QRAT RULES & REGULATIONS QUICK
REFERENCE CHART
1. All operators are expected
to follow the A³ "
Code of Conduct"
2. CHEATING WILL NOT BE TOLERATED
3. All Airsoft
Electric guns, must chrono at 400 fps or less using a
0.20g BB . All Squad Assault Weapons must chrono at at 450
fps or less using a 0.20g BB. All Sniper Rifles must chrono
at 550 fps or less using a .20g BB. ANY READINGS HIGHER
THAN THESE WILL IMMEDIATELY DISQUALIFY THE GUN.
4. All operators
must use ANSI Z87.1 rated goggle or glasses that have a tight seal
around the face
5. All hits to the operator's body count as a
kill, including web gear
6. Gun hits do not count
7. When you
are hit you will yell HIT! Loudly, place a red rag on your head, put
your gun over your head or on your shoulder with one hand in the air
and move to the respawn location
8. Dead men do not talk to live
operators
9. Dead men do not talk on the radio, not even to say
"I'm dead"
10. There is absolutely no shooting at
anyone within a 15-foot safety zone.
11. You may surrender an
enemy if he is 15 ft away, and you are behind him with a clear shot
and he is unaware of your presence.
12. If someone surrenders
you, you must comply without question if the attacker is within your
15-foot safety zone.
13. If any operators have any disputes, they
are expected to resolve them in a gentleman-like manner.
Detailed
Rules:
Hits
1. Hits to any part of your body
count as a kill.
2. Hits to any part of your tactical gear or
equipment, such as ammo bags, canteen, and pouches, etc. also count
as a kill.
3. Ricochets do not count as a kill.
4. Hits to
the gun do not count as a kill.
Getting Hit
When an
operator is hit the operator will raise his hand and or gun over his
head and yell "HIT, HIT, HIT" as loudly as possible. It is
important to yell "Hit" loud enough so that the enemy can
hear you. If you don't, enemy operators may continue to shoot at you.
If you have a red rag, place it on top of your head. This makes it
easier for enemies to identify you as a dead man.
Dead Man
Once an operator is dead, he will place a red rag on his head
(if available), put his gun over his head or on his shoulder with one
hand in the air and proceed to the designated reincarnation area.
Enemy combatants may not stake the respawn location.
Dead
Man Rules
1. Dead operators must vocally and visibly show that
he is dead.
2. Dead operators will put a red rag on their head
(if available)
4. Dead operators may not talk to live
operators, but may talk to other dead operators. .
5. Dead
operators may not talk on the radio but may continue to monitor their
team's frequency.
6. Dead operators must remain quiet.
Note
about dead men: Live operators may NEVER stalk or lie in wait for an
operator to respawn, then shoot them. It's considered poor
sportsmanship-like conduct. Should a live operator come upon a dead
operator just as he is coming back into the action, allow the newly
reincarnated operator ample time to move away and take cover before
engaging him in a firefight.
Respawn
After an
operator has been shot and has waited the appropriate amount of time
as a "Dead Man", the operator is considered a fresh
reinforcement troop and may resume the mission.
Airsoft
Hits
Because airsoft BBs strike with only a fraction of the
impact of paintballs and do not leave a mark on the clothing,
disputes sometimes arise as to whether an enemy operator has been hit
or not. In the heat of battle, an operator may sometimes not feel a
BB hitting him for several reasons. The most common reason is
adrenaline. Sometimes an operator is so focused on an objective that
he may simply just not feel the hit. There are many examples of this
in real life combat. A solider may be grazed by a bullet and not
notice it until later. Also, when operators are making a run for a
flag or for cover, it's difficult for them to feel the hits because
they are moving quickly. Equipment such as tactical gear or a
tactical vest will also prevent an operator from feeling a hit.
However, in most cases, BBs hitting someone's equipment makes a
distinct sound, and both operators can usually hear this. This can
also happen when someone is wearing heavy clothing, as is often the
case during the wintertime. However, hits on clothing are usually
more difficult to hear. Also, if you are shooting at an operator at
longer ranges, the BB may not be hitting the person hard enough for
him to even notice. On the other hand, there may be situations that
an operator thinks he has hit his opponent but in reality he hasn't.
The most common one is long-distance shot. To the shooting operator
it may look like he's hitting his target but in reality his BBs are
falling short of their target. Another thing that can create a false
sense of a hit are bushes. Bushes can easily deflect a shot. In rare
cases an operator can miss someone even at close range. In his
excitement to shoot his enemy, some operators spray their guns wildly
and hit everything but the target.
