Airsoft

What is Hardball?

Hardball, which internationally is known by the name Airsoft, is not only a hobby but also a sport recognised by the organization DGI Skydning in Denmark. Hardball in short is about two or more teams fighting eachother using softguns to tag their opponents with 6mm plastic ammunition. All players wear protective gear and is typically clad in military uniforms. In this sport you trult get your adrenaline pumping and you get your exercise. A sense of comradery and team spirit naturally builds over the course of a game. Whether you are good at solo play or working in teams, there are many ways to satisfy your needs in the game of hardball. Its a sport with great room for both a mindset of individuality or teamwork. 

Teamwork and unity is one of the sports foremost and truly amazing qualities. 

What types of hardball games are there?

Generally speaking games usually fall under one of these 4 hardball gametypes:

• Speedball
• Traditional hardball
• Milsim
• Reenactment

Speedball is the fastest gametype, which often is over after a few minutes. The game works like in paintball, on a syncronized gamefield, with each teams players in their spawn area. The game kicks off  and each team rushes forward and makes contact with the enemy right away. This gametype is very aggresive and usually takes place on very small gamefields.

Traditional hardball is the most common gametype. Traditional hardball can be played in various ways, though most often as Team Deathmatch. Team Deathmatch is a game where the main goal is to eliminate the enemy team. When hit the player must return to team spawn area. Every round can have different objectives, rules and restrictions. These types of games are usually played on larger gamefields and can last around 20-60 minutes pr. 

Milsim or Military Simulation is a more advanced type of game. Typically it boasts a long set of rules. with among other things limits on BB count in the magazines and gear requirements, all in the name of realism. This gametype is best suited though not restricted to more experienced players and usually follows a story. In this gametype vehicles will often be used due to the fact that these game are played over large areas such as army training sites or the like. These games usually last multiple days over a weekend or even longer.

Reenactment is on the rise here in denmark, but has been well established for some time in countries such as England. The game is played in accordance to a theme such as World War 2, where people are dressed realisticly in the military gear and attire from the time. This gametype holds strong elements of roleplay as the primary focus of the game, playing out the battles, only with softguns instead of real weapons. The length games in this gametype can vary greatly, some lasting only hours while others span over multiple days.

How does Hardball work in Denmark compared to other countires?

Interest in the sport of hardball has risen immensely in Denmark over the last 20 years. More and more gamefields have opened up in every corner of the country, but in the sport is much more popular Asia and the Pacific Region.
Compared to other countries Denmark is quite a small country, and that also applies when it comes to the gamefields, hardball games and events in general. A regular gameday in denmark usually sees between 20-150 players, and large events can reach op to 400 players. Look no further than sweden to find some of the biggest hardball-events in the world. The larger events can draw players from all over the world and it is not unusual to see between 2000-5000 players on the field once. Those games use military vehicles, tanks and even helicopters and ships. Games like these typically last for 3-5 days consecutively. In Denmark you also have the possibility of experiencing military vehicles including but not limited to jeeps among and GD's formerly used by the danish army.

The history of Hardball.

Hardball originated in Japan at the start of the 1970's. Softgun was originally created to serve as an alternative to real weapons for gun enthusiasts, in the wake of new Japanese laws that prohibited all privately owned firearms. This is also the reason why Softguns usually are precice replica's that imitate real weapon. The same goes for the softgun attire which realistically imitates real uniforms, tactical equipment and gear much more than you will see in the world of paintball. 
Hardball is often compared to a plethora of shooting games, because you can get many of the same weapons that people know from those games. In hardball you often have missions and objectives that needs to be accomplished just like in the videogames we know and love. In our experience we have found that to most hardball players, the setup, styling and equipment is just as important a part of the hobby as the actual game itself. You will see on most hardball gamefields, that players equipment and attire is heavily inspired by military units or special forces, such as SWAT and their setup looks exactly like those of the soldiers they are imitating, down to the smallest detail.

