu waited exposed from cover for too long whilst X-Ray 1 distracted him, and X-Ray 2 now pops up fully with his rifle raised and sends Stick Stu on a walk...
The best way to overcome tunnel vision is to continually scan your environment for threats, and avoid getting drawn in by crafty enemies at all costs. Some skirmishers will actively distract you whilst their teammates flank, so be aware when an enemy player appears to be drawing you in.
When using optical sights it is best practice to keep both eyes open and make your entire peripheral vision available, and when using magnified optics we recommend a quick scan every few seconds if you think you have an enemy pinned, but there is potential for you to be flanked.
The next best solution to this issue is unpredictable behaviour which will keep the enemy guessing as to where you pop out from cover, i.e alternating between kneeling and standing, changing position whenever possible and seizing any opportunity to rush the enemies and pop up where they won't expect you.
Overcomplicated Loadouts - K.I.S.S
If there is one thing you can do that will get you hit repeatedly when skirmishing it is having a complicated loadout or one that is not suitable for your ability level. The more distractions you have from the task of sending BBs down range, the less effective you will be.
Many new skirmishers want to start out with a rifle and sidearm, and a full plate carrier vest with a belt kit, and let's face it, the "all geared up" look is pure awesomesauce, but without practice in using this gear together in the field when sweaty and tired, it will only inhibit your skirmishing performance.
The juggling act of wielding a pistol and a rifle on a sling can mean less experienced Airsofters may spend a lot of time untangling themselves, dropping magazines, spilling their pistol from its holster and generally doing themselves no favours.
Naturally, it's their kit so they can use it how they like, though from a pure performance standpoint we advise that you become proficient with your rifle before moving up to using it with a sidearm, do a bit of research on how to use a rifle and pistol together, and practice, practice, practice!
The best way to build up a loadout is incrementally, and that is the way most experienced Airsofters who skirmish like true warriors have done it. Once you find a piece of kit you like, become proficient with it. As you add more gear your skills will build.
As much as many will hate the comparison (COPE!), Airsoft skirmishing is akin to playing a musical instrument or becoming skilled at sportsball of some form. It is all about muscle memory, and repeating the same pattern over and over will eventually result in you going from having to actively think about each step of a certain task as you do it, to it just happening instinctively as soon as it occurs to you to do it. The same way a rugby player doesn't have to think about how hard to throw the ball, or how much spin to put on to get it to a certain point on the pitch, a seasoned skirmisher will instinctively reload without having to look down, or think about how the process is carried out.
Using a full loadout will still be a lot more effort to run than the single high-cap with hoodie crowd, even if you got dem skills, but with practice, you will be slick and fast enough that you won't have rental kiddies running rings around you, and you will look cool 😎 as a bonus!
If you aspire to run the full "cool guy" kit, bear in mind that moving, reloading and other skirmish-related tasks will be considerably harder, and it is best to play around with your kit before coming to a skirmish so you can get a feel for it, and set it up to suit where you can reach, and what feels most natural.
One of the best things you can do to ascertain whether or not your kit is skirmish ready is known as the "monkey test". This test basically involves you getting all geared up (mags, everything) and throwing yourself around, jumping, and failing your arms wildly, just like a monkey. This test is best done in private, lest you appear to be a well-dressed mental patient. This test will cause any issues that would otherwise rear their heads on the skirmish site to show themselves, and allow you to tighten up or adjust before any in-skirmish issues arise.
Obviously, the old saying "no plan survives initial enemy contact" also applies to your Airsoft kit, and there will be issues that practising and carrying out the monkey test will not reveal. Though it is not perfect, the test should still allow you to get ahead of any obvious issues and correct them to avoid disaster in-game. When carried out with appropriate enthusiasm, the monkey test will definitely make it clear if your loadout is overcomplicated or poorly thought out, as you will have magazines and equipment raining down around you as you thrash around!
Predictable Behavior - Stay random, stay alive!
Predictable behaviour is one of those things that will cause experienced skirmishers to eat you alive on the field. Examples of predictable behaviour include always shooting from a standing position, the "tunnel vision" example we discussed above, "camping" and looking for a revenge kill.
Camping may work in video games, though we all know it will get you a lot of hate. The opposite is true in an Airsoft skirmish, as site owners often design their sites so there are no good camping spots, and even if there are the regulars will be well aware of them. If you find a good spot and get a couple of kills, it is always wise to move off before the players you hit respawn, as they may well be coming for you.
