I. Introduction: Mission Statement

1. Our goals in playing the sport of airsoft are manifold:
   1. We desire to engage in a healthy, fun activity that fosters good relationships between all our participants.
   2. We desire realism in simulation of combat experiences, to the utmost reasonable degree.
   3. We desire the physical safety of all our players at all times.
2. Of these goals, of highest concern during any airsoft match is the physical safety of our players. To that end we have adopted the following rules and guidelines governing the safety aspects of airsoft gameplay. Like all physical sports, airsoft involves the risk of bodily harm but that risk is mitigated through the following procedures and rules. We aim to balance all three goals and create an environment that is as realistic, fun, and safe as possible taking into account the nature of the sport. Questions or suggestions may be directed to the leaders of SEA.
3. We believe that men are to be the protectors of women and children, and to that end our gameplay forbids female players from participating. No female shall be allowed to participate in gameplay as a combatant.

II. Eye Protection Requirements

Note: For eye protection suggestions, see Appendix 2.

1. All airsoft weapons are capable of damaging or destroying eyesight at any combat range. For this reason, the utmost caution is required in protecting your eyesight.
2. All players are required to bring and wear eye protection that meets or exceeds ANSI Z87.1 requirements. Eye protection must be full-seal (not allow BB entry from any angle).
3. Eye protection configurations which are known to comply with this standard:
   1. Most tactical or impact rated chemistry goggles.
   2. Some tactical/shooting glasses.
   3. Full coverage mesh facemasks combined with regular wraparound tactical/shooting glasses.
4. Configurations which DO NOT comply with this standard:
   1. Glasses or goggles which are not impact rated.
   2. Glasses or goggles which allow BB entry from side angles (e.g. normal prescription eye glasses).
   3. Any mesh based eye protection (if worn as sole protection).
5. Eye protection must be worn AT ALL TIMES while on the field during gameplay. Players who remove their eye protection for any reason outside of designated safe zones during combat will be asked to leave the playing area.
6. Any player who brings questionable eye protection may have their goggles/glasses tested for impact resistance by firing a few shots at point blank range. Remember, protecting your eyesight is first and foremost your own responsibility so come prepared with goggles that are up to the task. Please verify your goggles' compliance to safety standards before showing up at a match.
7. No airsoft player must ever intentionally fire upon a player who is not wearing eye protection.

III. Face Protection Requirements

Note: For eye protection suggestions, see Appendix 3.

1. Besides your eyesight, the skin on your face and your teeth are the most vulnerable parts of your body. You must take care to protect your face and your mouth from hits. All of the guns on the field are powerful enough to chip teeth, and cause painful and possibly bloody welts on your face.
2. All players are highly recommended to have some sort of protection for their face.
3. All players are REQUIRED to have some sort of protection for their teeth.
4. Players who remove their face protection during a game should be reminded by other players and the referee. Players who are consistently unable to keep their dental protection on during a game will be asked to leave the playing area.

IV. Permitted Weapon Types

1. Below are definitions of acceptable types of airsoft weapons: (All weapons on this list are assumed to fire 6mm plastic BBs ONLY.)
   1. Pistol - Can be spring, green gas, or C02 powered. Single-shot or semi-automatic with removable clips.
   2. AEG Rifle - Automatic Electric Gun. Powered by battery. Semi and fully automatic with removable clips. Rifle is defined as M4-series or longer, AK-47, M14, G36 etc.
   3. AEG SMG - Automatic Electric Sub-Machine Gun. Powered by battery or green gas. Semi and fully automatic with removable clips. Sub-machine gun is defined as MP5k, M11A1 (MAC 11), etc.
   4. Shotgun - Spring powered. True airsoft shotguns shoot more than one BB at once. All other "shotguns" are considered spring rifles.
   5. Sniper Rifle - Can be spring or green gas powered. Single shot or semi-automatic.
   6. SAW - Squad Automatic Weapon. Powered by battery. Generally has a bipod and a 2000+ round drum magazine. The M249 replica is a popular option.
   7. Hand grenade - A grenade replica usually made from plastic or rubber. Green gas powered. Holds from 40-180 BBs.
   8. Claymore - A replica trip-wire ground "explosive" device similar to a hand grenade.
   9. M203s - Replica grenade launchers. These devices use a green gas grenade cartridge to propel 40-180 BBs at ~200fps. Their range is limited and they are designed to eliminate multiple players at once. The cartridge stays in the gun when fired, i.e. it does not become a projectile like a real grenade. This weapon is more accurately termed a "BB shower gun."
2. Weapon restrictions:
   1. Sniper rifles must be single-shot (bolt action) or semi-automatic only. Sniper rifles with a fully automatic option are not permitted. Green gas or spring rifles are acceptable as long as they do not exceed the FPS limits.
   2. Players whose primary weapon is a sniper rifle are required to also carry a side-arm capable of defending the player within the MED (Minimum Engagement Distance) for sniper rifles. In other words, snipers will not be allowed to play with only a sniper rifle.
   3. Players wishing to use sniper rifles that approach or meet the following FPS limits are subject to approval by the adult participant members of the airsoft group and will be required to demonstrate their knowledge of the applicable safety rules and provide assurances that they will be adhered to.
   4. SAWs, AEG Rifles & SMGs are all subject to the same FPS limits except when otherwise specified.
   5. Hand grenades must be plastic or rubber airsoft replicas. No surplus non-functional metal grenades are allowed to be thrown for any reason. Hand grenades are low-powered devices and are not measured in terms of FPS so there are no such restrictions on this weapon.
   6. There are to be no restrictions on the capacity of magazines, hand grenades, or M203 rounds.
   7. Only high-quality precision .20g or great BBs should be used, both for the longevity of your weapon and the safety of other players. All BBs that can be purchased through general retail outlets (Walmart, Fred Meyer, GI Joes etc.) are low-quality and prone to jamming, or shattering on impact. Players who are currently using low-quality BBs will be encouraged to switch to high-quality as soon as possible.
3. Some limited forms of pyrotechnics may be employed not as weapons, but as objectives, or diversions, in some game scenarios.

