[r.d.fretz]

For starters, let's just say that a video gamer does NOT have the skill set or physical ability to pull off what he does in the games! I'm not a gamer, but have heard so very much about it this past summer. And I still can't figure out why people are willing to sit in front of a TV for hours on end, and yet don't seem to get the idea that real life is out there begging for them!

Now that being said, I can also say that at the beginning of summer, I felt like I wasn’t far from being in shape. What I didn’t realize was that “pair” is not the best “shape” to be in when you plan to airsoft every weekend! So this winter, I plan to leave my couch more often and go to that “gym” thing those young guns keep bragging about… Seriously, I was way out of shape at the beginning of the summer, and am only now able to sprint more than 50 meters at a time. Getting into actual physical condition is a smart idea!

I have also learned that if you plan to get out there often, having a map even for a smaller field isn’t a bad idea. This is helpful not just to find my own way around, but to let other players know exactly where I plan to go and what I plan to do there. A map allows me to show the exact place I plan to be at, rather than just saying ‘see that bunker over there?’ sounds dumb when you ask for a map, but it is honestly helpful when trying to maneuver as a team.

I had a blast doing some night games. At first we used some lights on the fields. Then we decided road flares were an idea. Eventually we discovered that if we just use the lights to get set up and then when the lights go out, we begin to move and use tactics more. Flashlights seem like a great idea until you discover they point out YOUR position more than anything!

Before long, we all began to use flashlights in a whole new way. Set up a light to strobe and put it somewhere, you no longer have to babysit that location and it also distracts the opponents. It can be frustrating or fun, depending on which side of the strobe you’re on.

Sneaking around in the dark added a whole new level of intensity to the game. At times I could be standing upright in the middle of open ground and had no worries about being fired at. At other times I was trying my best to look like a stump, or hiding behind one, while shots were all around me.

Then we decided to change the game up a bit… We built a maze! Hallways that are no bigger than 36 inches, a room in the middle that is more like a kill box than anything. We even added a short tower/perch that had a third door under it and a really bad place to try and hide on top. Half walls that you need to duck under to pass through in some places. In other places, there were half walls to could shoot over. It was pretty intense… Then we tried it at night!

After the first night game in the maze I was unable to get it out of my mind! It was such a sweet place to play, all those angles and dark shadows. I was constantly trying to figure out a better way to ‘get the drop’ on other players while making sure no one could get me first.

I have tried the game types I’ve seen posted in here and must admit I really enjoyed ‘switcharoo’, and I’m still anxious to play ‘juggernaut’. Radios are a great tool to have, but if you don’t have them, you and your team need to find ways to communicate without them and as quietly as possible. Hand signals are a great idea as long as everyone remembers to keep it simple. They are hand signals, not sign language! Don’t try to have a conversation.

Thanks to the maze building, I now am able to come around corners and clear areas alone, or as part of a team. Practice means everything! Saying I know it, or running around my house are great starting points, but when there is someone else actively trying to shoot you, it changes how you act and react. I highly recommend getting out there with a few others and try going through a building against each other. Even if there are only 4 people you can have decent 2 vs. 2 games. Change the teams up after each match just so you can learn what works and what doesn’t with fresh perspective.

In the end, it doesn’t matter if it’s a skirmish or scenario. It really doesn’t matter if it’s a day game or a night game, lights or not. The important thing is we all get out there and do something fun that our bodies are going to appreciate! …mostly. The idea is to not be a couch potato and enjoy some fresh air! Build friendships if not teams! Promote the sport and help people understand we aren’t ‘nut-jobs’ without social skills. This sport is so much more than running around shooting your fiends, but it is a huge bonus! This is a safe and fun sport filled with friendly people. So lets get out there more often and show our passion for actual physical activity, not just a video game!