Resolving a Hit
Dispute
First of all, if you think you hit someone, give him
the benefit of the doubt. Maybe you didn't hit him. But if you are
absolutely sure, then you may call a "Purple Heart" on an
enemy. A "Purple Heart" lets an operator know that another
operator feels that he has been hit. After a Purple Heart is called
the combatants can discuss the hit. In most cases the situation can
be quickly resolved. If there is still some dispute then both
operators may consider a truce or "Parlay". If the
operators still cannot agree and start arguing in an unsportsman-like
conduct, they will both be ejected from the mission.
Ignoring
Hits
Operators may sometimes come across a situation where a
BB lightly hit the toe of his boot or while lying down a BB hits his
butt pack. He thinks that if it were real life the bullet would have
just only taken off a part of his shoe but missed his toe. Or that
the bullet would have just passed thru his butt pack and miss him. So
he thinks that hit really doesn't count and continues his mission. In
Cimmerian re-enactment operations, any hit, no matter how seemingly
minor, is a clean kill (except a gun hit).
Cheating
Because
of the nature of Airsoft-based re-enactment, the opportunities for
cheating are somewhat common. CHEATING WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT BE
TOLERATED. Anyone caught cheating will be removed from the current
game and is grounds for immediately dismissal from the operation and
that person may not be invited back to future QRAT operations. Let us
make it clear that cheating is just not worth it. You may be able to
get away with it at first but in the long run people will know who
the cheaters are. This person will eventually develop a bad
reputation as a cheater and this black mark will follow him for a
very long time. Eventually this person will not be able to find any
operations in which to participate. So just don't do it.
Physical
Contact Prohibited
No aggressive physical contact is allowed.
Anyone that makes physical contact with any other operator will be
ejected immediately from the operation and AO and will not be invited
back.
15 Foot Safety Rule
All operators are
considered to have a safety zone of 15 feet. No operator is allowed
to shoot another operator inside this 15 feet zone. Any operator
caught violating this safety rule will be expelled from the operation
and AO and will not be allowed to participate again in the
future.
Surrenders
An operator may call surrender
only when he enters an enemy's 15 feet safety zone from behind or the
side with a clear shot, and his opponent is unaware of his presence.
An operator may also surrender his opponent from the front. The only
difference is that the operator MUST be stationary. Once an operator
calls surrender, the defeated enemy must comply with the surrender.
This is mandatory! If the surrender is successful, then the defeated
enemy becomes a dead man. After the surrender, the defeated enemy may
protest if he thinks his opponent has called surrender from too far
away (more than 15 feet). The operators are expected to negotiate on
the spot and reach amicable resolution quickly, in a
non-confrontational and gentlemanly manner. Should an operator turn
around before surrender is called, the operator behind can still
immediately call surrender if it is obvious that he already had his
gun at the ready and pointed at the back of the operator being
surrendered. An operator can surrender more than one enemy. For
example, an operator creeps up behind a group of enemy troops
defending a position or after watching a patrol pass buy, an operator
jumps out from behind catching the patrol off guard. An opponent can
surrender more than one enemy at a time if all of them are unaware of
his presence.
CQB Rules
CQB/MOUT:
During strictly indoor games where full auto fire from AEGs is allowed the recommended velocity limit is 350fps. During games that are both indoor and outdoor and weapons of higher velocity will be used uppon approval. Only semi-auto fire should be allowed from AEGs inside of structures. Support and sniper weapons should not be fired at players when both players are inside a structure in close proximity period. A player is considered inside of a structure the moment that any part of their body breaks the plane of the inside of a structure.
Why 400 fps with 0.20g BB?
One of the most common questions we get
from new players and is why have the American Airsoft Association
established 400 fps with a 0.20g BB as their velocity limit?
There are many factors that went into this decision but the most
important ones are Safety and Balance of Power.
Safety
In the past, many of our members have played with
higher velocity limits. This was when airsoft was still relatively
new in the U.S. But as players began upgrading their airsoft guns, we
began to see potential safety hazards with the more powerful guns.
Although we have never had any serious injuries with the higher fps
levels, the American Airsoft Association decided that instead of
waiting for something to happen, we would take a proactive approach
to safety.
