What is the history of Paintball? 

             In 1940 Charles and Evan Nelson started the Nelson paint company to fill the needs and local homeowners, foresters and loggers, who required a paint that would withstand the extreme weather conditions of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Paintball guns (also called paintball markers) were originally used by the forestry and farming industries to mark trees and cattle. These early paintball guns were similar to many paintball pistols of today – they were powered by CO2 cartridges and had poor range and mediocre accurac.

- May, 1981 - Paintball begins in Henniker, New Hampshire. The principal creators, Bob Gurnsey, a sporting goods retailer; Hayes Noel, a stockbroker, and Charles Gaines, a writer discusses the idea of some sort of stalking game. 

- June 27, 1981 - The first game is played: 12 players competing against each other with Nel-spot 007s pistols. The game was capture the flag. The winner captured all the flags without firing a shot.

- April 1982 - The first outdoor playing field is opened in Rochester, NY, by Caleb Strong.

- 1982 - Charles Gaines markets paintball as the National Survival Game (NSG). PMI (Pursuit Marketing Inc.) is founded to market and distribute paintball products.

- 1995 - Paintball fields are open all in Europe, Asia, and South America.

- 1996 - Paintball playing fields, stores and tournaments can now be found in Canada, the United States, Australia, England, Scotland, Denmark, France, Holland, Germany, Austria, Ireland, Belgium, Greece, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Africa, Russia, New Zealand, Brazil, Venezuela, Israel, Korea, Thailand and the Philippines.

- 2002 - Paintball playing fields can now be found in Lebanon.

- 2003 - Paintball playing fields can now be found in Jordan, Kuwait, and Dubai. 

What is Paintball? 

              Paintball is an adult version of the children's game "Capture the Flag". It involves both the physical exertion of moving over various terrains and the mental activity of developing strategies. The object is to capture the opposing team's flag and bring it back to your team's home base. While you are trying to capture the flag, you are also trying to eliminate opposing players by tagging them with a gelatin capsule filled with water-soluble paint expelled from a special air gun called a "paint gun".

When players are hit and marked, they are out for the remainder of the game and have to wait until the next one starts. Most games are timed and last between 15-30 minutes. Most games are played on commercial fields and are refereed to keep the game fair and controlled. 

Is Paintball safe? 

             Like any other activity or sport, there is always the potential for injury. However, standard safety rules, and the proper use of industry developed and approved safety equipment have made paintball one of the safest participatory sports. In fact, insurance company statistics have shown that more people are hurt bowling and fishing than playing paintball.

            When on the field players must *ALWAYS* wear protective goggles which are usually part of a special mask which protects the eyes and face. When not on the field barrel plugs are inserted into the paintball gun to prevent paintballs from leaving the barrel. Safety is highly stressed at most fields with orientations given at the beginning of each session and referees/staff members on hand oversee the players. Finally, commercial paintball fields limit the velocity of a fired paintball to less than 300 feet per second. Players who disregard safety instructions are usually removed from the game and sit out the next. Fields which does not enforce safety requirements should be avoided. 

Is paintball War? 

The common presumption of non-players is that the sport of paintball caters to the Rambo's of society, those people with a paramilitary bent. Little do they know that Paintball is a well organized, exciting and expanding sport. It is a game and nothing more.

Who plays Paintball? 

Everyone!! That is the great thing about paintball. It is for men, women, children (that are at least 12), young and old. Athlete's and non-athletes. There are no special skills involved in playing, you don't have to be able to run fast, make the perfect catch or be a certain height. You can just be you, paintball is a game of strategy so anyone can be great! 

Does Paintball Hurt?  

            The short answer is: Heck Yes It Hurts! Getting hit by a fast moving pellet is part of the game. Fortunately, it isn't as bad as one thinks. Paintballs break upon impact dissipating most of the energy and causing very little pain. What pain is felt is comparable to being snapped by a towel and goes away after a few seconds. Of course, being shot at close range will tend to "accentuate" the sensation (read "hurt more") than a hit from further away.

Generally though, the thrill of the game will overshadow any pain that might be felt from a hit. A player can count on leaving the field with a few welts, but they make great visual aids when recounting paintball stories to your buddies.
 

Type of Games 

Centre the Flag

This is the original Forts and Flags game

Single flag is placed at centre field usually visible from team bases. The objective is to gain possession of the flag and place it at your base.

 Capture the Flag

The most popular format for smaller style fields

A single flag is placed at centre field usually visible from team bases. The objective is to gain possession of the flag and place it at your opposition's base. Often it is necessary to eliminate all opposition players to achieve this.

 Hostage Rescue

A difficult one for the more experienced

One player from each team is taken hostage by the opposition and starts at their base. The hostage must do what their kidnappers say for this game to be successful. The objective is to rescue your team mate without tagging him or her so it can be difficult. Everyone seems to have a different idea of how to play this. Our opposing teams use different colored cams and headgear so identifying your hostage is relatively easy.

 Civil War

As much fun for spectators as it is for players

In this game if you are tagged on an arm or leg you can continue to play but must not use that limb. Head or torso shots are out. Everyone ends up rolling around laughing at the site of their mates trying to drag themselves around with no legs or getting team mates to load a marker for them. 

Medic

Our most popular scenario game

A player from each team, usually the loudest characters in each group are chosen as team medics. We fit them out with a medics coat so they stand out like you know what. When tagged in this game, rather than go to the elimination zone, players stay on field with their gun in the air calling 'medic'. All the medic has to do is touch you and you're back in the game. The medic has a paintball marker as normal and can tag opposition players. Once the medic has been tagged three times in the vest he or she is eliminated. 

Medic

Our most popular scenario game

A player from each team, usually the loudest characters in each group are chosen as team medics. We fit them out with a medics coat so they stand out like you know what. When tagged in this game, rather than go to the elimination zone, players stay on field with their gun in the air calling 'medic'. All the medic has to do is touch you and you're back in the game. The medic has a paintball marker as normal and can tag opposition players. Once the medic has been tagged three times in the vest he or she is eliminated.

Deathmatch

This one really gets the heart pumping

Last man standing.