Rules of the Game Part III

Safety

Storage and Transportation:

Basic rules for storing and transporting airsoft guns:
• Unload the airsoft gun by removing the magazine and firing to a safe location until empty
• Place the orange cap on the flash hider or barrel end (refer to IRR)
• Place the gun inside a gun case (or container) that fully encloses it. It's not a good idea to use as a gun case the original card case that is shipped with airsoft guns
• Render the gun inoperable by removing and storing the battery away from the gun
• Make sure that the gun case is locked, tied or zipped in a way that will not open during transportation or while stored
• Always lock all your airsoft gear in a safe place

This rules are just a basic set and does not refer to any country specific law, make sure to check in your area.

Pellet velocity limits:

All participants use ONLY Airsoft guns in their games. These guns must conform to the pellet velocity limit that your group or country has decided on. Some countries have legal limits on the power/pellet velocity of Airsoft guns so make sure to check in your area.

Also based on internet searches, here are some of the methods/criteria used by airsoft teams to establish limitations (i.e. maximum pellet velocity, minimum firing distance,...).
• By gaming area/type (i.e. CQB, woodland)
• By gun type (i.e. sniper, assault rifle, support)
• By gun firing mechanism (i.e. AEG, GBB, Spring)
• By measured pellet velocity (i.e. any gun firing above 500 ft/s (150 m/s) is a sniper class weapon)
• By spring type (i.e. max. allowed spring is M120)

Some groups use more than one method/criteria’s to establish limitations. For example game area/type is often used with gun type.

Protection:

All participants MUST wear eye protection! Mouth protection is recommended. Ideally all Airsoft players should have full face masks, long sleeve shirts, full pants, and gloves whenever they play Airsoft. If you plan on playing at any professional paintball/airsoft locales then you will have to have a full face mask. This is for legal/insurance reasons and cannot be avoided. It's strongly recommended that anyone that continues to be a problem in terms of wearing eye protection during games be banned from playing with your group. Nobody wants to be responsible for shooting someone's eye out. If you need to clear your mask because of fogging or some similar problem then crouch/lay on the ground with your face as close as possible to the ground and quickly clean your goggles.

Regarding eye protection, all products of this kind should meet at least one of the following standards:
• ANSI Z87.1
• EN166 European Standard (This standard excludes protection against X-rays and lasers. EN166 F is for Low Energy Impact and EN166 B is for Medium Energy Impact)
• ANSI Z80.3

Rules of the Game

BB hits:
If you are struck by an airsoft BB then you are hit and for purposes of the game are considered 'killed'. This means that you are out of the current game unless you are using special rules (see below). Most times when you are 'killed' in a game you have to go to a safe-zone where you wait for the next game to begin. Hits to your weapon do not kill you. If you think that you might have been hit but aren't sure then you ARE hit and you should call yourself out immediately. This eliminates silly arguments during a game. Whenever you are hit during a game you must announce loud and clear, 'HIT!' and then walk to the designated safe-zone with your weapon held high over your head with both hands. Be sure to keep your hands and weapon in the air so you aren't mistaken for a player that is still in the game. A player that repeatedly causes problems with calling himself out should not be allowed to play any more.

A Special Note: Eventually everyone is going to experience getting shot after they have called themselves out for a game. The #1 reason people get shot after they are out is because they don't readily identify themselves as being hit. If you don't want to get shot after you call out then be sure to do the following:
• LOUDLY call out 'Hit!' or 'Dead!'
• Immediately stand straight up (If you weren't already) and hold your weapon in a way that is clear to everyone that you are out of action. For example: holding gun above your head with both hands, or put gun in rest (holster or sling) and keeping hands away from any gun
• Begin walking (not running) towards the designated safe zone ASAP. Use a clear path so that everyone can see you
• If you follow these simple steps then you will greatly reduce (although not completely eliminate) getting shot after you call out

Another method that an airsofting club or event organiser can arrange is for the use of red rags. When a player is hit, he or she should then immediately pull out a red rag and wave it around, places it over his head, or otherwise display it. This indicates that this person is now dead. This method greatly reduces the number of arguments brought about by people getting shot after they have already been hit. Many airsoft organisations are now beginning to use this method, such as Mike Force Airsoft.
Minimum engagement distance:
A minimum engagement distance is normally established. Before firing at anyone within 10 feet or 3 meters, the attacking player must first call for surrender and the defending player must answer immediately. He cannot find cover and then answer. If a player fires from within the established distance without calling for surrender, that player is disqualified from the game and the kill does not count. If a player refuses to surrender (not encouraged to) then both players may fire. In most instances, if a player is taken by surprise, he should surrender as an act of good faith.

