Carnage Paintball

1. What is paintball?
   
   It's a sport in which a bunch of adults and or kids (loosely defined) go out and relive/live our childhood by playing capture the flag with a wicked twist. Only, in this game each player has a gun that fires gelatin capsules filled with a water-soluble marking dye. If you're shot and marked, you're out of the game and have to wait until the next one starts. The most common variation is two teams at opposite ends of a section of terrain, each with a flag hung at 'home base.' The object is to go get the other team's flag and bring it back to your base. When you encounter people on the other team, you try to tag them out before they get you. Pretty simple and lots of fun.
    
2. Is it safe?


Like all action sports (football, basket ball, etc.) paintball is very dangerous unless adequate protection is worn and safety rules understood and followed.

Most paintball guns shoot a 68 caliber paint pellet. The pellet is a thin plastic shell filled with a water soluble paint. Markers shoot the pellets at a speed of 250 to 300 feet per second. Since the paint pellets are fairly light (only weighing a few grams each), they have little momentum while in flight, and thus are not lethal like the heavy lead projectiles fired from conventional firearms.

In addition to using a non-lethal projectile, paintball players *always* wear protective head gear such as goggles to protect their eyes and the rest of their face as well.

Safety is highly stressed. Many fields require goggles be worn at all times unless in designated areas. Many fields also require that barrel covers (socks designedto cover the barrel so that to prevent projectiles from leaving your gun's barrel) be used while players are in certain areas. Ignoring safety is a good way to get yourself ejected from a field.

3. Doesn't it hurt when you get shot?


The paint pellets break open upon impact, and generally cause very little pain. What pain is experienced is more of a stinging sensation from the pellet's impact against the skin or through clothing. In my experience, the stinging pain goes away after a few seconds. Of course, the closer you are to the muzzle of the marker, the higher the velocity of the pellet when it hits you. Thus, more pain may be experienced when shot at close range rather than farther away.

In general, one can count on coming off the field with a few bruises from paintball impacts.

4. Do I have to be on a team?


You don't have to have an organized team or go to an organized field in order to play. If you have some paintball markers, paintball goggles, and a few friends, you can simply get together and shoot at each other.

However, the safest way to play the game is to attend a commercial field where you have staff trainned in saftey of the sport. Almost all commercial fields allow walk-on games, where anybody can show up and play.

5. How can I play?


Almost all paintball 'fields' rent equipment to play paintball and welcome new players. Fields can be found using yellow pages, local newspapers, websites or ads in a number of the paintball magazines.

6. What kind of Paintball Field should I look for?


For the first few games you should play on a well organized field. Size is not the best way to judge the field. The things to watch for are the number of referees on the field for each game and the explanation of the rules. The rules of safety and specific rules for the field/game should be clearly stated by a referee before anyone steps foot on the field to play. There should also be a sufficient number of referees for the number of players, one referee per 10 to 15 plays can be sufficient depending on the group. 1 referee can not handle a field with fifty people on it.

7. How much does it cost to play?


The average field in North America will cost approximately $15-25+ for 1 day rental of goggles, marker and some, usually 200, paintballs. Extra paintballs are always available for purchase at the fields.

A beginner should plan on using 200-500 paintballs for the first few days with rental markers.

A day of play is usually 10:00am to 5:00 pm.

If you start playing regularly and would like to have your own equipment, you have several options open to you. Buying a used marker and a new pair of goggles is a good start. You can buy a used marker for $50 to $150. You can buy an entry level semi-automatic for $100 to $300. A new pair of goggles might cost $20 to $40 to start. Buying yourself a pair of goggles designed specifically for paintball is a must.

