Humans are creatures of habit, right? We do what we’ve always done to a large degree.. But there are some mistakes airsofters KEEP making which just don’t make sense..
Not only do these mistakes mean you keep getting shot and losing your games, but they’re really easy to fix when you notice you’re making them. These are not ALL of the mistakes airsofters make, because there are quite frankly, LOTS. These will help you play a better game however!
You might also want to read our guide on how to be a better airsofter as well since you’re here. Also check out our list of the best airsofting gear for beginners.
Common airsoft mistakes
These airsofting mistakes are more common than they should be, especially when we explain them and list them like this. You think ‘Oh,, of course! Why do I do that?!’. Hopefully you’ll become a better player by reading about these mistakes.
1: Popping up in the same place more than once
Think about it, when you’re hiding or taking cover, people are looking for you. If you pop your head up in one place, have a little look round and then pop down again.. Someone might have seen you.
IF someone DID see you, they’ll be aiming right at where you just popped up from, waiting for your next move.. So don’t pop up in the same place again! It’s just asking to be shot in the face! This one seems like it would be common sense but we’ve got LOADS of kills by just aiming where people popped up from once!
2: Having too many guns or accesories
We’ve all seen that idiot carrying 5 guns round the battlefield, and then after half an hour they’re too tired to keep running because they’re carrying heavy guns so they rest near the deadzone. It slows the team down and it’s not needed.
You need at most 2-3 guns in any game, usually one main like a rifle or a sniper, and one sidearm like a shotgun or pistol. Maybe you can also take a grenade or two but not 5 guns!! Full disclaimer, some people absolutely ROCK carrying 5 guns or more, and can do it without it slowing them down, but they’re in the minority. Carrying more than one gun is for when you’re a better airsofter.
3: Burning your motor out
This is a more technical problem than anything else. If you have a decent gun or a powerful rate of fire, don’t fire continuously for more than a few seconds. It might look cool, but you risk burning out your motor and damaging the gun. You ideally should fire in controlled bursts of 2-3 seconds or less. Not only will that save your gun and motor, but you’ll be FAR more accurate as well! Don’t take our word for it, try next time you play only firing for short bursts instead of going trigger happy.
4: You gun isn’t good enough!
Another common airsoft mistake is just not having a good enough airsoft gun! It’s okay, lots of people don’t realise their gun isn’t good. Just ask around and try and get a feeling of what the common opinion of certain guns is.
If you ask 100 airsofters and they ALL tell you (or most of them tell you) that a certain gun or brand isn’t good, listen to them. They’re experienced and why would they lie about it? A great gun for all skill levels is the G36:
5: You’re not fit enough
Another common airsoft mistake beginners make is just not being fit enough. Experienced airsofters know that you’re going to be running around a LOT in an airsoft game. You’re going to be crouching, ducking, running, crawling and anything else. You need to be fit. And on top of all that, you’re going to be stressed, hot, and carrying heavy guns and gear. Try and train in the gym outside the airsoft field as well, doing things like squats, sprints and other cardio.
6: You’re not calling your hits
If you’re a beginner, it’s tempting to just not call out ‘HIT’ when you get shot. It lets you play for a bit longer, and you’re sure nobody saw you get hit, so you think you can get away with it, right? Well, not always. Lots of people are running scope cams and recording their games (especially snipers) because so many people don’t call their hits. Don’t be one of the airsofters who don’t call their hits, it ruins the game for everyone.
Not only that, if you don’t call your hits, you’re not really improving! It’s like you’re cheating, and whenever you cheat in a video game, you NEVER improve at that game. Keep it honest, and go to a deadzone when you get hit. Just pretend it’s real and you’ve ACTUALLY been hit. We quite enjoy screaming hit at the top of our lungs, it adds to the excitment of it all.
