THE CAGE: TEAM ROLES

THE CAGE: TEAM ROLES... MEDIC!!

THIS TIME THE MEMBERS OF THE AA LEGION CONTINUE THEIR IN-DEPTH LOOK AT “AIRSOFT ROLES”, AND JUST WHAT IT TAKES TO PERFORM THEM TO PERFECTION! AS WE CONTINUE THE SERIES IT’S TIME TO LOOK AT ONE OF THE REAL UNSUNG HEROES OF ANY AIRSOFT TEAM, AND THAT’S THE MEDIC!

If you’re playing airsoft right you’re going to be taking hits proudly and extolling the virtues of the shooter that got the drop on you, especially if they’ve made one of the outrageous shots where you think you’re in cover, but they nail you anyway!

At this point in many-a-game you’ll be screaming “MEDIC!” next at the top of your lungs, hoping that the gazelle-like player on your team will get to you super-fast and get you back into the action!

I know, as just like any of you that play our beloved game with honour and some degree of aggression (in the right way of course!), when you get stuck in you’re more than likely going to take a BB and be thankful for “that guy” who dashes amongst their team-mates, dodging fire, rolling and sliding in the mud to get to you fast and get you back up and rolling… after all, you can to play airsoft and not sit of your sorry butt, right?

In many games I’ve been insanely thankful for our team medic, especially in some of my “Namsoft” adventures where the PAVN forces are respawning like mad and coming after your little recon team in a human wave attack! I’ve also been grateful in simple Sunday Skirmishes where one guy puts their own enjoyment in their back pocket in order for you to have a great time.

That’s why “unsung heroes” comes to my mind when I think of the Team Medic, and the ideal candidate for me is someone that’s fast, nimble, fearless, and above all can “read the game” so that they appear just when they’re needed, just in the nick of time!

They need to understand sometimes quite complex rules involving multiple bandages and bleed-out times, and deliver both their “care” and their understanding of the game guidelines in equal part to players that are often hyper-pumped and “in the zone”.

They need to play smart and be masters of using even the most minimal cover, and they need to be able to prioritise and make judgements quickly; two riflemen or one support gunner, which first? It’s not as simple as “run to Player A, medic, roll to Player B” as sometimes bringing a key player back into the game first will allow them to go on and ply their trade with others more effectively.

I have played the Medic role myself, but being a big, not so quick direct-action kind of guy I’m not the ideal candidate at all, although my knowledge of game-flow and priorities at least allowed me to fulfil the role adequately… just about!

So, next time you holler “MEDIC!!”, give a

thought to the person that’s playing this role, as if they’re doing it right there will be a whole heap of things going on for them that perhaps you haven’t considered before.

TEAM TALK

As always, with my own thoughts out there, it was time to pose my usual monthly question to the members of the AA LGEION, and this month I asked them “WHAT IS THE ROLE OF AN AIRSOFT MEDIC? WHY DO WE NEED ONE, AND WHAT MAKES A GOOD ONE?”

Stewbacca: “Don’t get shot” comes to mind. The occasions where I have played medic myself have usually resulted in me being the first to get shot. Because of course they have. Being able to move low to the ground and adapting whatever personal weapon and gear you have to the role is always helpful of you are assigned it early enough to plan around such considerations, otherwise if you’re thrust into it as an interchanging role that moves between players each round I suppose minimising excess bulk and gear as best as possible and relying on close protection of a designated teammate or the squad as a whole and minimising your own exposure during movement are the best you can do. Radio, heavy gunner, medic. Walking targets for every occasion.

At Brit Tac MilSim events they used the poker chip blind draw from a bag which worked nicely. Differing numbers of green/red/black chips to denote revived/ respawn/medic and you are both dead outcomes which made it less onorous than always having to hump back to respawn. Certainly for smaller games here I’ve been toying with an idea of velcro strips almost like rank tabs on the arm that people tear off after each elimination and slap on their team’s respawn board. So you can see a K/D ratio or which players are getting taken out most etc. Otherwise using the clicker counters at the respawn to compare which team had more eliminations within a fixed period works too.

