Mixed Systems
Force on force simulation systems — disregarding blanks with colored armbands and so on — are of basically two types: pellet throwers and lasers.
The pellet throwers have huge advantages as they throw pellets. You can suppress, create startle responses with near misses, ricochet and otherwise threaten in barricades and cover, and inflict actual hits on anything at all; hits on a structure can be detected, and acted up as a threat or as a kill. Airsoft specifically is great for the "full spectrum" of weapons. Grenades, grenade launchers, machine guns, all with no legal ramifications as they are not firearms, or explosive devices, and a high degree of safety.
But, for those safety reasons they are inherently range limited. Upgrading to UTM or airsoft-related systems like UNIT Solutions gives some advantages but not in range, and in some cases increases danger of injury.
MILES gives range. The Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System fires lasers and has some settings and algorithms about the firing weapon and target to allow engagements to realistic ranges. 300 yds is common, and much further is possible (though irrelevant now as we don't have open spaces that large typically).
It has no other real advantages, adding the downsides of noise and some chance of injury from gas, hot brass, and so on. It is expensive, and firearms are real, though that can be an advantage in some cases (noise of gunfights can be detected, for example). At closer ranges, it becomes apparent that you are not shooting at people, but at laser detectors, and regular users of this system do non-realistic methods to assure hits, reducing training value.
If it matters, lasers travel in straight lines, so long range engagements are also a bit fake, and players cannot miss by range misestimation, but it is a lot better than simply no ability to shoot past around 100 m even with rockets and grenade launchers, so keeps people under cover, and allows at least harassing fire for teams that have poor camouflage skills, or things like fires when on the assault to cover (or defend) open areas in front of positions.
High end special forces units combine these, by getting specialized MILES that actuates off their UTM or even airsoft guns. We cannot however afford to buy these special kits, in bulk.
However, we are a war gaming organization. We already do things to simulate a battlefield, and often we abstract actions, even if some other version is happening. The medic rules are a good example; it doesn't matter where you hit a person or vehicle for real, the rules count "A Hit" and then all effects are by the randomized results on the card.
That is what we will be doing for Swift Fox 24.
War Gaming Rules for Mixed Systems
In most ways, both the MILES and Airsoft rules already posted are applicable. When there is a conflict between the rules, the more stringent is always applicable unless otherwise stated here. For example, eye protection for MILES is only safety glasses, but for airsoft requires sealed goggles; the mixed system uses both so the more stringent or safer option prevails, all participants must wear sealed goggles, AND they must have solid lenses (instead of mesh) as the MILES has gas and particles emitted.
To keep costs remotely reasonable and reduce load, only one MILES gun is issued (and permitted) per Fire Team. This gun engages distant targets for the entire team
When receiving fire, hit is a hit. Whether by MILES, pellet hit, or both, any hit counts as it always has. Use the medic rules to declare the hit
The MILES gunner must always also have a working airsoft gun on them at all times.
Anyone may be the MILES gunner, and this may change at any moment. Whether due to fatigue, other tasks, or because the gunner has become a casualty, anyone else on the Team may pick it up and fire instead.
If the team has no MILES gun (forgot it, the Team split into two buddy pairs for the assault) they cannot shoot but are still subject to being killed by MILES lasers.
War Gaming Activities
Distant Engagement:
- Outside airsoft maximum ranges, engagements occur exclusive with MILES.
- The Team's MILES gunner is the only one firing, but may fire on any enemy and inflict casualties to any of them.
- All casualties from MILES assignment are the same as for previous rules: 5 minutes without treatment equals death, the medic refers to the card to treat or indicate injury etc.
Close Engagement – At close range, or when an engagement starts at close range:
- The minimum range for MILES engagements is 50 feet (15 m).
- As soon as airsoft becomes effective, even if further than 50 feet, switch from MILES to airsoft. The whole team should remind their MILES gunner to switch when effective range is reached, but 50 ft is a Minimum Safety Range, and must not be violated regardless.
- If hit by a pellet, at any time, the MILES gunner has no special protections and can be killed as anyone else can.
- Avoid leaving the unit without a MILES gun (do not leave the field too rapidly, etc), even when hit with airsoft. Be prepared to transfer the equipment to surviving members of the team (if any) so they have the long range engagement available to them.
- Minimum airsoft engagement distances are still in force. Do not shoot too close with any system, but use Safety Kill instead.
Dual-System Guns – Guns that fire both MILES and pellets at the same time use all the above rules except:
- There are no engagement distances to switch from MILES to airsoft. Minimum safe airsoft distance is still in force. Use Safety Kill at or under this range.
- Muzzles or muzzle devices – flash hiders, faux suppressors, etc – must be painted or taped off blue to indicate the gun is safe, since it carries no blank firing attachment.
Equipment for Mixed Systems Gaming
Everyone has an airsoft gun, as before.
Each Fire Team will be issued one MILES gun and four 30 round magazines, to be carried by the MILES Gunner. Whoever carries this must also carry their airsoft gun.
Each Fire Team will be issued a Medic book and appropriate casualty treatment supplies, to be carried by the Medic.
