Preparation, the right kind of preparation can often make or break your day at an op. Now, I do not want you to think this is just big op preparation I am talking about. While the end goal is to see guys rise from their local fields and play at bigger, national events, preparation from your local level ops up to a national level is important all along your growth. Now, we are not just talking gear, we will also talk about the mental and physical aspects one needs to prepare, as well. I like to look at preparation in three distinct categories all needing of your attention.

What are they? The answer is equipment, fitness and your mentality.

Let's go straight into the obvious and first thing that comes  to mind as you prepare for any kind of event. Your gear is what you fight in and it is what you go into battle with. Look at your gear and ask yourself if you have covered the essentials of "beans and bullets." In a short day op "beans" means most importantly hydration and probably a day's worth of food. As you go to longer ops you are simply multiplying your daily needs. This is not just about giving you a formula to work off of. It is knowing yourself and what it takes to fuel your body. If you sweat a lot and get dehydrated fast then you carry more water then someone who does not. If you need to take in more calories to keep you fueled then have more food available. That 100oz hydration bladder filled and one MRE might only be a good start. The bottom line with fueling and hydration is that it is not just about minimums but what your unique body needs.

The other half of your equipment planning is the "bullets". That is your BBs, working magazines and charged batteries. Too often, players show up to an event with one of these three items missing. They rely on the hope that a vendor is going to show up to take care of those problems at the last minute. This is simply asking to fail before ever stepping on the battlefield. There is no shortage of local and online vendors to keep you 100% supplied. It is great when vendors show up at events and have everything you need. Still, there is a huge downside to relying on this strategy. Since you never got the chance to test the items you could discover there is something wrong and then you are stuck trying to fix the issue on the spot. There is no excuse for the basics of BBs, batteries and magazines not being ready for battle. This is at your local level all the way up to big national ops. Some of you might say, that is a bit obvious. If it was so obvious I would not see it time and time again. That local vendor at the event should be there to help cover emergencies and known essential extras.

"Beans and Bullets" --- look at your gear and ask yourself if you have those essentials. Because everything else is just extra when it comes to being able get into the fight.

Now, that we quickly hit the down and dirty of equipment, we have to hit fitness. This is a category many like to act like it does not matter in Airsoft/Milsim. You guys know I am no fitness nut and out of shape myself, still the importance of fitness or some small slice of it is a reality even I cannot deny. Look at your team, you are brothers and your team is only as fast or strong as the weakest link. More often than not that weak link is the out of shape old guy. A player can have a ton of experience and knowledge but, none of that is going to help when he cannot stay in the fight due to physical limitations. Think of the time lost on a heat casualty or other health issue created by being really out of shape. So, what do we need to do? Should we all set ourselves to the military PT standards or go out and get a gym membership right now? The answer is no, airsoft/milsim is largely a cardiovascular activity. Simply going for a walk around the block a few times of the week can dramatically change how you play. The one weekend out of the week you play airsoft cannot be the workout itself. We can be under no illusions that this is enough. My injuries from being a soldier limit me and I definitely cannot meet Army standards anymore but, I get myself out around the block and on the treadmill walking swiftly. I accept like others should accept that I will not become a PT stud overnight but I need to put in that effort to be physically ready to fight. This is an important part of preparation that some often try to ignore or pretend like it does not matter.

The third and final part of your preparations for ops is being mentally prepared. This is a less obvious aspect of preparation that is very much ignored. Guys think it is all about the gear and training but there is mental preparation needed. From the lowest level of op play to the highest most reputable national events you need to have the right mindset. The attitude that is often missing is one of acceptance and the knowledge that there is no such thing as a perfect op. Every mission cannot be a high speed direct action mission on a high value target. The bread and butter of ground combat is simple force on force action. This is an important idea for players to mentally accept. An op promoter can sell you on the idea of the greatest most life changing experience of your life but, the reality is never the high mental bar you set. Better to go in with the mindset that you will make the best of any situation and you will give yourself to the experience. The op producer does have a responsibility to give you what you paid for but you also have the responsibility to give it your all. That includes being on the field for the fight, following your chain of command's orders, and actively working with others. The game producer only sets the stage. You are the actors in his play that ultimately make it work.

To me these are the core pillars of op preparedness. Not so much a item per item checklist of what you need but a philosophy of how you come at the sport in general. So, be prepared in every way possible because it is not just about one game but how you approach the sport and grow as a player.

Just one grunt's opinion,

Javier "Darkhorse"

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About The Author

Javier "Darkhorse" Franco, formerly from This Week In Airsoft, runs his own Airsoft Blog on Facebook called "One Grunt's Opinion." This article has been posted here with the author's permission.