Basic Rules For Playing Paintball

[Kiwi18]

Hey Guys Kiwi18 Here! Just thought I would give you the basic rules for playing Paintball in twelve easy steps.

Rule 1: Establish Boundaries

Before any game begins, be sure to talk a walk around the field and clearly indicate the boundaries to everyone who will play. Make sure that your field is not too big or too small. A field a hundred yards long and fifty yards wide is great for 3 on 3, but if you have sixteen people, you need more room. Establish starting bases on opposite sides of the field and, if possible, make it so they are not in view of each other. Note that if you are playing on a speedball​

course with no trees or brush, this won't be possible.​

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Rule 2: Mark Dead Zone​

Make sure everyone knows the location of the dead zone (or staging area) and knows to not shoot in or near it. The dead zone is an area that is off of the field where people go after they are eliminated. Typically it's also where extra paintball gear and paint is left between games. The dead zone should ideally be far enough off the field that eliminated players can remove their masks to clean them without risk of being hit by players still on the field.​

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Rule 3: Game Objective​

Make sure everyone knows what the goal of the game is. Are you playing a simple elimination game ? How about capture the flag or centre flag ? Broadcast clearly any special rules or objectives.​

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Rule 4: Time​

Establish a time limit for the game. Nobody likes to play in a game that lasts forever with neither team moving. There are two primary ways of timing a game: start timing from the start or else start timing from when the first person gets out. Remember that long games are not fun for people that get out at right at the start, so keep them short and sweet.​

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Rule 5: Teams​

Divide up into fair teams . If some people are new to the sport and others are more experienced, divide them up between the teams. In general, try to keep the​

number of people on each team about equal. If there are just a few people playing it's not too hard to remember who's on your team, but if there are larger groups of people, tie some coloured tape or cloth around your arms or guns to identify different teams.​

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Rule 6: The Start​

The game begins when both teams are set at their respective bases. One team calls out that they are ready, the other team responds that they are also ready, and then the first team calls "Game On" and the game begins.​

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Rule 7: Hits​

A player is hit if a paintball leaves a solid, nickel-sized mark anywhere on the player's body or equipment. Some variations of paintball don't count gun hits or require multiple hits on the arms or legs. Most professional fields and tournaments, though, count any hit on a person or their equipment. Splatter often occurs when a paintball does not break on a person but on a nearby surface and then paint bounces onto the player, but this does not count as a hit unless it forms a solid mark on the player. ​

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Rule 8: Paint Checks​

If you think you might have been hit but can't tell for sure (such as if your back was hit, but you can't tell if the ball broke), you can call a paint check. Shout "Paint Check" and the closest player to you (on your team or the other team) will come and check you. If you are hit, you will then exit the field, otherwise everyone returns to their previous position and the game is resumed when the player who initiated the paint check shouts "Game On!".​

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Rule 9: Walking Off The Field​

When a player is hit, they must then raise their gun over their head, shout that they are hit, and then quickly leave the field to the dead area. Be sure to keep your gun over your head and to shout that you are hit whenever you come across new players.​

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Rule 10: Victory!​

When one team has completed the necessary objectives, all players still on the field should be notified. ​

Do NOT remove masks until barrel plugs or barrel covers have been placed on all loaded guns.​

Rule 11: Safety Rules​

Briefly, the basics are:​

Wear Masks at All Times​

Do Not Drink and Play​

No Blind Firing​

Allow Surrenders​

Shoot less than 280 FPS​

Use Barrel Plugs​

Use Common Sense​

Rule 12: Equipment Necessary for Each Player​

These are the basic necessities needed to play paintball​

Mask​

Gun​

Hopper​

Air Tank​

Paintballs​

Friends with equipment​

A place to play​

Hope This Has Helped You Guys Sorry For It Being So Long!

 

[Lump]

Sorry but Rule #5 is wrong and you must include the correct rule

 

[Lump]

Rule 11: Safety Rules​

Do Not Drink and Play​

!

Really ? that's half of paintball out the window then

 

[Tom]

Just a question in who this is directed at?
It points towards an organiser, but on an established site much of his should be covered
Your rules also imply there are no marshals etc

I read this as directed to someone running a 'private land' game, so would add some caution:

1) don't do it. Especially on land that the public could potentialy access
Even if it is totally unused land in the middle of nowhere-you found it so someone else will
If it is not private land then it's illegal to run an event without getting permission. If it is 'private' land you have to still secure it, put up nets & keep out signs etc. if its farm land then it's not private and is a business

2) as above secure areas, use safety netting and boundary markings



Some points on the rules:
Rule 2 Dead zone - clarify the subtle difference between a dead zone and a safe zone
A dead zone is where you go when eliminated, this can still be in the playing area and therefore you mist not remove goggles
A safe zone is separated from playing areas by netting and you can remove goggles.
Markers either cannot go to the safe zone or have barrel blocking and are degassed

