Serious about getting into the sport, a few questions

[DarkNozomi]

So, I have a few questions, I HAVE read a fair bit but a lot of threads seem to already assume you understand things... and I'd prefer to confirm before spending many hours and hundreds of dollars

1. I only want to buy Tokyo Marui products, since they were nice enough to introduce me to the sport. is this feasible/advisable? I've heard mostly good things about them... is there any retailer in the GTA that carries them?

2. Although some people say it's difficult, I really want to dual wield pistols. Is it better to have two identical pistols, or a stronger one in your main hand and a faster one in the off hand, or something?

3. Would it be weird/cumbersome/illegal to have a P90 as a backup weapon, maybe in a knapsack in case I run out of pistol ammo or need to change up? That's 3 weapons in total, most pictures I see are of people with just one AK47 or something.

4. Do we need to wear the full military fatigues and balclavas, etc? I'm willing to splurge on it if it's the unofficial dress code but would feel silly if I was in the minority.

5. If you get hit during a game, are you like, done for the day? Or do you just wait a certain amount of time and then restart (like lazer tag)? Mostly I'm worried about booking off a day and having elite players kill me in 30 seconds.

6. In general, is the community friendly and welcoming, or are people aggressive and nasty? Competitive spirit is expected but I'd prefer to avoid people who can't leave the aggression on the field.

7. Do I need to be on a "team" or can I just register and show up to a game? I don't know anyone at all involved in the sport. Do people help explain things to newbies?


Sorry for the list of questions... if these are wrong or annoying please just lock the thread. I'm just hoping to hear from people who are experienced and have useful thoughts. Thanks!

[Rusty Lugnuts]

a location would be helpfull EDIT i see by your "i can't find a age verifier in Toronto" thread, that you don't like to research things for yourself and that generally doesn't go over well here on ASC.

[R.I.T.Z]

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

So, I have a few questions, I HAVE read a fair bit but a lot of threads seem to already assume you understand things... and I'd prefer to confirm before spending many hours and hundreds of dollars

1. I only want to buy Tokyo Marui products, since they were nice enough to introduce me to the sport. is this feasible/advisable? I've heard mostly good things about them... is there any retailer in the GTA that carries them?

Yes, but you need to get age verified, there are a tonne of TM products in the classifeds, although there are better metal guns

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

2. Although some people say it's difficult, I really want to dual wield pistols. Is it better to have two identical pistols, or a stronger one in your main hand and a faster one in the off hand, or something?

Dual wielding is fun but past CQB its entirely impractical and you cannot aim worth a damn

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

3. Would it be weird/cumbersome/illegal to have a P90 as a backup weapon, maybe in a knapsack in case I run out of pistol ammo or need to change up? That's 3 weapons in total, most pictures I see are of people with just one AK47 or something.

You can carry it, but it'd be classified as your "Primary" most likely and in a lot of games you'd be restricted for ammo.

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

4. Do we need to wear the full military fatigues and balclavas, etc? I'm willing to splurge on it if it's the unofficial dress code but would feel silly if I was in the minority.

Depends on the game, sometimes there is a "colour" that each team wears e.i civies, tan, green. but mostly just wear what you are comfortable in.

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

5. If you get hit during a game, are you like, done for the day? Or do you just wait a certain amount of time and then restart (like lazer tag)? Mostly I'm worried about booking off a day and having elite players kill me in 30 seconds.

different games different rules some have medic rules, some have you wait 15 min or more, depends on the game and host really

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

6. In general, is the community friendly and welcoming, or are people aggressive and nasty? Competitive spirit is expected but I'd prefer to avoid people who can't leave the aggression on the field.

you really haven't read much on here have you? the community is rather accepting and easy going some people hangout after games and go for beers.

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

7. Do I need to be on a "team" or can I just register and show up to a game? I don't know anyone at all involved in the sport. Do people help explain things to newbies?

you do not need a team, there are plenty of "walk on" players, if you are new and want to attend a game, first of all post in the game thread t make sure you aren't walking into a 72hr hard core only real gear milsim, most of the guys/girls are quite nice in helping newbies out.

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

Sorry for the list of questions... if these are wrong or annoying please just lock the thread. I'm just hoping to hear from people who are experienced and have useful thoughts. Thanks!

