Table of Contents

Meshtastic in Airsoft Force Tracking

Airsoft Force Tracking can integrate with Meshtastic devices to maintain limited battlefield awareness even in areas without cellular coverage. When a Meshtastic device is connected, the application can exchange selected game data through a radio mesh network instead of relying entirely on GSM or the internet.

This allows players who temporarily lose cellular connectivity to remain partially synchronized with the rest of the game.

When Meshtastic is useful

Meshtastic is designed for situations where cellular infrastructure is unavailable or unreliable.

Typical examples include:

large milsim games in remote forests
mountainous or sparsely populated areas
locations where cellular coverage is weak or intermittent

In areas with good GSM coverage there is usually no reason to enable Meshtastic.
Airsoft Force Tracking provides dozens of features over the internet, while the mesh network only carries a small subset of the data. Running a Bluetooth radio link continuously also consumes additional battery power on the phone.

For this reason Meshtastic should be treated as a fallback communication layer for off-grid environments, not as a replacement for GSM networking.

What data is transmitted through the mesh

Airsoft Force Tracking intentionally sends only a very small amount of information through the mesh network:

player positions
newly created map markers (POI)

This limitation exists because Meshtastic networks are designed for very small packets and low bandwidth communication. Sending large amounts of data or transmitting too frequently would quickly saturate the radio channel and degrade the network for all participants.

For that reason:

position updates are transmitted roughly every few minutes
only new events are propagated through the mesh
historical game data is not transferred

This approach keeps the mesh usable even when dozens of devices participate in the same network.

In the current alpha version, position updates are transmitted approximately every five minutes, which allows a network of roughly 30 devices to operate without saturating the radio channel. Future versions of AFT are planned to use adaptive transmission intervals, adjusting update frequency based on network conditions and the number of active nodes.

Mesh networks do not transmit history

Another important limitation comes from the nature of mesh communication.

The mesh network distributes new transmissions only.
When a device joins the network it does not automatically receive historical game data from previous transmissions.

This is not a limitation of Airsoft Force Tracking itself but a consequence of how low-bandwidth radio mesh networks are designed.

As a result:

players entering the mesh network start receiving new updates from that moment
historical positions or markers are synchronized later when the device reconnects to the game server through GSM.

Hybrid networking: mesh and GSM working together

Airsoft Force Tracking does not treat the mesh network as an isolated system.

Instead, the application operates in parallel networking mode:

if GSM is available, the phone communicates with the game server normally
if a Meshtastic device is connected, it also exchanges mesh transmissions simultaneously

This creates a hybrid communication model where some players act as bridges between the two networks.

A player who has both GSM connectivity and a Meshtastic device can receive mesh transmissions from nearby players and forward them to the central game server.

This allows the data to propagate from off-grid players back into the main game session.

Example scenario

A patrol moves into a valley without cellular coverage.
Their phones lose GSM connectivity but remain connected to Meshtastic devices.
Position updates continue to propagate through the mesh network.
Another player located on higher ground still has cellular connectivity.
That player receives mesh transmissions and forwards them to the AFT server.

As a result, the patrol’s location remains visible to the rest of the faction despite losing GSM connectivity.

[Placeholder – diagram]
Suggested graphic:

mesh player → mesh network → GSM player → game server

This hybrid design allows a mesh network to function as a temporary off-grid extension of the main game infrastructure.

Using dedicated field gateways

On large events it may be useful to deploy dedicated gateway devices.

A typical gateway setup may consist of:

a smartphone running Airsoft Force Tracking
a Meshtastic device
an external battery or solar charger

Placing such devices in elevated locations with good radio visibility can significantly improve connectivity between off-grid players and the central game server.

[Placeholder – graphic]
Suggested graphic:
“Field gateway setup: phone + Meshtastic device + powerbank”.

Army separation and encrypted communication

Game sessions in Airsoft Force Tracking may contain multiple armies.
Each army operates with its own encryption key.

This means:

players from different armies cannot read each other’s transmissions
enemy forces cannot discover player locations through the mesh network

Administrators may optionally configure allied armies.
Allied forces share visibility of their positions both on GSM and in mesh communication.

