This is my personal guide on airsoft. I attempt to cover every important aspect I could think of in the next slides. I go over weapons, clothing, strategy, and much more!

Step 1: Shotgun, Rifle, Sniper or Machine Gun?

Each weapon has advantages and disadvantages. My personal favorite is the shotgun because of its power and high rate of fire (if your shotgun is pump action at least). Your chosen weapon usually comes down to your playing style. If you don't move around much a sniper rifle might be a good choice. However if you never stop moving and attacking others then a machine gun would be a much better weapon for you.

Note: If you play with C0H2 or Gas guns these descriptions may not match your weapon.

Type: Shotgun
Advantages: Powerful, Great Rate of Fire, Large Magazine
Description: The shotgun is a good weapon for close-medium range combat. It has decent accuracy & range. It also has great power. If you can find a pump action version you will be able to have a very good rate of fire. In addition, Shotguns generally have large "drum" magazines capable of holding hundreds of BB's which eliminates to reload or change clips often.

Type: Rifle
Advantages: Accurate, Good Range, Decent power
Description: The rifle is best used in medium-far combat. Its accuracy allows you to attack from a safe distance. It also shoots faster than a sniper so you can take more shots closer up. A good rifle should have good long range accuracy and a decent rate of fire.

Type: Sniper
Advantages: Very Accurate, Great Range, Very Powerful
Description: The sniper is a long range weapon. Some snipers come with scopes, although personally I find hard sights are more efficient at multiple ranges. The main perk of the sniper is it it allows you to pick off enemies from a distance without being seen. Also, most people will be scared of the snipers power which will force them to get under cover more often. Pared up with a spotter, the sniper is a capable weapon.

Type: Machine Gun
Advantages: High rate of fire, All around good weapon
Description: Great for "assaulting" the enemy, the machine shoots faster than all the other gun. Power and accuracy usually aren't very good though. Very good all around gun that works great in almost all situations

Step 2: Spring, Gas, or Electric?

Most groups of Airsofters play with one or two types of weapon, either gas, electric, or spring. Playing with gas and spring guns together is usually not a good idea (gas will have the advantage of high FPS and rate of fire). My friends and I usually play with spring and electric guns, however we occasionally used gas. The guns should all have similar FPS and price tags in order to level the playing field.

SPRING

Pros:
Cheap

Reliable and Long Lasting

Easy to use

Lightweight

Cons:
Cheaper Guns Lack power

Have to cock every shot

GAS/C02

Pros:
Very Powerful

Fast Rate of Fire

Cons:

Loud

Expensive

Heavy

Gas/C02 expensive

ELECTRIC

Pros:
Very high rate of fire

Generally Cheap

Lightweight

Cons:
Fragile

Usually low FPS

Battery lasts only up to 5 hours

Step 3: Clothes/Armor

You will want some clothes that are decently thick and also not too hot. Pick darker colored clothes to help camouflage yourself. It also helps if the shirt is loose fitting so the BBs don't sting as bad. For most battles, a sweatshirt or long sleeve T-shirt is perfect. A paintball mask is a good thing to have if you don't want to take hits to the face (or a hat while wearing safety glasses) You can also wear body armor, although it is rather unnecessary.

Step 4: Sidearms

Here are some reasons for a sidearm:

~ Dropped gun, Gun jammed, Out of ammo, Out of gas/batteries,

With that said, a decent spring pistol is a sufficient sidearm for most airsofters. Some prefer gas/C02 pistols for their speed and power. Again, its all your personal preference. A side holster is the easiest way to carry a pistol for quick access. Besides a pistol, you could carry a small machine gun or shotgun.

Step 5: Tips & Strategy

Here is some strategic tips for different airsoft players...

Assault: This group tends to attack rather than defend.
~Get under cover often
~Keep Moving constantly
~Keep at a distance from snipers

Sniper/Recon: Fighting concealed at a distance, this player should try to remain "invisible" throughout a battle.
~Avoid being seen at all costs
~If seen, leave the area
~Don't stay in the same spot the entire battle
~Chose every shot carefully

Heavy Gunner/Shotgun: The most powerful unit on the field, use your power to an advantage.
~Use your firepower to "scare" the enemy
~Maximize use of the prone position
~Try to ambush the enemy for maximum effect

Step 6: Closing and Suggestions

Thank you for reading this instructable! Feel free to comment if you think something should be added to any section. Also please check out my user profile and my other tutorials. Thanks