Ladies and gentlemen, since the topic seems to be a hot issue these days, I felt we could have a little informational discussion on hit calling. Airsoft is a game of integrity, and no one wants to be known as “that guy” that shrugs hits, is accused of shrugging hits, or is known as the resident airsoft zombie. On the flip side, no one wants to be the guy feeling like he has to accuse a fellow player of not taking their hits. Either way, airsoft zombies take all the fun out of the game. That being said, how do you prevent this situation from happening?
It can be tough to tell whether you are actually being hit, and even tougher if you are actually hitting the person you are shooting at both indoors and outdoors. Players move, walls and brush get in the way, and even the wind or a floating bb can cause a seemingly sure shot to miss its mark. As the shooter, take that into account when you start to feel frustrated; even the best marksmen can miss. Often when I am convinced I was hitting someone, yet they never seem to feel it, I will take the first opportunity to put myself in the very spot they were in and draw fire: a lot of times I am amazed at how protected some of those places really are, and how unlikely it might be to actually get a shot into that spot. Far too often we jump to the conclusion that people are shrugging hits simply because we “know” we can hit them where they are hiding. Another issue I have seen is gear: vests, heavy jackets, and pouches often absorb the impact of a hit to the point where the player truly cannot feel it, and other noise on occasion can drown out the sound of the hit. We have all been guilty of it, and that is where good sportsmanship comes into play more than ever: in most cases a friendly head’s up is a much appreciated gesture. As the shooter, take that into account before you jump to accuse a fellow player of not taking his/her hits.
As the person being shot at, give the benefit of the doubt to the shooter. Many spots that you are convinced should be enough protection actually are not; pallets, brush, and windows are great examples. Players can get some amazing angles on you, and some even more amazing shots! Ricochets are often undistinguishable from direct hits, so if there is any question, take the hit; go respawn, and come back for more fun. If a fellow player gives you that friendly head’s up, take it! Most players I know appreciate that, myself included.
All that being said, there will always be those selfish few without integrity of their own. If you see someone unabashedly taking hits, and your temper starts to flare, let the refs/staff/admins know so the issue can be dealt with properly. From there, it never hurts to sit out for a few minutes to cool off: don’t let them ruin your fun!
