If you're an amateur or beginner this is the guide that'll help you dominate or at least help out your fellow teammates.
THE #1 RULE TO AIRSOFT IS SAFETY SAFETY SAFETY!!! IT CAN DETERMINE YOU HAVING A GREAT TIME OR LOSING YOUR EYESIGHT IF THE PROPER PROTECTION IS NOT WORN!

A little history on airsoft:
irsoft was invented before paintball back in the 80's. Tokyo Mauri in Japan created the first airsoft gun, about 8 years before paintball was invented. The early guns were powered by a compressed air cylinder which was connected to the gun by a hose. They were used for target shooting, and playing war games in the woods. It became popular in Japan along with paintball. Years later Tokyo Mauri came out with a M16 replica gun that ran on a battery they called it an AEG (automatic, electric, gun),and airsoft took off world wide.

Step 1: Safety

Be responsible and safe while playing airsoft. This can be a very dangerous game if the correct protection is not worn.

1)Always treat airsoft guns as if they are loaded and handle them with care.

2)Do not shoot your gun at anything other than an official safety target. Only put your finger on the trigger if you are ready to fire your gun. Accidental firing particularly at close range can result in damaged eyes or lost teeth.

3)Do not brandish an airsoft gun in a public place. They should be used in designated areas for airsoft gun use.

4)A note to parents of children using airsoft guns. If your child brings an airsoft gun to school or uses it in any other public place they run the risk of being suspended or even arrested. In the worst case scenario they risk being shot by a police officer as airsoft guns are often excellent copies of real firearms and can quite easily be mistaken for the real thing.

5)To minimize the potential for unexpected injury, always be aware of what is behind, beyond and either side of your target before you fire your gun at your target.

6)Airsoft guns shoot plastic pellets at a slower rate than that of a real firearm. Therefore airsoft guns can be used to shoot at human targets without injury but under certain conditions. The most important condition is eyewear. Never shoot at someone who is not wearing proper protective eyewear. Recommended eyewear are eye goggles rated at least ANSI Z87.1 or goggles used for paintball. Always wear eye goggles yourself when you are using airsoft guns.

7)Other recommended safety accessories are a thick jumper or eve a bullet proof vest if possible, plastic hip guards and forearm guards, knee protection and shin guards, steel toe combat boots and leather gloves. Cover all skin areas as much as possible.

8)When transporting your gun to and from a game carry it in a gun case. The gun case is safe, protects your gun and can be used to store Airsoft pistols, accessories and spare magazines. Remember in some places using a case is the only legal way to carry your gun. Respect the laws of the area in which you are carrying your gun.

9)Airsoft guns can not be bought by children under 18 and can only be used by children under 18 if supervised correctly.

10)Be aware of all local and federal laws governing the buying, carrying and use of airsoft guns. Contact your local police department for more information.Airsoft guns can provide a great deal of fun. Misuse of these types of replica gun can bring unnecessary injury or harm to users and innocent bystanders alike.

Having rules should not put you off playing airsoft gun games. Having guidelines helps everybody to get the best out of the use of the guns and keeps everybody safe. Remember to purchase the right gun for your particular need and level of ability. A whole range of cheap and more expensive models can be purchased from quality retailers selling Airsoft guns and self defense products. Choose your gun wisely, follow the safety guidelines and have lots of fun.

Step 2: The Basic Gun

Most people start out their airsoft "career" by using a spring powered rifle or pistol. These are known as springers.
-There are many different types of powerful gun types you can start with and upgrade to as you progress along.

Spring Powered
Spring guns are the most basic type of airsoft gun on the market. As the name implies, spring airsoft guns use a spring to fire a plastic pellet out of their barrels. They work on mechanical power, meaning that the user must cock the gun after every round is fired, much like a shotgun or bolt-action rifle. Spring-powered guns are typically seen as entry-level airsoft guns, although spring-powered sniper rifles can be very powerful upper-level fun.

Gas Powered
Gas-powered airsoft guns use many different types of compressed gas to fire the BBs. They are typically seen as intermediate guns and are very useful for outdoor target shooting.. They typically shoot BBs at higher velocities than spring-powered airsoft guns and are also semi - automatic.. Certain models are also fully automatic,, although it’s important to check the specific model of the gun to determine which firing method is available. Gas-powered airsoft guns chiefly use propane as propellent (commonly referred to as "green gas&"), although CO 2,, nitrogen,, and HFC134a refrigerant can also be used.

Electric
Like spring-powered airsoft guns, electric airsoft guns also use springs, but they do so in an electric fashion without the need to manually cock the gun. Because of this, all electric guns are semi-automatic, while the vast majority of electric guns also have fully automatic capabilities. Electric guns are the most popular style of airsoft gun in team and league play and are typically seen as upper-level guns, although the price generally reflects this.

Airsoft guns can be very powerful or very weak, just depending on how they are constructed and manufactured.

