Our team tries to attend games as often as possible. We have our own field which is only available to members of the team and we use it for training and team practices. We always try to attend games and events that are hosted by other airsoft groups. Airsoft Chicago (AC), Aggressive Sports Joliet (ASJ), and Challenge Park Extreme (CPX) are some of the more popular organizations that host public events for a reasonable price. Challenge Park Extreme hosts events at the end of every month (not during the winter, however) for $25 per player.

We have compiled our own set of directions for the various public airsoft fields in the area and you can visit them here in our Public Airsoft Events forum. That forum also has a list of the upcoming events where you can go to discuss any questions or comments you have. The full details for those events are not listed in the Public Airsoft Events forum; they are located in our Game Attendance page. There you can find information on what the host has said about the event, where the directions are located, how much admission costs, when the event starts, and a list of all the members on our website who are attending or not attending. If you have an account, you can change your status to either: Attending, Undecided, or Not Attending.

Update 7/18/07: The team has decided to split up and go our separate ways, so we will no longer be accepting new members.

Before you become a member, you will first have to create an account on our website. This will register you with our website so you can post comments on our Community Forums (discussion board) and give you access to more features. You should then introduce yourself in the "New Players" section of our Community Forums. Tell us all about yourself: Interests you have outside of airsoft, how old you are, how long you have (or have not) been playing airsoft, and possibly post some pictures of yourself.

After that, you will have to fill out our Team Signup Form which will give us some more background about you. We will not share this information with anyone. We may send you an email with information about upcoming events that you may want to attend, but you should still visit our Game Attendance page for the full list of upcoming events.

Note: Signing up does not guarantee that you will be able to play with us or become a member of the team. You must be approved by the team. We do not base any decisions on how well you play and we only add you to the team if everyone on H.E.A.T. is comfortable with you joining.

We do not have strict rules or politics like some airsoft groups; it is not the team’s style. We play to have fun, so just glance over our rules, requirements, and recommendations. We are flexible about many things, so feel free to ask us about anything you see here. It's a game, we like to enjoy it and we would like for others to enjoy it too.

The Age-Old Question:

The members of HEAT are all about the same age. Most of us started playing airsoft in high school or college. We are always looking for new members, but we are looking for experienced players who we can have a good time with. We like having a team where all the members are friends to avoid any conflicts. Because of this, we typically only accept members that are in our age group. We are glad to see airsofters of all ages playing, but we have found that younger players are less likely to be as active on the team since they need rides to games, have to fill out underage waivers, or can't enjoy some of the same privileges that the rest of the team can. We do, however, have a couple members on the team who are a few years younger than us so don't think we only accept members of a certain age. If you are under 16 though, chances are we won't have you on the team, but there will still be plenty of chances to play with us at public airsoft events.

Gear:

There are no strict gear requirements for our team or to play with our team, but you should follow the common guidelines below.

• You MUST wear eye protection with ANSI Z87.1 rating
• An orange tip on the end of the gun is required by law. Remove tips at your own discretion and own risk
• Your gun must meet the teams weapon requirements (See below)
• You must have a personal supply of BBs, gas, and a battery/batteries for your weapon(s)
• Camouflage is required to join the team, but not to play at most public events
• Gear to hold weapons and ammo is recommended but not required
• Boots or shoes with sturdy ankle support is a strong recommendation

Hits:

• Hits are based on the honor system
• If you are hit, call yourself out and exit the playing field
• Friendly fire counts, so check your fire
• If any arguments arise, remember this is a game of honor and also just a game. Have fun and play fair
• It is irresponsible to shoot at animals or pedestrians and also VERY illegal; this is strictly enforced

Exiting Play:

When you are hit, clearly state that you are hit and signify that you are out. Raising your hands or weapon above your head and walking off the field is suggested method. Use of kill rags work well also. When rounding a corner or around objects that obstruct vision, you can call “out!” or “dead man walking!” to warn other players that you are not still alive. If there is a firefight going on, feel free to wait on the field with your hands raised until it is clear to pass. After you have cleared off the field you should return to the safe zone.

Miscellaneous:

• High capacity and drum magazines are allowed
• Snacks and drinks are always a good idea. We usually game for 8-12 hours, so it is best to keep hydrated and keep your energy.
• When playing at a HEAT game, you can arrive or leave at any time to fit your schedule; we have no registration or waivers that you need to fill out before games, but other hosts do.

Weapon Requirements:

• A full-sized AEG is required; we like to steer away from low-power electric guns
• Mini (not 1:1 scale) weapons are not allowed
• There is a suggested 400FPS limit on any weapon that fires fully automatic.

• Handguns should be semi or full auto and should fire by HFC134a, green gas, or CO2; again, we do not play with springer weapons
• There is no enforced FPS limit for handguns, but it is suggested that they stay under the 400FPS limit

• Must be either spring powered or gas powered
• “Springers” or low-end rifles are not allowed
• There is a suggested 600FPS limit for single action rifles. With anything above 400 we ask that players follow “Sniper Engagement” rules (See below)

Those are the requirements if you want to join HEAT. Most airsoft hosts have similar rules, but you should always check their rules before playing at an event. If you have any questions about this, feel free to ask.

Sniper Engagement Rules (Applies to all weapons above 400FPS):

• Can only have one shot in the air at a time. Wait for the BB to hit or fall before firing again.
• A minimum 100 foot buffer is needed to engage an enemy
• It is requested that the shooter have a side-arm or spotter for enemies inside the 100 foot buffer
• Avoid intentional headshots as best as possible

If you would like to apply for the team, you will need a gun. Please take some time to do research on the internet and ask other players what they think of their weapons. We have taken some time to compile a topic all about choosing an airsoft gun; you can read it here. You can also view our Airsoft Links page to find online stores and information websites that can help you make your pick.