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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 “Woodsball” as it is referred to by a lot of paintball players is the “purest” 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 “hare”, 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’s imagination.

Paintball is an extreme game that is gaining in popularity. Though the inventors of this game did it for fun, it has evolved into the third most popular game in the world. For those who want to play, there are rules to be followed. The first is having the proper gear which will protect the person from paint balls. Guns should be checked before being used in the matches because the maximum velocity allowed is only 300 feet per second. Anything above that can cause serious injury to the players. As a precaution, barrel plugs should be used to avoid any misfiring incidents for the safety of the gun owner and the people who are present during the event. Protective equipment must be worn at all times inside the playing field. This consists of a face mask, gloves, and pads for the chest, knees and elbows. When hit, the player must stand up with both hands in the air to inform everyone that he has been eliminated. If the person is not sure of being hit, then ask the referee and he will confirm or deny the hit. The facemask may fog due to sweat, paint or dirt. When this happens, the player should inform the referee so that he can be escorted away from the field before returning to the game. In case the facemask falls off, the same rule applies. During such instances, the opposing team is not allowed to fire at that person. Paintball is a sport where a player can only be eliminated by shooting the other person. Should a player wipe the paint off and continue playing the game but is caught by the referee, that player is automatically ejected from the game. This is a form of cheating that is never tolerated. Players are not allowed to curse or hit the other players. This game is about fun and anyone caught will also be taken out of the game. There is another way of taking out the opposing player and that is by asking the person to surrender. Should the player show any form of hostile action, then you have no choice but to shoot the opponent. Rules are made to protect the participants in the game. By knowing the basic rules and checking how the game is played, everyone will have fun and enjoy a good game.

Having the markers, tanks, guns, vests and other equipment complete the excitement when you plan to play paintball. But little do others know that it is the small and simple things that count even before the game begins. Sometimes the little accessories that are locked in a toolbox are all that are needed to complete a paintball game. A toolbox is the first aid kit of the game; if anything goes wrong that is unexpected or unavoidable, there is no reason to fret. The gun’s manual: there are instances in the game when the gun has to undergo “intensive surgery”. Guns differ from each other regardless of the physical similarities of some. If that time comes when it needs to be disassembled, the manual can make it easier to put it all back together. Try to find manuals with problem solving ideas, they really help. Reserve batteries: some guns require batteries to function. It would be such a waste of time if in the middle of the game the batteries died and you could not continue to play so keep new batteries available. Allen wrench to the rescue: some players have either inherited their guns from their friends or bought second-hand guns. If you did not get a set of Allen wrenches when you bought the gun buy a set from a hardware store and be sure to keep them handy. Oil ole’! Make sure that there is a small can of oil for the paintball gun inside the box as well. Sometimes weather dictates if the gun needs oiling; be sure to get the specific oil type recommended by the manual for the gun. Mask lens as spare: when worse comes to worst, mask lens’ will either become blurry or scratched. Don’t hesitate to replace them if your vision is impaired as this really affects how the game is played. Squeegee anyone? Carrying one on the field is enough during a game, so why not bring a replacement if anything goes wrong? It saves time for playing rather than looking for a squeegee. Cupseals and reserved O-rings: some players do not know that O-rings and cup seals can be damaged easily and this will hurt the paintball gun big time so it is a must to replace the cupseal before this happens. And for the player, always have a neck guard around to save the neck from those disturbing shots that hit your neck. There may be a team available to do first aid when something goes wrong but it would make sense to carry a personal first aid kit. Carry around spare basic safety “gadgets” like a mask, gloves, and pads and have a worry free paintball game.