Example configuration:

Army A and Army B are allies
Army C and Army D are opponents

In this case A and B can see each other’s positions even in areas without GSM coverage.

One limitation should be noted:
If the administrator changes alliance visibility during the game while players are offline from GSM, the mesh network will not immediately propagate that rule change. The change takes effect once devices reconnect to the game server.

This is another consequence of keeping mesh transmissions minimal.

Why AFT does not use Meshtastic GPS positions

Meshtastic devices can optionally broadcast their own GPS location.
Airsoft Force Tracking intentionally ignores this data.

The reason is reliability.

Meshtastic devices allow users to:

reduce GPS precision
randomize position
disable accurate location sharing

Since game mechanics require accurate player positions, AFT uses the phone’s GPS location directly, which is typically more precise and reliable. You don’t need GPS module inside your meshtastic device.

Meshtastic status panel

Airsoft Force Tracking includes a dedicated Meshtastic status panel that provides detailed information about the connected device and the current mesh network.

The panel displays information such as:

the name of the connected Meshtastic device
number of detected nodes in the network
channel utilization (ChUtil)
transmit duty cycle (Tx Duty)
device battery level
connection status

This allows players to quickly verify whether the mesh network is operating correctly during the game.

[Placeholder – screenshot]
Suggested graphic: Meshtastic metrics panel with annotated indicators.

How players enable Meshtastic in AFT

Meshtastic support is optional.

Players who want to use it must:

Obtain a compatible Meshtastic device.
Charge and power on the device.
Download and install official Meshtastic app from Google Play
Pair it with the Meshtastic mobile application via Bluetooth.

Once the device is paired, Airsoft Force Tracking can take over the configuration process.

To open the Meshtastic tools in AFT:

Open the navigation menu.
Select Meshtastic from the available tools.

This opens the Meshtastic control panel and allows the player to configure the device for the current game session.

[Placeholder – screenshot]
Suggested graphic: navigation menu → Meshtastic option.

Session administrator configuration

Game administrators can define the expected mesh configuration for the entire session.

These settings include parameters such as:

radio preset (for example LONG_FAST or MEDIUM_FAST)
frequency configuration
hop limits and other mesh parameters

Players do not need to configure these settings manually.

Instead they simply press Configure Channel in the Meshtastic panel.
Airsoft Force Tracking then automatically:

switches the device to the administrator-defined configuration
installs the required mesh channels
resets the device if necessary to ensure a clean configuration

This process replaces any previously configured channels on the device and ensures that all participants operate on the same mesh network.

Once the configuration is complete, the device restarts and begins exchanging mesh transmissions with other AFT players.

FAQ – Meshtastic in Airsoft Force Tracking

Does Meshtastic replace GSM networks?

No. In Airsoft Force Tracking, Meshtastic is designed as a complement to GSM communication, not a replacement for it.

If the game area has stable cellular coverage, using Meshtastic usually provides little benefit. GSM offers much higher bandwidth and enables the full feature set of the application.

The mesh network is intended primarily for situations where telecommunication infrastructure is unavailable or unreliable.

It is also important to note that GSM connectivity is required to start a game session. Creating a session, joining it, and loading game data all require internet access. For this reason, the game should begin in a location where all players have network connectivity.

Once the session has started, players can move into areas without GSM coverage and rely on mesh communication.

How often is player position updated through the mesh network?

In the current alpha version of Airsoft Force Tracking, player positions are transmitted roughly every five minutes.

This limitation comes from the nature of LoRa networks, which provide long range at the cost of bandwidth. Sending too many transmissions would quickly saturate the shared radio channel and degrade the network for all participants.

Future versions of AFT are planned to introduce an adaptive transmission algorithm that adjusts update frequency based on:

the number of devices in the network
network traffic
mesh network metrics.

What range can I expect from Meshtastic?

Range depends heavily on terrain and obstacles.

In typical pine forests, the range between devices is usually around 1.5–2 kilometers.