Boycie: Usually for me the better medics are the lighter equipped “whippets” of the team. They can get in and get out pretty quickly. If I get chosen to be the medic it’s almost a given that I get used as mobile cover as well!

Miguel: For me, a medic can be divided in two ways. The first is your typical in-game medic, someone in charge of following the game’s respawn mechanic, which can be either by touch, bandages, cards or any other system. But we also have a role within the team for someone with knowledge in first-aid, a player who is there to help in case of a more serious situation

Robbie: The airsoft medic (team) is essential on teams that work together. The rule of one is none, two is one. One is always providing covering fire, while the medic is healing/working. So the medics bodyguard is well equipped with plenty of firepower. The medic, well they are in a way a bandage and ammo mule! Depending on gameplay, they can be well-armed or not, but they should always be sneaky and fast when possible, as well as their bodyguard.

Dan: On the few games that have medic rules, they can definitely make or break it for teams. Good

SIMULATED INJURY

“BEING ABLE TO MOVE LOW TO THE GROUND AND ADAPTING WHATEVER PERSONAL WEAPON AND GEAR YOU HAVE TO THE ROLE IS ALWAYS HELPFUL OF YOU ARE ASSIGNED IT EARLY ENOUGH TO PLAN AROUND SUCH CONSIDERATIONS, OTHERWISE IF YOU’RE THRUST INTO IT AS AN INTERCHANGING ROLE THAT MOVES BETWEEN PLAYERS EACH ROUND”

medics will help keep the fight moving forward, so it’s a position that has to be carefully chosen. Not everyone is cut out for it, so it takes an attentive and proactive sort to really fulfil the role. I’ve honestly only played as medic a couple of times, so based on that I’d say you want to be lightly encumbered, and only carry the minimum loadout as you’ll be running on your feet and more physically active than most every other player. Don’t forget to hydrate either! They’re also high value targets, so they definitely need the assistance of their team to have adequate protection and covering fire.

We have used a few different medic systems over the years. We started out emulating the MilSim West style, where a limited number of bandages or tourniquets were used, with the player being able to get healed once before having to go back to respawn. The main issue was getting those bits turned in after the end of the day, or even in between stages, so it was always a struggle coming up with replacements.

The current system uses a laminated card deck, which contain randomized disabilities, from the severe (Blam! You’ve been headshot! Return to respawn immediately!) to simply inconvenient (your rifle was hit by incoming fire and is disabled! switch to your sidearm if you have one! If you do not have one, bleed out for 5 minutes and respawn).

There’s also a fair few cards of the “You have collapsed from heat exhaustion! Take a one minute break and hydrate!” type which helps remind people to do the all-important activity. It’s a fun system and the players seem to universally enjoy the variety of ailments doled out over the older method of using cloth bandaids or expensive bespoke TQ’s. Since the cards are solely retained by the appointed medic, it’s also easier to maintain control over the “bandaids” so to speak and get them turned in at the end of the day

Iggy: In short a medic in the games sense is to keep you (the team) in the fight. They are required to NOT be the one on point or leading the pack, but be more standoffish to assist any players on their team that need have been hit and need to be revived to get back in the game. That doesn’t mean they won’t get rounds down. In fact it’s often the opposite as they need to shoot their way to the “hit” player, but it does mean they need to be more mindful of their game play as they are the weakest link in the team because if they go down then there is often no regeneration for players “hit” thereafter.

Björn: Usually someone gets a bag of bandages and is called a medic. They are later returned by a spawn. But sometimes we draw a damage card. Arm disabled, leg disabled, etc but you can continue the fight. A hit in the chest/ head according to the card and you’re down if you don’t have a medic close. You can choose to continue this way or search up a team medic or get another hit and you’re sent to spawn! AA

SIMULATED INJURY

“WE HAVE USED A FEW DIFFERENT MEDIC SYSTEMS OVER THE YEARS. WE STARTED OUT EMULATING THE MILSIM WEST STYLE, WHERE A LIMITED NUMBER OF BANDAGES OR TOURNIQUETS WERE USED, WITH THE PLAYER BEING ABLE TO GET HEALED ONCE BEFORE HAVING TO GO BACK TO RESPAWN”