Category: paint ball

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

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 ones imagination.

Winning Paintball as a Team

Paintball is a war game and like in real war, you are never alone. You have your friends fighting beside you and with the same spirit – wanting to win as much as you do.

Paintball is a tactical game. You have to know your teams strengths and weaknesses. As a rule, it is best to use your teams strength to win rather than trying to cover up your weaknesses. This does not mean that you will not care about your weaknesses: if you are disadvantaged because of it, then you have other days to learn how to change it. What really matters now is how to prevent the other team from exploiting your weakness and making it a turning point in your battle.

Paintball also requires your team to have a battle plan. Who will be the designated shooter (sniper)? Who will charge and start all the action for your team? These are just two of the different positions and strategies that your team will have to determine so that your team can win.

Paintball is designed to bring out the creative side in people. You have to make sure that your battle plan allows for a contingency plan for when mistakes happen. You are never really sure how your opponent will react when you stage a certain part of your plan. The sign of a great general is knowing the different plans that your opponent will make to counteract every thing you do. A general should not be rattled when every plan he has made has failed. He should be able to devise new plan in the middle of the fight.

Paintball also requires your team to be flexible. Just because you are not a designated hitter does not mean that you cannot do that to your opponents. Your team should understand each others job and make sure that when one of your teammates falls, there are others who can carry on the job he was doing.

Paintball requires good communication between teammates. You should have your own signs and you should learn to bond with your teammates so that you will know what he wants by just a look of the eye or nod of the head.

Paintball is also not just about winning as a team, it is also about experiencing losing as a team and experiencing all of the hardships of playing and surviving as a team. It is in learning as a group and bonding as brothers.

How to Reach the Goal in a Paintball Game

Those who always play the paintball sport may have the experience to execute the right strategies to capture the flag of their opponents. Those who are beginners in playing this sport may tend to be wilder in making their executions and movements in the battlefield. A person must determine how to meet his objective to reach the goal of the opponents base.

There are flags, which stand on the bases of each team. Every team must attack and defend their bases so that their opponents will not reach their goal. If a team captures the flag of the other team, they must bring the flag back to their base to ensure that they have reached the goal by eliminating each member of the other team.

A strategy must be planned before each team proceeds with their attacks. It is up to the team leader to decide who will be assigned to attack aggressively and who will defend their base. Their goal is to not be hit by the enemies paintball so that they may continue playing the game. They must eliminate every person who blocks their attempt to reach the opponents flag. It must be well executed to ensure a chance of winning.

If the members of the team are cautious of being hit by the enemy, it could make it more difficult for their team to win the game; they tend to be more defense-minded forgetting that they must help and accompany their other teammates in the attack.

Being too aggressive can also result in losing the game. Each member must remember that it is important to have a plan that will back up each member in the attack. It is not advisable to be a Rambo type attacker: one must cooperate and communicate whatever plan or strategy the leader instructs.

A person cannot attack and hit a target if he is too concerned about being eliminated. However, he may have reasons to back up because he may determine that their flag must be protected and guarded at the same time. There is nothing to be afraid when being hit by a paintball. This does not cause much discomfort even though a hit may cause bruises. Protective clothing is important in playing this game.

Every person has a different style of playing this game but what is important is cooperation and sticking to the game plan that will lead to winning the game.

Defensive Tactics in Paintball

The best offense is having a good defense. This kind of thinking is usually deployed in sports such as basketball or soccer where the team does its best to prevent the other team from scoring especially in a championship match. A team can also use the same tactics in the game of paintball by preventing the opposing force from capturing the flag.

Games start with both sides having limited ammunition. Since the game can last for a very long time, the team should make every shot count. The players should only fire when there is a clear shot rather than not being able to fire when it matters the most.

Spreading out over a certain area is a good defensive tactic. This is to cover the enemy no matter which direction he may come from. Should the opposing team see one of your team members, the others who have a better view should neutralize the opponent.

If in the opening minutes of the game, the team has lost half of its members, the best strategy is to fall back to the base and regroup. A perimeter should be set up to prevent the other team from outflanking the group while patrols can be sent out to search for the enemy.

If a scout has spotted the enemy, the person can take the opponent out. Should there be a group moving towards the base, then go back and tell the others and fight off the enemy with the same number of people. This plan could fail if any of the members of the opposing force escapes the attack and informs the others the location of your base.

The trick in catching the enemy off guard takes camouflage and concealment. Since the guns have a limited range, it is best to wait until the opposing force enters the kill zone before any shooting takes place.

When a firefight takes place, the players position has been revealed. Since the enemy will return fire, the person can still survive the enemys bullets by getting sufficient cover.

