[Ricochet]

You guys do realize that simulation is just simulation, right? Realism is a good aspect, but people don't have to actually die and the guns don't have to be real for it to be simulation. The purpose of simulation is just that, to simulate. For instance you could be carrying weights to simulate the weight of real gear, you don't actually have to wear the actual gear. To be truly a military simulation all depends on the purpose of the exercise's primary dynamic. A game doesn't have to be twenty-four hours, have one-hundred or more combatants or even take place on an old army base to count. It's all about the experience and the goal. Gear, time, role-playing, etc, can all play a part, but they must exist in an appropriate balance with the main idea in order to actually be a simulation. All gear must be mission appropriate or recreate that of the appropriately involved parties, such as Delta. Time has to be appropriate for the simulation, and any role-playing must strictly be fantasy free. You are a soldier on a specific mission, for the purposes of concluding the exercise. You aren't imagining your someone specific or you're either in fantasy land or you're doing a reinactment of something that actually happened.

Here's an example; five members from a terrorist cell have taken reporters hostage in a fortified building, and have given twelve hours for thei colleagues to be released or they will begin to execute hostages. Unable to agree to their terms the Canadian military command decides upon force intervention. A small group of Arrowheads will be flown in under cover of night, gain access to the building without detection, neutralize the threat and if possible, save the hostages and possibly take the enemy leader alive. Once boots are on the ground they'll have four hours to complete their objectives.

So let's say that the above is the basis of the simulation; you'd need appropriate Number of members for each side, hostages could be dummies because they don't have to shoot, obviously real people make it better, but are hardly necessary. Next the gear on each side should be mission appropriate. It doesn't have to be exact but it must serve the purpose of the mission. Obviously wearing exactly what SSF would bring on such a mission would be best, but similarly functioning gear would suffice, as long as it does the same job just as well. A time limit would be appropriate here, as well as a plan and tactics necessary for this type of operation. There's be no reinforcements, so if you are shot, then you are out. Etc, etc.

As long as all dynamics are realistic and appropriate for the simulation, then so be it. It must simulate properly, not necessarily be exactly real to count. An airsoft gun can simulate a real gun, hell, a banana could do it though it wouldn't do as good of a job. Perhaps that's too far off base to seriously be considered a simulation, but you get the idea. In most airsoft games, even the bigger more realistic and complex ones, there are great elements of simulation present, but they are too open-ended to be true simulation. They are more like war games, the team with the best organization, training, gear and tactics will likely dominate. To be fair, better military stylization such as weapons, gear, and training are the best tools for the job and will help with success. I have been to games that had enough simulation aspects to fairly be called simulation, and I have been to others that are way off base. If you are simulating then it's a simulation, if you aren't, then you're not. Military is an open ended word in itself, depending on country and timeline, the word military can mean several different things.

How much simulation does there have to be at an event for it to count, well, good question? In every simulation there will be unrealistic dynamics, that's the purpose of simulation, you can only pretend to recreate something. I don't know exactly how precise or what percentage needs to be there in order to count, but I'd say it would have to be the vast majority. Simulation by its nature isn't designed to be fun, not that some people don't find it fun, but its purpose is altogether different. Crawling through mud and taking very few shots is a player's choice, and hell, it may be simulation appropriate, but there have been very long battles where thousands of rounds have been expended.

So the real question is; what are you trying to simulate? Saying military means nothing, but saying a modern Taliban attack is something. Does you event bring the realism and feel close to that actual event? Does the area and gear bring the right look? If you answered no to any of the previous questions, then no, it is not a simulation.

Some mention that it is strictly frame of mind, and that's important, but not the only thing needed by far. If you are doing a proper simulation then the appropriate mind set will help you to bring it to life, I'm not talking acting or pretending, just taking it seriously for what it is. If on the other hand you are at a large airsoft game based around a complex capture the flag scenarios, and you believe you are really in the military, then you are a nut and are probably single. In fact, I might be concerned that you own an airsoft gun.