Paintball is a team or individual sport in which players compete to eliminate opponents by hitting them with small sphere-shaped projectiles filled with colored dye. The game is played on indoor or outdoor fields of varying sizes. The sport draws participants from all professions and lifestyles, as it is an activity where intelligence and determination, rather than size, speed or strength, determine success. Paintball is also a great team-building exercise for corporations that seek to strengthen employee relationships and improve communication and problem solving skills.
The game is played with a compressed air powered gun known as a marker, which holds up to 50 or more paintballs. When fired, the pellets break apart on impact to leave a 6-inch (13-cm) splatter of color. The game is popular in recreational and competitive formats, with competitions held in regional, national and international tournaments.
Some common paintball games include capture the flag (CTF), woodsball and speedball. CTF involves trying to reach the other team’s flag on a map and returning it to your own base. Woodsball is played in natural environments and uses the surroundings as obstacles, while speedball is often played on smaller fields and requires a high degree of speed and accuracy.
In order to play the game safely, players must wear protective masks and a barrel-blocking safety device, as well as attend a training session prior to playing. Players must also follow all field-specific safe game rules. Conserving your paintballs is also important, as it can be easy to run out of ammunition mid-game.