To all GP members, i  have  contacted several friends who would like to join the paintball activity in UK. Pls PM me if you are interested. At the moment we are around 10 active chaps, so join us and we are happy to welcome you.

Paintball is a safe, simple yet challenging and strategic sport that is played usually by two teams, each with at least two players. Adults and kids alike enjoy this sport as they often refer to it as an advanced or improvised game of tag.

Tournaments attract many spectators of all ages, as it is a very exciting game to watch.

Paintball games are of various types, however, the most popular game often played is called "capture the flag". The object or the goal of this game is for teams to advance to the opponent’s base, move the other team’s flag to its destined location, at the same time guarding your own flag.

The paintball field has many obstacles such as tires, forts, old cars, hay and the newest are “inflatables” that are constructed as refuge for team players; making the game all the more exciting, as if participating in an actual game of war in videos. 

When one is hit, it can hurt briefly and at times give players bruises.  Players are typically required to be in long sleeves shirt and pants, making sure that the color is not be identical as that of the judge and complete paintball gear such as mask, helmet and goggles for safety.

The sport of paintball has a distinct and accurate set of rules that are strictly followed. The producer of the tournament is the absolute authority in regard to either an alteration or addition to the rules; marshals oversee the event, and their decision is always final. No dispute on the paintball field is accommodated or entertained.

A military approach to paintball is useless, as that knowledge is recognized and understood by the teams. A team’s tactic should be carefully planned; your team’s line of attack will not be known by the opposing team, and there should be a quick switch of plans in case something goes wrong.

There must be a lot of team work involved, as everyone moves through the field. As a team member moves, there should be others to guard and keep watch and give off covering shots when necessary.  A team that moves together with a common objective will have a great chance of succeeding in this game.

Communication in the field is also very important.  A team-mate can shout the position of the opponent. The moment that a player is seen, the game for that player is up; so there is no reason for you to keep quite; instead, inform the others the location of the enemy.

The excitement of this game concludes when you are seen and eliminated - a situation that all team players struggle to avoid.

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.

People play in the rain for the love of paintball and the rain adds so much interest and challenge to the game.

When playing in the rain, everything will be muddy and slippery: consequently running, stopping and crouching will be harder than normal; visibility will be lower; and wind can make paintball courses more difficult.  All of these make playing paintball challenging which is exactly shat paintball fanatics look for; the action and the thrill!

Here are guidelines so you can enjoy your paintball game on a rainy day:

1.  Put on something that keeps water off of your body, such as a raincoat, “slicker”, waterproof clothing or even plastic garbage bags. It is very important that you stay dry so you don’t shiver as this will affect your mobility, accuracy and can be very uncomfortable.

Remember to cover your head too.  Wear any waterproof covering but make certain that water will not be sliding down your face and cause fog to form on your goggles.  Wiping the fog from your goggles each time you pause behind a tree or a bunker can distract from your concentration on the game.  

2.  Take paper towels with you. The lens on your mask, even if it is a thermal type of lens, will fog up and paper towels come in handy; you can just wipe off the fog.  Do keep in mind that you should turn away from the action - in a “sitting duck” (crouch) position - before you wipe the fog from your mask.

3.  Wear boots or cleats instead of sneakers to keep your feet from getting wet. 

4.  Wear gloves to prevent cold and wet hands.

5.  Having a soaked paintball can be really frustrating. You should pack extra garbage bags for use as spare coverings. These can be used to cover your gear and function as a raincoat in emergencies.  Huge plastic transparent bags also are great for covering the head, hoppers and the gun.  You can effectively turn your gun into a waterproof weapon by simply covering it with plastic and securing it with rubber bands.

6.  Shooting on a rainy day is much more different than the typical “hose down”. Consider the amount of barrel smoke that will be produced even when using HPA.  Bring along an “unported barrel” if you happen to have one.  Porting allows water to get into the barrel resulting in twisting shots.

There are really so many ways to add thrill to your paintball game: just allow your imagination to run wild and experiment with things.  Have fun in the rain!

Fair Play in the Game of Paintball

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. 

could i join you?

my problem is that im at Bicol right now.....ho ho ho