Alright, so i'm really getting annoyed by all these 11 year olds going "Ohh go to airsplat or hobbytron! they're good!!!"
No. This is a real guide for the noobs/intermediates looking for some ACTUAL advice.
In this guide i will teach you some things i've picked up in the 2 years that I have been playing.
The picture IS ME! Now this was me one day with just a loadout that was comfortable. Not my normal US army loadout.

Step 1: The Essentials

Alright, you dont need everything under the sun to be a good player. The items will go in order of importance.
First off you NEED a mask! DO NOT even think about going near a game without one. You can't get new eyes.
Second you will need a gun (Duh.) I recomend companies like G&G affordable sereis, The Airsoft GI G4 series, Echo 1, The good Cyma guns like the CYMA CM023 m14, some JG like the tactical ak47, and SRC.
Third you're gonna need ammo, I sugest golden ball because it is cheap and not low quality. DO NOT EVER buy ammo from Wal-Mart or any sporting goods store (Same goes for guns)
Fourth, youre gonna need some gear. Go to a local army surplus store, or an online one. Ebay is perfectly fine as long as you buy from a trusted seller. Or if you have the money to do so then buy your gear from an airsoft wesite, it is generally more expensive though. Starting off, i would recomend some good old woodland camo, a cheap load bearing vest (Or ALICE rig) and to start off, some cheap hiking boots.
And last of all you need a feild to play at, DO NOT play in your back yard or public places, that can get the cops called and you can get into alot of trouble.

I will go into depth about all of these items.

Step 2: Masks

A mask is the most important part of your airsoft loadout because it protects your eyes.
You cant play airsoft without your eyes right?
I recomend using a paintball mask at first so you dont have to suffer the painful face shots. They will fog if you don't have defogger.
I also recomend using mesh masks because they dont fog, and provide good protection.
Personally I use mesh goggles and a iron face because i can take off the mask part if it is too hot out.

Step 3: Your Gun

There are 3 ways that airsoft guns are powered:
Electricity: AEG (Airsoft electric gun) are normally assault rifles and smg's AEP (Airsoft electric pistol)
Gas: Normally GBB's (Gas blow back) They are usually pistols but can be rifles. High end snipers also use gas.
Spring: Usually refered to as "Springers" Low end assault rifles/SMG's and pistols. There are good spring snipers though.
DO NOT for the love of goe EVER buy a gun from a site like Hobbytron and Airsplat. They have low quality guns and aren't very reliable.
Use sites like:
Airsoft GI (HIGHLY recommended)
Evike (Also good)
Red Wolf Airsoft (A bit pricey)
Airsoft Atlanta (Also Pricey)
Kapowwe (Meh.)
Some good gun brands are:
G&G (I recomend getting the Airsoft GI G4 series)
Echo 1
Some CYMs guns
Some JG can be alright
SRC (Pricey)
There is a few other companies that i probably forgot to mention but oh well.
NEVER buy from:
Double Eagle
Both Elephant
Well
Or any LPEG
Now a good gun cost you 140 and up. Don'g go off buying some gun because it comes with a lot of attatchments. Now onto the BB's

Step 4: Ammo

So, you've selected your gun and mask. Now onto the ammo you are gonna need.
I suggest golden ball because it is cheap and it is good.
The matrix bbs are also good but are more expensive.
Always get "Professional grade" BB's from airsoft websites or a local store that is dedicated to airsoft.
Never buy ammo from Wal Mart. Ever. Also, don't use .12 gram BB's unless you are using a spring pistol (Not recommended)
There are 4 main weights of BB's, .12, .20, .25, and .30
.12 are used for low quality guns.
.20 are best for guns around 300-370 fps.
.25 (What i use) are best for guns from 371-450 fps
.30 are for use in high power high quality sniper rifles only. Not for your average AEG.
Now that we have covered the BB's its on to the gear.

Step 5: Gear

Now, you don't need the best and most expensive gear in the world to have a nice loadout.
Like i said in the essentials section, some woodland camo, a load bearing vest, and some hiking boots will do for now.
But if you are looking into better gear then go with a Molle rig. (What i run)
Molle allows you to attatch different pouches and other things (I.e. Camelbacks) to your vest.
This can get pricey if you are building your own, that is why i suggest getting a pre built rig with some mag pouches, a utility pouch, and probably an admin pouch.
Helmets are cool, but not necisary. They do protect your head (I recommend for CQC) and they look cool when you put the right stuff on them. But a baseball hat works just fine.
Boots are one of the most important part of your gear. They protect your ankles from getting twisted/sparined and are normally waterproof. You will need a really good pair of boots. (About 100 dollars) You should get them for christmas or your birthday.
The reason you need a good pair of boots is that they will last you a long time (Mine have lasted me from the day i went to my first game)
and if you take care of them, they will take care of you. The boots in the first picture are the boots that i have had for about 2 years.
Gloves are also important because they protect you hands from thise painful knickle shots. I suggest getting some $15 dollar replica Oakleys, they have a hard knuckle, and they breathe well.

Step 6: A Feild to Play At

NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER!!! Play in public. Your backyard can be okay as long as you have told everyone around you that you are playing with airsoft guns.
ONLY play in your backyard if there is absolutely no way possible of getting to a feild.
Now, you should go onto google and search for airsoft feilds in your local area (Mine would be "Airsoft feilds in Dawsonville GA") and look what I found a short trip from my house! http://www.teamairsoft.com/home/main.htm
Airsoft feilds normally will cost anywhere from 15-20 dollars to play at, but it is well worth it for the experience you get.
There is about 50-70 people on a normal day at the feild i play at, and lets just face it.
Airsoft is a heck of a lot more funner with more people.
I went to an Op in South Carolina that was GA vs SC that lasted 24 hours and consisted of about 250 people.
Georgia won, South Carolina sucks Ballsack.

Step 7: Tactics

Now. Seeing as how this isn't real war, normal tactics dont apply.
That means your tactics that you saw in that movie don't apply here.
Tactics that actually work are:
Flanking: Going around to the sides or rear of your enemy.
Ambushing
Leap frogging (Cover team mate as they move, They do the same for you. Rinse and repeat.)
Rushing (Not a bonzai charge, more of a move from cover to cover type of thing)
Now. Tactics that don't work:
"That thing the guys did in the video game"
"That thing the guys did in the movie"
Tactics from the revolutionary war.
Anything that just sounds stupid
Now onto a tactic that deserves its own section:
The Bonzai charge.
It is THE most fun thing you can do!
I can't even describe in words being part of a 50 man bonzai charge how fun it is. Or the 1 man "Leeroy Jenkins" charges that are so fun.
You WILL get hurt doing these!!!! Obviously enough because you are running into a swarm of hostiles.
But who cares??? Suck it up and be a man, pain is temporary.

Step 8: Teams

Once you get into airsoft and have been playing it for a while, you might want to join a team.
Don't go off starting a team with a bunch of your friends who just started.
Stay a lone wolf for a while before you join one.
Always join a team with someone whom you have befriended while playing airsof, that way you have a good chance of getting in.
Now that you are on your team, NEVER seperate from the group unless you have been given the okay from the team leader, you are a ditcher (faggot) if you do that.
Get to know your team's strenghts and weaknesses so you can use them to your advantage.
Never join a team that has rank... Rank is for the Military, not airsoft.
Instead join a team based on seniority. (The longer you have played, the higher you are)
My team "The Operators" are beast... Just saying.