Paintball is a famous sport played by people of all ages. It can provide you with a significant and continuous adrenaline rush and makes you feel like you went on an adventure like no other. While the sport is pretty popular, it is not an easy task to get a hold of it. If you want to find out how to improve or polish your skills as a paintball player, then have no worries and continue reading! because I am here with a beginner’s guide on how to play paintball like a pro.
In order to play this game, you need to have at least primary knowledge about a lot of things. All range from pieces of equipment, methods of practice, and which gear to select which can help you to fully showcase your capability. You need to prepare yourself both physically and mentally to perform well. It might seem like a lot of hard work for an adrenaline rush but trust me when I say this, it will all be worth it.
But first and foremost, we need to clear out some basic questions and push them out of the way, if not they might linger around our heads and cause us confusion:
WHAT IS PAINTBALL IN EASY TERMS?
Paintball is a sport that allows you to have fun while giving you physical refreshments. It is pretty famous all around the world. Countries like Japan, England, the United States of America, Russia, etc. have various fields and arenas dedicated to this game. It basically involves two opponent teams shooting the other players with paintballs with the goal to eliminate them.
DOES PAINTBALL PROMOTE VIOLENCE OR BRUTALISM IN ANY FORM?
No, all paintball promotes is the joys of spending a good time with your friends and family while being somatically active. It gives us a chance to connect with our loved ones as well as the beautiful nature, all while having the time of our lives. Paintball is reportedly said to be safer than other sports like baseball, football, volleyball, etc.
Paintball arenas and fields even make it mandatory for the participants to wear protective and appropriate gear, just so unwanted injuries can be avoided. With this information in mind, I think it is safe to say that you don’t need to worry too much about safety while playing this game.
If we want to be better at something, doesn’t matter the task or sport will always require us to practice, focus and have the will to be better and develop our positive physical or mental abilities. Similarly, in paintball, you need to keep some things in mind before stepping your foot on the field.
Here are some points you might find helpful if you are playing paintball for the first time or even if you are playing after a long time:
HAVING THE APPROPRIATE GEAR AND TYPES OF EQUIPMENT:
This might not seem like an important aspect at first, but having appropriate and full coverage gear and effective pieces of equipment is the basic requirement if you want to play the sport. Many people overlook this minor aspect and do not give it any special attention.
Many of the time, the most overlooked or minor details cause the biggest effect. Even though it doesn’t harm the player’s physical self but it can have an effect on the gameplay of the players. The ideal gear paintball for any player would include:
Paintball Face Mask:
These paintball masks are very essential in protecting the face of the participant. They cover most of the face and are mostly customizable. You can always find them in the game arenas, game fields, etc. They can be bought or rented. They are a bit pricy when bought but if you are opting to buy the face mask then my advice is to have it customized to your face with the exact measurements.
And if you are thinking of renting a paintball face mask then make sure to buy the one which is the most similar to your facial features and measurements. Wearing glasses, sunglasses, or any other face accessory is not permitted on top of the paintball face mask as it can hinder the participant’s gameplay.
Paintball Hopper:
They can be defined as a storage place or a storage capacity for all the paintballs. They slide the paintballs into the marker. There are two types of paintball hoppers. Gravity-fed hoppers and electronic hoppers. The names are pretty self-explanatory but to put them in simple terms:
GRAVITY-FED HOPPER :
As the name suggests, they are paintball hoppers that are attracted by gravity. You need to shake it a lot to get them to work in the required order.
ELECTRONIC HOPPER :
They are electronically operated hoppers. It works by relying on batteries or motors. They are much faster and quicker but a little bit pricey as compared to the gravity-fed hoppers.
Paintball Marker:
A paintball marker is basically a paintball gun that is loaded with paintballs, which are then shot at the members of the opposition team in order to get them out of the game.
