The Airsoft is a tactical game that appeared at the end of the 80s, to participate in which you need a rifle ... that shoots plastic pellets, totally harmless.
Il softair or soft air o Sports tactical shooting is a playful-recreational team activity, which is based on the simulation of military tactics.
The airsoft it is practiced using the Air Soft Gun (in English literally compressed air weapon), from which it takes its name. It ranges from a purely playful approach to a sports approach, from a recreational approach to a strategic-simulation approach. The main feature of the Soft Air is those of being a game totally harmless, non-violent and based on correct sporting confrontation.
These qualities have made it useful and instructive by many companies, which promote it within themselves in order to develop team building, problem solving and business training itself. The name derives from English, although in English the game be called airsoft or air soft.
How to play Airsoft? First of all you need many friends, the right equipment and a place where you can practice it. Just look for friends, or get in touch with the various groups / associations that play the game.
As for the equipment, more explanation is needed.
The weapons of the softair are more or less exact replicas of real weapons, with the difference that the former shoot harmless plastic pellets.
To push these pellets, contained in a magazine with an average capacity of 500, is an electric motor installed inside the toy gun and operated by batteries. The mechanism consists of a series of gears that operate a spring that compresses the air and pushes the pellet outwards.
The pellets, most of the size of 6mm in diameter, can be composed of:
from plastic materials;
from inert or biocompatible materials;
from biodegradable materials.
The weight of the three most used types of shot is between 0,20g and 0,30g. There are also pellets with a lower weight, from 0,12g and 0,15g, and higher weights, 0,32g, 0,35g and 0,40g, although they are rarely used as the former are too subject to wind deflection and the latter as a few meters of useful range would be lost.
In addition to weapons, you need military-type clothing and equipment (camouflage, amphibians, free sale smoke bombs, a night visor just to name a few) and above all protective goggles or full masks. The plastic shot, in fact, if "fired" at a distance on the body do not hurt and do not cause damage, but it is good to preserve the eyes in any case.
Il game takes place in areas created specifically for the occasion and mostly consist of woods, land and abandoned houses, subject to authorization by the public security forces. This is a very important aspect, not to be overlooked absolutely, as problems could arise if someone reports the presence of people in combat gear. The toy airsoft weapons, remember, aesthetically resemble real weapons in every way!
Two teams are created, one attacks and the other defends. The game modes are:
Capture the opponent's flag or position which can be:
Attackers vs Defenders: an objective flag is placed, the defense wins if the attack does not capture the flag within a set time limit
Double Attack / Defense: with two Flags, the player who captures the enemy flag and brings it back to their camp wins
Team deathmatch, in which the winner is the one who eliminates the whole team (without "rebirth" of the players) or whoever eliminates more opponents (with "rebirth")
Release of a prisoner
Destruction of the opposing team
Everyone against everyone
Very important in the Airsoft is the self-declaration in the moment in which it is hit. In fact, it is necessary to keep a sporting and honest behavior when you are hit, in order to make the game fun and free from disputes, which could arise if a hit player continues the action by not declaring himself. Those who do not declare themselves "dead" must, necessarily, stop the action, shout "dead!" and leave the competition area without speaking to his teammates in order not to give information on the position of the enemy.
Those who do not respect this fundamental law are "banned" from gambling and, in some cases, from groups and associations.
The airsoft has been the subject of criticism about the fact that after a "battle", an average of 2500 per player are scattered on the competition field. These pellets cannot be recovered and therefore remain in the environment. However, many players claim that the pellets are made of plastic and therefore an inert material. Biodegradable pellets are also on sale, but these are considered few effective for range and accuracy.
In conclusion, the airsoft represents a way to spend the days outdoors in the company of friends. Airsoft sees the number of enthusiasts and associations that compete against each other grow more and more, hosting the opponents in their own "home". The coolest thing about simulated warfare is that when you've shot an opponent, you'll see him a second later stand up and say "you screwed me, but next time I'll do it".
Have a good fun.