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
