How to Prepare for Milsim West

Posted by Eric T. on Jan 03, 2025

MilSim West is one of the most intense military simulation production company in North America. They continually push the boundaries of what a conventional airsoft event can include. For instance, you might bring a backpack with BBs and water to your respawn zone at a typical event. At the same time, Milsim West will have you ruck out all of your supplies for the entire weekend, miles to a patrol base or encampment, only to move it several more times throughout the weekend potentially.

While other events allow you to use your own BBs with minimal restrictions, Milsim West issues a finite amount of BBs, forcing players to choose shots responsibly and strategically issue resupplies to squad elements. Above all of this, Milsim West offers the most immersive military and combat simulation experience, allowing the player to forget how they got into the game and live completely in the moment. Today, we will provide a beginner's guide to attending MSW.

"...the most immersive military and combat simulation experience, allowing the player to forget how they got into the game and live completely in the moment"

What is MilSim West?

Milsim West is an American-based airsoft game series that boasts the most realistic game format for the hobby. MSW games last 40 hours, from Friday Evening until Sunday morning. You must bring all the necessary equipment to sustain yourself for 40 hours. This includes a sleeping system, food, and water. You cannot return to your vehicle or leave the AO during the event. If you do, you cannot return since the immersion has been broken.

Over the course of these 40 hours, players can expect an intense yet rewarding experience. Milsim West is an event where working together and functioning as a unit will yield better results than that of an individual playing independently. The in-game leadership is known as the Cadre and is made up of ex-military members from across the branches. They further MSW's ability to create an immersive and realistic experience.

MSW has events throughout its season, usually occurring across the United States during the cooler months of the year. You can expect to see challenging mountain AOs and intense and urban MOUNT facility AOs.

Preparing for Milsim West

Like any other airsoft game, you can simply visit the MSW website, select the game you want to attend, and purchase your ticket for the faction you want to participate in. The difference between MSW and other events is the effort and detail required to play on either faction, down to the replica rifle you use on each faction. If you sign up for NATO, you must use an AR variant; if you sign up for RUSFOR, you must use an AK variant. Militia is more lenient on rifle platforms, but you may only utilize one attachment. All nuanced and additional information can be found on the MSW website within their TACSOP, which is their bible of rules for the game.

MILSIM West offers an array of helpful resources when preparing for a game. This includes the MSW general interest page on Facebook. This page is where past and future players convene to ask questions, gauge interest, and receive announcements about the game series. While this is a great resource, the best advice I can give you is to consult the MSW TACSOP before asking questions or comments. This document can usually answer any question you may have about the game.

Following the purchase of a ticket, you are granted the ability to enter the event planning page on Facebook to receive all pertinent information related to the event. Closer to the event, your official orders will be emailed to you. MSW requires you to print these out and bring them to the event. Think of it as your ticket to the event.

Another great aspect of MSW is its highly developed community of impression groups. These impression groups take heavy influence from real military units worldwide and copy their uniform, kit, firearms, attachments, and sometimes down to the correct issued underwear and socks. These impression groups are essentially clubs within the MSW ecosystem and airsoft as a whole. There are quite a few impression groups on both the NATO and RUSFOR sides. The RUSFOR side has Rushing Russians (RR for short), which recreates many Russian military units, including VDV, SOBR, FSB, and SSO. NATO impression groups include (but are not limited to) Task Force Keg (10th Mountain Impression), Kampfverband (German KSK Impression), MSW GROMmets (Polish JW Grom Impression), Task Force Mayhem (US Army Ranger Impression), and so many more. These groups existing within the MSW ecosystem are one of my favorite aspects of the series. Seeing these groups in action, organized, and fighting alongside each other (or against) creates a sense of community and cohesion that can only be seen at an MSW. Each group has its own criteria for joining, probationary status, and kit standards. The best way to get in touch with them is via their general interest pages on Facebook or by reaching out via their Instagram accounts.

Although joining up with an impression group and attending an MSW is a great way to immerse yourself into the game, there is nothing wrong with simply following the camo and replica rules for your faction and playing the game in its simplest form. This way, you can decide if you enjoy the longer, more intense form of airsoft, and you can make an effort and invest in an impression.

If you are looking to plunge into MSW or even a longer-form airsoft game, check out our article on how to pack specifically for an event of this length here! It is also important to follow the specific rules and guidelines set by MSW, so make sure you read and understand their TACSOP and other helpful information.

Attending An MSW

The anticipation begins to build when you arrive at an MSW. The staff goes as far as having two different parking areas for check-in and your final gear layout. You will not see the opposing team until your first engagement on the field. During your check-in process, you will meet up with your assigned platoon to check your equipment. You will also go through Chrono and get your initial load of BBs issued. Right before step-off, you will be briefed and given any last-minute instructions. After this, you will begin the first movement of the game, rucking out to your first position.

Throughout the event, you will take part in both small and large troop movements and skirmishes led by the MSW Cadre, who are all ex-military and exist in the game to give players the most cohesive and realistic MILISM experience possible. There will be moments of high intensity, and there will be lulls in the game where you might be one watch or security. You are typically pushed to certain limits and forced to challenge yourself. Players are sleep-deprived due to the constant and never-ending nature of the game.

The game will only stop for drastic emergencies or its index on Sunday morning. Following the endex, players can attend the After Action Report, or AAR for short. Here, you can leave positive or negative feedback for the event directly to MSW. This is a way to improve your MSW experience constantly.

In conclusion, if you are looking for an intense, realistic, and immersive experience, you need to look no further than MSW. The event series can provide a second to none experience and allow you to scratch an itch you might not think you had.

Preparation is of the utmost importance for these events, preparing both your physical ability as well as your gear and equipment. In our experience, when you are prepared and in shape, it allows you to have the most fun. Hope to see you out there!