[JonRichard]

I think for airsoft though, realistic mag capacities are too much. Because bbs are way smaller than bullets, so you can carry a lot more. Even though the power outputs play somewhat of a role, that is easier to limit. A lot of milsims don’t allow hi cap mags. But checking everyone’s mag capacity would take way too long.

It's pragmatic for sure, but does seem to really make the action only for the full and semi autos.
I went to a shop last week to try and get a piston head, spring, others to further tweak my gun but this shop had nothing I was after. The shop owner said there was no reason to support snipers because of how local fields are set up there really weren't anyone local wanting to play a long range roll.
No one could carry 10,000 rounds of .556 into the field. Without imposing limitations coupled with the reality of airsoft ballistics I have to admit I'm really only interested in springer only exchanges or target competition with my modified rifle. It doesn't sound like my idea of a good time to have my one shot rig against some kid duel wielding G18c's with drum mags.

 

[TenshouYoku]

Kind of a problem in airsoft unfortunately, unless you want dem realism where you would go for GBBs with regular mags (which are much more limited in BB per mag inherently), AEGs are in comparison basically recoilless LMGs that fires ammo like hoses and everyone seems content that way.

In matches my friend hosts he imposes a total BB carried limits, where everyone using AEGs will be limited to 600BBs and LMGs weighting 5kg or about will be allowed to have 1000 instead (bolt actions are not limited, but unless you can rack a bolt so fast you can fire 30 BBs per second……). Obviously you don't run around and check if people are carrying exactly 600 rounds, but it's fine as long as you are not carrying a ludicrous amount of magazine.

 

[SiliconeSword]

I carry 7 magazines when I use my siliconeized M4, one in the gun and 6 on me, coming out to about 750-900 rounds, but I rarely use full auto so that's about how much I go through in a decent day.

As for the magazine capacity thing, I only see that as sort of ridiculous unless you're in a hardcore milsim, as airsoft guns can't hold 6MOA or slice through wind very well.

In real life the sniper is a specialty role, only really used for taking out vehicles, creating poor morale by zipping a .408 round through a general's noggin, and picking off some dude with an AK on a balcony 1000m away.
While the role isn't mirrored in airsoft, it's close enough that it can have it's advantages depending on the field and scenario.

 

[JonRichard]

I carry 7 magazines when I use my siliconeized M4, one in the gun and 6 on me, coming out to about 750-900 rounds, but I rarely use full auto so that's about how much I go through in a decent day.

As for the magazine capacity thing, I only see that as sort of ridiculous unless you're in a hardcore milsim, as airsoft guns can't hold 6MOA or slice through wind very well.

In real life the sniper is a specialty role, only really used for taking out vehicles, creating poor morale by zipping a .408 round through a general's noggin, and picking off some dude with an AK on a balcony 1000m away.
While the role isn't mirrored in airsoft, it's close enough that it can have it's advantages depending on the field and scenario.

If it's close enough that's encouraging. Like I say I haven't been involved in any real gameplay so I wouldn't know, just intuitively it seems out of balance for snipers so I tried to imagine what could be done to help with that balance, but I guess it is what it is and what it is isn't terrible👍

 

[SiliconeSword]

Yeah, I think that power or BB weight restrictions would make the play more realistic, or boosting sniper joules, but you really can't get real steel performance without the downside, killing your competitors.
Still, at milsim events there's reason to run a LMG, DMR, SMG, assault, and all the other stuff, but you have to accept the weakness and disadvantages that come with the platform, in order to sneak up on a different class's advantage.

One thing to note, war and stuff takes years or decades to do, while airsoft takes a weekend at the most, so having 2 mile crack shots and chilling in a building for a month isn't really feasible lol.

 

[HopelessAmateur]

the sniper and the LMG are superfluous in Airsoft, where range, ammo capacity and rof have very little to say, as the guno are all built to very much the same specs.

So if you want to encourage variety and role playing on the field, you need to give the outliers special rules.

For the LMG I like when they’re the only gun allowed to go full-auto. Real steal rifles aren’t built for laying down a hail of fire, so having a dude with an M4 throw out a couple of hundred rounds makes ‘no sense’.

Granted, you can very much still lay cover with an M4 on semi. But capping those at 200 rounds (or so) discourage ammo wasting.

Range is more an effect of a good hop-up and BBS than joules. So to give bolt-action and DMRs an advantage, it’s usually more effectful to reserve .30+ BB weight for those guns. This gives a slight edge on range and precision over the AEG. At the same time if you disallow the LMG of running heavier than say .20 BBs you allow the rifles an advantage.

High joules is mostly about inflicting pain - of course, it allows heavier BBS to travel faster, so you won’t have bullet time effects, and it does give you a little extra range - so you should reserve high joules for the long range guns, but really joules are more for determining a MED.

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But the fields have a lot to say as well. The two closest to me have no fire lanes above 60 meters. So a 1Joule pistol is basically all you need. Any gun giving you a MED is only giving you a disadvantage. Also the type of games played are usually fast-paced and about mobility. So again snipers struggle to justify their presence.