12 Basic Paintball Rules To Keep You in the Game

Knowing some basic paintball rules will make your first game much
more enjoyable. When you know the rules, you won't show up
dressed inappropriately or with the wrong equipment and marker.
At the least, knowing the rules can save you some embarrassment;
at the most, it can save you from finding out you're not allowed
to play.

1. Eliminations and Markings

According to the American Paintball League's rules for tournament
paintball, "A player is eliminated from the game when he is
marked anywhere on his body, clothing or equipment with a
quarter-sized or larger splat caused by a direct hit from a
single paintball." The size of the splat that indicates
elimination may vary from tournament to tournament and field to
field. Tournaments may also have rules for other kinds of marks,
including the size of combined splats.

Other considerations will be: who to eliminate if two players are
hit at the same time (usually both), what a player should do if
they think they're hit but can't see the mark, how persistent a
player is in seeking verification from a referee, etc.

2. Vandalism

Shooting at anything outside the shooting range and playing field
will be considered vandalism. Cars, spectators, lights, speakers,
buildings, birds, and critters are OFF LIMITS!

3. Gun Safety

You must use a barrel blocking device except when in the playing
field or on the shooting/chronograph range. A barrel blocking
device could be a barrel plug or sock. A plug goes into the
barrel, whereas a sock fits over the barrel.

A chronograph is a device that uses sensors to measure the
velocity (speed) of a paintball leaving the barrel. You will be
required to check your gun's speed at any commercial paintball
field. Paintball guns are capped at 300 feet per second, but some
fields will require a velocity of 280 FPS or less (e.g., for
playing indoors or at night).

Your marker will be chronographed before every game. Tournament
players may be required to have their gun chronographed during
and after the game as well. Penalties are applied for tournament
players found with "hot guns" unless the player asks for a
chronograph.

Fully automatic guns and guns with autoresponse triggers are not
allowed on commercial paintball fields or in tournaments.

4. Insurance and Waiver Forms

You will be required to sign a waiver to relieve the paintball
field or organization of any liability if you get hurt, or your
equipment is damaged or stolen. If you are concerned about
personal injury insurance or theft insurance, you should check
with your insurance agent. An example of a waiver can be found
here: http://www.diehardpaintball.com/cgi-bin/waiver.asp.

5. Surrender

Many fields will expect you to follow their recommendations for
surrender. In other words, if you are 5, 10, 15 or even 20 feet
from an opposing player, you should ask them to surrender. If
they fire at you instead of surrendering, you are usually free to
return fire.

6. Structures

Climbing on bunkers, structures, buildings, logs and trees is not
usually allowed in tournaments or on commercial paintball fields.
Altering structures, trenches or bunkers is also not allowed.
However, both these things may actually be encouraged in scenario
games.

7. Referees and Judges

The decisions of referees or judges (tournaments) are final.
Arguing with a referee will get you eliminated from the game. If
you need to dispute a point with a referee, wait until after the
game.

8. Clothing

Some fields and most tournaments do not allow short pants or
short-sleeved shirts. There's a very good reason for this rule:
paint balls sting and leave welts that can last for several days!

Tournaments will usually specify the kind of material a player's
clothes can be made of (not a slippery material that can easily
be wiped clean of paint) and the style of clothing (not oversized
or baggy). They will usually forbid the wearing of camouflage
patterns and ghillie suits as paint doesn't show up easily on
these.

9. Goggle Systems

While games are in progress, it is mandatory for anyone near or
on the shooting range or playing field to wear goggles that meet
ASTM F1776 standards. This includes judges, referees, players and
spectators.

Goggle systems must include a full face mask and ear protection
made for that model. No component of the goggle system may be
altered from the manufacturer's specifications.

Goggles must be worn at all times in the chronograph/shooting
range and on the playing field. Any player removing their goggles
FOR ANY REASON will be eliminated from the game immediately.

If you are having problems with your goggles fogging up, or you
need to adjust your goggles for any reason signal to a referee.
They will supervise you while you remove or lift your goggles.
This rule even applies to wiping the sweat from under your
goggles. Tournaments will apply a penalty to any player lifting
their mask and eliminate them from the game.

10. Paint Balls

Only field paint is allowed in tournaments and on most commercial
paintball fields. This eliminates the problem of old, brittle
paint balls (or frozen paint balls!) being brought to the field.
Check the rules at your field. BYOP = Bring Your Own Paint; FPO =
Field Paint Only. Tournaments are very particular about paint and
most won't even allow "blood red" colored paint on the field.

11. Foul Language

Using foul language is an infraction of the rules in tournaments
and will be cause for elimination. Recball fields and scenario
games may have more lenient rules, but to be safe, DON'T SWEAR!

12. Age Limit

All commercial paintball fields will have an age limit as
paintball is not a game for young children. Paint balls travel at
high speed and can cause bruises and welts even through clothing.
A paint ball accidentally hitting someone in the eye can cause
permanent damage. Players must accept the risk of serious injury
and sign a waiver to that effect.

Knowing the Rules Will Keep You in the Game

Of course, these are not all the rules for playing paintball and
rules differ from field to field. However, these basic rules will
ensure that you're allowed to play paintball anywhere.

All other rules you may encounter apply to things that will be
within your control on the particular field you're playing on.
For instance some fields allow head shots (called "goggling") and
some do not. This rule is one you learn on the spot as you read
the rules for the field before you start the game. Reading the
rules is important and will prevent you from being eliminated
from the game unecessarily. "I didn't know," isn't an excuse any
referee will accept!

About the Author

Andrea Wilson is a writer and the mother of a teenage paintball
fanatic. To learn more about paintball, she recommends you take a
look at http://www.PaintballHeroes.com and
http://www.PaintballPicks.com.

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