1 more thing, the TM anime is all well and good, but its not a very good place of information for airsoft in CANADA, read through the forums again.
just because they can dual wield and get sniper rifle accuracy means nothing in the real world

[Rusty Lugnuts]

in my opinion 1 not every company makes every gun so it kinda depends on which gun you want.
2 better to have one pistol and a free hand to change mags
3 weird and cumbersome but in most games not illegal
4 camo in woods , anything not red anywhere else
5 depends on the particular game, most games have a re spawn
6 mostly friendly
7 usually you can register ,show up and play, most teams are invite only

[HackD]

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

So, I have a few questions, I HAVE read a fair bit but a lot of threads seem to already assume you understand things... and I'd prefer to confirm before spending many hours and hundreds of dollars

1. I only want to buy Tokyo Marui products, since they were nice enough to introduce me to the sport. is this feasible/advisable? I've heard mostly good things about them... is there any retailer in the GTA that carries them?

There are unofficial channels to get TM products - however, they were generally designed/setup for the Japanese home market - as such, they don't meet general Canadian import requirements without modification, so few (if any) retailers will carry them. Age verification is required to reveal any (if any) retailers that might carry them on this forum.

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

2. Although some people say it's difficult, I really want to dual wield pistols. Is it better to have two identical pistols, or a stronger one in your main hand and a faster one in the off hand, or something?

For indoor CQB, whatever floats your boat. For outdoor events, somewhat less practical. You are better off going with a primary and a secondary (ie a P90 and a sidearm).

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

3. Would it be weird/cumbersome/illegal to have a P90 as a backup weapon, maybe in a knapsack in case I run out of pistol ammo or need to change up? That's 3 weapons in total, most pictures I see are of people with just one AK47 or something.

The more you carry, the more weight that you have to bear. There is a practical limit. Outside of specific field restrictions on ammo limits, again it's generally whatever floats your boat.

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

4. Do we need to wear the full military fatigues and balclavas, etc? I'm willing to splurge on it if it's the unofficial dress code but would feel silly if I was in the minority.

There are events (skirmish and milsim, both) that cover every range of taste in gear and setup. It's up to you to make sure that you meet specific game/milsim event requirements .. general guideline is that you meet the standards of the game, not the game accomodating your short-comings .. the more versatile setup that you have to equip yourself, the larger the variety of games that you can attend.

People generally will emulate an approximation of military gear/clothing as their budgets can afford.. Some will go "balls to the wall" better equipped than real military.. others will just show up in civvies. what works in the real world, has it's parallels in airsoft in terms of practical effectiveness. That aside .. you can always stuff a magazine or two of ammo into a pocket, and go with that for the first few games until you are SURE this sport is for you, and worthy of investing in. The more complex/involved the game/milsim, the tighter the clothing/gear requirements, specific to the game, and to the side that you are on.

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

5. If you get hit during a game, are you like, done for the day? Or do you just wait a certain amount of time and then restart (like lazer tag)? Mostly I'm worried about booking off a day and having elite players kill me in 30 seconds.

Varying rules, for various games. "dead" is rarely dead for long. Respawns/time-outs are the general rule of thumb.

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

6. In general, is the community friendly and welcoming, or are people aggressive and nasty? Competitive spirit is expected but I'd prefer to avoid people who can't leave the aggression on the field.

There are good apples, and bad apples. Some people can and will take the game too seriously. Other people will take themselves too seriously. If this happens .. find a different venue/game where the fun-factor is higher.

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

7. Do I need to be on a "team" or can I just register and show up to a game? I don't know anyone at all involved in the sport. Do people help explain things to newbies?

Most games are noobie friendly. At the same time, don't expect people to totally hold noobie's hands through a game - they are there for their own enjoyment, after all. Again, depending on game/milsim/skirmish/event team requirements/sign up requirements can vary. Generally, "you can come as you are" and sign up for a side.. for skirmishes. Milsim events are generally tighter in terms of sign up requirements.

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

Sorry for the list of questions... if these are wrong or annoying please just lock the thread. I'm just hoping to hear from people who are experienced and have useful thoughts. Thanks!

[DarkNozomi]

Originally Posted by Rusty Lugnuts

a location would be helpfull EDIT i see by your "i can't find a age verifier in Toronto" thread, that you don't like to research things for yourself and that generally doesn't go over well here on ASC.

I'm sorry... I HAVE been trying to research things, but again a lot of people use jargon and/or discuss things where they all seem to already know how it is. I'm also trying to get age verified so I can read more posts; some forums are completely blocked. But I'm sorry, I will keep trying to learn as much as I can. Thank you for your help

[DarkNozomi]

Originally Posted by R.I.T.Z

you really haven't read much on here have you? the community is rather accepting and easy going some people hangout after games and go for beers.

