M-COM (pronounced "em-com") - Deployable and interactive micro-computer device used in Airsoft for Battlefield style games.
Instead of static props like flags or markers, players must physically interact with the M-COM under pressure. Depending on the game mode, teams may need to locate it, arm it, defend it, disarm it, or contest control over time. The device provides live visual and audio feedback and, when configured, can trigger an electronic maroon to simulate a successful detonation.
Built specifically for outdoor airsoft environments, the M-COM is designed to survive rough handling, bad weather, and real gameplay abuse. It has been used repeatedly in live events and has become a core mechanic around which entire scenarios and missions are built.
At its best, the M-COM changes how players behave on the field. Thirty seconds holding a button while under fire feels very different to raising a flag and walking away. Timers, sounds, lights, and the knowledge that the device can physically “blow up” create tension, urgency, and moments of genuinely hard-fought gameplay.
This project documents the M-COM as a complete system: the idea behind it, the lessons learned from building and breaking multiple versions, and the practical realities of creating a device that works reliably in hostile outdoor conditions.