If this is not feasible, then transferring to a better area is a good idea. The player should inform the others before moving so that the others can give adequate cover.

It takes planning for the play to work. By communicating on the field, the team has a good chance of defending the base then surging forward to kill the enemy or capture the flag.

All about Paintball

War games have been around for a long time. These are used to prepare an army for battle or the beginning of a surprise attack. Since people are not able to use real guns in this game, Bob Gurnsey, Hayes Noel, Charles Gaines and nine others decided to play this game by using markers that were originally used to tag cattle and trees. This game originated in 1981.

Later on, markers were used to shoot paintballs at other players. The bullets used for each shot is a .68 caliber gelatin capsule which comes in various colors so that one team can distinguish the shots they fire from those of the opposition. Anyone that gets hit is out of the game.

Paintball has evolved and through the years and can be played in different ways. In one version of the game teams can one flag each and the other team must capture that flag in order to win. Another game has the same objective as the first will except there is only one flag that is situated in the center of the field and each team tries to be the first to capture the flag. The other way of winning (other than capturing the flag) would be to eliminate all of the players of the opposing team with paintball hits.

The game can be played on a small scale which is called recreational paintball. This is the original way it was played in a wooded area and can be played in an area the size of a basketball court.

If there are many people who want to play and the field is a large area the game is called a scenario. The largest scenario ever was in 2005 on a 700 acre parcel of land and with 3,000 participants.

When a player who participates in a competition sanctioned by a governing body, that competition is called a tournament. Teams can be comprised of 3 to 10 players each. Rules during such events vary so people should check before entering the tournament.

For the safety of those who participate in these events, protective gear is required for each player. It consists of a helmet, chest pad, gloves, and knee and elbow pads. The guns used are only allowed to fire a maximum of 300 feet per second.

Paintball is one game that is gaining ground in the sports world. According to a study done in 2005, it is ranked as the third most popular extreme game in the world. It is considered a safe sport as long as proper equipment is used and people comply with the rules. People who are interested can sign up at the local club and join in the fun.

Paintball Accessories You Cant Play Without

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 guns 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. Dont 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.

Finding a New Way to Workout? Try Paintball!

There are a growing number of paintball players in the America alone; the number has increased to more than 10 million according to a recent survey taken by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association in 2005. The National Xball League was developed in 2003 and many people became interested. The interest spread to other countries when the NXL celebrity games were televised.

Doctors began noticing the game too and started studying its effects on a persons health. Dr. Brian Jacobs, a sports medicine expert from South Bend, Indiana commented in an interview that paintball is a source of cardiovascular exercise and is really good for the heart. He tried to play the game twice and observe how injuries were acquired and the trauma it could cause to a paintball player. Codes were developed to categorize the injuries caused by the paintball game such as: E922.5 which is an accidental injury caused by a paintball gun; E985.7, a paintball gun injury which was inflicted on purpose or by accident; and E955.7, is a self-inflicted paintball gun injury.

Regardless of the previous observations, the paintball game provides aerobic benefits and creates a workout option for people who are not always physically active. Some doctors advise patients to try the basics of the game because of its health effects.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine rules, the paintball game provides substantial benefits to the body. This observation was based on a study that was conducted by Tara Kammel, a fitness expert from Maplewood, Minnesota, who attached heart monitors to fifteen paintball players. During the paintball game, players reached the maximum level of adrenaline as the heart rate surged up to 69 – 74 per cent and a CO2max level of 57 to 65 per cent.

It might at times be dangerous to play paintball, but if the players follow their physicians advice then everyone can enjoy the game.

Play the game where there are safety rules to follow and first aid is available.
Do not play without protective gear for the eyes and neck. Wear loose fitting clothes for flexibility. Get in shape with exercise and eat a balanced diet when preparing to play the game.

If the game is played for sport, it is a sure way of keeping physically active. It does not only contribute to the physical well being but to a players emotional and intellectual abilities as well. One recent finding by American researchers says that paintball decreased violence since it is a way to release tension. Hey workaholics! Theres a new sport in town.

Paintball: Its all about the Gun, Baby!

A paintball gun (also known as paintball marker) is used to mark opposing players with paint. It uses air (carbon dioxide) to force the paintball out of the barrel at the speed of about 300 feet per second. This will cause paintballs to break upon hitting somebody but will only cause mild bruising to a person. This could blind a person, though, thus making it a necessity to wear a face mask or eye protection such as goggles.

There are four types of paintball guns and they are classified according to their firing modes. These are pump action guns, semi-automatic guns, fully automatic guns and ramping-mode guns.