Sniper rifles have a minimum engagement distance that can go from 14 to 40 meters (46 ft to 131 ft) minimum range, depending of the BB weight/velocity used. This is both for safety (due to upgraded power) as well as to increase realism. Under this range, snipers must use alternate weapons (backups).
Optional Airsoft rules

The following rules are optional ones that you may or may not want to use in your Airsoft games.

Medics:
One player on each team can be designated as a medic and this person has the ability to 'resurrect' players once during a game, allowing them to return to play. When using medics in your Airsoft games it's important to remember to stay lying on the ground where you were 'killed'. The medic has to get to you and touch you in order for you to be 'resurrected'. If you are standing in or on unsafe terrain such as water, mud, broken glass, etc. then you are allowed to lie down near where you were hit so that you don't hurt or endanger yourself.

Multiple lives:
Sometimes it's beneficial to allow players more than 1 life when playing games. This allows a larger variety of scenarios to be played with fewer players present. For instance a few players with 2 lives each could be defending a bunker/structure from 6 or more attackers that have only 1 life each for the game. This allows the defenders to stay in the game longer. When a player that has multiple lives gets hit he calls himself out as normal but instead of just saying 'hit!' he should say 'first hit!'. This lets everyone know that he isn't dead yet. This player now has 30 seconds that he cannot shoot or be shot at. Any shots at this player at this time do not count. The player can use this time to get to better cover but he cannot use it to run towards an attacker and he is only allowed to get behind the nearest cover available to him. This prevents unusual situations from occurring where a player with multiple lives gets hit and during his 30 seconds decides to run directly towards his attackers and to use cover behind them, etc.

Damageable weapons:
Some people prefer to play that if a weapon is struck it cannot be used for the rest of the game. This prevents people from pointing just their weapon around a corner and firing blindly, which can be VERY dangerous to those playing the game. Obviously, if a player that only has a single Airsoft weapon gets his weapon hit then he is considered 'killed' because he has no further use in the game.

Locational damage:
If you are playing with people that you trust (i.e. good friends) then you may want to try this slightly more involved system for damage. Instead of a player being considered 'killed' if he is hit anywhere on the body this optional rule allows players to remain playing in a 'crippled' capacity as long as they aren't hit in a Vital region. Hits to the Head, Neck, Chest, Stomach, or back are considered vital areas and you are 'killed' as normal if you are hit in one of these areas. Hits to the arms or legs force you to not be able to use them until the end of the current game. A second hit to an already damaged arm or leg means you are considered 'killed' as normal. A hit limb CANNOT BE USED FOR ANYTHING AT ALL. This means that if your leg is hit you must hop or crawl, if your arm is hit you aren't allowed to brace yourself on it, open doors with it, hold your gun with it, etc. It must hag limp or be tucked against your body. You can see why this rule can only really be used with friends that you trust because it's very difficult to enforce.

No head hits:
Some groups play that head hits don't count in order to discourage players from shooting at each others faces. This is mostly for safety reasons.
Game Variants

Last man standing (Ultimos homo statans) - All against all in a game often with limited time and area

Terminate (Team mot team) - Two teams that fight against each other until time has run out or one team has been annihilated

Capture the Flag - Two teams play against each other and try to take the other team's flag back to their on base (flag). The flag has to be carried clearly visible. This game can be played in two variants, 'Live Flag' or 'Dead Flag'. In Live Flag the flag is dropped if the Flag carrier is shot, and another player can pick the flag up. In 'Dead Flag' the Flag carrier has to return the Flag to the enemy's base, if the Flag carrier gets eliminated, before the Flag can be taken again.

Two bases one flag - In this game there are two bases, but only one flag and that flag is placed in the middle of the field between the two bases. One team begins in each base. To goal of this game is to take the Flag to the enemies' base. When the flag reaches the enemies base, the enemy loses. If the flag carrier is eliminated anyone can pick up the flag.

