Stay Safe While Playing Paintball

Paintball is an extreme game that has thousands of players nationwide. There are more than ten organizations that sponsor events throughout the country at different venues. Though the inventors of this game created it just for fun, this game has grown. A recent survey has shown that this is the third most popular game in the world.

Safety is the most important concern for those who want to play this game. This goes from the clothing that should be worn to the types of weapons that can be used.

Protective equipment consists of a face mask, gloves, pads for the chest, knees and elbows. They must be worn at all times while inside the playing field. It is advisable to wear shoes with rubber soles given the rough terrain where the game is usually played.

Guns should be inspected before being used in any of the matches. This is because there is a maximum velocity allowed. The paintballs should not travel over 300 feet per second since anything greater can seriously injure the players.

To prevent a misfiring from occurring, barrel plugs should be used for the safety of the gun owner and the people who are present during the event.

The facemask may fall off suddenly during the heat of the action. It can also fog due to sweat, paint or dirt. When this happens, the player should call on the referee so that it to be cleaned off of the field. The opponent is not allowed to fire on the player until that person is ready to return to the firing zone.

Since this game is about fun, players are not allowed to curse or hit other players. The only activity allowed is shooting the opponent so that he will be eliminated.

Another safety feature allowed in the game involves giving the opposing player the opportunity to surrender; but should the player show any form of hostile action, then one has no choice but to shoot the opponent.

Aside from protection given to the players, the organizers of such events also put safety nets around the area and require the audience remain a certain distance away from the action to avoid being hit by any of the balls.

Safety is a primary concern of paintball and almost every other sport: this is why rules are set in place which the players have to abide by. This is done to protect both the players and the fans: to prevent injuries from happening and so that everyone can have a good time.

Where to Play Paintball?

There are various types of paintball fields that offer a challenge and excitement to players. Paintball fields add to the overall enjoyment of the sport.

Woods

oodsball?as it is referred to by a lot of paintball players is the urest?type of setting where paintball is played. On this type of field, players get the feel of the real war game.

Basically, the field is a secluded area in the woods which has an open area. Players are? learn stealth or how to advance the field in a very sneaky manner.

Concept Fields

The concept field is often created outdoors, with many objects that have been set up for players to take refuge in or seek protection from. Usually concept fields have a theme, the most common of which is the urban city setting with cars, buildings and many other city elements.

There are some fields that are very creative with their themes, such as medieval themes with castles which have towers, wagons and cutouts of people. Concept fields are interesting and fun: players are able to adjust the skill level of the group by removing or adding obstacles.

Speedball Fields

According to paintball fanatics the most exciting and challenging of all fields are the speedball fields. They are made up of equally spaced and equally sized barriers.

The challenge here is that a player can not see past the huge barriers and can bump into or encounter anyone at any time. With the smaller barriers a player can be concealed one way, yet revealed to another player.

Indoor Fields

These fields offer a much different approach and encounter from an outdoor field. The first and major thing that new players encounter is that here paintball guns are very loud: some find that the sound hurts their ears so they wear earplugs; but this is not necessary most of the time.

Indoor fields are generally found in cities where there is a lack of open areas to play the game. Similar to outdoor fields, indoor arenas also offer a variety of themes and set ups. The range is considered to be the major difference.

A team with great team effort is the key to the game of paintball regardless of where you play - the basic paintball idea remains the same. The option is up to you: select a field that fits your interests and your performance level the best. Paintball fields are as diverse as one imagination.

Make Retreating in a Paintball Game an Advantage

To realize a common goal, teammates in a paintball game should take two important roles: one is to suppress and the other to invade.

Suppression is a way of distracting the opponent so that they fall short by not seeing the other team that is already starting to invade. Suppression goal is not to get rid of enemies. Control and concentration are needed to keep a team member from shooting.

A team who uses suppression as a tactic should consist of three or more players. Each member must know that their main objective is not to eliminate the other team members; although that could be true in other events. Movements during this game should be accurate and targets must be aligned in order to make sure that the opposing team is unaware of the suppression. A steady target and aiming of fire from the suppression players must not be in unison to leave the enemies with a puzzled feeling.

When making an assault, two or more of the paintball players who are making the suppression constantly distract one of the opponent players in order to disguise the players who are about to invade and attack the opposing team. Suppression often conceals the other players and if done well, would eventually destroy the enemies who would have to retreat and could soon be eliminated when caught.

The other role that is played by the rest of the team is invading. The players that are involved in the invasion must try very hard to hide themselves from the opponents while the suppression team is doing their job. This requires patience, control, and discipline to keep from firing in order to save the position. Make sure that with one shot severe damage to the opposing team is incurred rather than firing at one enemy player that did not realize the invader was there.

The invasion players target at least the majority of the opposing team players. Once they are in position to capture the flag, they must fire with great power and with full force. Since paintball guns are really loud, as soon as players start hitting target it must be accurate as there is no turning back. Enemies will know where the guns are firing from so the invasion team will have to incur damage all at once to keep the opponent from counter attacking. This will be shown by the amount of paint that is shot at the other team.

Popular Paintball Games

As paintball improved and became popular, many individuals tried their abilities at it; giving rise to the assortment and diversity of paintball tournaments and games.

Recreational or Capture the Flag

Played by two teams, where each team has a flag and the objective of both teams is to capture or seize the opponent flag and carry it to your team starting point. This is one way for your team to win and another way is by eliminating the opposing team entirely.

Each team has to defend their base and simultaneously dispatch team players to eliminate the opponent and capture their flag.

These games are usually played in the forest; bunkers and structures can be put up throughout the area.

Scenario Paintball

This is a paintball game with a theme set up behind it: there are an endless number of themes that can be created making the game feel and look very realistic. There are a number of players; in many cases as many as a hundred are involved in each team.

Each team gets the theme (storyline) a day before the start of the game. There are usually two teams participating, having the eneral?as a team leader.

Each player is given a role and they should work together as a team in order to carry out and win an assigned mission. Props in accordance with the theme are introduced and distributed throughout the field. There are questions asked in connection with the theme and points are awarded for correct answers.

These points are totaled at the conclusion of the game and the team having the most number of points wins.

Backyard

This can be played right at your own backyard, a friend empty property or at times any property but you must as you get permission first. You gather your friends to form a group and then conceptualize your own game which typically is apture the flag?

Speedball

Also called enter Flag? the speedball field is designed with many huge bunkers; usually nflatables?filled with air that are shaped similar to big snakes, soda cans, water tanks etc.

Here, a team can be composed of between three to ten players in a game. There is only one flag that is involved and it is located at the center of a field. The two teams start at each end of the field and attempt to gain possession of the flag at the center and carry it to their bunker. The team that does this successfully wins.

Paintball can surely challenge the oldier?in you. Give it a shot!