Blanks in airsoft

[ClownBaby]

Guy who didn't call his grenade hit (cheating) sat in the corner, as my friend and the number two guy made entry, the cheater raised his gun and shot it right into his face. Burns? Yes. Metal, however small? Yes, and enough to ruin my friends eye and face. Don't tell him I said the part bout his face.

Theirs always cheaters.

[Jester316]

The "artillery" at the most recent MSW was firework shells. They were hand thrown close to players, but not directly on them.

The ONLY issues I saw was during the night assault on the village. Artillery shell was lit and thrown and landed on the leg of one of the Russians. He reacted instantly and barrel rolled 3-4 times away from the shell before it went off. Everyone was ok, and we moved on. Not really much that can be done about that situation. Just a really shitty set of circumstances. Just goes to show that even as a dead player, you need to be aware of your surroundings.


I would love to see more blank fire, "artillery shells", mortars, and other things that go boom. It adds to the feeling of the game. It makes you react more than just humping a tree when you start taking BB's.

[Matt]

I'm not into it. It's fine for ambiance and background noise, but not for force on force. It's like playing cops and robbers when you were 10 years old. If you want to shoot blanks, do reenacting and have ALL blanks. Put everybody on the same level playing field. I'd rather shoot a real projectile so I know if I hit somebody and they can feel it. That's kind of the point of Airsoft.

I'm sure that you explain to people who run blanks that they may not get kills. Cool story bro, but I'll bet some of the guys who do run blanks still get butt hurt when they have an enemy dead to rights and shoot at him only to have that person not honor the hit. It's going to cause problems no matter what the policy says. It's human nature. People will phony pony and moan. It'll cause a rift between blank users and Airsoft users.

Finally, there's a lot of people in this community I would shoot plastic at, but I would NEVER go shooting real steel with. They're unsafe, they act like morons, or they are paranoid freaks who should probably lock themselves up in a cabin somewhere to prepare for the apocalypse. I feel more comfortable knowing that the gun they're wielding could only hit me with a 6mm plastic BB. I don't feel comfortable being around unstable individuals with ARs. Some of you did that for a living and you didn't have a choice, I fully understand that, but I'm just a video game geek. I'm not getting paid to tote an AR and march next to the guy voted "most likely to go on a homicidal rampage because the Aliens are landing tomorrow." But honestly, it's the washouts you gotta worry about, they got some pent-up rage! But that's just my opinion, I'm an asshole. Maybe some of you are more trusting than I am.

It's just not for me.

[Eudorus]

For the most part I agree with Matt.

[Nodachi]

Mostly agreeing with Matt, in terms of people with airsoft going up against people with blanks.

Great for immersion, but there are already enough issues with airsoft that another complex element isn't going to help.

I would also prefer they be restricted to admins, as there just seems like too large of a liability once you start allowing larger numbers of blank firing weapons from other individuals, which when you think about it, most of the blank firing weapons we are talking about really begin in a lethal state and have to then be modified to be nonlethal through the use of blanks and a BFA.

The potential for a ND just seems really problematic to me from a liability standpoint, and it really reminds me of a player's 'incident' with the BFA at one of the early MSW games.

[Jester316]

Mostly agreeing with Matt, in terms of people with airsoft going up against people with blanks.

Great for immersion, but there are already enough issues with airsoft that another complex element isn't going to help.

So we shouldn't add elements because it can screw things up? Should we revert back to no respawns? No medic rules? No missions? All those things add complex elements, and we seem to cope pretty well with them.

I would also prefer they be restricted to admins, as there just seems like too large of a liability once you start allowing larger numbers of blank firing weapons from other individuals, which when you think about it, most of the blank firing weapons we are talking about really begin in a lethal state and have to then be modified to be nonlethal through the use of blanks and a BFA.

Guns are neither lethal nor non lethal in their normal state. What the operator chooses to load them with determines which side of the scale they drift onto.

The potential for a ND just seems really problematic to me from a liability standpoint, and it really reminds me of a player's 'incident' with the BFA at one of the early MSW games.

There were a very large number of blank firing weapons at the most recent MSW event. There were 0 ND's. The structure for blanks was very controlled and well explained to all those using them.

[McNair]

I used to do reenacting back in the day. Reenacting attracts some of the oddest and most paranoid people and there was never a ND or any issues in the years I participated. I am pretty sure that there has been none since or prior.

