What is Speedsoft?
Have you ever played an airsoft game where the goal is to be the fastest on the field? If so, then you have played speedsoft! Speedsoft is a relatively new type of airsoft game that has been gaining popularity (and controversy) recently. If you’re not sure how to play speedsoft, don’t worry. This article will break down the basic rules, field of play, and best airsoft guns for speedsoft so you can get started playing as soon as possible.
What is speedsoft? Speedsoft is an extremely fast-paced and aggressive playstyle in the sport of airsoft. Because of the focus on speed, speedsoft players must be quick thinking and agile to eliminate the other team and complete the assigned task or objective. Typically, speedsoft is played indoors or in close-ranged open air environments. Each round lasts about 4-5 minutes.
Like fast-paced, athletic, and aggressive airsoft? Read on to learn more about speedsoft!
What is Speedsoft, Really?
Speedsoft is a variant playstyle of airsoft that focuses on speed, agility, and aggression. Because of its emphasis on speed, players are required to move quickly and use aggressive tactics, such as very rapid shooting, to complete a mission, task, or objective.
Because of the rapid shooting involved, most airsoft guns used in speedsoft are set to semi-automatic or automatic firing rates, depending on the local speedsoft rules and regulations being used.
Many consider speedsoft to be similar to speedball, a fast-paced paintball game.
The emphasis on agility also involves more acrobatic actions such as sprinting, sliding, jumping, diving, and vaulting, much like parkour.
Speedsoft is unique in this way because most airsoft styles are slower due to the focus on tactics, defense, and evasion. This requires players to be quick thinking to eliminate the other team and achieve their objectives.
One tactic that speedsoft players employ is to send one or two players through a weak defensive line to eliminate the opposition from behind.
Much like other airsoft styles, speedsoft has competitions and tournaments that are played locally and regionally.
Lightweight Weapons and Gear
Because speedsoft focuses on speed and agility, players typically do not wear the heavy loadouts that are commonly used in other styles of airsoft (especially those doing military simulation, aka milsim).
Instead speedsoft players usually wear lightweight loadouts. This includes tennis shoes or sneakers, regular athletic clothing, and lightweight weapons such as airsoft pistols and lightweight airsoft assault rifles.
Also, speedsoft players still wear the helmets and goggles for protection that other airsoft players wear. However, players typically do not wear the padding associated with milsim or airsoft, which can result in a bit more painful experience.
As mentioned, the airsoft weapons used in speedsoft will generally be lightweight in order to promote a faster playstyle.
Popular airsoft speedsoft weapons include gas blowback (GBB) and automatic electric guns (AEG), also known as electric blowback (EBB).
For gas blowback, high pressured air (HPA) is very common. The popularity of these airsoft weapon options are due to their rapid shooting capabilities. For this reason and the fact that courses are close-ranged, airsoft sniper rifles are not typically used. High capacity (hi-capa) magazines are very common.
Other equipment might include belt rigs, extra batteries or gas canisters, extra magazines/ammunition, anti-fog for goggles, and smoke bombs (if allowed).
Speedsoft Fields, Courses, Environments
Speedsoft is usually played indoors in courses or environments that include obstacles made from plywood, pallets, barrels, drums, tires, cement blocks and other materials for hiding behind. Sometimes, even used cars are brought in as props! Often, courses are made to resemble urban environments. Because of this, many speedsoft players do not wear camo or ghillie suits which are often seen in other forms of airsoft. Speedsoft can also be played outside in specifically designed fields or courses with similar obstacles. Courses that use wooden and cement obstacles for competition are known as SpeedQB. Indoor courses that use inflatable obstacles instead are called SupAir.
Speedsoft Controversy!
Speedsoft as a form of gameplay in the airsoft world is a bit controversial. There is a lot of vitriol towards speedsoft players for several reasons…
Because speedsoft players are so focused on the athleticism of their gameplay style, it is often believed that they do not feel when they are shot by other players, whether in a speedsoft or traditional airsoft game. Thus, these players do not call their hits and this can cause disagreement and animosity between players and teams if there are no referees to adjudicate the issue.
Many airsoft players, such as those in the Milsim community, also have beliefs that the game should be played at a slower speed with more emphasis on real military tactics rather than the running, dodging, and rapid-fire shooting style of speedsoft.
Notions such as magdumping, overshooting, and overkill are also causes for the animosity of speedsoft. Despite this, speedsoft is still very popular among members of the airsoft, Milsim, and paintball communities.
