When you find yourself in a situation where the enemy expects you, there is nothing better than taking them by surprise with a flashbang. It will disorient them by temporarily blinding them and making them deaf for at least 5-10 seconds, certainly enough for you and your team to get in and take the advantage of the situation.
They will behave like dummies who do not know what hit them and you will be proudly taking over the objective point.
Now let’s talk about Airsoft and forget about the real war missions for a moment.
Sorry for breaking the excitement but I must inform you that none of these will happen in any of the Airsoft matches you will be participating in.
Airsoft versions of Flashbangs are called sound grenades, however, they differ from real flashbangs often seen in movies and games. They will not explode and blind the enemy team, nor make them deaf, but will distract them by making a harsh sound and hopefully let you take the advantage of it with the right strategy.
I like to write about interesting topics such as this one. I want to see the game evolving and getting as real as possible, bringing as much fun to everyone who is into LARPs or enjoys an adrenaline rush.
In the following, you will learn how these sound grenades work and what is the best way of implementing them into your game to take it a step further. I will continue to call them flashbangs for entertaining purposes.
How do the Airsoft Flashbangs work?
Upon activation they explode and expel the shell, they are powered by C02 or propane/green gas.
Therefore, you can easily pick up the core (the body) and will not have to always buy the new grenade except for the charges such as shells.
They can be activated by countdown or upon impact after they collide with hard surfaces.
The Sound Grenades – Airsoft version of Flashbangs
There are two such grenades that I recommend, the Thunder B and the XL Burst. However, there are more useful airsoft grenades and claymores you should use for a tactical advantage.
How long does it take them to explode?
Thunder B
Once you activate them by pulling the pin and releasing the spoon, It takes them approximately 3-5 seconds to pop, although some make take a second or two longer than that to explode and you should not keep them in a hand for any second longer than it is needed in order to throw it at the enemy point.
You do not want one of these things to explode in your hand, it certainly will hurt.
Xl Burst
These ones do not work on time countdown, they are always late. Joke, once you throw them on the hard surface, they will burst. They are known to be pretty durable, often more durable than the ones that use the countdowns.
How much do they cost?
Thunder B
When you buy them for the first time they cost about 26$.
When you start using them per average they cost about 2$ per throw, so it sums up with time, be sure that you calculate it in advance and do not use it in every single game but only when necessary and really want to win no matter what. If you are so rich that you do not care then use them as much as possible combined with other grenades on the market but do not get surprised when you realize that the expenses are no longer calculated on ten fingers of your hands.
Xl Burst
They are a bit more expensive on the first purchase, they cost about 55$ but will continue to be cheaper once you start using them on fields. Per average they cost 0.50 cents once you start reusing them.
How many of them can you carry?
This depends on the pouch bag that you have or a vest, although you can fit them almost everywhere, like in the trouser pockets. It is normal to bring 2 Thunder blast grenades and 2-4 Xl burst grenades because the Xl bursts are a bit smaller than Thunders.
Conclusion- Thunder blast vs Xl burst, which one is better?
I like Xl burst better, they just seem to be better based on all the facts, but both are popular and used on the fields, do the math and find out on your own which one sounds like the better pick, I have given you my recommendations.
How to use them competitively?
Some players do not ever use them, some use them regularly. Sound grenades are a great addition to anyone who wants to take their game to another level.
It is simple, with some practice you will learn to use them strategically and you will see that there are many advantages to using them, especially when the enemy team expects you to show up.
Just throw one of these beauties and take them down before they realize what exploded behind their back.
Distraction can work in your favor whenever you expect it to happen and the enemy team got no clue, such tactics are well known for being employed by guerrilla groups and Special units.
You should forget about using real Flashbangs
We all know that real flashbangs are not used to kill or harm enemies but to rather distract them, police officers or soldiers then get in and take control of the situation.
The problem is that flashbangs impair the vision and hearing of the person and it repeated it is known that they can cause not only minor and temporal irritations but also permanent damage to the eardrums or to the eyes of the affected person.
Therefore, flashbangs can hurt someone seriously, although it is not their primary mission.
Stay away from home-made grenades
Nothing that can hurt someone seriously at any given chance should be allowed on Airsoft fields and neither should be used for recreational purposes. I am mentioning here not only flashbangs but also any other device that has such destructive potential whether it can be bought in a shop in one piece or be homemade.
Forget about fireworks, firecrackers, or similar homemade creations.
Are Flashbangs allowed on the Airsoft fields?
Most Airsoft fields allow proven and branded flashbang sound grenades. However, they do not allow almost any handmade stuff created at home that has not passed the tests.
If you have something new that they are unfamiliar with, they will always test it right before the match begins and allow you to use any equipment if it passes the test.
Real flashbangs or anything similar will not be allowed.
Conclusion
If you have already equipped yourself with the fundamentals like guns, comfortable boots, trousers, shirts, vests, belts, and so on, get yourself some grenades and see how you like them. They are a great tool for tactical scenarios and if you know how to use them it will make the game almost unfair for the enemies until they adapt.
Your game may improve significantly and you may develop some smart tactics that will own the enemy team, especially if you are a team player. Sound flashbang grenades shine in team play scenarios when a team member can take the advantage of the situation when you make a setup.
Be careful how you handle the grenades though, they may not have the high power when they explode, but they still may hurt you if you let them explode near your face or in your hand.
I have written a book for you. In my beginner book you’ll find everything you must know before stepping into the field.