It takes a lot of guts and character to be a leader in any sport. Even in paintball, where there is minimal physical contact and it can be played by everybody from all walks of life, there are certain qualities needed to be a leader of a paintball team. First, he has to achieve that certain level of respect; the kind where other paintball players, some of them close friends, are willing to follow his orders. This is a feat to achieve since not everyone can bear to take orders from just anyone. He should be a master strategist. In this case, flexibility is a must since he must make the initial battle plan suitable for any kind of battlefield. He must also be courageous, the type of player that will never hesitate to go into the frontline, even if he is protected by his men. He must be a well-liked character, someone who has the ability to communicate clearly and effectively with all types of people. What are the attributes that a paintball commander should have? 1. Experience and quick-wit: Experience is one thing that is not gained easily: it takes a lot of time and patience to achieve the kind of experience suitable for a leader. 2. Physical fitness: He must be able to get into the thick of things, and to be able to get into any areas that his men can go. Mobility is a necessity for a paintball commander 3. Respected aura Respect is needed to convince all of the members of a team to follow whatever orders that are needed, dispensed, and carried out. No team player will follow someone he does not like and/or respect. 4. Ability and willingness to communicate A commander talks with authority and conviction – he can make people listen and take action. A paintball commander must be able to put aside his personal performance for a while to analyze the performance of his team. He should survive almost every battle. He should be able to dissect and identify the flaws of his team and the battle plan whenever things go wrong and have the “smarts” to come up with a better plan the next time around. Like all other participation sports, a paintball leader must be able to inspire other people to perform the best they can. Once this is done, the whole team, not only the paintball commander, will achieve victory.

Many people think that playing paintball games is so risky and dangerous that a person might be hurt or injured. There are standard rules that are applied to the sport at this time. They ensure the safety and convenience of a person that will try to experience the game. Before, the sport was categorized as a war game where many people that played were injured from paintball pistols and air guns. In the early version of the game non-powder guns were used for this type of war game. It was in the 1970s that these powerful paintball pistols and air guns were the weapons used to activate and launch paintballs. It was reported that 21,000 Americans were injured playing this sport when it was new to the curious public. The Skirmish, one of the first paintball fields in America, called war games “friendly games” in their slogan. Consider the War Game Products, which introduced the paintball capsules that were launched by pressured air or CO2. These are non-powder guns, which are safer and less dangerous for a person who is hit by a paintball. In the statistics of the Associated Press, there were 21,000 injuries reported each year since it was introduced. A recent survey was conducted by American Sports Data Inc, which reported that 8,700,000 people played the sport in 2002 and there were fewer reported injuries during that time. The reason for this is that the safety rules governing the sport have been standardized and enforcement is a priority. Many say that it is safer than playing basketball or baseball where there are more reported injuries The number of people participating in paintball games has surpassed the number of people who try snowboarding according to the American Sports Data Inc. survey. It is now considered the fourth largest alternative sport in America and it is still growing because of the number of people that are interested and curious about the sport. There are newly developed rules and guidelines which regulate the sport. It is now one of the safest sports played because it requires the use of new types of safety equipment. This sport is not so bad after all! It is a great loss for those who have not yet tried the sport so that can experience the thrill and fun of 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’s flag and carry it to your team’s 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 “general” as a team’s 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’s 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 “capture the flag”. Speedball Also called “Center Flag”, the speedball field is designed with many huge bunkers; usually “inflatables” 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 “soldier” in you. Give it a shot!

In cases where you encounter a situation where you or your paintball team have to back down and retreat, the following are effective ways to make retreating more effective, if not successful. Always have a plan b: When you or your squad needs to move to another position, make sure that this area is far safer as this will be the place where you have to retreat to. Plan ahead so that you will know the ideal place for you and your team to be. Usually, good places to retreat are those that provide cover for the team or is a nearer to the other squad units of your team. It is essential that this area is known by everyone, and all know how to get there. It is also important that all go there together, when such a need arises. Fight together, run together: When it is time to retreat, retreat all together, retreat as one group. “All for one and one for all” is the best defense you can have. Your group’s combined strength is a force to reckon with when under attack. Imagine if your team was to run off in various directions, you would be unable to watch and protect each other. It is difficult to battle the enemy if everyone is far apart, especially if you and your other team mates are safely nestled in their separate areas. Fire, fire, fire and fire: The most effective way to break from an attack is to fire back with an enormous amount of paintball ammunition as this will cause the opposing team to hide and protect themselves from your fire. When the leader of your squad decides to retreat, continue firing all together, hit everything that is moving for about three seconds and then, retreat! Do not forget to fire back and occasionally turn around to check on anyone who may be firing at you. Do this as a group. Keep in mind that retreats are not an opportunity to duck and cover but to make moves that are strategically important to the group’s welfare. Therefore, it should be quick. Exception to the rule There is an exception to the “fire when retreating rule.” The act of retreating and not returning any shots is when you or your squad is asked to help your fellow team members. On this occasion, moving as a unit with speed is still very important. Retreating is not easy but it could be the best choice you or your group have to keep your team from losing.