7: You’re calling the WRONG hits
Another really annoying thing that airsofters do (although not usually beginners) is to call ‘TAKE YOUR HIT’ at people who they haven’t actually hit. Make sure that you KNOW you’ve hit someone before shouting that. The best way of getting round people who don’t take their hits is just to keep shooting them, if your gun is good it will be too painful for them to just sit there, and they’ll have to shout hit to escape!
This tends to be a problem among experienced airsofters, or players who get too confident/angry. Make sure you’re looking directly at your target, and you’re really sure you’re hitting them, And even then it’s best NOT to call out ‘take your hit’.
8: Don’t charge your batteries wrong
Airsoft batteries are sensitive, they’re very dangerous if you leave them unattended and have been known to catch fire or explode. Don’t be put off but just think about where and how you’re charging them. Don’t just leave them downstairs overnight next to your carpets, the best place to charge them is in an outside garage in the day time when you’re at home. That way you don’t have to worry about them setting your house on fire.
9: Wind up your magazines
If you’re using a hi-cap magazine, make sure it’s wound up! After a while your mag needs winding up to make sure the BBs are being pushed up into the chamber. If you forget to this then it could bite you in the ass! You could really need to fire but if your mag isn’t wound, the gun will make a loud noise but nothing comes out! By the time you realise what the problem is, you’ve been shot in the nuts.
10: Not washing your clothes
Look, we get it. You’re busy, and as soon as you get home from your weekend warriors game, you like to throw your gear on the floor and forget about it until next week. But once in a while, make sure to wash your airsofting clothing. It smells, and no one likes being stuck in a bunker with a sweaty airsofter. Wash your stuff. Not every week if you can’t manage that, but at least once or twice a month.
11: Don’t use bad quality BBs!
Bad ammo is cheaper to buy but it will cost you LOTS more when it shatters inside your gun and ruins your motor and gets stuck in the barrel. This can be a very annoying problem that can render your gun useless. Don’t use bad ammo just because it’s cheaper, I mean decent airsoft ammo isn’t even that expensive! And don’t be that perso who picks ammo up from the floor to load your speed loader. It’s dirty and will ruin your gun.
12: Not thinking about your environment
Prepare to play in the environment. Is it hot? Cold? Make sure you dress for the weather and not just turning up wearing whatever you like. If you’re playing in the cold, dress warm. If you’re playing in the heat, make sure you don’t wear too much, because heatstroke isn’t fun.
13: Using a sniper before you’re ready
A sniper rifle is not for beginners. Usually snipers fire only one shot at a time, and you have to be accurate. If you miss, you’re going to be lit up by everyone who sees or hears you followed by the entire team yelling ‘SNIPER!’ and starting a witch hunt for you. Make sure you only pick up a sniper when you’re ready, because you’ll become the target of the other team.
14: Not knowing the rules
There are different rules for every game type. It’s not all just ‘fire at the enemy’ and the more serious organised airsoft sites have stricter rules and ban you if you don’t follow them. Make sure you know how to play the game type, and what gun restrictions there are for example. Some game types even have restrictions on how long you can burst fire for.
15: Wasting your bullets
Bullets aren’t free, but more than that, by firing random bullets into the distance you waste your ammo, battery, and time. Not only that but you let people know where you are, and it makes it more likely you’ll get found and shot. Fire when you see an enemy, and even then, controlled bursts are much more effective.
16: Not reacting to contact properly
When you make contact, you should let your team know (quietly if you’ve not actually been seen by the enemy) and take cover. Don’t just keep walking, Start firing randomly or do anything else that screams ‘panic’. Many games have been lost by someone not reacting to contact properly and just going nuts.
17: Not cleaning your airsoft guns
Airsoft guns as you probably know are sensitive. Some types of guns break more than others but ALL airsoft guns like to be cleaned every now and then. When we say cleaned we don’t just mean run a wet wipe over the barrel, we mean taking it apart and lubing up the motor and barrel, and making sure everything’s tight and running properly. This will save you from jams and breakages in the long run.
18: Running into a full room!