Barrel-blocking device :
This device is located at the marker. It is very important in safety terms of paintball. If your marker does not consist of a barrel-blocking device then it can be a health hazard to you and to the members of your team or even opponents. It can severely harm the person who is being hit by the paintball of that marker. It is advised to put it on until the referee or the supervisor gives you the green signal to take it off.
There are much more pieces of equipment and gear involved in the game of paintball, but here only the most necessary ones are covered. Having these present will do the job perfectly.
HAVE A CLEAR VISION :
An important and great factor to keep in mind while entering the field is to have a vision. To know what you are about to do, to walk the path that you have already paved so that you do not get confused in the line of action. It is much easier and more efficient to follow the plan that you have already created instead of coming up with a plan on the spot. Doing that can divert your mind, distract you from your intended goal as well as make you lose your focus.
HAVING GOOD COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR TEAMMATES:
It is no secret that mutually worked-upon tasks or projects tend to be more successful. Being a team player always finds a way to support us, whether in the long or short run. The ability to work with others always strengthens us. This law also applies to our daily life, we work better when we have people helping us, or just having people on our side can improve our progress and results.
It is vital to gain the trust of your teammates and communicate with them so you and your teammates can play together as one and defeat your opponent’s team. Paintball is a game of teamwork. That is one of the main reasons why people enjoy this game with their close family, friends, and loved ones.
USING YOUR SENSES :
As we all know, we are gifted with 5 senses: touch, taste, see, smell, and sound. While on the battlefields, we can use some of these sensory organs to our advantage. They can ultimately help us to win the game. For Example:
EYES :
It is very important for us to be on the lookout for our surroundings so we can know about the whereabouts of all the safe places, our opponents, teammates, etc. We need to make sure that our vision is not blurry while we are in the field. In games like paintball, opponents use camouflage clothes to blend in with the surroundings. In order to differentiate them from the background, we really need to be quick-witted and have a clear vision. Being able to see properly quite literally is the basis of a good game.
EARS :
Having a good hearing ability will be very beneficial. You can hear the footsteps of your opponents and track their location down. You can be aware of someone’s presence. It can give you some time to prepare and get your plan straight.
ABILITY TO THINK FAST :
Yes, it is necessary to have a game plan and a vision to play this game successfully. But what happens when something does not go according to your plan and ruins the whole vision you had prepared? In that case, you should have the ability to think fast and quickly adapt to the given situation and find an effective solution that helps you and your teammates figure out the new game plan.
This can make or break your game. It can make you win a lost game or even make you lose a game that you thought you are going to win. Situations can change quickly in such games, that’s why you always need to be prepared to act accordingly and not lose your cool.
WHAT TO BUY AND WEAR :
If you are playing paintball for the first time or if have played the sport before, but are playing it after a long time then chances are, you will not get around to playing it again soon. Keeping that in mind, you should rent out your pieces of equipment. If you are planning to buy any paintball gear in the future, my advice is to get familiar with it first.
Rent different stuff out, use it, and then compare them to find out what works best for you. As for what you should wear, every arena has its required dress code and rules regarding your clothes. Most of the time they provide the gear to you as well and include it in the booking packages. If not, you can always find protective paintball gear in the arenas. All of the paintball clubs, and fields rent out everything that is required to play this sport.
TACTICS :
Tactics can be defined as the plan or strategy that is created with a specific goal in your mind. In other words, a plan to achieve one specific goal. Tactics is a clever way of winning the game of paintball against your opponents. Some people make their own tactics and pitch that to their team, communicate with them, and get them to agree on the same plan.
Planning tactics like spreading all across the field or each member of your team following a specific member of the opponent team and shooting them with a paintball in order to eliminate them from the game etc. Tactics are very necessary in order to win the game of paintball.
DON’T FORGET TO HAVE FUN :
If we put all the seriousness aside, the best way to play paintball is to play it while enjoying it. Don’t forget to have fun while playing this game. The whole purpose of this sport is to make sure that your friends along with you have a fantastic and excellent time while playing it. Enjoy the battle while having all the discussed points in your mind.