This leads us on to seeking "revenge kills", which involves being hit, respawning, and heading straight back to the location you took the hit to find the player who got you. In some instances, you will need to go straight back to where you were hit to bolster the team's advance and press objectives, but in other circumstances this can mean you charge headlong into the position the enemy hit you from in your last life, only to find they were expecting this, have relocated and were waiting for you to seek revenge. It is always wise to think twice before going in for what may seem an easy kill, but the enemy is often smarter than this and may be lying in wait. Make sure you keep your emotions in check on the field, you have no plot armour to protect you like action heroes, better to be cold and calculating.
The example of always shooting from a standing position is best explained through our MS Paint tier tactics graphic, and Stick Stu:
In this scenario, Stick Stu approaches the room, bobs his head out slightly and sees 2 X-Rays inside. He prepares to Slice the Pie and clear the room but meets stiff resistance from X-Ray 1, who lets rip through the door with his G3. Stick Stu finds himself pinned down, and even though X-Ray 1 is exposed he is unable to lean out and take the shot without getting hit.
X-Ray 1 is laying down fire at head height, as that is the last place he saw Stick Stu expose himself from cover. Knowing this, Stick Stu crouches and takes a few snap shots at X-Ray 1, who is shocked by the sudden appearance of Stick Stu's gun and head at waist height. Before he can correct, X-Ray 1 is hit, thanks to Stick Stu staying agile and varying his position. Even if you find yourself on the receiving end of the "Slicing the Pie" technique, you can counter it by varying your shooting position and acting less predictably.
Stick Stu still has one X-Ray to deal with, and though he was busy pointing out enemies through the window, Stick Stu has now got X-Ray 2's attention. X-ray 2 has just seen Stick Stu bob back into cover in a crouching position, and locks into target, ready for Stick Stu to reappear. Fortunately for Stick Stu he reads the Patrol Base Player Guides, and he stands up to engage X-Ray 2, catching him off guard. X-Ray 2 has tunnel vision, and isn't considering Stick Stu to be any more tactically competent than a COD or paintball player. Whilst waiting for a "sitter", X-Ray 2 was hit from a position he wasn't expecting. Let that be a lesson for him!
Primary Too Heavy - Fight light, fight all day
It can be all too tempting to load up the front of your Airsoft rifle with all the "mission-essential equipment" the real operators use, but with that comes a price. The more stuff you attach to the front of your rifle, the more difficult it becomes to manoeuvre, and the harder it is to hold straight and level for long durations.
If you set your rifle up and you find it feels heavy to point when you are at home with fresh arms, you are going to HATE using it at a skirmish after a few hours. Many of us have experienced this when adding a grenade launcher to our rifles, and even though they look awesome, and work really well, rifles like this end up getting ditched for something lighter in weight before lunchtime for all but the most dedicated and muscular skirmishers.
Even the lightest Airsoft gun will feel heavy when you have been running around with it all day, and the longer your front end, the heavier it will feel when it comes to holding on target. With this in mind, anything you add to the front of your rifle should be something you can and will make use of in-game, otherwise, it will function only to make your forearms burn more.
That said, if you like a particular look, don't let this put you off. We are focussing on pure skirmish performance in this article, which is an aspect of Airsofting, but not the only aspect. A big part of skirmishing is looking the part and using the kit you want, and if running a super slick zero dark thirty primary gives you the thrill you seek, you aren't alone, and we're sure you aren't bothered if it slows you down by half a second when raising your gun.
If you aspire to run a Milsim setup we suggest hitting the gym, as this will make your experience with authentic kit much more enjoyable. As much as it is fun to have all the cool kit, it is even more thrilling if you can use it proficiently and quickly. Being stronger will help you wield your rifle more effectively in every respect, and being more accustomed to strain will help you push yourself harder when skirmishing. The real guys all work out, and that's how they get away with having an M203, PEQ, suppressor and flashlight on the front of their 14.5-inch barreled M4 and can still whip it around like its an ARP-9 filled with helium!
And that's it, our Player Guide on things to avoid at an Airsoft skirmish. This is not an exhaustive guide, and we are quite sure there will be things we have missed which can inhibit pure skirmish performance, but these are the most prominent newbie errors we have encountered.
If you are less performance focussed and just like to skirmish to have a good time, or you are all about participating in realistic scenarios in the same kit the real operators wear, don't let this guide put you off. Airsoft is a broad and diverse hobby and there is no wrong or right way to do things, and if you are having fun skirmishing the way you do now then you don't need to change a thing.
This guide is intended for those who want to become slick and confident wielding their Airsoft weapons, and come home at the end of the day with the most kills they can possibly accumulate. If you are all about that K/D ratio and want to dominate the Airsoft battlefield, stay tuned for our next Player Guide!