Loadouts
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Loadouts
A loadout, also known as a "rig" is the tactical equipment that a player uses for any given environment. It facilitates the carrying of equipment, aiding in rapid presentation of magazines for reloading of weapons, and access to mission-critical equipment. A rig's effectiveness is determined by its "speed" i.e. the speed at which a magazine change can be performed, and the speed at which it allows the operator using the rig to move about the AO (Area of Operations). The loadout varies dependent on several factors:
The type of game that will be taking place:
If the game is a short, 30 minute game, in which an objective is to be captured or defended, only the more vital items should be carried, to minimise weight, thus maximising speed and agility. Therefore, ammunition, pyrotechnics (grenades, smokes, etc) should be carried, along with water, and some other basic pieces of equipment. This is often refered to as "mags and ammo" loadouts, and consists only of a first and second line. (See below) If however the game is to be longer, maybe 3 hours to a day long, or even a 24 hour event, you must carry all the equipment you will need for that period, without it being of detriment to the tacticality of your rig.
The environment you will be fighting in:
Dependent on the terrain and environment, your loadout will change.
Features specific to urban warfare (known as "Direct Action"), such as the high pace and risk of injury will call for specific items, such as helmets, kneepads, and "higher-speed" vests, and specific qualities, such as speed and agility. Sidearms may be worn on the leg, to facilitate faster transition between primary and secondary weapons.
Similarly, for a woodland environment (also known as "greenside operations"), camouflage and stealth may be major requirements. Therefore, a bush hat (also known as a "Boonie Hat") would be chosen over a helmet, and a chest-rig or belt-kit would be of higher value than an integrated body-armour/modular vest, as it allows for carrying more equipment, and keeps the back clear for carrying items such as assault packs or Bergens for long-duration games. Sidearms, in this case, would be placed on the hip, to prevent catching whilst going prone in heavy foliage.
Your role in the squad/team:
Each member of a team may have a specific job to perform - these can include snipers (or "Designated marksmen"), support gunners, assaulters, and grenadiers. The equipment used by each player will change, again due to their role.
A sniper, who's best weapon is his camouflage and concealment skills, may opt for a small amount of tactical gear, and use a ghillie suit. This will aid infiltration, collecting intelligence, performing his task, and exfiltrating the target.
A grenadier, or assaulter, may need to be close to the target, pressing home an assault, and thus, quick access to magazines, grenades, ammunition and sidearms.
Support gunners may spend more time on their stomach, prone, putting down covering fire in support of an assault. This will require their chests and legs to be clear of equipment, facilitating quick transition to their stomachs.
This again will further vary dependent on terrain and type of game. For example, grenadiers, using gas-powered 40mm shells, may carry gas for reloading shells for long-duration games. Support gunners may carry extra batteries (as they would be firing more often than the vast majority of the team) and snipers may carry spare camouflage cream, and heavier ammunition as backup.
Themed loadouts and 'Geardoism':
Themed loadouts, also known as "impressions", are loadouts that are accurately based upon real-life units, using accurate weapons and tactical equipment. Those who spend copious amounts of money on this specific sub-hobby of airsoft are known in the community as "Geardos" (A blend of the words "Gear" and "Weirdos"). There are many teams dedicated to the hobby of "geardoism" - most famous of which are "Team Wannabe" of the UK, and "The Contractors" of Hong Kong, famous for their highly accurate and impressive loadouts based on various units. They often are more interested in the equipment than airsoft, and refer to airsoft as "Plastic Death" on many occassions.
Themed loadouts are expensive due to the specific nature of the equipment. Often, equipment is unavailiable or unsuitable in replica form, and thus real equipment must be purchased.
Protective items, Clothing and "The three lines":
Protective Items:
Obviously, as an airsofter, eye protection is simply the most important piece of equipment you will ever purchase. Pay more, and get more protection. However, other protective measures are important if the chance of injury is to be reduced.
Helmets:
These are often included in Direct Action loadouts, as the chance of injuring oneself on a door frame, window frame or other obstacle is increased significantly. They also provide mounting oppourtunities for radio headsets, goggles, NV (Night vision) goggles, strobes and identification. Blood types are sometimes worn on helmets to provide information to medics in the event of injury requiring blood information.