I have read a fair bit, but I've also seen some snarky answers etc. (not singling anyone out) and wondered if that sort of carried over into real life. I know online comments tend to appear harsher than they were meant, but thank you for the reassurance

(I've also read threads about specific airsoft players being rude, behaving badly etc. but I'm assuming they're the exception to the rule hopefully)

Thanks for the info!

[Cliffradical]

I agree with everything previously posted, but I'd add one important piece of advice: Try before you buy.
I recommend that this is done before any kind of gun purchase or gear purchase wherever possible. If you can borrow or rent, do it before you start buying your kit and caboodle, and do it a lot. You will end up saving a lot of money through knowing exactly what you want to buy and exactly why you want to buy it before you do so, and that will save you from running through the hamster wheel of guns and gear.

You're going to be spending a lot of money if you commit to airsoft no matter what you do, so the only real way to save money on airsoft is to make really really smart purchases.
All too many times I have seen people purchase guns in particular only to find out that the gun they chose is just wrong for them. Too physically big, too physically small, personally uncomfortable ergonomics, limiting or cumbersome battery compatibility, etc etc. I've been through this myself. For many people, particularly newbies, this is very discouraging due to cost, frustration, and the fact that airsoft guns retain very little resale value in today's market.
In my opinion, bad (incorrect) guns, bad gear, and bad purchase planning together are the #1 cause of newbie dropouts. Don't get stuck in the money pit!

At the bare minimum you need
1. A good attitude
2. Good ($60+ dual lens recommended) full-sealing goggles
3. Face protection (mesh lower face mask recommended)
4. Decent boots with a high ankle that you've already broken in
5. Gloves (Mechanix gloves can be had for ~$10-$15 at Canadian Tire/ Princess auto/ Whatever)
6. Some kind of BDUs (this helps game organizers divide teams, they're tough, and you won't care about getting them dirty, sweaty, or torn)

That's $300-$400 right there and it's all stuff that sits right on your skin which you wouldn't want to share, as well as being essential for you to avoid serious injury. Once you have this stuff you can start showing up to games in your area, either at facilities which will rent you a gun, or games you find posted here. Many games will have a few people who may be willing to loan you a gun for a fee or collateral, which you can find by asking in a game's thread here on the forums or by going to games.

Just get yourself out there and don't rush into anything and you'll do fine.

[Spadona]

I've played a few CQB matches at Ultimate Airsoft, and every time the people there have been friendly and helpful. I had a lot of questions for the first time I went to play, the refs and other players were more than patient with me.

Feel free to ask people about their kits, and why the run with what they have. Airsoft players are more than willing to talk about their gear.

[Immelmann]

Get a primary first, then a (good) pistol if you have the money left over. Do not start with two sidearms. Get AV'd and go to your local retailer, then you can try looking down the sights of a pistol and you'll see that aiming two will be a pain in the ass. Oh, and gas mags are pricey too, so dual-wielding would be an expensive route.

For respawns it'll depend on the game/host, but in most cases there just seems to be a respawn that you just walk back to (serves as a 'timer').

If you're in Toronto you'll probably play CQB at Ultimate Airsoft at some point, so don't overlook gloves. Shots to the hand up close hurt like a bitch even with gloves. As for eyepro, do it properly (ESS, Revision, etc). Eyes are worth more than the 40 bucks you might save by getting something cheap.

Originally Posted by Spadona

Airsoft players are more than willing to talk about their gear.

^This

[Derpystronk]

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

So, I have a few questions, I HAVE read a fair bit but a lot of threads seem to already assume you understand things... and I'd prefer to confirm before spending many hours and hundreds of dollars

1. I only want to buy Tokyo Marui products, since they were nice enough to introduce me to the sport. is this feasible/advisable? I've heard mostly good things about them... is there any retailer in the GTA that carries them?

First, do not limit yourself to one brand of gun. Personally I own every brand of gun under the sun because they all really serve different purposes. You can buy a shitty 100-200 dollar gun that could become your stand by CQB weapon, or a simple back up. One of the retailers here was selling a smoked clear soft MP5K that came with the battery for retardedly cheap. I picked up two of them. I use them as options for rental guns, as well as having it as an ultra portable backup for CQB.

Another reason that was already stated is that not every company makes every gun. If I could I'd buy every AEG I own as Real Sword brand as they are rock solid and have some of the best stock internals of any gun. That is unfortunately not really possible as they only make AK variants and Type 97's. In many cases if you are looking for a particular gun there are usually two choices: The "Good brand" and The "Shitty Brand." Do a bit of homework and find out if the "Shitty Brand" is what you are looking for or if it would be wise to pay extra for the higher quality gun.