Note - distance does not make a safe zone safe. Safety measures make a safe zone safe

Rule 4 - time limits
There are other ways to get back into the game. It does not have to be time limited, there can be medics, respawn locations, respawn durations. Saying that people don't want to be out of play too long if eliminated early is not justification to limit the game duration. The game length should be appropriate to the game type and size of the area - the organiser should take all factors into account

Rule 7 - hits
You refer to an eliminating hit as one nickel sized, usually people refer to dime sized hits
In the uk these are pretty meaningless as they are based on us currency
So what is the size of a nickel or a dime? A hit by definition should be no smaller then a paintball

A true splat is a hit. That is not splatter spots caused by the paintball hitting something near to you

You mention that some sites have different rules on head or marker shots but don't define why

There are two reasons for head shots not to count:

First in old school paintball people didnt have full face goggles, so you were not to shoot at heads. This did not stop people losing teeth and getting cauliflower ears. Some insurance policies may be cheaper for sites if they discourage headshotsSecondly to stop new players hiding and shooting around corners without looking headshots and marker shots don't count
This rule might not stop headshots happening, I spent quite a lot of punter games laid down out of the orner of a bunker with only my head and marker exposed and my hand tucked in so I would be happily shot in the head, goggles & marker

In addition to the basic elimination rules there can be others as well.
Eg a common one for clear paint/night, indoor or extreme temperature games is that bounces count,
for night it's a matter or not seeing the paint, or for clear paint then its seeing from a distance, for indoors it's a matter of proximity or low FPS, for extreme temperatures it may be that paint in use is less likely to break

Rule 8 paint check
(Your rule imples there are no marshalls)

A paint check call should be checked by a marshall. You can ask a player beside you to check your back etc, play does not stop.
When a marshall halts play for a paintcheck there is no need for people to go back to where they were because they should not have moved.
Play can only stop if the game play is in a small area.

Note - It should not be necessary to have the opposition check you. It is easy enough to reach behind you and feel for paint. (However this can look like wiping so is dependant on the type of game)

Paint checks also may not be permitted in some games, it can be used as a tactic to shoot into an area not knowing where exactly your opposition are, then call paintcheck so that the marshall walks straight up to the well hidden defender, or just as a time wasting technique.

Rule 10 - Do not remove goggles until all markers are safe and you are in the safe area. You should not remove goggles just because markers have been barrel blocked.
In some cases sites will permit players to walk into or out of the game zone with goggles off whilst markers are safe. This can only happen in controlled circumstances.

In rule 11 you mention surrenders, but dont elaborate on them.
There are two types of rule for elimination without being hit, these are applied differently on sites and people have different understandings.
A surrender is always an option - ask someone to surrender, they can surrender or decline, dont get upset that you call surrender and get shot
A barrel tag if allowed shoud be compulsory elimination. You tag someone and they are out. How exactly you barrel tag depends and should be clarified, if it needs to be a barrel touch or if tapping on a shoulder will do, or whispering in an ear.
If using a barrel to barrel tag then do not poke the barrel into your opponent
When you are barrel tagged or surrendered then you must walk away quietly. Dont highlight the person who eliminated you to your team mates

Rule 12
Essential equipment - The most important item is a chronoraph

 

[Liam92]

Rule 12
Essential equipment - The most important item is a chronoraph

barrel sock

 

[Canon Fodder]

Rule 1) be safe
Rule 2) have fun
Seems to work at our walkons, we only really use the Marshall to do paint checks where you can't see them and to go and get that flag back we've just spent 10 minutes ignoring. Oh and no head shots just mean you get shot in the head more.

 

[Bolter]

barrel sock

Goggles, if you have them, you dont need those other things

 

[Tom]

Curiously the OP joined yesterday, created a poll and hasn't been on this forum since.

http://p8ntballer-forums.com/members/kiwi18.27955/

Some of the baove comments are constructive, some tongue in cheek.

I'm concerned about the tone of the original post which appears to be about setting up what would be called 'Outlaw' in the US
This is not encouraged in the UK and is potentially illegal, but certainly not to the standards expected from sites/events.

 

[Kiwi18]

Hi guys I've just had a look at all your comments thanks for pointed things out to me. First of all these rules have been passed on to me for my own field we do not use public land only PRIVATE. I should of made that more clearly, I think of may messed this post up sorry about this guys!!!

 

[Tom]

The issue I would still have with private land is in relation to safety, responsibility/liability and potential legalities

Even if you don't take money the organiser and the land owner can be held liable.
If its friends then you don't expect liability to be an issue but if an incident takes place then things change

You must secure the area and prevent any possibility of people accessing the land - even if it's illegal

Legalities apply especially if there are public rights of way within set distances

Do also be cautious on the definition of 'private' land, privately owned land such as connected to a farm is considered to be publicly accessible