In open terrain, much longer distances are possible. With favorable conditions and appropriate radio power settings, links of around 12 kilometers are not unusual.

Mesh networks also extend range through relaying: devices can forward messages for each other, allowing information to travel much farther than the range of a single radio link.

How many Meshtastic devices can operate in one network?

The number of devices depends on network traffic and radio configuration.

In the current alpha version, Airsoft Force Tracking transmits position updates roughly every five minutes, which allows around 30 devices to operate within the same mesh network without saturating the radio channel.

It is important to understand how mesh networks propagate transmissions.

When one device sends a message, nearby devices repeat it so that the information can travel further across the network. For example:

if a network contains 10 devices,
a single transmission may be repeated by the other 9 devices.

This means that one message can result in up to 10 radio transmissions across the network.

Now consider what happens if every device sends its own message:

10 devices each transmit one packet
each packet may be repeated by the other devices
the network may end up performing dozens of radio transmissions in a short period of time

This multiplication of traffic quickly increases channel airtime usage, which can lead to packet collisions and degraded network performance.

For this reason Airsoft Force Tracking deliberately limits:

how often devices transmit
how much data is sent through the mesh

This helps keep the network usable even when many devices participate in the same mesh.

Can I send text messages through Meshtastic in AFT?

Not currently.

In alpha meshtastic implementation in Airsoft Force Tracking, the mesh network is used only to synchronize:

player positions
newly created map markers (POI)

Restricting the data types helps keep network traffic small and ensures stable operation even with multiple devices participating in the mesh.

Can enemy players see my position through Meshtastic?

No.

Each army in an AFT session uses its own encryption key, which means players from opposing factions cannot read each other’s transmissions.

Even if an enemy Meshtastic device is within radio range, it cannot decrypt or interpret the transmitted data.

Do I need a Meshtastic device for every player?

Not necessarily.

In many teams, communication responsibilities are handled by a dedicated RTO (Radio Telephone Operator). This player stays near the team leader and manages the team’s communication equipment, such as radios or Meshtastic devices.

In practice this means that one Meshtastic device can often serve an entire squad, especially if the team moves together during gameplay.

Do I need special hardware?

Yes.

To use Meshtastic with Airsoft Force Tracking you need a compatible Meshtastic device (a small radio unit based on LoRa hardware).

Airsoft Force Tracking has been tested with several devices, including:

The smartphone acts as the user interface, while the actual radio communication takes place through the external Meshtastic device.

What happens if my Meshtastic device stops working during the game?

If the Meshtastic device turns off or loses its Bluetooth connection with the phone, Airsoft Force Tracking automatically falls back to GSM communication.

If the player is outside GSM coverage and the mesh device stops working, synchronization with the rest of the game will not be possible until connectivity is restored.

To help monitor connectivity, Airsoft Force Tracking displays status indicators in the top-right corner of the interface. These LEDs show the current state of:

GPS
GSM transmission
Mesh connectivity

If a problem occurs in the mesh network, the mesh indicator will turn red.

[placeholder]

This can indicate several possible issues, such as:

the Meshtastic device battery is depleted
the Bluetooth connection has failed
mesh channels are misconfigured
the device has stopped transmitting.

Tapping the indicator opens the Meshtastic panel, where detailed network metrics and diagnostic information are displayed.

Can I use my own Meshtastic configuration?

Not during an AFT session.

To ensure compatibility between all participants, Meshtastic devices are automatically configured according to the parameters defined by the session administrator.

Pressing Configure Channel will:

apply the radio configuration defined for the session
install the required mesh channels
remove previously configured channels from the device

This approach may appear invasive, but it solves a common practical problem.

Meshtastic configuration involves many parameters (such as radio presets, frequency settings, and hop limits). Many users struggle to configure these correctly. In practice this often leads to players spending time troubleshooting their phones instead of participating in the game, or configuring parameters that negatively affect the entire mesh network.

Automatic configuration ensures that all devices operate within the same correctly configured mesh network.

While resetting channels is admittedly intrusive, it is currently considered the most reliable approach for the alpha version of AFT.