Loadouts: To stereotype...or not to stereotype...

I see alot of interesting loadouts at local fields...but most of them aren't true to their military counterpart.
When making a loadout, for example...a "sniper":

In your opinion, when should one draw the line between the "stereotypical sniper" (most identifiable based on pop culture)...or the "true sniper" (based on fact/historical evidence)?
For example...ghillie suits. Many players around here assume that to be a "sniper"...you must wear a ghillie suit (stereotype)...while our boyz in the sandbox run n' gun wearing nothing but standard battle dress.

Again, the "sniper" example is just the first to come to my head...this is applicable for any loadout style.

Basically what I'm asking: Is it worth more to you to keep true to "reality" or to be easily identifiable?
Be honest!!!

TBH, I tend to lean more towards the "pop culture" loadout. As in, the "generic" infantryman...but still keep generally true to fact.

Thoughts? This is a completely philosophical question...so if it does not belong in this section, please move it!

I do my own thing, like an organized contracter

Well Chris, everyone is different. Somepeople (like me and you) crave true mil sims while others listen to sterotypes following in everyday society. With games such as MW2, and BF2 Bad Company 2 influencing airsofters (and with 90% of them owning a gaming system playing these sort of games) there is nothing we can do to these stereotypical views that they put in to.

Though I do find it outrageous that every sniper is wearing a ghille suit, I believe some what of a hefty majority of those "snipers" use ghillie suits as a personal preference. After all, the ability of sneak is needed to become a true sniper. But indeed our troops definetly don't often wear ghille suits in normal patrols when in the role of a sniper.
I guess you have to bring one key factor into this.
When playing the role of sniper, WHERE are you exactly?

Ghille suits are used by our boys in sniper teams when in certain enviornments. So whenever you see a sniper wearing a ghille suit in your local fields, maybe their trying to blend in? It may not be so much of a sterotypical thing but more of a opinion sort of idea. In a way, it is sort of to their true military counterparts. It just matters how the player plays. And it might just be that a majority of them prefer to blend into bushes.

And Chris, you do have to remember that in IRAQ, a hefty majority of the place is all urban. No use to dress them into Ghillie suits on two story buildings, like I said, and imagine me with some sort of heavy accent with saying this, because I know I will. But: Location, Location, Location.


I think a better idea of a common Sterotypical loadout, would be more of a support gunner loadout. When you think of support gunner, you would imagine a strong man with a LMG, carrying some sort of an anti tank/air craft launcher, as well extra ammo, and some sort of submachine gun/assault rifle, and a "Watch your language" alot of nades.
That is something that can be over exaggerated, quite possibly to the point where it is a sterotype.

To be honost I don't follow real or stereo...im not a soldier, I don't pretend to be. I wear what fits my current needs..for example right now im simply wearing my ACU's the only "gear" I use is a small ACU backpack, that has a camelback in it and place for a few energy bars and extra BB's, and a small tool kit. On my belt I have a pouch to hold 3 extra mags and my speed loader (exactly like the one I have for sale)...
and thats it, a backpack and a puch

No running around in a massive vest with a bazzilion pockets for me! (and usualy a million pounds)

Granted if we are doing milsim events I change it....but thats a different ball-game

I don't have a problem with people useing "Sterotypicall" loadouts as long as they don't start assuming they are in the military or the loadout isn't practical at all. For example an EOD loadout with that giant kevlar body suit with some ammo pouches woud just be ridiculous.

+Half to Mike's post

I prefer realistic loadouts because, let's face it, there's a reason the soldiers use what they use. If it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me. I carry practically what my cousin carried in Fallujah, and it serves me well.

I try to find a happy medium between realism, "sweet looking" stereotypes, and practicality. I have to say though, I'm starting to move away from stereotypes and I'm beginning to build a more realistic and practical kit. I think that every piece of gear should solve a problem. If it can also be realistic and/or look cool, all the better. Other peoples' kits don't bother me too much whether they're stereotypical, realistic, or bare-bones practical. Everyone finds their own balance.

Omega Lambda wrote:

I try to find a happy medium between realism, "sweet looking" stereotypes, and practicality. I have to say though, I'm starting to move away from stereotypes and I'm beginning to build a more realistic and practical kit. I think that every piece of gear should solve a problem. If it can also be realistic and/or look cool, all the better. Other peoples' kits don't bother me too much whether they're stereotypical, realistic, or bare-bones practical. Everyone finds their own balance.

