When you book an airsoft field, you can choose a specific number of hours. In some fields, you can book certain games with no duration limits mentioned. In either case, you would want to know how long these games last.
In general, individual airsoft games at airsoft fields last between 40 minutes and 1.5 hours. Backyard games are often able to be played in 20 – 30 minutes. multiple rounds of airsoft games can often last up to 6 hours or more.
In this article, you will learn more about different factors that can limit airsoft game duration. You will also find out more about the specific games and how long they last, alongside my well-optimized schedule for a day of airsoft games. But first, let’s go over the key limits aside from the rules of the game.
Duration Limited By Ammo – Up To 6 Hours
If you play airsoft with only the ammo being the sole limiting factor, then you can engage in multiple hours of active gameplay. Three hours of shooting time and nearly 6 hours of game time are possible with average airsoft ammo.
For this, most players would need to exhaust their ammo-carrying capacity and plant backup weapons in different places on the field. Ammo restriction is unique in that it is never entirely absent. It is always relevant since you cannot continue playing without airsoft pellets.
You must carry 500 to 1000 airsoft pellets in order to have maximum time on the field. This quantity can support three respawns if you account for the average rate of getting hit. The range of pellets is pretty wide, but so are the shooting rates and hit-to-miss ratios of different players. Use your best judgment when topping up your airsoft bb reserves and err on the side of more.
Duration Limited By Pace Of Action: Up To 3 Hours
On average, 3 hours of active airsoft gameplay is the most you can expect in a day. If the pace of action is rapid, the ammo, as well as players’ energy, will run out in 3 hours. With more timeouts as well as better covered strategy and drawn-out camping periods, an airsoft game can last 4 to 5 hours.
Usually, a series of games are conducted with pauses peppered throughout the day. Eventually, it all adds up to 3 hours of active gameplay. Whether you exhaust all of it in a single airsoft marathon or use the whole day to get the same action is up to you. The pace of action can stretch out or shrink the overall duration of airsoft games.
Duration Limited By Rules
The most restrictive limits on airsoft duration come from the rules of gameplay. Otherwise, these games can last 3 hours (until players are exhausted) without breaks or 6 hours (until the ammunition runs out). However, most airsoft games’ rules restrict the duration of these games, so they last an average of 1 hour and 7 minutes. Here are how long different airsoft games last.
| Airsoft Game | Duration | Description | Game ends when |
| Capture the flag | 1 hour and 15 minutes | Grab the enemy’s flag from his base and bring it to your own. The flag is dropped whenever the bearing player is shot | One base has two flags (its own and the enemy flag). |
| Team Deathmatch | 1 hour and 8 minutes | Shoot other team’s players while ensuring your own team survives | All the players are shot out One team runs out of ammunition The available time runs out (if applicable) |
| Hostage rescue | 1 hour and 15 minutes | Rescue a hostage from the other team’s compound | The hostage is rescued The rescuers are all shot out The available time runs out (if applicable) |
| Center Flag | 40 minutes | The first team to capture a flag from the field center and raise it wins | When the flag is captured |
| Free for all | 45 minutes to 1 hour | Every man for himself. Shoot before you are shot, and try to be the last one standing | When only one player remains |
As you may have noticed, most of the airsoft games are simply paintball games with airsoft guns. Despite having different kinds of weapons, these games have similar rules. Their duration, however, varies.
Which Game Lasts Longer? Paintball Or Airsoft
Airsoft games last longer than their rule-equivalent paintball games because of a higher hit rate in paintball. Since airsoft is not as fast-paced as paintball, you can expect to get 3 minutes of airsoft gameplay for every 1 minute of paintball time.
Both paintball and airsoft have warmup games, which have an even shorter duration. Paintball warmups last 10 minutes, while airsoft warmups last no more than 15 minutes.
An average paintball game lasts 10 to 15 minutes before the break, while an average airsoft game lasts 40 minutes before the break or switch.
Break Vs. Switch: Airsoft For The Day
If you have an airsoft field for the day, you can make the most of the opportunity by either employing breaks to prolong your game duration or switching between different types of games.
Breaks are better if everyone has an equal advantage at a specific game. Switches are better in most cases, though, since different people/teams get to win different rounds. More results coming at a quicker pace can help keep morale high and things interesting.
An ideal break and switch schedule to get the maximum airsoft field time would be as follows:
- Warmup games – These should last 10 to 15 minutes.
- Center flag – This can be a quick test of strength between two teams, lasting 30 minutes.
- Break for 20 minutes.
- Capture the flag – A prolonged version of the previous game can easily last over 1 hour.
- Break for 20 minutes.
- Hostage Rescue – This game can put an interesting spin on the pace of action for another hour.
- Break for 20 minutes and shuffle teams.
- Team deathmatch – This can last for up to 1 hour and 30 minutes, depending on the field and the pace of action. Putting a one-hour timer is advisable. The team with the most survivors wins.
- Break for 30 minutes.
- Free for all – Let this game run for as long as the ammunition lasts.
Final Thoughts
Airsoft games can collectively take up to 6 hours of your day. But if you book a single game at an airsoft field, you will wrap it up in 1 hour. Usually, a day of airsoft games includes plenty of breaks.