Airsoft VS Mil-Sim

[US_Airsoft]

hello all I am here to post about the differences of Airsoft and Mil-Sim.  first off Mil-Sim is a short version of Military Simulation.  Military simulation is exactually what it refers to.  Amil-sim player mimics real world military members in events that simulate A military conflict.
  When I ask people if they know what airsoft is the most common responce is" Isnt it like paintball?"
or "oh ya thats the shoot-em up game with BB's"  The puublic doesnt really see the true side of airsoft.  Airsoft has evolved quite a bit within the last 2 or 3 years.  The ammount of stores that are going up are growing and the style of play is ever growing.  airsoft rifles are now being used in real world training by police, swat, pmc's, and Militarys all around the world. I will go into more detail about the real world training in another post.  Mil-sim is a very catchy phrase to describe airsoft and its a great idea to start using it because it will start to show the difference between airsoft and paintball. It will also teach people that it is not just a bunch of guys going out there unorganized and playing"shoot-em up"  I use Mil-sim as much as possible and It starts conversations alot more then If i said"Hello do you know what airsoft is?" now I say, when asked what i do in my free time " I am a avid Mil-sim player" that sparks more intregue to the sport.  I can go on and on about this.....But now I want your input.  Questions,Comments Concerns? post it and lets discuss this.

[WIDOW]

Airsoft overall IS milsim allthough not as advanced as the highups have the facilties,but in fact we do stage military scenrios.The reason most just say that it like paintball or that bb game is due to the low standard walmarts guns and lack of knowledge of higher quality guns.I myself have been involved in this sport going on 12 years,as most of you have either played with or against me,and can remember playing overseas when all airsoft was just about all gas using remote rigs and co2.But never the less,it has always been military simulation.yes it is good to let others know the difference,but makes sure you get the facts right.i myself don't just go running out anywhere waving a gun around yelling marko polo and wait to see who answers,lol.Do that and I'll put one between you eyes at 250 ft,lol.

[MatthewTyson]

Airsoft is an activity used primarily for recreation or sport wherein replica firearms shooting 6mm or 8mm plastic rounds are used for personal collection, gaming (similar to Paintball), or professional training purposes (Military Simulations and Police training exercises).
...
Airsoft games vary greatly in style and composition depending on location, budget, and the quantity of participants but often range from short-term skirmishes and organized scenarios to military simulations and historical reenactments.
Combat situations on the battlefield often involve the use of common military tactics to achieve the objectives set in each game. Participants typically use varying types of airsoft weaponry along with either real or replica military gear and uniforms.

Mil-sim is always Airsoft. Airsoft is not necessarily always mil-sim. Logical fallacies like this apparently make the world go round for some...
When people ask me what I do on the weekends, I tell them "airsoft". When they ask me that same question "You mean like paintball for panzies?" and start laughing, I laugh with them and then explain to them that I do Mil-sim, and what Mil-sim is. And the kind of airsoft guns that are typically found at a Mil-sim event. I have had several paintballers laugh at me because they think paintball is "more ****". Then they came to an airsoft game and got butt-hurt because a guy with a pistol killed both of them before they even got a shot off.

The TL;DR version: People who don't play airsoft know what "wal-mart" airsoft is. They'll never know what mil-sim is until they play it.

[Scotland]

Unfortunately airsoft and mil-sim seem to be farther away from each other, for me, than you make it out to be.  Maybe there is a more serious word for mil-sim that I am missing.  The big problem for me is the seriousness of airsoft/military simulation players.  For sure paintball is not really tactical at all.  Walmart airsoft is not that much better, but what we play is not yet to the same seriousness as Mil-sim in my opinion.  All that I have heard and seen of mil-sim is that it is usually not "played."  It is basically military practice for military personnel. They use only real capacity magazines, real night vision, real radios, and real tactics.  Their scenarios are organized by military organizations not for fun but for training.  It was actually you Guns and Butter who told me about the Mil-Sim scenario you went to in which they tried to "night drop" you into position.  They pushed you guys off of a moving car to reenact a "night drop" and ended up breaking some legs. Whenever I hear Mil-Sim I end up thinking about real soldiers who don't want to "play" at all.  But maybe that is just me.