Yeah I agree with this. with one exception...when people show up dressed like it's the end of the world for a day event..you know, massive bag full of "stuff" rig covered in pouches also filled with random "stuff" by the end of the first hour thier dying form exuastion.

Finding a good balance of gear is a process. It can't be done while sitting at a computer. It has to be done in the field. People will learn from the experience of dying from exhaustion, or the experience of not having that extra mag. It takes a while to figure out what the optimal setup is for you.

I agree with Zane in a sense.
Some people go for the exact loadout of a REAL combat soldier, and that's totally cool. However, once again this is only a game, a hobby, a sport, (one that is most certainly NOT won by best uniform) and that you can do whatever you like, as long as the field allows it.

M14 double-taps wrote:

and that you can do whatever you like, as long as the field allows it.

So no chainsaws!?!?!?

i perfer to do my own load outs, like when i had a ghillie i would wear it, but also i was playing in dence forests were i could use it efficently.

i say do what works for you such as my ACU with my cross draw, it suits me perfectly i can hold 4 extra mags, plus 4 pistol clips, it's simple but yet it does what i need. when at an event i carry a back pack which holds all my "Watch your language", when i get into a fire fight i drop the sack right there and get down.

if you think though people carrie what they need.

lonesniper24 wrote:

pistol clips

DrummerBoyz95 wrote:

lonesniper24 wrote:

pistol clips

ROFL!!!

I HAVE YET TO SEE A HANDGUN OPERATE WITH A CLIP...

A clip is a very different thing to a magazine and the terms are not interchangeable.
Saying "Clip" when you mean "magazine" is rather like talking about socks when you mean boots.

In small arms terms, magazine usually refers to a box, drum or tube with a spring inside to feed rounds into the chamber.

The ammo clip was invented to provided a way to place a full load of rounds into a magazine in one action.

Clip => Magazine => Action =>Target

wow that makes me sad inside i don't know what i was thinking but i need a good beating for that.

any takers on that? remember though you hit me i'm swinging back.

I'm the nun, you're the shark.

YOU LOSE!

I like to wear replica or real pieces of gear. Usually these pieces of gear have been developed by person(s) who have thousands of hours behind a gun in the dirt. I do draw a line at carrying stuff I absolutely do not need, and probably never will. But I do carry a little more than what most of you guys would consider "necesary". Example, last sat I played at a MilSim game. The field was litterally some wood with a big blown up munitions factory in the middle of it. I carried,

- 9 mags, 1 speedloader, 1 multitool, 1 multi hex key, MRE's, lots of water(about a gallon), 3 red rags, compass, folding knife, E-tape, radio, 2 bags of BB's, M9, M9 mag, and green gas. I used almost everything on my kit, and in the case of the mags I slung over 2500 rounds that game... NEW HIGH SCORE!

So sure you guys may just show up with 1 dead rag, but if/when it gets lost its the people with "too much crap" that replaces it. Same with E-Tape or borrowing a tool in the middle of a game. I could go on, but basically I wouldn't ever say someone has to much gear, unless they have obviously wasteful and heavy items(NVG's for a 8 hour day game doesn't make sense...).

sticks

When my CQB field was open, I brought a can of green gas, a can of propane, three hi-capacity mags for my MP5K, four hi-caps for my G36C, two slings (one for each gun), a swiss army knife, a roll of electrical tape, a roll of masking tape, a bag of bbs, a shemagh, two canteens, my ALICE rig, and my tac. hat.

Easiest thing for me is my bag with a ghillie suit, water, maschete and a few extra bbs for my sniper rifle and pistol. Well, my radio and headset too but you get the point. I will never have enough money for a vest and a bunch of other gear.

Gerber wrote:

Easiest thing for me is my bag with a ghillie suit, water, maschete and a few extra bbs for my sniper rifle and pistol. Well, my radio and headset too but you get the point. I will never have enough money for a vest and a bunch of other gear.

Machete?!?!? You're kidding, right?

haha umm if he's at all like me when it comes to that then no. it's pretty funny to see the looks on peoples faces when a mechetis strapped to your leg.

also remember it's true use and not the killing peoples use.