Is Hardball legal?

It is legal to play hardball in Denmark. The law says, that you need to be 18 years old to buy, own and transport softguns. It is however legal, on most gamefields, to play at the age of 16 with a parrrents written consent. The hardball weapons however does still need to be transported by an adult.
During transport the weapon must be safely packed in a bag, case or the original packaging. The weapon must be unloaded, meaning no BB's nor magazine.
In Airsoft Challenge there is NO age limit. That means that all members of an association that offers Airsoft Challenge are allowed by law to shoot with softguns. The same laws about being 18 years old to buy, own and transport softgun still apply here though.
If you have any questions about the harball legislation, then feel free to contact our customer support.

Hardball vs. Airsoft

In Denmark hardball and airsoft are considdered two different things. The organization DGI has chosen to create a new sport named Airsoft Challenge. The goal in Airsoft Challenge is to shoot at targets just like in the traditional sport of marksmanship, or shooting on an action oriented shooting range, where you move through a timed course to shoot multiple targets, usually in different positions, like standing, crouching or prone. There will normally be 8 target on these ranges. This type of game is played under approved organizations and instructors.

Hardball vs. Paintball

In hardball as opposed to paintball, there is no colour tagging involved when successfully hitting the target. It is therefor the responsibility of each individual player to be aware when hit. This is one of the reasons that the sport is generally seen as a gentlemens sport. In paintball there will be a clear colour mark made on hit and players can therefor visually tell if friends or enemies have been hit. Harball weapons have a significantly longer range and a much better precision than paintball weapons. When playing hardball the gamefield is usually bigger and more realistically set up than they are in paintball and can hold more than 100 players at a time. This is not the case within the sport of paintball and least of all in Denmark.
Hardball distinguishes itself by as opposed to painball, mixing the sport with its heavy hobby elements. The Hardballplayers spend much more time on the hobby part, focusing on setup, adjustments, customization, care and styling of their weapons and equipment. They also have a heavy focus on the social aspects, using forexample facebook, where you can find a plethora of good groups where players can showcase their gear, setup and plan which games they want to join.

In heavy contrast, paintball is much more gameoriented, where hardball is more hobby sport/oriented.

How to get started with hardball.

If you are looking to get into hardball or in general learn about how it works, then we reccomend that you contact your local hardball gamefield. There you can get information about when and how you can join them. If you cant find any gamefields near you then you are free to contact us so we can help you find a gamefield.
When going to play hardball for the first time, it is important to have good protectivegear. According to the law, your mask is required to cover " From forhead to chin including ears." It is important not to skimp on protective gear and we reccomend that you buy a quality safetymask. You can always contact our customer service for good advice and guidance.
Then you will need a good gun. We reccomend that you dont waste your money on the wrong gun the first time around, and then later having to upgrade to something better. Save money on sights, sidearm and all the other equipment and focus instead on getting the right rifle. If you have the right rifle and mask then you are 90% of the way, the rest is just icing on the cake.

Commercial hardball gamefields vs. hardball clubs?

Commercial Gamefields are a buisness, that often have some of the best looking gamefields to play on, but also usually more expensive. Here you buy a ticket, to  Her køber du en billet, for at komme og bruge deres bane og få en god oplevelse. They usually have very capaple and skilled game leaders, whos job it is to make sure you have a fantastic experience. The prices usually range around 50-150 DKK pr. session.
Hardball clubs are normally a group of people, who together run a gamefield and where the members take on the responsibility of helping out the club. These gamefields operate under alot of volunteer work and the quality of game depends on the work that the volunteers and members have put in it. The people behind these gamefields are driven by their love for the sport and wanting a place to get their game on.” (Great respect to the people who give themselves over to the club work). Club Gamefields are deffinately worth a visit, more often than not you can feel the dedication and spirit of the people running it. The price range from around 40-80 DKK. pr game or in some cases a monthly subscription.