Paintball is a skirmish game in which players tag opponents by shooting them with capsules of water-soluble dye propelled from marker guns. It can be played indoors or outdoors in wooded areas or artificial fields of varying size. A number of game variants exist; popular objectives include capture the flag, attack and defend and total annihilation. Typical equipment includes a mask, a marker (also known as a “paintball gun”), a loader and a hopper with paintballs. Many players also wear body armor for safety reasons.
Unlike conventional sports with contact rules, most regulated paintball games are non-contact. However, the physical impact of a paintball from close range can still cause welts and bruises. To minimize the risks, many commercial fields enforce a minimum distance surrender rule.
The markers used in paintball are of a variety of types and styles, with the highest-end models typically using advanced electronic components for improved accuracy and programmability. They are usually semiautomatic, allowing a single shot to be fired from a magazine after the trigger is pulled, with no manual pumping required between shots. Some markers can be programmed to fire more than one paintball per trigger pull, a practice called shot ramping.
In addition to the marker, players also carry pods or “pod packs” that hold paintballs for easy access during play. The pods are usually small plastic containers with flip-open lids that can be carried in a variety of ways, from belt loops allowing recreational players to carry an extra few pods to harness designs preferred by tournament-style players.