Paintball World
If you haven’t played paintball yet, there is no time like the present. This active sport allows players to get active by setting up scenarios that allow people to shoot each other with brightly colored paintballs in hopes of being the champion. There are countless versions of the game, making it popular for a wide variety of people who all share a passion for suiting up and getting out in the field for a lively game that ends in paint splatters and fun. It’s a fun way to spend an afternoon with friends, plotting, hiding, running and ultimately enjoying the game of paintball.
Types Of Paintball
What makes paintball such a popular game to a diverse crowd is that there are many different variations of the game, appealing to different people. Woodsball, speedball, scenario and mil-sim are some of the most popular versions, which can even be combined.
Speedball is a version of the game that takes place in a designated field where the goal of the game is to be the last man standing for your team, by strategic use of skill and manmade obstacles.
Woodsball is the term used for when the game is played not in a designated field, but in the forest. Within the game of woodsball, many people also choose to incorporate scenarios or military simulation (milsim) to make the game more interesting.
Scenarios allow people to create their own game, sometimes with players taking on different roles depending on the type of game.
Military simulation is essential a military reenactment, with players each contributing certain skills or roles as part of their team.
Basic Paintball Equipment
Before playing paintball, there are a few important components that you must acquire in order to play the game. Before you can play a game you’ll need to make sure you have a full face paintball mask, a gun, a hopper, an air tank and paintballs. While not necessary, protective clothing is recommended, along with tools and spare parts.
Paintball Gun or Marker
The paintball gun is the most important part of the game, because without it you can’t play. If you don’t have one, you can get into a starter gun. Because there are so many options available on the market, if you aren’t sure which one you want, many shops and fields have them available for rent.
Hopper
The hopper is the container that holds your paintball and feeds them into the chamber of your paintball gun. It sits on top of the gun, and feeds a new paintball after each round that is shot.
Air Tank
The air tank is just as important as the hopper and gun, because without it, your paintballs will have no means of propellant. The air tank can be either compressed air or CO2, and comes in two different variations, 12 gram tanks, or larger and longer lasting takes that screw directly into the gun. Most people prefer the larger tanks as they last longer and can shoot many rounds of paintballs.
Paintballs
Another necessary part of the game, paintballs are the core of the game. A round gelatin shell contains the dye, which is used to mark opponents when they are struck. There are dozens of types of brands, colors, and types, but as long as they are fresh they should generally work the same.
Mask
Sure, you can play the game without a mask, but you’d be an idiot to do so. While paintballs usually just leave a welt or a small bruise when they hit you, if you’re struck in the eye with a paintball, it could cause severe damage that could even result in permanent vision loss. Don’t play if you don’t have a mask.
Protective Clothing
Wearing protective clothing that also matches your environment will decrease your chance of being injured, while increasing your chances of not being seen by the opposing team. Blend in with your surroundings, and try to keep your skin covered.
Spare Parts and Tools
If an O-Ring fails on you in the field, you’re going to want to be able to replace it, and you’ll need your screwdriver and Allen wrench to fix it up.