How to play airsoft

What is airsoft?

It's a team game played with airsoft guns that shoot plastic BBs. The whole thing rests on honesty: when you're hit, you call it and leave play.

• Games are played at a field (an airsoft venue). Fields can be indoor, outdoor, or a mix.
• Each match is called a round. Rounds are grouped into sets, and a game day usually runs several sets.
• There are usually two teams (the host names them, like Red and Gold).
• The person who sets up and runs a game is the host. Anyone can host a game.
• Age rules depend on the field. On Airsoft Online, you need to be at least 13 to sign up. Players under 18 need a guardian's approval and can only join games that allow minors.

What do I need to bring?

Eye protection is a must. For everything else, check the rules summary in the game post.

• Goggles — required. This is an Airsoft Online rule: in every game, even in the safe zone, they stay on (many fields let you take them off inside a netted safe zone, but games here don't). Not even the host can turn this rule off.
• Face mask — required by default. It can vary by game, so check the rules summary in the game post.
• Gloves — optional.
• Gun, magazines, and BBs — no gear? Check the game post for field rentals. Once you join a team, teammates often lend gear too.
• A charged phone — in games run on Airsoft Online, you check in, take a selfie, and call hits on your phone.
• Entry fee — pay it the way the game post says (Airsoft Online doesn't collect entry fees).

What is muzzle velocity, and why is it checked?

Muzzle velocity is how fast a BB leaves the gun. So nobody gets hurt by an overpowered gun, velocity is measured with a chronograph on game day, and only guns within the limit are allowed.

• It's usually measured in FPS (feet per second), for example 350 FPS with 0.20 g BBs.
• A common limit for indoor CQB games is 350 FPS for standard guns with 0.20 g BBs (Airsoft Online's default ruleset).
• The field's rules are the ceiling. A game can only set stricter limits (field at 400 FPS → a 350 FPS game is fine; 450 FPS is not).
• DMRs, sniper rifles, and support guns (LMGs) get separate rules. They're off by default indoors; bigger fields set a limit per class (for example, DMR 400 FPS and sniper 500 FPS) plus a minimum engagement distance.
• A chrono check only counts for that day. You chrono again every game day.
• HPA (high-pressure air) guns can be adjusted easily, so some fields and games restrict them.

What are the basic rules? (Calling your hits)

When you're hit, call it yourself and head to the safe zone. That's called a hit call, and it's the most basic rule in airsoft.

• Taking hits without calling them and playing on is called being a "zombie." It's the worst kind of cheating.
• Whether a ricochet off a wall counts as a hit depends on the field.
• How friendly fire is handled depends on the field and the game.
• When two players run into each other up close, many games count both as out (a "mutual kill").
• Blind firing (sticking just your gun out from cover) and shooting through gaps like cracked doors are usually banned.
• Some games, especially indoor CQB, limit you to semi-auto. Binary triggers (firing on both pull and release) are often banned.
• Grenade rules (blast radius, how many you can carry) vary by game, so check the game post.
• For anything more detailed, follow the rules in that game's post.

What is the safe zone?

It's the area where eliminated players go to wait. In respawn games, it doubles as the respawn point.

• When you're hit, move somewhere safe, call your hit, then walk to the safe zone.
• Keep your goggles on in the safe zone too.
• In respawn games, you're back in once you've entered and left the safe zone.
• The host will tell you where the safe zone is that day.

What game modes are there?

The most common ones are elimination and touchdown.

• Elimination — take out everyone on the other team to win.
• Touchdown — hold down the device in the other team's base (like a buzzer) for about 5 seconds to win on the spot.
• Bomb defusal — the attackers win by planting the bomb and holding it for a set time; the defenders have to defuse it.
• Respawn — after you're out, you come back in from a set area. How often it's played depends on the field.
• Limited games — some days restrict gear, like gas guns only or heavier BBs only.

How does game day work?

Sign up → arrival check-in → gear and chrono check → teams → rounds → ratings. This is how games run on Airsoft Online.

1. 01Find a game & sign upPick by date, field, and open spots. For [Newbie welcome] games, all you need is a rules briefing and a short quiz.
2. 02Arrival check-inOpen "Today's game" within 1 km (about 0.6 mi) of the field and your location checks you in. If that doesn't work, the hosts will check you in.
3. 03Pick your gear & take a selfieChoose today's gear (one primary plus any extras), and once you're fully geared up, take one upper-body selfie.
4. 04ChronoThe hosts measure your gun with a chronograph. If it's within the limit, it's marked as passed.
5. 05Check your teamOnce the host sets the teams, your screen switches to your team's color. Before each round, head to your team's starting point.
6. 06RoundsWhen you're hit, move somewhere safe, then press and hold the HIT button on screen for 1 second to call your hit. Then head to the safe zone.
7. 07Rate players afterwardRate the people you played with by midnight the day after the game. Attendance and ratings add up to your trust score.

How do I find an airsoft field?

A field is an airsoft venue. On Airsoft Online's field list, you can see each field's address, indoor/outdoor setup, and basic rules like the velocity limit.

• The host books the field. As a player, you just sign up for a posted game.
• The field's rules (velocity limit, whether HPA is allowed) are the ceiling for every game held there.
• Subscribe to a field you like to get notified when new games open.
• If it's your first time, start with games marked [Newbie welcome].

Field list →

How do I find and sign up for airsoft games in the app?

Airsoft Online is a web service for finding, running, and recording airsoft games. It opens in your browser with nothing to install, and it's free for players and teams.

• On the Find tab, pick a game by date, field, and open spots.
• [Newbie welcome] games have no entry requirements. When you sign up, you go through a rules briefing and a short quiz.
• Going with friends? After signing up, link up with a group code and you'll be on the same team (up to 5 people, including you).
• For approval-required games, you'll get a notification when the host approves you.
• Cancel before sign-ups close and there's no penalty. If you cancel after sign-ups close while confirmed, your trust score drops.
• Add it to your home screen and it opens like an app, with its own icon, and notifications are easier to get.

Find games → · Try it in 1 minute, no sign-in →

FAQ

It's my first time. Can I sign up alone?

Yes. [Newbie welcome] games have no entry requirements. You go through a rules briefing and a short quiz when you sign up, so you can start even if you don't know the rules yet.

Can I play airsoft without my own gear?

Check the game post for field rentals. You always need eye protection, no matter what.

When can I take my goggles off?

Not during the game. It's an Airsoft Online rule to keep them on even in the safe zone after you're out — stricter than many fields, on purpose.

What's the FPS limit?

It depends on the field and the game. Check the limit in the game post's rules summary. For indoor CQB games, 350 FPS (with 0.20 g BBs) for standard guns is a common limit.

I got hit but forgot to call it.

Call it as soon as you remember. In an Airsoft Online game, press HIT right away. In the safe zone, you can pick the moment you were actually hit to fix the record.

How old do I need to be?

It depends on the field. On Airsoft Online, you need to be at least 13 to sign up. Players under 18 need a guardian's approval and can only sign up for games that allow minors.

How much does it cost?

The host sets the entry fee for each game and lists it in the game post. Pay it the way the post says. Airsoft Online doesn't collect entry fees, and there's no app fee for players or teams.

Why do I take a selfie?

So you can recognize and rate the people you played with after the game. It's deleted as soon as the rating deadline (midnight the day after the game) passes.

Find a game near you

First time? No problem. For [Newbie welcome] games, all you need to sign up is a rules briefing and a short quiz.