Are You A Weekendpaintballer ?

Are You A Weekendpaintballer ? Do you want to be but don`t know where to start? Well you are in luck.I am going to give you the down and dirty of where to go get shot up. As well as a few things that you need to know. This is by no means an all out list .I will however come back in later posts and highlight an area and go into more detail

 

Now I don`t know about you but I happen to work hard for my money so I am careful how I spend it.First off you need to know a few basic things like safety ,equipment that you need,where you can go and lastly what do you do when you get there.

I think it appropriate to start with safety first.Most people say they don`t hurt but I am going to tell you
that paintballs sting and you may as well count on some whelps along the way. Paintball pellets fly thru the air at about 300-feet per second,roughly 175 to 200 mph.Shoot another paint pellet some time to get the idea what would happen to your eye if it got hit With that said let suit you up so you are protected. I like to start with mask/goggles for the above mentioned reason.
You can get a mask when you purchase a gun sometimes. What I am about to say is very important. Cheap masks will work HOWEVER…You are money ahead to purchase a better quality mask than cheaper versions. Tougher lenses,anti fogging,wider view areas are just a few of the perks. Kinda hard to peek over a log to ambush someone when your lenses are fogged up Enough said about that.

If you are a guy I would recommend a cup,one that will stay in place as you are sprinting about ,rolling diving or up in a tree. Lets just say a 200 m.p.h paintball in the right spot will bring you to your knees

Are you physically fit to play paintball? This of course is a trick question.Anyone can play including my 90 year old grandmother.Who by the way while you are snickering is an old timely granny like Beverly hillbillies style. An automatic paintball gun in her hands would be like a kids first Christmas and you probably better duck.
Key to this question really is how well do you want to play.If you are out of shape you will make a nice walking target. The upside to this is your games will be short and you will have plenty of rest time between games and tell the other out of shape people how you got peppered with so many marks.So get in the best shape you possibly can to enjoy the game more.

*platefuls of carbohydrates day before you play
*gallons of water/sports drinks,Gatorade
*strength training couple times a week
*a good 3 mile run for endurance
*sprints
*cardio exercises

Remember Paintball is an active sport and your success depends a lot on your fitness Paintball Rules and Safety go Hand in Hand. I can not list every rule out there as every field has its own rules I would suggest you get a list from where you will be playing to keep you out of trouble.Remember its not just about your safety but everyone else`s as well.Failure to comply will lead to you being asked to leave.Sometimes that request is permanent.

Removing goggles/facemask are a no no.shooting an opponent after he/she declares hit is also not tolerated. No more than 3 shots is a rule on many fields.No playing hit to ambush. Keep in mind cheaters are quickly identified and blackballed generally in a short amount of time.

Numerous pads are available for all parts of the body.Talking with experienced players at a field should give you an idea what you will need.Excessive padding is not allowed generally

Now you need a playing field and that can get a bit trickier. Online searches can produce some fields but many simply are not listed online.Local phone directories,radio advertisements,newspapers and just talking to friends and co-workers can shortly gather you a list of local places.It is important to establish where you are going to play. This will give you an opportunity to go watch a game or two before you dive in.
Most fields rent gear, when you feel you are ready to give it a try.Some fields offer classes on safety,gun maintenance and various other useful information.Rent a Paintball gun from your local field before you rush out there and buy that atomic powered weekendpaintballer vaporizer with all the bells and whistles.

