Photo essay: Airsoft enthusiasts on the attack in the UAE

Hobbyists gather each weekend for intense but friendly battles

An Airsoft combatant uses a helicopter skeleton as cover during a match. All photos: Victor Besa / The National

All Airsoft weapons are safely transported to and from the game venue, either in a gun case or in the original box

Speedball Airsoft consists of five players per team and is usually played in an area the size of a basketball court. Whoever 'kills' all the other players or captures the flag in the middle of the court, wins

Many players wear a tactical vest with magazine holders and their favourite patch for show

Automatic electric guns, such as the M4-A1, left, and the high pressure Tavor Bullpup, right, work by using pressurised air to fire plastic 'bullets'

In Capture the Flag, two teams compete, one defending a flag and the other trying to capture and return the flag safely to their base for the win

The Sharjah Airsoft & Paintball Park features various hiding places, including bridges, cars, underground tunnels, towers, trenches, and even a helicopter skeleton

Players avoid aiming at other players' heads

Many Airsoft players use ghillie suits, which provide better concealment than standard camouflage apparel

A player tests his M4 HPA gun before the game

Goggles are the most important protective gear you will need. No game master will allow a player to participate in any kind of Airsoft game without eye protection

Airsoft gunsmiths are available at the site for quick repairs and gun upgrades

A hit player raises her hand. When hit by an opponent's bullet, he or she must shout ‘hit’, raise their arms over their head and walk to the re-spawn spot or safety area

Many women play the game, although they are usually fewer in number than male players

In a game known as Sniper, one player has to hide and survive against all the other players for a time decided by the game marshal

The Sharjah Airsoft & Paintball Park can accommodate up to 200 players in a session

High pressure air guns are the pinnacle of high performance Airsoft guns and use compressed air tanks similar to paintball guns

Team deathmatch is perhaps the most popular game. Two teams compete. Each kill earns points and the team with most kills/points wins

Donning their tactical vests, large airguns and magazine holders, the UAE's Airsoft hobbyists head to Sharjah Paintball Park each weekend, preparing for battle.

Airsoft is a team-based shooting game where players eliminate their opposition by tagging them with plastic projectiles shot from low-power weapons.

It first became popular in Japan, where it is also known as survival games, and is similar to paintball, but doesn't leave players splattered with blobs of paint (although small bruises are not uncommon).

The hits are less obvious, and so much of the gameplay relies on an honour system in which participants are honest about being caught out. Players also live by the rule of avoiding shooting at people's heads.

Sharjah Paintball Park is one of the biggest Airsoft sites in the Middle East, with four dedicated outdoor fields able to accommodate up to 200 players in a session (maximum of 20 in a team).

The areas feature various hideaways, such as bridges, cars, underground tunnels, towers, trenches and even the skeleton of a helicopter, all of which give players ample cover and adds to the realistic nature of the games.

One of the activities played during the Weekend Warrior Airsoft Games, which The National's photographer Victor Besa attended last month, was Capture the Flag. Here, players are divided into two groups. One group attacks, while the other defends the flag. The attacking side has to capture the flag, which is placed in an open area, while the defending team has to protect it at all costs. If the flag is taken by the attacking side, it has to be taken back to their base safely for the win.

Scroll through the photo gallery above to see more of the Weekend Warrior Airsoft Games