Paintball is a team sport in which players use air-powered markers to tag and eliminate other players by shooting them with capsules of non-toxic water-soluble dye contained within a gelatin shell. These markers fire “paintballs” at a rate up to 200 feet per second. While this sounds like a lot of fun, it can also be quite painful for those who get hit by a paintball.
The first paintball markers were rudimentary devices that fired paint capsules, but they evolved into specialized guns that offer precision and accuracy to players. Paintball has since become a recreational game that is played on natural environments and in indoor arenas. It is a popular activity for young people and adults of all ages. The game has even expanded to incorporate a military and police training element.
Players compete in various modalities of paintball, with games that last seconds or hours and may even span days for scenario play. The most common modalities include Woodsball and Speedball, but there are also variants such as Scenario Paintball that allow players to immerse themselves in thematic settings that may be recreations of historical events or scenes from movies and video games.
Whether you’re competing in a casual walk-on game or playing in a tournament setting, the level of teamwork that is required to win is fairly consistent. Though some discussions on tactics will take place at the beginning of a game, such as splitting players between bunkers or assigning defenders to cover attackers as they advance, mid and late game strategy is often limited. Nevertheless, the tactical elements of paintball can be quite challenging and rewarding, as you learn to anticipate your opponents’ movements and plan for every eventuality.