Grab the flag - Two teams, or more, that tries to be the first to reach the flag. The team that has the first player to reach the flag, alive, wins. This game should be played in fairly open terrain.

Traitors - Again two teams and this is a version of Capture the Flag. But the judges discreetly choose one player from each team that is given both teams' team-markers. Try to choose a player that hasn't had much luck during the day. Inform the teams that each team has a traitor. The game is played as Capture the Flag, but after the game has lasted for 5 minutes the traitors can change team anytime they chooses. Don't trust your team mates.

Manhunt - A voluntary player is the prey and the rest of the players are the hunters. The prey is given a pistol and some ammo, and the hunters can have whatever they want. The hunters should be between 4-10. The prey wins if he can reach a specific place within the timeframe. The hunter that shoots the prey wins otherwise. The hunters can't shoot each other.

Bounty Hunters - An everyman for himself game, where each player is issued a team-marker. Then the start signal is given all players runs out in the field. When the next signal is given the game starts. When someone is eliminated, the shooter gets the eliminated team marker. The shooter chooses if the eliminated should go to the shooter or if the shooter should collect the team marker himself. Team-forming is not allowed and the formers are disqualified. Game time should be at least one hour and the winner is the player with the most markers.

Wanted, Preferred Dead - A small team, 20% of the players (Prisoners) shall travel thru an area that is guarded by 80% of the players. The prisoners can't have any big weapons or support weapons. The guards can have whatever they choose. Each prisoner that reaches the goal is considered a winner. Time limit is somewhere between 30 minutes to many hours.

Commando Raid - A small group is the commandos. The rest off the players is divided to guard the objectives. The defender goes out to the field and begins to guard the objectives. Each objective should be guarded by the same amount of guards as the commandos are. The commandos are taken to a small zone outside the game area. This is their Insertion and Extraction. Point. When the commandos have finished with the mission, at least 1/3 has to return to this zone or they can't win. Inform the commandos that they have to reach a point in the game area, the 'Drop zone', where they will find information about what target they should attack and find the Flag. When they have taken the Flag from the objective they should leave the 'Flag' at the 'Drop Zone' and then return to the Extraction Point. There should be a time limit. The guards can barricade themselves and send out patrols, but not leave the objectives unprotected.

Paratroopers - Two teams are divided. 1/4 of the players are the Paratroopers and they're blindfolded and taken out to their 'Drop Zone'. At the drop zone they're given a simple map over the area. The other players are split to defend 3 objects in the area. The goal for the paratroopers is to 'take out' an objective by stealing its Flag and return with the Flag to the 'Pickup Zone'. When the judge at the 'Pickup Zone' has the Flag the paratroopers has won. The map should have faults and one of the objectives should be marked at the wrong place, or an extra flag could be marked.

Hostage rescue - Two teams are again divided. One team is divided into 'Hostage' and 'Rescue', while the other team is Guards. The hostage has to be divided to different locations. The rescue team can carry extra weaponry to the hostage. The hostage can attempt to flee but they can then be eliminated (Shot trying to escape). 50% of the Hostage has to be rescued.

SWAT terrorist elimination - Classic. A SWAT Team (25% of the players) shall clear an area of terrorists. Buildings are preferred for this variant.

King of the Hill - 1/3 of the players barricade themselves on a hill or relatively open area and the rest of the players are the attackers. On the top of the hill is a Flag, and the team that is closest to the flag when the time is out, wins. The hill should offer quite a bit of cover on its slopes.

Zombies - This is another Team vs. Team game, but all the eliminated players go to a third start point. When three eliminated players have reached that point, they form a zombie team and can play again. The new zombie team fights against all other teams, including other zombie teams. The game ends when there is only one player left from anyone of the original teams.

Trenches - A rectangular area about 50x125 m is divided into 10 sectors, 2x5. The two teams should be big, 15-40 players, and they start on the opposite short sides of the field. The team that controls most sectors when the game ends, wins. It takes at least 2 men and no enemies in a sector to control it. The flesh wound rule is used.

CQB (Close Quarter Battle) - Indoor versions of many games. Often played in a big house or in many houses.