Paint costs about $40.00 to as much as $80.00 per case of 2000 rounds. Paint can also be purchased in smaller quantities but usually at a little bit higher cost margin. You may go through several hundred pellets of paint over the course of a single day, so this cost should be a long term consideration. Depending on the type of marker you're using, the cost of CO2 should also be a long term consideration. If you're using a 12-gram gun (see list of terms, below) you can buy disposable 12-gram "powerlets" at your local sporting goods store for a few dollars a pack. If you're using a constant air tank, you should be able to get it refilled at your local paintball shop or field for about $3-$5, depending on its size.

8. What do I need to bring?


The field owner may not supply food or have facilities where food can be bought so check with the field before leaving out so you can make proper plans for lunch and liquids.

Bring old, sturdy, dark clothes and shoes or boots with some sort of ankle support. Most fields will not allow you to plsy in shorts, sandles, or certain other types of clothing so be sure to call in advance.

9. What safety equipment do I need?


The minimum safety equipment necessary is goggles certified for paintball play.

10. How can I play safe?


Do not shoot animals or wildlife.

Do not fire your paintmarker anywhere except on the field during the game or in the designated chronograph area/shooting range.

 Inspect the lense of your goggles for cracks or signs of weakness. Most lense needed to be replaced every 6 months regaurdless of wear or after taking more then a couple of direct shots to the lense.

Make sure your mask is well fitted for your head and will not come off during the game easily.

 Make sure the velocity of your paintmarker is below 300 feet per second.Most fields are requesting 280 or below but never over 300.

Always assume the marker is loaded; even if you know otherwise.

 Always assume safety devices won't work.

 Unload the marker when not in use.

 Upon receiving or retrieving a marker check if it's loaded.  

Anytime you are carrying a paintmarker in a 'safe zone' such as the parking lot or staging area where people are not wearing goggles, you MUST have a barrel cover on the barrel.

Know the rules of the game and abide by them.

Never remove facemasks or goggles while on the field.

Do not play when very tired or hungry. Bring food or money to buy food from field. Most injuries occur at the end of the day when players are exhausted.

NEVER look down the barrel. Not even with protection. If barrel needs checking remove from the marker and check. If the barrel cannot be removed, disconnect all CO2/CA equipment, test fire the marker downrange until no more gas is left in the marker, clear the breech or ball loading area, and then, carefully and while wearing goggles, glance down the barrel.

Notify the field owner or manager of any medical conditions, allergies etc upon arrival.

11. Do I need to be physically fit to play?


Not really, but it will help. As with all strenuous exercise, participants should stretch and warm up before playing. Since typical games require quick sprints followed by a rest having good and aerobic fitness is beneficial.

Players should gauge their play to their level of fitness.

All players in poor physical condition or with physically limiting conditions should consult a physician before playing. Things to consult on would be high blood preassure and heart conditions.

Proper footwear is very important. Some players find that lightweight canvas topped army boots or leather workboots protect feet and ankles in the woods. Other players prefer the support that sneakers give as paintball does involve running. Personal preferences vary, but footwear should not be overlooked.

12. Can I get the paint out of my clothes?


Paint is water soluble and should wash out as normal. However it would not hurt to wear clothing that you dont mind making a mess of just in case. Paint isnt the only thing to worry about.

13. How can I find out more about paintball?


Play. Read newsgroups, magazines and above all ask questions. Most fields have a team that hangs out that is there to help you learn. Even they started out where you are.

