Paintball is a game of stealth, patience, and precision shooting. Learning advanced techniques allows players to improve their game by gaining the ability to anticipate opponents and control the field. Developing an understanding of the field layout is also important, allowing players to strategically position themselves and take advantage of chokepoints. Additionally, using a combination of ambushes and baiting can allow players to manipulate opponents into exposing themselves.
The game was invented in 1981 by two friends, Charles Gaines and Hayes Noel, who wanted to create a game that combines the thrill of survival games with the suspense of hunting. They formatted the first game like Capture the Flag and invited twelve participants to a woodsy New Hampshire field. Each player was equipped with a Nel-spot pistol, a few tubes of oil-based paintballs, and shop goggles. The objective was to capture one of four different-colored flags hung from trees at various stations in the woods that were more or less equidistant from each other and indicated on a topographic map of the area. The first player to reach the home base carrying all four flags without being shot won.
A professional paintball team is a team of athletes who compete in the National Survival Game (NSL), PSP, or other leagues with financial, equipment, and/or other support from a sponsor or sponsors. A professional paintball team may be named for its sponsor or for a particular brand of paintball, which is often assigned a specific color.