Renewal

Over the past four years my airsoft fortunes have waxed and waned. The first year i played I had a horrible retail job which would only occasionally grant me a Saturday off in order to play. But on the rare occasions I could play, it sustained me. I walked a little taller for a week or so afterwards, felt a little better about my life, and just wasn't as easily annoyed.

The next year with a new job I could play more frequently. The good post game feelings were still there (Along with the occasional hangover.) but it just wasn't as special. Instead of a rare event, airsoft was working it's way into my [screwed up] routine. From there the inevitable happened. As the airsoft scene got larger and some people grew more vocal about how they think things ought to be run the fun took on an aspect of a chore. Of work.

I began to feel airsoft as a game wasn't all that much fun, but merely presented an opportunity to be around like-minded people. This past weekend I had a chance to rediscover playing. Not only that, but I was able to, in many ways play the kind of game I enjoy.

There were perhaps 25 people total divided up playground style into two numerically equal teams. I say, "numerically equal" because quantity does not equal quality, and in that respect there were some sorely mismatched rounds. Most of the day i was on the receiving end of that, but I gave about as good as I got.

For most of the day I found myself alone, so I reverted to my old standby of sneaking around. I was patient enough to make certain as possible that when I moved into the open the other team was occupied with something else. I tried to strike a balance between moving fast, loud and conspicuous, and slow, overly cautious and vulnerable. I got some nice shots in and when I wasn't able to take anyone out I certainly gave them a fright.

During the last game of the day I was together with four guys from my team. Now, I feel it's important to mention something at this point. My team is not just the side I happen to be on for that game. They are people I know, trust and can predict. When I work with them I am more aggressive, more communicative and an all around better player. I know they will back me up and act as they should when given information. (ie: When I call out an enemy location I know it will be suppressed immediately, not in a minute, immediately. And, overwhelmingly.) When I am on my own, I have to be on the lookout for much more, I have no one watching my flanks, no one to provide suppression. So when on my own, I tend to be as stealthy as I can. Low crawl, climb steep slopes and generally try to be where I'm not expected. Sometimes I'm lucky and that works. Sometimes I get pegged in the head five minutes in before I even get a shot off.

It's worth noting another thing about this past weekend's game. I had planned on running with just my AEG and a hicap. No tactical gear at all. Too bad the hicap decided that it didn't want to feed. I did have some mid caps and I was able to carry two of thos in my shirt pockets, and one in the gun for a grand total of 300 rounds. I used semi most of the day which added greatly to my stealth and to the fun.

Here are some general things I try to do:
1) Before playing test your gun(s) for range and accuracy. Know how far they can go under the best of circumstances. Only engage someone within that limit. (In general most airsoft guns are accurate to about 100-120 feet. I like to engage at between 75 and 90 feet to ensure a hit.)
2) Do not fire until your target is well within range or until forced to by the following:
Detection
The need to cover for a teammate
Nuisance fire to keep an enemy off balance
3) When unsure of a hit and still unseen, engage with semi. In case of a miss this makes it harder to zero in on your location by sound.
4) When there is little cover, simply hugging the ground can work. Most people's visual scanning tends to look for something at or near their level. Not on the ground or up a tree.
5) If you are exchanging fire with 2 or more individuals try to use cover so that only one can target you. Even if it is only for a second or two that may be all you need to hit one and then evade the other. Of course Kamikaze runs are always an option.

Why?

I've gotten this question a lot since I got back. Two questions actually.

"Why did you go to Israel?" and, "Why did you volunteer to work with the Israeli Defense Forces?

I've got no shortage of answers. I'm a Jew. I'm a Zionist. I've got plenty of interest in military stuff, and I look good in a uniform. But those are all surface answers. They're the kind of answer that leads to more questions without really answering what you're asked.

"So you're Jewish, that doesn't explain why you (Someone who isn't very religious at all and tends to be a bit down on those who are.) would fly halfway around the world."

The more private answer is to pay off some old debts. Let's go back ten years shall we?

I was sixteen. I hadn't started shaving, hadn't learned to drive or how to get a girl to let me kiss her. I'd just gotten my first AP credits and I thought I knew damn near everything. For six weeks in the summer of 1998 I was with a group of around 30 other American Jewish teens and I got a hell of an education. Turns out I didn't know shit. Not about how the world worked, how people worked or how I worked. Turns out I was a whiny little dirt bag with some anger problems. (Yeah, go figure.) I was a whiner, a jerk and a dumbass. I got bullied, was a bully, fell in love, was heartbroken and generally got about a year of high school social stuff crammed into six weeks of youth hostels and Egged buses.

But when I came back with a really dark tan, lots of photos, some peach fuzz on my cheeks a slightly different walk and a sense of self that I didn't have. Maybe it was the people I was with. Maybe it was the place. I think it was both. But I felt like I'd done some things wrong. I'd done them wrong by the people I was with and by myself. So I resolved that within ten years i'd go back. After I'd grown up some, gotten myself reasonably squared away I'd go back and show my people, show myself what I could really offer.

Mission accomplished.

I did good. I didn't complain. I put myself in adversity and I triumphed. I put myself in a dangerous place and I didn't flinch.

So why did I go? Why did I do what I did?
To prove it to myself. And, simply because I said I would. Promise made, promise kept. As for the politics, Zionism, religion, etc. I'm simply not accustomed to explaining why I believe what I believe. Just that I haven't drank the Kool-Aid just yet.