14. List of commonly used terms in paintball

Term	Definition
12g	12 gram CO2 "powerlets" used for many years in pellet rifles. Powered the early paintball guns.
APG	Action Pursuit Games--a paintball magazine
Anti-Siphon	A special bulk CO2 tank designed to prevent the gun from sucking liquid.
Barrel cover	A sock that goes over the business end of the marker's muzzle. It prevents projectiles from accidentally leaving the marker.
Bottom Line	Usually refers to the local of the CO2 tank on the bottom rear portion of the marker's pistol grip. Desired since it makes siting the marker with a mask on much easier.
Bunker (noun)	An object or embankment on the field that a player uses for cover.
Bunker (verb)	To charge a bunker and eliminate, a close range, any players hiding behind it.
CA	Constant Air--allows marker to use bulk CO2 tanks rather than 12 gram.
Chronograph	A device used to measure the velocity (speed) of a paintball coming out of a barrel. The safe maximum speed of a paintball is 300 feet per second.
CO2	Carbon Dioxide--compressed gas used to power markers.
Feeder	A larger "hopper" which holds paintball pellets, feeding them into the marker through its bottom.
Feeder Agitator	An electronic device which is located at the base of the feeder. The agitator insures that balls feed through the bottom of the feeder and do not "clog" up. Often used on very smooth firing markers like the Dye, Proto, or Eclipse since these Markers "shake" very little. Can also obsolete a Power Feeder since it insures that a pellet will always be available to the gun.
FPS	Feet per second. The measurement of speed at which the paintball travels. 300 fps is the maximum velocity a paintball may travel safely.
Harness or Fanny Pack	Belt/harness system for carrying loaders of paint so that a player may reload their feeder/hopper on the field during play.
HPA or Compressed Air	High pressure compressed air (3000 to 4500 psi) is usually used instead of CO2 in tournament paintball. The use of HPA requires specialized high pressure tanks and regulators which lower the output pressure to what the paintguns can handle.
IPPA	International Paintball Players Association Although this organization has disbanded.
KotL	The Keeper of the List. See the
PSI	PSI stands for Pounds Per Square Inch and is a measurement of pressure.
Remote	Hoses and fittings which allow the bulk CO2 tank to be detached from the manufacture's intended location on the gun, then located elsewhere (e.g. on the player's hip).
Siphon Bottle	A special CO2 talk designed to suck liquid into the gun.
Speedball	Speedball is a game played on small fields with little natural cover. Bunkers usually consist of wooden pallets, tires or other man-made barricades. Speedball fields are designed to allow spectators to see the action. The first speedball field was set up at SC Village in Corona, CA.
Squeegie	A device used to clean paint from the barrel of a marker
Noob	A new player, also known as a newbie, not a positive term.
Noob Basher	A semi-experienced player who plays very agressively against new players to the point of ruining their first game.

Playing Paintball: You don't have to be an athlete to play paintball. All you need is a good attitude and the desire to go out there and have a great time. There are several variations of paintball, the most common being a high-tech form of capture the flag. There are two teams. Each team has a home base at opposite sides of the playing field where each team hangs their flag. The goal is to make it from your home base to your opponents, capture their flag, and return it to your home base. Of course, there is one small problem: the other team is going to do their best to shoot you and put you out of the game! Another type of game is called Elimination. This works just as it sounds. There are two teams put on separate sides of the field. When the game is started, they meet somewhere in the middle and, well, eliminate each other. Sound like fun? It is! Besides being fun, paintball is great exercise, a great stress reliever, and it promotes teamwork.

Paintball is Safe: Even more important than making sure your day is fun is making sure your day is safe. Safety is the number one concern on the field. First, all players are require to wear paintball approved protective gear, which includes a goggle system for eye and face protection. All players are instructed in the safe handling of their paintball marker and other equipment. Experienced referees and field staff are on hand at all times to ensure that each and every player is playing safely and by the rules. Statistically, paintball is ranked safer than Bowling by the National Safety Council. If that doesn’t make a believer out of you try a .31 per 1000 participants a yr. 93 people a year get hurt per 1000 at home.

What to Bring: Bring yourself, friends, family, and expectations of a fun filled day. You should wear old, loose-fitting clothing that you don't mind getting dirty. Try to wear something that will blend in with the woods; a white t-shirt definitely won't help you not get shot! We will provide you with all the equipment you need to play, including goggles, a paintball marker, CO2, paintballs, and instruction. When you get here, you and the other players will be separated into teams of equal ability. Then, after being given instruction on everything from rules to safety, you will be off to a great day of fun!