Luckily the people we're targeting with this event are into the blank fire and the majority of people who don't like the idea of blank fire aren't into these types of events anyway.

The ratio of not taking hits to blank fire to the ratio of people thinking people aren't taking hits with airsoft are probably much less. The few issues I've heard from blank fire users complaining will be addressed(such as shooting 3 round bursts at 200+ yards at someone running and complaining they're not taking the hit and replacing the typical BFA on an AR with the hollywood BFAs).

[tucansam21]

What if it came to the point that the majority of players in a particular game were using blanks? Would a cap be set? Because that wouldn't be airsoft anymore. I like the immersion factor plenty, just not the potential conflict from player on player blank fire and calling hits. I would love to see fixed positions with automatic weapons blank firing, admins/actors, etc... In my opinion if people want to roll with a real gun they should be separate from either team, signed up as an actor, receive a special briefing, and be considered 'props'.

[Payback]

I would be fine with blank fire weapons used by anyone. The sounds would be a great addition to an event. Maybe mix a few blank fire into a squad of airsoft riflemen.

But I wouldn't call a hit from them, ever. It's airsoft, we shoot plastic bb's, not rainbows of color, or shoot our imagination at each other. It's hard enough at distance to know when 1 bb hits your back or vest to call it, let alone some guy 100 yards away shooting in your general direction.

If it were 100% blank fire, then i would call the hits, but at an airsoft event, i wouldn't. But I would 100% enjoy the use of them, and i would even consider using one myself (while never expecting anyone to call a hit from me).

But i'm no milsim player.

[Cameron Zombie]

It sounds like people like:
1.) Who can use blanks (Admins only, or players)

3.) Use of Blanks indoors

4.) Calling of Blank Hits

For me, Darius, it kinda stands at this...

1. I love the idea of a registration process to use blanks. Once you get your card, your set for all future events by that organizer. It's simple and shows above and beyond that the weapon operator can prove he is safe.

3. Blank fire indoors is a little bit too sketchy for me. Not so much from an earpro standpoint, although I can understand that as well. My issue is that it's entirely too easy for someone to come around a corner and end up with a blank-firing machine shooting right into their face. It's like how some organizers don't allow you to shoot out of buildings unless you're on semi auto. The risk-immersion ratio is too off for me personally.

4. If you get shot at by a player and think "Well, if that guy was firing a real 5.56 or 7.62 at me, I'd be bleeding toast", then I think you should be honorable and take the death. A similar scenario is if you aren't paying attention and you feel a sneaky player's muzzle against you, them grinning because they managed to sneak up on you. I tend to take deaths when people have me dead to rights. I do agree that they shouldn't be mandatory, lest it turn into something where more people want to use their blanks over BB's.

[Jewish Ninja]

The cost and lack of people calling the "blank hits" would prevent a large number of players showing up with only blanks.

Blanks are fine indoors IMHO, but I can totally understand people not wanting a loud explosion an inch from their face. One would hope that the blank shooter would exercise some trigger discipline, and not just fire if they see movement. I think if the event did allow indoor blanks, that ear plugs/ muffs and full seal goggles (no mesh) would be a requirement for all players.

[Cameron Zombie]

The cost and lack of people calling the "blank hits" would prevent a large number of players showing up with only blanks.

I meant if the organizer made taking blank-fire hits mandatory, but the rest of what you said I can get behind.

[Pacman]

I can't believe I'm actually agreeing with Kabar for once. I have no issue in general. I will say I've seen plenty of players with no ear pro next to a wacky a$$ sending "fire" downgrange who were more than a little mad because of the temporary hearing issues from said wacky a$$

[Jester316]

I can't believe I'm actually agreeing with Kabar for once. I have no issue in general. I will say I've seen plenty of players with no ear pro next to a wacky a$$ sending "fire" downgrange who were more than a little mad because of the temporary hearing issues from said wacky a$$

If it is well stated beforehand, than I have no sympathy for people not using hearing protection. Knowing that there will be blanks in use (and other sound effects that result in a loud sharp report), I'd want to protect my ears (and I did at the last MSW game...).

[Pacman]

These are the same kinds of kids that brought candy bars, Gatorade and no sleeping bags to the prior MSW event. Also the kind that show up at summer games with a can of coke and no hydro. There's no substitute for age and experience.