If there’s a tiny room full of airsofters, don’t just run into the room suddenly. Even if it’s full of YOUR team, by running in quickly you’re very likely to get shot so just approach with caution and try and work out who’s team is inside. Even if it’s clear, proceed carefully. Point blanc shots REALLY hurt especially from a shotgun or gas pistol.
19: Firing after your guns jammed
If your airsoft gun gets jammed, don’t keep firing after you’ve heard it jam. It’s much more likely to break if you do that. Take the gun apart or move to a dead zone to fix it. By constantly firing it if it’s jammed you’re likely to break the motor and damage the gun long term.
20: Clinging to other players
If you’re new, a common airsofter mistake is to cling closely to other players and move around with them. By doing that, you make it more likely you’ll ALL be killed together. It’s better to spread out and take your own cover. Don’t make it easy for the enemy to just throw a grenade at you or shoot you all at once!
21: Running out of water
Running around all day you’re very likely to need water more than ever before. Don’t just run around waiting for the break to have a drink, bring a hydration pack. By bringing a hydration pack like this, you can have a drink whenever you want, and you don’t need to stop or take a bottle out.
22: Being way too predictable
We never like to play the same game twice. Don’t be that person who ALWAYS flanks the enemy, because they’ll predict it. Not only will you have more fun by being random and unpredictable, but you’ll also die less because no-one will know what you’re going to do next. It’s much better to be the random and unpredictable player than the player who always does the same thing.
23: Forgetting to go to training
If you’re playing properly in an airsofting team, there’s a good chance they trai together outside of proper games to get better. You should go to those trainings, because they’ll massively improve your tactics and skills. It’s more fun when you’re part of a team and you ALL know what you’re doing and what tactics you’re playing.
24: Shooting your own team!
Friendly fire is the most annoying thing in the world because not only is it avoidable, but it also hurts. When you shoot your own team, it’s usually close range (so more painful) because they’re more likely to be close to you. Make sure you clearly identify the enemy before firing at them, and make sure you keep your gun on safe mode around friendlies.
25: Not taking cover properly
When you take cover, try and think about WHAT you’re hiding behind and where you are on the battlefield. Try and imagine what the situation looks like from above. Are you in the right place? Or is it super easy for your position to be flanked, or for someone to throw a grenade at you? Take cover ideally at the edges of a battlefield behind big heavy and dense objects. A shrub will not protect you from a minigun. Just saying.
26: Not following orders
Certain game types have different rules, and certain games also have people in charge like commanders. Listen to what they say and if someone’s been put in charge of your team, listen to them and do what they say. It’s more fun because you can actually play the game how it’s meant to be played. If you just go off and do your own thing, you’re more likely to die and it’s just not fun..
27: Taking your gun out in public
This is more of a legal mistake than an airsofting one, but in most places, you can’t take your airsofting gun out in public. It’s actually dangerous (police might shoot you) if you are seen to have a weapon in public, and most airsofting guns look like the real thing, so just don’t risk it. Always use gun cases and be discreet about transporting your airsoft guns, and avoid using the local park as a firing range.
28: Your gun is too powerful
Respect the local FPS limits at your airsofting site. It’s a common mistake made by airsofters to just assume their gun is fine because it’s an airsofting gun. If you’ve bought a gun especially from asia, there’s a good chance it’s more powerful than it says it is. usually guns bought form overseas are either MORE or LESS powerful than advertised, so always check your FPS before playing!
29: Being late to the game
Nobody like being late, so try and be on time for your games and not holding the team up. It’s also not the same experience to join a game after everyone’s already had the briefing and run off into the field. You miss out on the start of the game, the rules, the game type and the pre game banter.
30: Forgetting to have fun!
Last but certianly not least is don’t forget to have fun! Airsofting has many rules and things to be careful of, and as you’ve seen lots of people make mistakes but have fun with it! It’s meant to be a fun game, so just relax, load up your gun and play a good game!