Airsoft is a versatile game. It can be played in warehouses or outdoors in forests or fields. Many scenarios can be run and many different situations can be encountered. The airsoft player must be equipped to properly handle the situations that he might face during a game. Part of being prepared for the right situations is playing an appropriate role. The team in which all members know their place will be much more effective.
There are many specific roles on a team, but they can be broken down into four main categories. Assault, CQB, Sniper and Heavy Gunner are the main roles of the team. Most airsoft players will start out as assault or CQB depending on their gaming environment. However, for some, the call of a sniper rifle or heavy machine gun will be too strong and they will inevitably land in these roles.
The assault gunner fulfills the standard infantry role. Most members of a squad will fall into this category. Assault gunners use assault rifles, such as the M16, M4, or AK-47. These rifles will generally be set up for a good middle ground between ROF and accuracy. A narrow caliber cannon is a great first upgrade for a player looking to take on the assault role. Tactical gear should be substantial enough for extra magazines and grenades, but not so bulky as to limit movement. Multiple grenade launchers are unnecessary but highly recommended.
CQB is similar to Assault Gunner but with a greater emphasis on melee battles, hence the name. Those who play indoors in warehouses or on very small fields may want to consider the CQB role. Machine guns are generally the weapon of choice for CQB specialists, and MP5 variants are very popular and widely available. More emphasis is placed on ROF than accuracy or power, a more powerful battery would be a proper first upgrade. SWAT team and cross holster tactical vests are very popular for CQB.
Sniper is probably the most popular support role as everyone loves to live out their Call of Duty fantasies. There is a huge market for airsoft sniper rifles with an abundance of electric, bolt-action, or gas-powered options. Many fields allow special rules for sniping, where sniper rifles can sometimes register up to 700FPS. These ranges typically include an engagement rule whereby snipers must switch to a weapon if the opponent is within 100 feet. To qualify for the highest FPS sniper rifles, they generally need to be single shot or modified in a way that makes it impossible to switch to auto fire.
Heavy Gunner is the role everyone secretly wants to play, but most of us can’t afford it. Playing the heavy gunner correctly is usually very expensive, as the prices of the right weapons are high. Good replicas of the M249 are some of the most expensive replicas out there. However, the heavy gunner can be made cheaply, for example many companies offer affordable RPK models. Heavy gunners generally like to lug gear around, as moving fast with an M249 is pretty much impossible anyway. There are even airsoft miniguns available that require someone to follow the gunner with a duffel bag full of ammunition.
These are the four main roles to fill in an airsoft team. They each have their own weapons and equipment associated with the role, and different mindsets when playing the game. Which one to choose is up to the individual player, but keep in mind that some weapons, like the M16, can be modified to fit almost any role. Because all airsoft guns are essentially the same internally, how the gun is upgraded is the biggest factor in determining effectiveness in different situations.
