WHAT IS PAINTBALL

If you’ve found yourself wondering, “what is paintball” or “how to play paintball” don t be afraid you’ve arrived at the right place. In this article, I will go over everything you need to know about paintball and how it’s played here. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that paintball isn’t for everyone, but if you’re searching for a sport that will give you a rush of adrenaline, then paintball might be the ideal choice.

If you’re considering introducing your child or children to the sport of paintball; we’ve got you covered. Before allowing your children to participate in paintball for the first time, you will find below all the facts you need to know.

Paintball was started in the United States in the early 1980s. Paintball is a game in which players hit enemy team with paint-filled balls to compete with one another with the help of a compressed gas-powered gun, also known as a marker, and complete game objectives.

After being hit by a paintball and having it cover them in paint, a player is considered to have been eliminated from the game. If your squad can either wipe out every member of the opposing team or complete the objective, you will emerge victorious.

Pulling the trigger on a paintball gun is all that is required to fire these little paintballs filled with goo, and all you need to do to do that (commonly referred to as a marker). When the trigger is pulled, the paintball marker uses a propellant such as carbon dioxide or compressed air to launch the paintball out of the barrel at a speed of approximately 280 to 300 feet per second (fps).

However, you should be aware that getting hit by a paintball traveling at this speed could potentially result in a bruise (especially if shot up close). Most of the discomfort of being shot is mitigated by the adrenaline distributed throughout the body during paintball games, which is a blessing for those who play the sport. The rush of adrenaline is another factor contributing to the exhilarating nature of the paintball game.

How to Participate in Paintball Games?

It would help if you simply had a paintball gun, a paintball mask, an air tank filled with either CO2 or HPA, and paintballs to play paintball. The paintballs are the most critical thing you require. It goes without saying that to play paintball, you need both other people to play with and a location to do so. This is where the paintball field close to you comes into play.

You’ll have to make do with what you already have if you don’t have a paintball field nearby and don’t want to travel the distance to the next closest field. You are good to go if you have a large backyard that is safe for paintball (no people or personal property within the range of paintball fire) and is full of items for players to hide behind (trees, bushes, etc.).

Before playing paintball on private property, you should always get permission beforehand.
One disadvantage of playing paintball in a location with no dedicated paintball field is that each player needs to provide their equipment, paint, and aitoto participate. And if anyone’s marker fails to work properly or they run out of air, the game is finished for them if they don’t have any backup equipment to utilize if any of those things happens.

On the other hand, if you play paintball on a real field, you can rent all the equipment you require to participate in the game. And even if you bring your paintball gear but have trouble with your marker, you can easily hire one for the day and continue playing without any problems.

Paintball fields typically have a Chrono section, which is a place where players may use chronographs to regulate the speed of their markers. The chronograph is critical for player safety since you do not want players to fire their marker at speeds greater than 300 feet per second and cause other players unnecessary injury.

Types of Paintball

You have many options to choose from regarding the many types of paintball games you may play. There are many different types of paintball with different game plan, including scenario paintball, Milsim paintball, tournament paintball, and even stock class paintball. Woodsball and speedball are two of the most popular types of paintball. There are also sub-variations, such as stock class paintball.

Paintball is available in such a wide variety of formats that there are also many distinct types of fields on which the game can be played. Even though woods ball and speedball make up the vast majority of paintball fields, there is a remote possibility that your region is home to at least one scenario paintball field.

Keep reading to find out which type of paintball game suits your play style the most.

Woods balls

The first version of paintball was called Woods ball, designed to be played leisurely. Unlike what its name may suggest, woods ball is not exclusively played in the forest.

Most woodsball fields include natural forest terrain and artificial structures like bunkers and forts. It is common for players to refer to this variation of paintball as “rec ball”; however, the term “rec ball” can refer to any paintball variant played outside of the context of a competitive event.

Because it is played at a more leisurely pace and is neither as competitive nor as expensive as speedball, woods ball is, in my opinion, the most appropriate paintball for first-timers. When you play woods ball, which is always fun, you may also employ cool tactical Milsim gear and wear camouflage. In addition, you can wear camouflage.

In addition, there are no size restrictions placed on woods ball fields; hence, the fields and the teams can grow to be rather sizable.

Speedball

The game of speedball is practically the complete antithesis of woods ball.

The playing areas are shrunk, the matches are abridged, and the fighting features less long-range and more up-close-and-personal encounters.

Instead of being played in the forest, speedball is played on a field that is either rectangular or square and is constructed with bunkers that humans have erected. The bunkers have been thoughtfully arranged in a symmetrical arrangement to ensure that both teams play fairly and that neither side has the edge over the other.

In addition, while most contemporary speedball fields are constructed using inflatable bunkers, speedball courts can also be constructed using spools, pallets, tires, corrugated pipes, and even bales of hay. This is also referred to as the hyper ball and air ball.