Another reason is that many of our players like to
put on camouflage paint on their face for the game because it
enhances the overall game experience, and it's fun. We found that
using velocities higher than 400 fps with a 0.20g BB can cause minor
injuries to the face when shooting at closer ranges, not to mention
that it is painful. Also, higher than 400 fps would necessitate that
players wear full face masks to protect themselves. However, most of
our players do not find face masks very military looking. Lowering
the maximum velocity allows players to play without a mask and
without having worrying about any serious injuries to the
face.
Balance of Power
Balance of power is
another important reason for our decision. There are a lot of players
who like to upgrade their airsoft guns for various reasons. If we
allowed a much higher velocity, players playing with stock guns would
simply be outgunned. This would create an unfair advantage for some
players. We found that the 400-fps with a 0.20g BB is a happy medium
between the stock and up-graded guns. It satisfies those players who
like to up-grade their guns to create a slight range advantage, but
they are not seriously outgunning players who are using stock
guns.
The only exception to this rule are our special, large
caliber project guns that are designed to be mounted on vehicles or
as a fixed defensive guns. The reason for these exceptions is that in
real life, soldiers fear big caliber guns because of their range and
firepower. So we simulate this by allowing these special airguns to
have a slightly higher velocity. Also, by placing them on vehicles or
in fixed positions only, it makes them easier to see and locate.
Thus, players can readily avoid close contact with them. These guns
may not use any spring stronger than an M-120 spring. A player must
seek prior approval before such a gun is eligible to be used. Sorry,
but sniper rifles are not eligible for this exception.
Wear
& Tear
While not a major influence in our
decision-making process, we have found from personal experience that
creating an airsoft gun that shoots over 400 fps usually requires an
M-130 spring or higher. Most AEG guns gearboxes were not designed for
this higher stress level. In short, you will find that most AEGs that
use M-130 springs or higher will have a very short lifespan. In most
cases, it's relatively cheaper and easier to replace parts inside a
gearbox. But if you break a gearbox, it's a major pain in the butt,
not to mention expensive. So from en economical viewpoint, lower fps
limits are much easier on your airsoft gun and pocket book.
RULES AND REGULATIONS For EQUIPMENT Used In OPERATIONS
This section deals with all rules and regulation pertaining to
equipment used in operations and safety. Safety is a very important
issue to us. We want all operators to have a good time but at the
same time we want all operators to be as safe as possible while
conducting our re-enactments. Also see Eye Protection
Requirements.
Airsoft Guns
Operators may use any legitimate military style airsoft gun
as long as it complies with classification rules.
Classification
Rules
All Airsoft
Electric Guns, must chrono at 400 fps or less using a
0.20g BB .
-NO box mags allowed.
-High caps (600 round limit) are allowed.
All Squad Assault Weapons must chrono at at 450 fps or less using a 0.20g BB.
-MUST be a replica of a Squad Assault Weapon.
-Box mags allowed
All Sniper Rifles must chrono at 550 fps or less using a .20g BB
-Bolt action or semi auto only. Full auto must be disabled internally.
-Snipers must have a side arm
ANY READINGS HIGHER THAN THESE WILL IMMEDIATELY DISQUALIFY
THE GUN!
Eye ProtectionEYE PROTECTION is
MANDATORY! All goggles and safety glasses must have a hard
lens and must meet ANSI Z87.1 standards. There must be a full seal
around the eyes and must have a safety strap to prevent them from
falling off. Goggles with soft lenses or shop glasses without a full
face seal are not acceptable. If you can insert the eraser-end of a
pencil between your face and your protection, it does not offer a
"full seal" and is not acceptable.
Goggles and
glasses with anti-fog lenses are highly recommended. Clearing fog
during combat operations must be done w/o removing your eye
protection. If you remove your eye protection during an operation,
you will be asked to leave.
Mouth Protection
While not mandatory, we strongly
recommend that all operators also use a facemask or protective
mouthpiece during combat operations. The reason for this is, although
extremely rare, Airsoft BBs have been known to take out
teeth.
Smoke
No incendiary devices allowed. No
fireworks.
Radios
Operators are encouraged to
have radios. They add greatly to effective combat operations. You
will need a radio with sub-channels, or "privacy codes".
You
may NOT use scanning features on your radio. Also, you must disable
any beeping or chirping of your radio. If you don't know how to turn
off beeps, look it up in the instructions or the manufacturer's web
site before you come to the area of operation.
Paintball
Guns
Paintball guns are not used at QRAT operations. The
only exceptions are those that have been designed as props, such as
rocket launchers, for special scenarios. These may only be used
against with special OpCom clearance hard targets such as vehicles,
turrets and bunkers.