What is airsoft?
Airsoft is a tactical, immersive team activity: players face off on a field with replica guns firing small 6 mm plastic BBs. Realism, strategy and fair play make it a sport of its own.
How the game works
Two teams face off around an objective: eliminate the opponents, capture a point, defend a zone… To "hit" a player, you strike them with a BB fired from your replica. Unlike paintball, the BB leaves no mark.
That's where fair play comes in: every player who gets hit calls it themselves, shouts "OUT" and steps out of the game. It all relies on everyone's honesty.
The gear
You don't need a mountain of equipment to start — here are the essentials.
The replicas
Reproductions of real firearms, in three main families: spring (manual cocking), gas (compressed gas, with recoil) and AEG (electric, automatic). HPA (compressed air) rounds out the high end.
The BBs
Small 6 mm plastic pellets, in various weights (0.20 to 0.45 g) depending on the accuracy and range you're after. Biodegradable versions exist for outdoor fields.
Eye protection
Non-negotiable: a mask or goggles meeting the standards, worn at all times on the field. It's rule number one.
The outfit
Camo, tactical vest, magazines… as much for immersion as for comfort. Everyone builds their kit around their own play style.
Game modes
Airsoft comes in a wide range of formats, from the most fast-paced to the most immersive.
Skirmish
Short, fast rounds played back to back: the most common format to play with friends.
CQB
Close-quarters battle, indoors or in urban areas: tense, fast, from cover to cover.
Woodland
Play in the woods over large areas: stealth, movement and long range.
MilSim
Immersive military simulation, often over several hours or a full night, with a scenario, roles and logistics.
Scenario
A game built around a story and successive objectives.
Domination & flag
Hold a point or capture the enemy flag: the great objective-based classics.
Safety first
Airsoft is safe when the rules are followed. The four essentials:
Mandatory eye protection
A mask or goggles meeting the standards, at all times on the playing area — no exceptions.
Regulated power
In France, replicas are capped at 2 joules. Fields also set their own limits (in FPS) depending on the type of play.
Marked-out zones
Every field has a neutral zone (safe zone) where no one fires, replicas on safe and magazines removed.
Engagement distances
A minimum firing distance is kept to avoid shots that are too close, especially in CQB.
The airsoft spirit
Beyond the game, airsoft is a community: respect for your opponent, honesty about your hits, players helping each other out, and good times once the round is over. You come for the action, you stay for the people.
Want to give it a try?
Find a field near you or a game to join, and get started.