While Tokyo Marui's quality is top I've seen a few TM guns that I would define as "fragile." I'm fairly hard on my kit - and by hard I mean smashing it into trees hard - so having something that I know won't survive a good blow is not ideal. Almost every TM Pistol I've seen has been really, really good.

2. Although some people say it's difficult, I really want to dual wield pistols. Is it better to have two identical pistols, or a stronger one in your main hand and a faster one in the off hand, or something?

It's not really practical. I won't go into extended detail about it because it's not one of those things you can explain without going into some massive detail. My experience in Airsoft has me leaving a side arm at home for exclusively outdoor games. I very rarely need it and if/when I do I usually won't get the range I need out of it.

Since you are an akimbo pistols kind of guy I imagine you got the idea from tacticool shootan vidya. If you want a good example of why dual pistols is a bad idea... On a medium/large sized map in Call of Duty run around with exclusively akimbo pistols. Do not use any primary, or a tactical shield, or anything. Just pistols. Watch what happens to your K/D Ratio. Kinda the same reason why it's a bad idea.

GOD MODE CHALLENGE: Play Battlefield 3 exclusively running a pistol in Conquest. No "Close Quarters" Maps. Prepare your anus.

3. Would it be weird/cumbersome/illegal to have a P90 as a backup weapon, maybe in a knapsack in case I run out of pistol ammo or need to change up? That's 3 weapons in total, most pictures I see are of people with just one AK47 or something.

Odd question, don't really now how to answer the second part. Most games would consider your "Primary" the P90, and your pistols as secondarys. Some games have secondarys running unlimited ammo, and some share the same ammo pool as your P90. Some games have no limits. Depends on the game.

4. Do we need to wear the full military fatigues and balclavas, etc? I'm willing to splurge on it if it's the unofficial dress code but would feel silly if I was in the minority.

Depends on the game, but you'll find in Ontario you can't go anywhere without seeing Multicam. Too much Multicam up in this.

5. If you get hit during a game, are you like, done for the day? Or do you just wait a certain amount of time and then restart (like lazer tag)? Mostly I'm worried about booking off a day and having elite players kill me in 30 seconds.

Depends on the game, but at most you are usually sitting out for five minutes. Many games may have you simple return to a point on the field and instantly respawn there.

6. In general, is the community friendly and welcoming, or are people aggressive and nasty? Competitive spirit is expected but I'd prefer to avoid people who can't leave the aggression on the field.

Actually aggression on the field is usually a bad thing. The "CALL YOUR HITS" or "YOU FUCKING CHEATING CUNT" are usually unwelcome and ruins the spirit of the game. Fight have almost broken out a number of times because of player confrontation. The general atmosphere at games is the "you are among friends." Go up, talk to people, meet new friends. You are all there to play Airsoft and are shooting at each other with guns. There is no better ice breaker.

Most of the snarky-ness is on ASC and if you ask stupid questions prepare to get destroyed. There have been many legendary tiered threads this week that have generated much funnies for the spectators.

7. Do I need to be on a "team" or can I just register and show up to a game? I don't know anyone at all involved in the sport. Do people help explain things to newbies?

If you ask, explain you are a newbie, people will help. No one hates newbies. People hate know it alls. Know it all newbies are the worst.

Mostly you sign up for a game in the games section, and then show up. Do everyone a favour and show up on time. Everyone has a habit of running on Airsoft time and as a host it annoys the hell out of me. It starts eating into the game time and pushes everything back for everyone.

[lurkingknight]

I don't think you realize how heavy stuff is... and how long you have to haul it for. More magazines is far more useful than more guns. Unless you have no idea how to take care of your guns and are in need of backup AEGs cause they keep breaking.

your main AEG rifle is probably closer to 10 pounds, a reasonable loadout of mags is probably half of that... or more if you choose metal mags or guns that have metal mags.

A pistol is easily 2 pounds minus gas mag... add more mags that's another 2 pounds.

Your vest empty is probably 2 pounds, maybe 3.

If you're playing outdoors, 1L of water = 2.2 pounds.

not to mention sling, boots, holster for your pistol, whatever you pick to wear...

it may not seem like much, 1 or 2 pounds here and there... but try running around in it for 8 hours of the day, see how tired you're going to get. And you want to add a 2nd pistol? a smg?

