What is Scenario Airsoft or MilSim (Military Simulation)?

"O.k., so what's the difference between airsoft and scenario airsoft?"

 Well, the difference is this.  Airsoft is simply the name of the game.  Airsoft can be as simple as taking a bunch of guys and/or girls and putting airsoft guns in their hands, goggles on their eyes and sending them out into the woods to light each other up all day long.  Be it with teams or every man for himself.  This is typically known as airsoft skirmishing.  Simple games of capture the flag and such could also be lumped in with airsoft skirmishing as there is nothing more to it that just grabbing the other team's flag while trying to wipe out the other team while they try to do the same to you.

Scenario airsoft on the other hand is where the game truly gets interesting and in our opinion...fun! 

The biggest defining features of scenario airsoft games in my opinion are:

1.  Set single or multiple objectives that may either be simple or complex in their scope that each side of the scenario has to complete.

2.  Some aspects of some of the players doing some "role-playing" as specific "characters" to support the plot of the scenario game.

3.  The game has some sort of a plot to it as the scenario develops.

4.  The game has props or objects that are used, other than just airsoft weapons, to spice up the game.  Some examples of props that we have used in the past are mock-ups of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), demolitions explosives charges, artillery pieces, bombs, laser designators, rocket launchers, nuclear warheads, and a fully functioning "technical" jeep.  These are just some of the props that our group has come up with.  You will be able to learn more about props and building/buying props in the props section of the web page here.

5.  Multiple scenarios can be strung together to form a whole day or even multiple days worth of scenario games that all share te same back-ground or theme.  This is typically called an operation or an event.

Another name for scenario airsoft is "milsim" which is of course short for military simulation.

Basically it all boils down to a scenario game being a big, adult version of playing make-believe war with rules that allows the individual player and team with an imagination the ability to immerse themselves in a simulation of a military or para-military operation.  They get to be the good guys that try to save the day or the bad guys that are hell-bent on getting their way or else.  Often times, more often than in the movies, the bad guys come out on top.

Scenario Airsoft or MilSim does not necessarily mean non-stop action either.  I have written scenarios where the recon team is supposed to avoid contact all together and just retrieve some intelligence in order for them to get full credit for a completed mission.  For the right kind of players this can be just as exciting as a firefight.

Scenario Airsoft or MilSim is not for everyone.  There are those players that prefer to just engage in skirmishes and leave it at that.  But there are many players out there that desire something more, something more immersive and enjoyable.  That is where Scenario Airsoft or MilSim comes in.

Putting a good scenario game together can be a time and effort intensive task for a group let alone a single individual.  In the end, if done right, the effort and time is generally worth it however.