[DYNOMUT]

I tend to agree with Scotland there is a milsim but we don't play it. I agree that good tactics are good tactics and the team that can adhere closest to that will do very well but I personally do this for fun so if guys on my team ever wanted to get that serious I don't think I would remain with them because I like to have fun.

[US_Airsoft]

Good point but look up operation irene and op lion claws, thats concidered mil-sim, the style of play there in the south, not trying to be disrespectfuul, has not matured all the way to this point, it will get there but you need the sport to grow.  Mil-sim is a big reason people start airsoft rather then paintball.  It is used buy military and police for training, but its available to the avarage civillian too.  Be patient Mississippi will be at a position that It will have alot of mil-sim events.

[DYNOMUT]

I hope you are right I look forward to a time where we have a larger community

[CREEPER]

I agree that MILSIM is what sets out sport apart, but WITHIN our sport, we have lots of differences.  For example,  my brainchild, SOUTHERN DOOM SQUAD, solely exists to offer a dedicated OPFOR unit.  We NEVER play TRUE milsim because our "loadouts" are not even close to what US MILSIM teams use.  With everyone hopping on the US MILSIM bandwagon, BOA and SOUTHERN DOOM SQUAD still stand alone!!!!

[Scotland]

I know with the rate that our sport is growing we will have Mil-Sim type stuff in Mississippi soon enough.  I would like to try out Mil-Sim, but I would not like to play it exclusively.  The scenario based airsoft we play is too much fun.  There are subtle variations in airsoft and I wish we had better names for each type.  They go from most laid back to most serious

Walmart/Backyard Airsoft (Walmart guns in your backyard)
Semi-Organized Team Airsoft (Automatic internet bought guns in your backyard or local woods)
Club Airsoft (Organized meeting times with automatic quality guns at a club field)
Scenario/Regional Airsoft (Multiple Teams/Clubs at organized event with quality guns)
Mil-Sim/Regional-National Airsoft (Multiple Teams/Multiple Clubs/Military Units/Police Units at VERY organized event with Very realistic weapons PTWs)

That is kinda how I see it, but I'm not the guru so feel free to correct me.

[US_Airsoft]

Scotland, Good point but Mil-Sim is not really game specific, Mil-Sim is more of objective based games that utilize real world loadouts as creeper stated, Very good points all, notw I want to bring up another question. How is airsoft viewed by the public and how is that impacting our sport?

[MatthewTyson]

Scotland, Good point but Mil-Sim is not really game specific, Mil-Sim is more of objective based games that utilize real world loadouts as creeper stated, Very good points all, notw I want to bring up another question. How is airsoft viewed by the public and how is that impacting our sport?

I hear varying opinions. A lot of old people are kinda skeptical, and a lot of the other guys my age gag when I tell them that I've spent several thousand dollars on the sport. Some of the others look at that and realize that they can kick my Butt with a wal-mart gun if they try hard enough, and they figure out they love the sport.

[CREEPER]

Ok. I think I finally understand the question.  You are proposing a "how should we make our sport look in the eyes of the public"  type of question.   That's easy.  We should definitely go with the MILSIM approach.   Otherwise, it's kinda just like backyard plinking, or as you stated, a "shoot em up" kind of pointless activity!  YES, it's best to portray ourselves as MILSIM.  Again, without milsim tactics and objectives, airsoft is almost stupid! Lol Sorry for the misunderstanding.   

[DYNOMUT]

Don't let this go to your head Creeper but I agree with you we are not back yard plinkers

[CREEPER]

TOO late Dynomut!  My hat got a little tighter!

[BARRICADE]

This is what the questions to this post refer to....

How is Airsoft being seen by they General public "Wal-Mart Shopper", or a friend?  When you ask a friend if they have ever heard of airsoft, and get the response, "That game is for Wimps!" or "Isn't that what the Kids play in the backyard.....?  Hell no I don't want to play it." OR "Isn't that the game you guys play with Military tactics like on Military channels 'Special Ops'?" 

This is the question that is needed to be answered.  How are comments like these affecting Airsoft?  Are they affecting it Negatively or Positively?  If it is Negatively, then how can we Correct this Problem?  How can we get those Ideas of Back yard play out of the "General Publics" Heads?  How can we give the perception that Airsoft has a more appealing side to it in the form of......MILSIM?