Scenario Paintball

Paintball, in many scenarios, is the pinnacle of excitement for recreational purposes.

The objective of a paintball game played according to a scenario is for two huge teams to compete against one another to emerge victorious. The winning team is the one that racks up the most points by accomplishing various tasks or objectives out on the playing field.
The usual scenario game can run anywhere from 16 to 24 hours, which is significantly longer than the typical paintball match, which is ended once everyone has been eliminated or the objective has been accomplished. Some scenario games, such as Oklahoma D-day, might extend over numerous days or up to a week.
When participating in a scenario game, each player assumes control of a unique character, which may or may not come equipped with unique skills or capabilities. An illustration of this would be a healer in a video game who can bring dead players back to life or a demolition expert who can blow up a bridge.
Then there are the high-level actors and leaders who significantly impact the story’s overall plot. These players are frequently tasked with handing out tasks to be completed or assisting in completing the game’s primary objectives.
The fact that scenario paintball is more than just a game of paintball is maybe the most appealing aspect of the activity. It’s more like a movie, and a paintball game merged into one action-packed event that incorporates cool props and players employing rocket launchers, paint grenades, and even tanks! In other words, it’s a paintball game movie! In order to feel more immersed in the game’s action, many players like dressing up in character and acting out their roles.

Stock Class

When paintball was first developed, there was only one paintball gun available: a pump paintball gun.

As expected, it didn’t take long before the first semi-automatic paintball gun was developed, and as a result, many players quit using pump-action markers because of their poor rate of fire (Rate of Fire).

Paintball players wanted more options regarding how they might participate in the paintball game, so in 1992, the Stock Gun Players Association (SGPA) was established to give them those options.

Stock Class Paintball rules

Just using a pump action
Must be powered by a single cartridge containing 12 grams of co2
There are no direct feeds (magazine must be parallel to barrel)
The maximum capacity of the magazine is twenty paintballs.
There are no quick changes available for the 12-gram cartridge (the Co2 cartridge must pass through a threaded device)
The barrel is required to have a smoothbore and be solid (no holes, rifling or muzzle breaks)
There have to be no auto-triggers allowed.

Over the years, a few tweaks to the rules have allowed additional pump-action markers to be utilized in stock class competitions. The following are some of the new rules:

It is acceptable to use pump-action markers with auto-triggers (but no auto-triggering is allowed)
It does not matter what length the barrel is.
It is acceptable to use barrels with porting.
There is enough for 10 vertical feeds of rounds.
You are only allowed one power let, which is 12 grams in weight.

Before you commit to purchasing a stock class marker, you should make sure that you check to see if there are any Stock Class groups in your region and join one of them.

Advice On Playing Paintball Safely

Ensure mask on at all times on the field or in the Chrono area.
You should always have a barrel sleeve on when you are not on the field.
Always act as if your marker is loaded even when it’s not.
Keep your marker’s speed under 300 frames per second on the stopwatch (feet per second)
You must dress for the activity.

Whenever your children play paintball, you can be assured that they will do so while having a good time and not putting themselves in danger as long as they pay attention to these safety guidelines. If you are going to play paintball yourself, then I hope you have a fantastic time, and please don’t forget to let me know how it went when you get back.

Advice for Parents Regarding Safety

I applaud if you’ve decided to let your kids play paintball. Paintball is a sport that is not only an excellent way to get in shape but is also a lot of fun to participate in.

However, for your children to play paintball without needlessly injuring themselves, they must adhere to these essential safety guidelines.

FAQs

Paintballs can cause a significant amount of pain, so it is important to cover up as much of your skin as you can when playing the game. Because of this, it is best to steer clear of anything that has short sleeves or a vest, and instead opt for something like a jumper, hoodie, or long-sleeved shirt.

Paintball splats can be entirely removed from clothing if the garments are washed as soon as possible following the day of play. On the other hand, paintballs have been known to leave stains on lighter-colored clothing if the paint from the paintballs is left on the clothing that was worn to play the game for more than a few days.

Wearing multiple layers of clothing or padding can help reduce the impact of being hit by a paintball. You can give yourself some padding by donning multiple layers of clothing if the temperature is not too high. It’s a good idea to wear layers because you can always peel off a layer if you find that you’re getting too hot.

Conclusion

Now you are well-known what paintball is? Paintball is a competitive team activity that requires strategy, shooting, eliminating opponents, sometimes experiencing discomfort, and having a limitless amount of fun. When playing this game, the various teams compete against one another in a territory set apart specifically for that purpose. The number of teams competing against one another can be increased for increased fun levels. There are certain guidelines that every person needs to adhere to. For more paintball knowledge, stay with us:

WHAT IS PAINTBALL – Tips for First Timers in 2023