Paintball is a team shooting sport in which players eliminate opponents from a game area by marking them with capsules of brightly colored water-soluble dye encased in a gelatin shell. These “paintballs” are fired from a marker, which is a gun-like device powered by compressed air. Players wear a mask to protect themselves from the gun’s firing stream and to conceal their identity. The game can be played in any outdoor or indoor space that provides strategic cover. It is a recreational activity, but it can also be played on a formal sporting level with organized competition involving major tournaments and professional teams and players.
Before playing, players will be provided with a set of overalls and possibly body armor, a face mask and a hopper (the container that holds the paintballs). They will then go out into a live-fire zone where they will find a barrel with a marker attached to it. The player can then load the hopper with paintballs and load the marker with a few rounds at a time.
A player must be able to stay calm and move quickly from cover to cover while being aware of their surroundings at all times. They must be able to communicate with their teammates and know the mission before entering the field. Depending on the variant being played, goals may include capture the flag, elimination or defending or attacking specific points or areas in the game area. Games can last from minutes to hours or even days in the case of scenario play.