V. FPS Limits

1. For woodland/field games:
   1. AEGs/SAWs/Shotguns: 430fps with .20g BBs
   2. Pistols: 400fps with .20g BBs
   3. Sniper Rifles: 550fps with .20g BBs
2. For CQB (Close Quarters Battle) games:
   1. AEGs/Shotguns: 350fps with .20g BBs
   2. Pistols: 350fps with .20g BBs
   3. Sniper Rifles prohibited, SAWs discouraged (except in urban environments where both weapons can be accommodated in terms of range considerations)

VI. Minimum Engagement Distance

1. Minimum engagement distances (MED), combined with FPS limits, are designed to strongly discourage encounters between players using high-powered weaponry that could be more painful or dangerous at close distances. MEDs are guidelines, not rigid rules, and discretion is encouraged in all situations. However, players found to be consistently ignoring these guidelines to the harm of other players will be reprimanded and/or asked to leave the field. The implementing of MED guidelines allows for slightly higher firepower to be used without any increase in risk, which furthers the goal of realism while preserving the goal of safety.
2. For woodland/field games:
   1. AEGs/SAWs/Shotguns: 50-75 feet (Players are strongly encouraged to engage the enemy at distances over 50 feet if at all possible given elements such as the terrain, the event of an ambush etc., especially those with guns that are close to or meet the maximum FPS limit)
   2. AEG SMGs under 350fps: 30 feet
   3. Pistols: 20 feet
   4. Sniper Rifles: 100 feet
   5. Hand Grenades: No MED
   6. M203: 20 feet
3. For CQB/Urban games:
   1. AEGs/Shotguns: 20 feet
   2. Pistols: 10 feet
   3. Hand Grenades: No MED
   4. Sniper Rifles/SAWs: See above note in Section #4
   5. M203: 20 feet

VII. Age & Maturity Guidelines

Personal safety precautions, FPS limits, and MEDs are the first line of defense against undue injury or property damage. However, where the field leader(s) agree that--based on experience & evidence--a certain player may be unsuited to his weapon, or vice versa, that player may be asked to refrain from using that weapon. Such an event should be rare but may occur if a young or immature player wishes to use a high-powered weapon (such as a sniper rifle) but may not possess the discretion or experience to follow MED guidelines. Or, a player who repeatedly ignores safety precautions and MEDs to the harm or damage of other players and/or their gear may be asked to either leave the field or use a less powerful weapon until such a time as they can provide reliable assurances that such infractions will not occur again.

VIII. Calling of Hits

The honor system is absolutely vital to enjoyable game-play, but it is also critical to safe game play. When a player does not call his hits, the attacking player may continue to fire and cause undue pain or possibly injury even after the first hit has occurred. For this reason, the following rules will apply to every game:

1. When hit, you must loudly call out "Hit" and raise your red flag as quickly as possible. If raising the flag is not possible given the circumstances, raise your weapon high over your head. Keep your flag visible all the way back to the dead-zone or until you are assisted by a medic.
2. You must call your hits regardless of which team shot you.
3. If you still receive fire from the opposing force after you have called your hit, call it again, louder if possible as they may not have heard you the first time in the heat of combat.

