Introduction

Congratulations! You have found the world of Badger Airsoft. We are a team based out Madison, Wisconsin. We are composed of mostly college students from the University of Wisconsin, but we do not discriminate; all ages are welcome. We have weekly practices on Sundays and games once a month. We have monthly meetings as well, and they are held in downtown Madison, usually in the University’s Mosse Humanities Building at 455 N. Park St. These meetings allow us to go over team business, discuss potential games and games were attending, and generally maintain the administrative aspect of the team. They also allow prospective members, new members, or people just looking for general information about the team to find out what we’re about. The curious are encouraged to come to these meetings, meet the team, and get their questions answered.

Membership

There are dues ($5) every semester. To become a full member of Badger Airsoft Team, the prospective member is required to come to an event with the team. After attending that event, the membership committee will evaluate the new recruit, and may invite you to play at a second game.  After that event, if you are invited back to play again, you will go through a probationary period of 3 events before becoming a full member.   We look for people that are enthusiastic, willing to both take and give orders, and have a good time playing airsoft with like minded people.  Anyone attending the University can be a club member, and all club members are encouraged to attend meetings and practices.  There are no requirements to be in the club, however games are restricted to team members only, or by invite/special request.

Practice

Practices are held on Sundays, and they take the whole day, so if this is your first time attending practice, you should plan accordingly. The team meets at the Memorial Union parking lot and we leave for practice at 9:00 SHARP. Unless previous arrangements were made, we do not tolerate latecomers and do not wait for them.  Upon arrival at the field, we “gear up”. This includes loading magazines, getting tactical vests on, and anything one had to do to be ready for the field. Badger Airsoft requires that every member has a supply of water during practice. This can be a canteen, camelbak, or water bottle; but it has to stay on your person at all times and cannot pose an interfering presence. The last thing you need is to pick up your water bottle in the middle of a firefight. Practices end at 4-4:30 P.M.

Badger Airsoft exercises before we get in the field, so expect to do push-ups, sit-ups, and go running. Airsoft is a very physical sport, and it definitely helps to be fit. In airsoft, you’re either waiting for an enemy, or running towards\away from them. So you’re either at a complete standstill or sprinting.

Airsoft is a team sport. You rely on your team members, and they rely on you. Airsoft is not a sport for glory hogs or lone wolfs. If you try to take on a force by yourself, you will always be killed before them. Airsoft relies on team communication and discipline.

Badger Airsoft plays our practices and games in a mil-sim environment, or military simulation. This means taking orders and executing orders, whether you agree with them or not. Especially with the enemy either on you or approaching you, there is not time to debate orders or pipe up with a “better idea”. Badger Airsoft plays to have fun, first and foremost; we don’t play for the glory or bragging rights. We expect a lot of our team members.

There are no uniform requirements at practice; you’re encouraged to wear whatever you like. Just know that you will get dirty, and you will get sweaty. Airsoft is not for people that don’t like the outdoors. For games, we require woodland camouflage and woodland marpat uniforms, both tops and bottoms. If you have other types of camouflage, (digital, urban, desert), you’re encouraged to bring that as well.

We take our airsoft seriously, but the goal at the end of the day is always to have fun. If you’re looking for a mil-sim team that has a lot of fun, then that's Badger Airsoft, but if you’re just looking for some informal “backyard” play, then you might want to try somewhere else.

Miscellaneous

Each team member is required to have at least a “springer”, or spring gun. These are cheap, ($10-$40), and can be found at any major sports\outdoor retailer. (Dick’s, Gander Mountain, Walmart). Higher end guns, like AEGs (Automatic Electric Guns) and GBBs (Gas Blowbacks), are heavily encouraged, though. Some notable manufacturers worth checking out are Tokyo Marui (Springers, GBBs, AEGs), Classic Army (AEGs), and ICS (AEGs). Some team members generally have AEGs they are willing to lend to new members, so ownership of an AEG isn’t a requirement, but at a field when almost everyone else has one, it helps.

All members of Badger Airsoft are required to sign participation waivers, and most game fields require players under 18 to sign additional forms as well.