The sport of paintball is a team-based game in which players compete against one another to eliminate opponents by hitting them with spherical dye-filled gelatin capsules called “paintballs” fired from a compressed gas powered gun known as a marker. It is a relatively safe, low-impact sport with rules designed to ensure player safety and adherence to game objectives. The game is played on indoor or outdoor fields of varying sizes and may contain natural or artificial terrain that players use for tactical cover. Game types vary from simple capture the flag or elimination to defending or attacking a specified point or area and “scenario play”.
Typically, players are eliminated when they are shot at and hit by a paintball that breaks and leaves a mark on them. Players may also be eliminated if they step outside of the boundaries of a game field or fail to abide by certain safety and playing rules. A referee monitors the game and ejects any players who break these rules.
Players wear protective masks and other gear designed to minimize the effects of a paintball impact. Most players also carry a paintball bag, which contains the markers, a supply of painted balls and additional equipment such as spare barrels and air tanks. Some players wear hats, toques or bandanas to protect the forehead from direct hits and to keep sweat from running down into their masks.
Typical casual walk-on style paintball games have limited formal planning and strategy, but some teamwork may be seen at the beginning of a game with players distributing themselves between bunkers or covering attackers that advance on them. More serious planned tactics and strategy are more common in team paintball tournaments.