What Is Airsoft.

Airsoft is an activity used primarily for recreation or sport wherein replica firearms shooting 6mm or 8mm plastic rounds are used for personal collection, gaming (similar to Paintball), or professional training purposes (Military Simulations and Police training exercises).

How old do you have to be to play?   you need to be 12 years old or over to play airsoft.

A primary difference between airsoft firearms and BB guns is that the former uses plastic bullets and have muzzle velocities of less than 500 feet per second (FPS) on average, which is generally considered safe when used in a controlled environment, while the latter utilizes metal ammunition and shoots at higher velocities (up to, and over 1000 FPS), making them unsuitable for gaming and training purposes.

Airsoft games vary greatly in style and composition depending on location, budget, and the quantity of participants but often range from short-term skirmishes and organized scenarios to military simulations and historical reenactments.

Combat situations on the battlefield often involve the use of common military tactics to achieve the objectives set in each game. Participants typically use varying types of airsoft weaponry along with either real or replica military gear and uniforms.

Safety (Eye and face protection).

The minimum safe level of gear required to participate in most games includes a pair of impact-rated goggles or shooting glasses to protect participants' eyes. Traditional prescription glasses and sunglasses, or goggles not designed specifically for use with airsoft or paintball guns may break or shatter upon being struck, causing damage to the eye.
Many airsoft groups and fields require that eye protection fully seals the area around the eyes, and also meets or exceeds ANSI's Z87.1-2003 goggle standard for eye protection, namely, the ability to absorb 3 joules of impact energy without damage. Some players instead opt for paintball goggles, which are held to a higher impact rating standard.

Full-face masks (similar to, and often including paintball masks) are considered the safest form of eye-protection, as alongside the eyes, they also cover the rest of the face, protecting vulnerable parts such as teeth. Some airsoft masks are made with mesh screens, though there is debate that fragments from lower quality or bio-degradable BBs may pass through the mesh and enter the eye, although there have been no recorded incidents of such an occurrence.

While masks offer superior protection, they can interfere with the use of scopes and in cheaper masks, condensation inside the goggles can reduce visibility. During very hot days the masks can also cause the player to overheat quicker due to the lack of air getting to the head.
[edit]Unprotected players or bystanders

At most airsoft sites, any player or observer is required to keep their face mask, goggles, or shooting glasses on at all times. All players must immediately stop shooting when a person without eye protection is encountered in the playing area. One common practice is for players to shout words such as "Cease-fire, Blind Man!" Any player hearing the words must stop and repeat the alarm, alerting the whole game. If a player is hit and is wearing their death rag so that they can go to the respawn point and spawn, he will often say "Dead man walking!". This indicates to the opposing team that the person is not a threat. Even removing a mask or goggles for a brief time to clean off fog or for any other reason is not advised. If you must do this, either go to a no-fire zone or call yourself out and clean them off after leaving the combat area.

Note that aisoft guns are replica's, and therefore has the magazine removed, the chamber cleared, and has a barrel bag placed over the muzzle.
Other rules such as a maximum BB velocity and engagement distance guidelines are used by different groups. Some organizations have created common safety rules and guidelines.

When not actively playing, some fields require "barrel bags," also known as barrel stoppers, which were first introduced in paintball. The magazine is usually removed as well, and the gun fired to clear the chamber. Most fields also require players to leave their guns set to the safety position when they are not shooting, a practice common when using real firearms. In certain countries, such as the Philippines, additional special rules have been adopted.

All "real steel" firearms are banned at any airsoft battlefield to prevent harmful accidents or confusion between real and simulated weapons. In some cases, for example Milsim games, players are allowed to carry knives for use as a tool, rather than a weapon. A similar limit applies to training blades, which are allowed at some airsoft fields but under strict usage rules. Players are expected to be discreet in transporting their gear and uniforms so as not to alarm the public or police. Pyrotechnic devices may be allowed, but are rarely employed, because of the added danger. When they are allowed there are usually legal limits on the effect of the device, e.g. amount of smoke, volume of sound or brightness of flash.