Each individual will be issued a MILES harness and halo (hit detectors).
The Medic of each Fire Team will be issued a reset key. This is used to silence the hit sensing alarm on the harness, but has no impact on game play. A reset harness doesn't mean you are alive.
Sealed and rated eye protection must be worn at all times (outside of sealed tents or vehicles). Mesh goggles are not permitted due to the gas and particles from blank fire.
Hearing protection (at least foam ear plugs, but electronic muffs are recommended) must be brought and on your body at all times because muzzle blast from blank guns firing next to you can be very loud. Bring spares, in case you loose or misplace them.
Additional equipment notes
For now, our supplier will only be issuing out MILES blank fire guns from his inventory, with the SAT (Small Arms Transmitter, the laser simulator part) installed. These are all AR-15 pattern guns, which is permitted for now for any faction due to this logistics constraint. It does not change the airsoft gun requirements.
This year there is NO mounting of SATs on field. If you bring your own gun you must have a MILES SAT mounted and zeroed yourself before you get to the field.
Dual-system guns are intrinsically safe pellet-throwers that also actuate a MILES SAT. At this time only the Unit Solutions guns are permitted; individual guns and their ammunition must be cleared by the staff, and may need to be marked and secured differently than other airsoft guns. Be sure to bring the ammunition in the original packaging as there are target (unsafe for force-on-force), and marking (paint) rounds we do not permit.
Scopes may be used on MILES (or dual system guns) with more magnification than is permitted on airsoft systems. Remember that engagement with the MILES must occur from as close as 30 yards (max effective range for airsoft) so "LPVO" scopes with a bottom end around 1x, piggyback red dots, or other methods to be effective as close ranges are required to assure all shots are fired in a safe direction.
All other safe (e.g. no bayonets!) accessories are permitted on MILES or dual system guns, including bipods, if you wish to carry the weight. Rental guns will have sight rails and may have railed forearms to allow other accessories to be attached.
Only a limited supply of ammo for MILES guns is provided, with little or no resupply, unlike the airsoft pellets. Whatever is issued is all there is, so plan long distance engagements accordingly.
Although airsoft ammo can still be stolen when found in ammo cans (though not when loaded into magazines and on individuals), there is no provision to steal blank fire ammunition.
You may not bring your own blank ammunition or use your own magazines for blank firing guns.
Do not attempt to perform any service on the MILES gun, including rezeroing or removal of the SAT. Contact your leadership or game admin if any problems are encountered.
Do not remove or loosen the Blank Firing Adapter (BFA) from the MILES gun, for any reason, even momentarily. This is a critical safety issue and will result in ejection from the game.
Do not tape over or otherwise cover the BFA. The bright color is a safety check, and gas ejects out of it so covering incorrectly can cause that to become a projectile. Is very small so will not give away your position.
Do not pick ammunition up off the ground. You may accidentally pick up and load into the magazine a live round, blowing up the gun and causing injury to yourself or others; this has happened, lately, to actual soldiers on training ranges. Ammunition dropped from stoppages, etc will be left behind. If a quantity is left that seems a waste, mark it, and refer to the game admins who will recover it for you if possible.
Harnesses (of the type issued) can be integrated with web gear, replace the shoulder straps if running a belt line or just tossed over the top of your gear and not even secured; it works surprisingly fine, so don't agonize over it too much.
Halos are strongly recommended for the gunner, and at least one per team must have one, but are technically optional since they can be a pain to change out with headwea, etc. Do not make us regret making them optional, and try to wear them.
Notes About Wargaming With Blank Fire and MILES
Blank Fire is Not Real, so here are a few notes that, and how expectations of more realistic battles may not be fulfilled:
- Noise is only at the firing point, from the muzzle of the gun.
- There is no bullet travel noise. A lot of the sound of a battlefield is the supersonic crack of bullets. They make noise across the entire trajectory, but blanks do not do that.
- There is no splash, or bullets striking the ground, breaking branches, etc. so again it's hard to tell you are being under fire much less where fire is coming from.
- Structures, vehicles, and brush do not react at all to lasers. Pellets will make noise against walls and can give a hint you are being fired upon or allow you to take casualties when relevant. MILES lasers do not.
- As with airsoft, cover and concealment are usually the same thing. This means effective range is often shorter than it would be in reality as targets can avoid being killed by using concealment as cover; you will often have to close — and use airsoft guns at close range — to more fully engage.
- Flash exists, but is unusual because the BFA inherently blocks the flash hider so gunfire doesn't always look like you may expect it to look, and can be hard to differentiate from other lights, or reflections, at distance.
The upshot of all is that you may not be able to hear those firing at you, so may not know you are coming under fire until you take hits, or take near misses. Once it is clear you are taking fire, it may still be more unclear than in the real world where fire is coming from.
Harnesses can occasionally indicate near misses (though usually not kills) from spurious interference or bugs in the system. So, while we normally say to take any hit without thinking about it, be pragmatic with your reaction when such beeps don't make sense.
Fabric does not block IR well. You cannot cheat by covering harnesses with outerwear, so if needed (at least temporarily) you can put jackets and ponchos over your MILES harness.