IMPORTANT - DO NOT PUT A FALSE BLOOD TYPE ON YOUR HELMET. IF YOU DONT KNOW IT, DONT PUT IT ON YOUR HELMET. IT MIGHT SAVE YOUR LIFE IF SOMETHING WERE TO GO WRONG.
I personally wear a MICH TC2000 replica, with Bolle X800 goggles, and two US flags on velcro, mounted on either side. It also features custom helmet art on the back, and "Cateyes" (Luminous pads that glow in the darkfor identification). In the future, I will be also using the IBH (Integrated Ballistic Helmet), as used by Navy SEALs in Iraq and Afghanistan. Again this will be furnished with an NVG mount plate, velcro for unit patches, IFF tabs, blood type markers and an MS2000 strobe.
Kneepads:
When dropping to a knee to return fire, take cover, or move to prone position, knees can take a severe impact, again causing injury if on gravel, concrete or thorns in a woodland environment. Kneepads provide protection to the knees and upper shins, and are again items that, down to personnal preference, are a worthwhile investment. I use Hatch Operator Kneepads, an excellent investment that have done me proud.
Clothing
Clothing varies with environment, season, loadout and role. Urban warfare requires less camouflage than woodland, and so normal, high-mobility clothing, urban-camouflage, and often, flightsuits, are used. Woodland environments generally call for DPM (Disruptive Pattern Material),US Woodland (The US Equivalent of DPM), or a similar pattern clothing.
Snipers may choose to wear a ghillie suit, a form of suit that breaks up outline and aids in camouflage.
For urban warfare, I use a US CWU-27P OD Nomex Fireproof Flight Suit, as it provides freedom of movement, whilst being fireproof - important if you will be in close proximity to flashbang grenades. For Woodland, I use US Woodland BDUs.
"The Three Lines"
All tactical gear loadouts can be divided into three specific "lines" or levels - these are the fundamentals of any good rig. The lines are defined as follows:
> First Line - The equipment you need to survive right now. This is, generally speaking, the belt-kit and equipment that is worn on your waist and upper legs. These can include "dump pouches" (large, open pouches for dumping spent magazines and items into in a hurry), drop-leg holsters (also known as "thigh holsters" or "Tactical holsters", these hold a pistol or your leg, next to where your trigger hand naturally hangs. This allows for fast transition between primary and secondary weapons) and thigh-panels (modular panels used for mounting ammunition pouches in a tactical position on your leg/hip). It carries ammunition for your sidearm and should also include at least 100 rounds of main weapon ammuntiion. This gives enough time to break contact, grab your second line, and regroup. Out of personal preference, I carry 2 M4 mags and 3 Kimber MARSOC mags on my person at all times when in a combat zone. My sidearm is always on my leg and my weapon is always within a hop, skip or leap from me. Airsofters often describe how after a long period wearing their first line in a combat zone, they feel "naked" and "vulnerable" without it post-game.
Your first line should, in a combat zone, be worn, ready to go, loaded up and "ready to run" (i.e. ready to keep you alive).
> Second Line - What you need to fight: This generally describes your main rig. This is often either a chest rig, assault vest or modular system. Chest rigs carry ammunition and certain other items infront of you, on your upper torso, presenting mags infront of you when you need them, yet leaving the lower torso and back clear for other equipment.
Second line carries essential items to combat, or items that you need fast access to, such as ammunition, pyrotechnics, target-designation items, first aid equipment, etc. For example, my second line consists of:
- A Replica BHI Commando Recon Chest Harness krylonned OD/Brown
In which I carry:
- 8 M4 68rnd magazines
- 2 Frag and 2 Smoke grenades
- First aid kit
- Map and compass (inside behind rifle magazines)
- Real-deal MS2000 strobe (at night, for marking targets)
- Spare ammunition (1000 rounds)
- 5 RAF Issue survival water ration sachets (behind magazine pouches).
With that equipment, I can fight, escape and evade, and live.
>Third Line - What you need to keep going: This describes items such as backpacks, assault packs, and other items that are non-mission-essential. The third line is often dumped when in contact with the enemy, to provide lower weight and higher mobility. Whilst often only carried on greenside operations, they may be carried on extended urban warfare operations, yet very much stripped down to bare essentials such as food, water, and spare parts for weapons.
Posted by Matt (ASCUK - Nightstalker) 01:16, 22/12/06
