Airsoft Stag Do

An airsoft stag do is the most realistic of the combat games. You use replica guns that look and handle like the real thing, firing small plastic BBs, and you play scenario games where your team has a mission rather than just shooting whoever’s nearest. It’s the one for the lads who have spent far too many evenings on console shooters and reckon they’d be handy in real life. Time to find out.

Games are played either in woodland, with plenty of cover and longer missions, or on urban and CQB (close quarters battle) sites, often set up to look like abandoned buildings, streets or bunkers. CQB is fast and tense, with a lot of corners and doorways to worry about.

A bit. A BB hit stings, but it’s generally less painful than a paintball and you’re less likely to go home covered in bruises. What you get in return is realism. The replicas, the tactics and the scenarios feel much closer to the real thing, so it’s more about teamwork and sneaking up on people than charging across a field.

Full face protection is standard, and sites will insist you keep it on for the entire time you’re in a game. Fair enough.

The other twist is that BBs don’t leave a mark like paint, so players are usually trusted to call their own hits. Keep a close eye on the stag here. He’s far more likely to claim “it missed me” than you’d hope.

• Age rules. Sites usually require players to be 18 or over, or to play with adult supervision. Rules vary, so check with the site if anyone in your group is under 18.
• No drinking first. Expect a strict no-drinking rule before and during play. Replica guns and a hangover are a poor mix anyway. Save it for the evening.
• What to wear. Long sleeves, trousers and sturdy boots. Woodland sites get muddy. Some sites hire out overalls or camo, so ask.
• Kit hire. First-timers normally hire everything on site. Check what’s included, especially how many BBs you get and what extras cost.
• The briefing. There’ll be a safety briefing before you start. Listen to it. The marshals take it seriously, and so should you.

Here’s how I’d decide. Paintball is the classic, messy and a bit painful, and ideal for settling old scores. Laser tag is pain-free and great for mixed ages. Airsoft sits in the middle on pain but beats both on realism and tactics, so it suits a group that loves the idea of a proper mission.

Once you’ve survived, head somewhere with a good night out. Many sites are out of town, so a city base with easy transport works best. Have a look at Sheffield or Cardiff, or browse all our stag do destinations.