Any players observed to be consistently cheating this rule will be reprimanded and/or asked to leave the field.

IX. Non-Combatants

Depending on the field that is being used for a match, contact with non-combatants is possible. Non-combatants may be family members on a property, families picking up or dropping off players, neighbors, videographers/photographers (war correspondents) etc. Under no circumstances are players to intentionally point or shoot weapons at non-combatants. War correspondents that take the risk of being present on the battlefield shall understand that there is the potential risk of damage to their person and/or photography/videography equipment and shall take the appropriate safety precautions. All war correspondents must wear compliant eye protection. Face protection is recommended although not required. Non-combatants may never be used as human shields.

X. The Dead-Zone

For each match, a "dead zone" shall be established. The dead zone is an area where the players' gear is kept and is a rally and reloading point between matches. All guns shall be kept in the safe position while in the dead zone. There is to be no firing in the dead zone. If you need to fire your gun, please go onto the field away from other players and fire it in a safe direction.

All players must keep their finger off the trigger when not in gameplay. Do not point your weapon at anyone outside of gameplay.

XI. Real Steel Weapons

Real steel and airsoft do not mix. "Real steel" weapons are real firearms capable of firing a projectile with deadly force. Due to the exact similarity between many airsoft replicas and real steel firearms, real steel weapons are not allowed on the playing field. No player may carry a real firearm on his person during an airsoft match. All real steel weapons must be left locked in a car, although it is preferable that they be left at home. No real steel weapon, loaded or unloaded, may be displayed or demonstrated in the presence of airsoft replicas.

XII. Orange Tips

Federal law requires replica firearms to have an orange tip to be imported into, shipped within, or sold in the US. This orange tip is required to be permanently fixed by the manufacturer so that it cannot be removed. However, many orange tips are not permanently fixed and can be easily unscrewed and replaced with a black tip. Federal law does not legislate what can or cannot be done to a replica after it has been purchased by a consumer. A couple states have restrictions beyond the federal restrictions. Washington is not one of those states. Therefore, orange tips are not required for gameplay. The safety of our players is ensured by strict observance of the rules related to real steel firearms and the potential presence of law enforcement on some of our playing fields. Players must exercise discretion in the transport and display of their replicas at all times. Players are also advised that although lack of orange tips should not create any risks for players within the confines of our group, it will be assumed by outsiders that such unmarked weapons are real. Players under the age of 18 are strongly discouraged from playing without an orange tip.

XIII. Presence of Law Enforcement

In the event that law enforcement was to arrive on the playing field for some reason, the following procedure should be followed. Due to the realism of airsoft guns, the situation should be treated as if the officer(s) do not know that a game is being played. If an officer enters the field:

1. All players must instantly cease gameplay
2. Players should lay down all weapons and walk back to the dead zone
3. At no point should a player pick up or point a weapon in the direction of an officer
4. Weapons should not be picked up until the situation has been clarified and the officer has driven away from the field

These kinds of situations can be avoided by registering the airsoft match as an event with the local law enforcement office at least 24 hours in advance. If an event is registered, dispatchers will know how to advise concerned neighbors or passers-by.

XIV. Guests & New Players

Guests and new players in our matches shall be required to review this entire document and agree to its stipulations before joining a game. Disclosure of the performance of the player's weapons shall be required. Guests and new players shall be instructed and reminded of the rules of game play in a gracious (but firm if necessary) manner when infractions occur. If a new player consciously refuses to play according to the rules and guidelines set, he will be asked off the field and not invited to future matches. The goal is to encourage guests and new players, however, not to exclude them.

XV. Whistle Signals & Radio Communication

Depending on the terrain and size of the field, some games may require that whistle signals and/or radio communication be used to communicate with all players on the field in the event of an emergency. The details of any such precautions will be specified at the beginning of any match where the field leader(s) would deem these measures necessary.

XVI. Local Field Considerations

All players should become familiar with and respect field property boundaries, special considerations for neighbors, restrictions around residential areas on fields etc. This means no trespassing on private property where we have not received permission to play, even if it is vacant and adjacent to privileged or public land where we have permission to play. Whenever possible, the field leader(s) will provide verbal and/or written information on these boundaries and they must be respected by all players.

XVII. Amending This Document

The regulations within this document are binding in their current form. However, it is a working document that can be changed over time to introduce new restrictions or amend old ones. The document shall be amended only by a 3/4 majority vote of active SEA officers. Suggestions for amendments may be made by anyone but their adoption shall be determined by participating SEA officers after appropriate discussion and research. This document should only be amended for objective, not subjective reasons. Non-regulative sections of this document may be amended as necessary at any time without general review or approval.