Paintball is an incredible way to spend some quality time with your loved ones. You should definitely take advantage of it, and help everyone around you have the time of their lives by making it the best friendly combat of paintball.
These were the key points to keep in mind before playing the game of paintball. But there are some safety points and rules that are mandatory to follow if you want to play. They are not a lot but in matters like safety, a little goes a long way. In spite of that, pay attention to the following safety rules!
SAFETY RULES FOR PLAYING PAINTBALL :
When playing competitive shooting sports like paintball there are certain safety guidelines the player has to follow. Some of these are mentioned below:
- In order to be engaging in this thrilling action-filled sport, the players should wear paintball-specific safety gear. This consists of paintball knee pads, elbow pads, chest protectors, and a pair of goggles that are protection pieces for sensitive body parts such as eyes and face and a body that is designed to hold the individual in suit from any severe injuries. It is advised by the professional to keep the protective gear on then from the start to the beginning of the match.
- The maintenance of decorum is one of the most important things in any sports game. Paintball is no different, it is required by each and every player that is participating in this sport to not exceed the designated area that’s been assigned to them as crossing it could potentially result in any bystanders getting hit by the ball causing a safety hazard and an inevitable disqualification from the game.
- In order to successfully participate and win a paintball sniping session as a beginner, the most important thing is to be attentive and listen to the rules and regulations given by the professionals and study their moves while they practice the first few rounds in front of you as a demonstration of how it should be executed.
- Paintball can easily be said as an extreme sport as it has all the elements, guns, bullets, running, and shooting. Paintball has an age restriction for children below 10 years of age. It is a risky sport with the potential of severely getting injured if in close contact with paintball. It is mandatory for an individual below 10 years of age to get the mayhem form signed by a parent or a guardian before entering the contest.
- The paintball guns should be set to a semi-auto firing mode. Blind firing is prohibited and if seen firing blind by the staff, it will result in immediate disqualification of the shooter.
- The shooting speed of the guns should not exceed any more than 300 fps, this can be timed through a paintball chronograph. This is done because above 300fps a paintball bullet could cause serious damage to the victim such as severe welts and broken skin.
- The sniper should keep his foot on the ground at all times and avoid climbing or scaling up on walls and trees during the sessions as they might fall off and get injured.
- Dissembling or repairing any provided equipment is not allowed.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ( FAQs ) :
WHAT IS THE MINIMUM AGE LIMIT TO PLAY?
It varies in different places. Every arena has its own independent age limit or rules but, in most places, the minimum age limit can go from 10-12 years. In some places, parental guidance and supervision are also required where as some places only ask for a signed consent form.
IS PAINTBALL A SAFE SPORT OVERALL?
Paintball might include guns but when it comes to safety, paintball is the safest sport if we compare it to other sports like baseball, cricket, dodgeball, etc that always have a potential for us especially children to get hurt. It has no intentional way of putting us in harm’s way.
IS IT AN EXPENSIVE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY?
Maybe, if you decide to buy all the gear and equipment, then yes, it can be expensive for you. While its equipment can cost you a lot of money, just enjoying it for the sake of a good time and renting out the gear, booking a field, etc won’t even make a noticeable dent in your bank balance.
DOES IT HURT WHEN YOU GET HIT BY A PAINTBALL?
No, getting hit by a paintball doesn’t hurt more than a finger flick. Most of the time you don’t even feel it when a paintball comes in contact with you. It all comes down to your pain tolerance. Different caliber balls are made for this purpose as well. If you feel physical pain easily then .50 caliber paintballs are better suited for you.
Paintball can be difficult if you go in with no idea about the sport or what you are getting yourself into, especially if you are someone who is new to this game. It is better for you to learn basic tips, safety rules, and information about the game. This is exactly what we tried to help you with, in this article. It will also help you to perform more efficiently around the field and it is always better to be a step ahead and know what you are supposed to be doing especially if you are a beginner.