Have you PLAYED any games? by the sounds of it, that question is a bit rhetorical. cause you're asking questions that are making it obvious that you haven't.

Go play and rent gear, meet players, get AVed, find out what works before you start commiting lots of money.

TM guns are super expensive in canada, mainly because of import regulations... but again, if you had started to read threads around here, you'd start getting an idea of that.

Regardless of brand of gun, you're looking at around 500$ for your first rifle, mags and goggles, maybe a pair of boots.

[Kuro_Neko]

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

So, I have a few questions, I HAVE read a fair bit but a lot of threads seem to already assume you understand things... and I'd prefer to confirm before spending many hours and hundreds of dollars

Nothing wrong with that. While we're not fond of spoonfeeding people, the newbie tank is here specifically to answer newbie questions. And we frequently have the reverse happen, where some newbie posts: "so I just bought X gun, it's in the mail now, and I'm wondering if it's a good gun." Not the best idea.

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

1. I only want to buy Tokyo Marui products, since they were nice enough to introduce me to the sport. is this feasible/advisable? I've heard mostly good things about them... is there any retailer in the GTA that carries them?

Tokyo Marui makes most of the popular models of guns and their internal reliability is legendary. *Nothing* beats TM for internal reliability. You leave a TM stock internally and it will last for literally decades. That said, due to Japanese laws TM guns have a lower muzzle velocity then most others, which will effect range and accuracy, and their externals are going to be almost entirely abs plastic, as apposed to their rivals' metal bodies, which will effect sturdiness. So in answer to your question, yes you could stick strictly to TM products if you wanted, but it might not be the best idea, depending on various factors. As to where to purchase them in any area, we're not allowed to comment on that outside of the age restricted areas of the forum. Get Age Verified and at the very least, you'll be able to find plenty of TM guns here in our Classifieds section.

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

2. Although some people say it's difficult, I really want to dual wield pistols. Is it better to have two identical pistols, or a stronger one in your main hand and a faster one in the off hand, or something?

I would strongly advise against using a pistol, let alone two, as a primary first weapon, but If you really have your heart set on dual-wielding pistols, then I would suggest going with two of the same type. That way you don't have to mess around with different mags for each, you can just have one pool of mags that will fit both guns. But beyond the facts that pistols have shorter range, accuracy and fire rate then rifles, when dual-wielding try to think about how you plan to reload. You have a pistol in each hand, you're in a running firefight and you run out of ammo for one or probably both pistols, what do you do? Holster one, reload the other, then holster that one, unhoslter the first, reload that, then unholster the second? That's going to take way more time and coordination then you're going to have in the middle of a firefight. Also I don't know what your financial situation is, so this might not be a problem for you, but running even one pistol as a primary weapon can get very expensive, let alone two. If you're buying new, then the pistols will be $350 each minimum, possibly as much as $400, then mags will be about $50 each. You're going to need at least five mags for each gun, probably more, but lets go with five for now. So two guns at $350 and ten mags at $50 equals $1200. That's easily twice what a good rifle and mags will cost, for considerably less performance. A very good rifle will be ~$500-600 and mags cost about $7-10 each. A decent rifle could be gotten for as cheap as $300, depending on model.

While using a pistol against AEG's is doable, it takes alot of skill and experience. I would highly recommend against any newcomer to the sport trying this, as they would likely come away with a negative experience. For the newcomer, a pistol is good for emergency backup and the occasional pistols only battle, but little else.

Think about it: A pistol usually firing a couple of rounds a second at 320ish fps (less for TM pistols) from a six inch barrel, with a 25 round mag and iron sights. Versus a full auto AEG firing 10 to 30 rounds a second at 350-400 fps from a foot and a half barrel, with an 80 round mag, optics and a shoulder stock. Without a lot of skill on the side of the pistol wielder, who do you think will win the majority of the time?

Pistols do indeed rock, and I love my KJW 1911 to pieces. But I wouldn't use it in battle against an AEG unless my M4 was bone dry of ammo. And in that instance, I wouldn't have high hopes of winning. If you want to go light-weight in battle, think about a good subgun like a p90 or mp5k-pdw rather then pistols.

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

3. Would it be weird/cumbersome/illegal to have a P90 as a backup weapon, maybe in a knapsack in case I run out of pistol ammo or need to change up? That's 3 weapons in total, most pictures I see are of people with just one AK47 or something.