Step 3: Tactics and Games

Game "Modes"
Free For All:There are several common spawn points. At the beginning of the game, each player chooses their own spawn point from the pre-set ones. Preferably, these are a couple hundred feet away from each other and the middle meeting ground. You will then precede to shoot each other, and then respawn every 5 minutes or so after being killed. You can keep track of points (gets tricky, because quite a few people would cheat) or simply play until it's decided to end the game. This is more a backyard style, which I tend to shy away from. Because of the fast paced style of game, and the very high chance of meeting people, I think this is best played with 5 hit kill, but 1 and 3 can be good, too. 1 could be fun, because you have to be very careful not to get shot with bullets flying everywhere.

Team Deathmatch:Kind of like Free For All, except there are 2-4 teams (any more can get pretty complicated) and one spawn for each different team. Because of the dynamically fast paced games, but with more people to cover your back, I suggest 3 hit kill. 5 Still works pretty well, too.

Squad on Squad MilSim:MilSim stands for Military Simulation, and it's the most popular game amongst veteran airsoft players. Basically, this is a more realistic incarnation of Team Death Match. The first big difference is that there are no respawns. This makes the gameplay much more tactical because nobody wants to die right away and be out for the rest of the game. Both teams will start at opposing ends. Preferably, it will not be an open rush, but this can be worked too. When the signal is given-- an airhorn blasted, a red sign held up, even just the word "go" said through a walkie-talkie-- both teams will make their way to the other team while trying not to be spotted. This is harder than it sounds. This can be played with any team size. Even teams of 2 are fun, it gives it more of a tactical air, and it's fun if you're with somebody you can trust.

Manhunt:This game is played with two teams: one is larger than the other (preferably a 2-3 or 3-5 ish ratio). The smaller team will head off into the woods, and will be given a 3-10 minute head start. I prefer 5, myself. When the 5 minute time period is up, the larger group will then head off into the woods hunting the smaller team. At this point, it assumes the rules of the Squad on Squad MilSim, except that the smaller team is supposed to use guerilla tactics to hunt the larger team. It's more fun for the guerillas to have guerrilla weapons such as Ak's, Shotguns, etc. Or you could try giving the weaker team semi automatic pistols instead of automatic rifles.

Capture the Flag:With the same rules as either Team Death Match or Sq v. Sq, there is a flag placed in the middle of the field (or in the other team's base, depending on play style) and the job of your team is to capture that flag and bring it back. When this is done, the round/game has been won. Another fun game type is a Free For All Capture the Flag, though prepare for people guarding the flag with a sniper rifle, and lots of flag-dropping.

Tactics

1. Awareness and observation. This is crucial. You should make an effort to familiarise yourself with your surroundings for a start. Boundaries are important things to remember as are ingress points (ways in) and egress points (ways out) of your location. This is more difficult in woodland games than urban games. Observing the movement of others can also be a good indication of what is going on. The watchful player will see opportunities and dangers that others will not.

2. Know your teammates. Be aware of the position and activities of your team. Friendly fire is anything but Co-ordinate where possible and think before you shoot.

3. Don’t try and be a hero. If the enemy knows where you are, then attempting to run for it will get you shot. As will sticking your arm/leg/head or any other extremity in the way of enemy fire. Airsoft guns cycle at anything between 650 and 750 rounds per minute so all the enemy needs to do is point and spray. If you’re pinned down, keep still and shout for help.

4. Be patient. Yes, I know you’ll be anxious to get into the action, but in airsoft, the rewards always go to the patient player. Runing around will get you shot. nine times out of ten. If no-one knows where you are, then stay put – you’ve got an advantage. If you’ve been spotted, move to somewhere else (cover permitting). Surviving the game is it’s own reward so don’t be too keen to storm into that (deserted?) building in order to score a kill or two.

5. Think. Everytime you move, to shoot or change position, you risk being seen/shot/laughed at. If you think about your actions before you make them you can stop yourself from doing something stupid before you actually do it. Changing your position after you have fired a few volleys, for example, is a good idea, because it confuses your opponents and may result in you getting a clearer shot. I once managed to pin down three players in a building opposite the one I was in by moving, shooting and moving again. I didn’t kill any of them, but I kept them occupied long enough for my team to sneak up on them from behind. If you can’t move, then just stay out of sight for a while.

6. Calculate the risk. The nature of the game is that you will have to run the gauntlet occasionally. However, if you KNOW that as soon as you move, you’ll be shot to bits, it’s not going to do you or anyone else any good. Give yourself the edge by moving only when you are being given covering fire. The sensible use of pyrotechnics (like smoke) can help confuse the enemy enough to give you a chance. Firing at the enemy even if you can’t hit them is a good way of scaring the crap out of them and giving you a chance to move to your next location without being shot.

Step 4: Closing

Just go out and have a great time! if you like it enough and think you have potential, upgrade your weapon and try to join a local team. Airsoft is not as accepted like paintball but the more people who play and spread the word will have a huge impression on the game. Just be safe!