In the early days of paintball, all guns were pump action. Each shot would require the person wanting to shoot to manually pull back the bolt to let a paintball fall in front of it and then manually push forward the bolt to bring the paintball in the position to fire. This was excruciatingly slow when compared to other firing modes used today, but is loved by many people as it teaches the importance of a persons skill with his gun.

Semi-automatic guns were designed so that when the trigger is pushed down, a shot will be fired and the bolt moves back automatically to load the new paintball in position for the next trigger pull. This allows the player to increase firing frequency and accuracy because he will not have to manually pump the gun.

Fully automatic guns are those that will continue to fire paintballs as long as the trigger is held down. The Tippman SMG was the first to feature a fully-automatic gun.

Ramping-mode guns are guns that can fire up to 15 shots per second. This type of gun prevents abuse from semi-automatic guns or fully-automatic guns that can shoot more and can cause injury to other people.

These types of guns are used in different kinds of situations, usually to prove who the best player in a tournament is. Pump action guns promote using stealth and are desired by experienced players because of the challenge they present. Semi-automatic guns are used by players hoping to improve their shooting accuracy and since they do not have to pump every shot, they are able to concentrate more on their targets. Fully automatic guns are used by infantry and middle men in attacking another teams base. Ramping-mode guns are for controlled environments where there is a specific rule to prevent injury and other problems.

5 Paintball Playing Tips on How to Win the Battle

Among the many sports that bring about solidarity and sportsmanship in various competitive activities, paintball ranks third among the most popular and highly stimulating games in the world.

According to the 2005 statistics of Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association International, paintball ranks third, next to inline skating and skateboarding.

This paintball hype is based on the premise that people who love extreme sports would most likely use activities that will stimulate adrenaline rush. Because every players aim is to win the game, they would most likely try to obtain all of the possible pointers and suggestions available just to achieve their goal.

Here is a list of some tips on how to play the game well and prevail in the battle:

1. Establish an optimistic approach

Paintball is, basically, a war game, where players can either win or loose; so there are instances where things may not always conform to the plans of the players. What must be observed is that each player must look at the results in a very optimistic way.

For instance, if a player was not able to win the game, he must accept the fact and identify the areas where he failed to perform, which contributed to his failure.

Remember that there is always another opportunity to win the game.

2. Learn by experience

Every failure is a learning experience: view it constructively as a learning experience. Work on the things that need more consideration and improvement.

3. Never play solo

In order to win the battle, it is better for a player to play on a team rather than playing solo. The concept that there are other players ready to cover up for you is a good indication that you will last throughout the game.

4. Do not hide forever

If you are trying to win the game by avoiding being seen and hit by your opponents, you will also have fewer chances of hitting the opponents. You will never learn the correct strategies needed to win the game unless you come out in the open and take action.

5. Never surrender

Just as in real battle, it is best not to surrender even if the odds of winning the game are probably higher. The point here is to stay in the game as long as you continue to be a hard target.

Winning a paintball game is not so much about how you stay in the game but about how you played the game.

Paintball 101: The Importance of Stealth

Paintball is a war game. Firepower and manpower do matter. Firepower is the ability of a paintball gun to inflict a lot of paint on your opponents and the ammunition it can carry. However firepower is useless in the wrong hands. It is still manpower that will win teams their games.

Manpower is the ability of a player not to only play harder but to also play smarter in the field. This article tackles about stealth and how it can win games for you.

Stealth is the ability to blend with your surroundings. Using different techniques to achieve this, stealth will usually indicate who the newbie is in a paintball environment.

Stealth is about moving the right way. When you have to make a quick dash, it is best to just stick to paths where there are no twigs. Twigs are the worst things to step on as they will snap, break, and make noise. It is recommended that you take your time (when you still have it) and move slowly when going through a cluttered area.

Stealth is best accomplished when using the proper equipment. Shoes and clothing will help tremendously in minimizing the sound you create when moving. Shoes with soft soles are recommended as they make less noise than army combat boots because they have a natural sound absorption property that helps limit the sounds made while stepping.

Soft clothing will also be an advantage as coarse fabrics will create a lot of noise when brushing against branches and the foliage. It is great for crawling quietly to go to a desired place with a minimal amount of noise created.

Other things must also fit snug or tightly on your body. This includes harnesses and holsters. You should also avoid putting anything in the leg area since walking and running will cause it to make noise – this includes your reloads and ammunition.

There are also several techniques such as using colors that match the foliage of the battlefield: this will hide you and makes you virtually unseen (when not moving) by your enemies.

When you have to move, it is recommended that you learn how to crawl the proper way (and with the ability to still fire when needed).

Stealth takes a lot of time to learn properly. Even experienced players will make mistakes and with these mistakes they learn how not to do it!