Carrying three weapons, especially when two of them are pistols and one is a subgun is certainly doable. But in that case, most people would consider the P90 to be the primary weapon. And it really should be. The P90 is a great choice for a primary weapon, even if handling the mags takes alittle getting used to. Many games will restrict the amount of ammo you can carry. But if you're using real or low caps, that's almost never what will be limiting you, rather it'll be how many mags you can feasibly carry.

To clarify that alittle, airsoft magazines can have different capacities of ammo. A mag is considered a 'realcap' if it only holds as many bb's as the realsteel gun's magazine would carry bullets. Above that there are low, mid and high-caps, with low being around 70-90 rounds, mid around 120-160 and highcaps being 300 or more. Highcap mags are looked down upon by many players because they are noisy (since they rattle) and unrealistic. As another FYI, unless it's an extended mag, pistol mags are almost always 25 rounds. Some people choose to realcap their pistol mags by only loading as many bb's as that model of realsteel pistol would hold bullets.

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

4. Do we need to wear the full military fatigues and balclavas, etc? I'm willing to splurge on it if it's the unofficial dress code but would feel silly if I was in the minority.

To start with, I can guarantee you won't be in the minority if you buy camo. Most airsofters are in this sport, as apposed to something like paintball, for the realism, which includes camo. Some groups will require it long term, but virtually all will allow a newbie to attend in civvies for the first few games. This is something you'll have to inquire further with whatever group you intend to play with. All you really need to start is the gun, a bag or two of ammo, good eye protection and decent footwear. Even a gun can frequently be borrowed/rented for the first game or two.

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

5. If you get hit during a game, are you like, done for the day? Or do you just wait a certain amount of time and then restart (like lazer tag)? Mostly I'm worried about booking off a day and having elite players kill me in 30 seconds.

You won't spend most of your time on the sidelines. For the most part, your everyday game will be skirmishes. These won't last very long, like half an hour tops, usually less, so if you get hit early on, you're not done for the day, just that skirmish. If there's enough people and/or skill to have skirmishes run longer then that, then there will usually be some sort of medic or respawn system in place to allow you to get back in the game. We're all here to play after all.

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

6. In general, is the community friendly and welcoming, or are people aggressive and nasty? Competitive spirit is expected but I'd prefer to avoid people who can't leave the aggression on the field.

Here on the forum, especially outside the newbie tank, you're going to run into the gambit of internet denizens, and laziness and stupidity will be roundly mocked and/or flamed. But on the field we have no time for that sort of thing. This is very much an honor based sport, since no one but you knows if you were really hit or not. Competitive spirit is good, but people who are aggressive and/or nasty will be asked to leave and not return. The worst you'll encounter on the field is a bit of elitism, where some players look down on others for stuff like civvies or hicaps. But even that will be kept to the minimum in most groups. Even if you're a newcomer, if you are having a legit problem with some of the others in the group, go to the group leader and if they're worth the title, it will be cleared up.

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

7. Do I need to be on a "team" or can I just register and show up to a game? I don't know anyone at all involved in the sport. Do people help explain things to newbies?

Generally speaking, you just need to register and show up. There are teams out there, but for the most part attendance to games is fluid enough that trying to have set teams for every game day would be an effort in frustration. Scenario games are usually more strict about that sort of thing, but they're planned well in advance, and if you're interested in attending one, it'll usually be no trouble to get temporarily assigned to a team.

Originally Posted by DarkNozomi

Sorry for the list of questions... if these are wrong or annoying please just lock the thread. I'm just hoping to hear from people who are experienced and have useful thoughts. Thanks!

Don't sweat the questions. The newbie tank is here for such questions. And asking is better then sitting in ignorance. That said, reading is even better then asking questions. I would advise reading all the sticky'ed threads, especially the ones here in the Newbie Tank, they should explain most things. Reading older posts in the Newbie Tank should help as well. If after that you still have questions then feel free to ask and we'll do the best to answer.

[coach]

Originally Posted by Kuro_Neko

when dual-wielding try to think about how you plan to reload. You have a pistol in each hand, you're in a running firefight and you run out of ammo for one or probably both pistols, what do you do? Holster one, reload the other, then holster that one, unhoslter the first, reload that, then unholster the second? That's going to take way more time and coordination then you're going to have in the middle of a firefight.

A dual reload system exists. Albeit custom, mine was made for TM G17's/18 and duckman has one for his 1911's.

Hands free dual reload works perfect as long as you can actuate the mag release and slide lock with your left hand, your golden! ImageUploadedByTapatalk1375583373.823998.jpg

Best picture I have on my phone but I'm pretty sure I have posted it before.