Some of the most common types of Paintball Games are
* Woodsball
* Scenario
* Speedball / Tournament
* Stock Class

Depending which you like and what is available to you might very well influence your choice of paintball gun/marker as well as any other gear you will need.
A simple online search will produce a whole arsenal of paintball gun makes and models

I cannot help you pick your paintball gun/marker I can tell you semi automatic, full automatic, pump action, and stock class types of guns as a starter point . Don`t concentrate on makers but rather types and functions. This process will help narrow down the manufacturers for you and make the picking a bit easier.If you happen to be a horrible shot they do make paintball grenades They are a bit more costly but can keep you in the game.Remember the cheaper paintball grenades have a tendency not to pop . Then all you have done is given your enemy an extra weapon to try on you.On the other hand if you pop one in a bunker you have just changed the odds for your team winning

I hope this is helpful I will be back with more tips tricks and other weekendpaintballer survival

suggestions

Some Do`s and Don`ts of Playing Paintball

Paintball games in themselves are very simple. but the variations are endless depending upon your imagination

Capture the flag is the root variation most commonly used.One flag is used and two teams try to capture it without being marked.
Two flags may be used as well with each team having a home base and the opposing team having to infiltrate the opponents home base and capture the flag. The game is not over till it is returned to their home base.

It is best to have at least four players but more works just as well.This should be based on the size of your playing field.Another consideration is time,this should be decided in advance.

One variation is called Center flag. This is a fast paced game utilizing one flag placed in the center of the field.Both teams are located at opposite ends of the field.
In this game you can either push or pull the flag.To push a flag a team must be first to capture the flag and push it towards their opponents base.To pull the flag is simple to once capturing the flag to return it to the capturing teams base
The secret strategy to center flag is to move quickly to capture the flag while shooting as much as possible to keep your opponents at bay.
Typically the team that first reaches the flag wins.One key strategy is to have one player sacrifice them self and under fire grab the flag,if lucky enough to not be marked then you are well on your way to winning.

Now as with all games there must be rules.Some general rules are as follow.

1-Establish boundaries as well as starting base for both teams. It is preferable that bases not be within site of each other.

2-Mark dead zone. this is a no shooting area off the field and you got it ,Its where you go after being marked This area is commonly used as a supply staging area

3-Set the game goals.What type game you are playing If you have special rules or objectives make them known

4-Time make sure the game time limit is set and everyone knows what it will be.It has been found that short games are best. Those eliminated get bored waiting on long games.

As with all games Paintball has its own set of rules. Rules may vary from playing fields but generally they are consistant.I will attempt to cover them in this section

General Field Rules
-A full waiver you must have a guardian signature if you want to play and are not of age
-No alcohol or drugs Everyone wants to have a good time
-No cussing swearing on the field or the staging areas
-you will be eliminated if you go out of bounds. boundaries will be clearly stated prior to play
-Leave the barriors and obstacles as you find them.Moving or modifying them is not allowed
-notify the referee if you experience gun trouble
-Hold on to your gear don`t leave it lying around
-Keep in mind its a game not everyone can win enjoy and let others enjoy as well Notify staff of issues
-no rubbing off of paint allowed. If you are hit declare yourself as so

Cheating is not tolerated. Play by the rules and you and everyone else will enjoy the game

The referees can go anywhere on the playing field, you must yield to the referees.

All decisions made by the referee are final. A player may be ejected from the field for arguing or disagreeing with the referee. a dispute should be brought off the field and taken to the head referee.

If an attacking player is within 20 feet of another player, that player may demand a “surrender.”

If the defending player accepts the “surrender”, he/she will leave the field as a “hit” player.

If the defending player does not accept the “surrender”, he/she has the right to return fire.
The “Surrender” option is to reduce injuries from being hit at close range. It`s an option. Players are encouraged to use it.

Prohibited Items

Velocity adjusting tools.

Excessive layering of clothing (kids, cold weather allowed).

Excessively baggy clothing.

Foam padding (groin/men, chest/women, knee and elbow protection allowed).

Plastic and rubber clothing.

Laser sights unless specified

Full length Ghillie suits may be worn if the referee allows it

Things that will get you ejected

Removing or lifting goggles or mask system after first warning.
Any fighting with other players or referees.
Failure to play in a safe manner.
Blind shooting (shooting without looking) after first warning.
Any players that actions that would make it unsafe or unpleasant for others to play and have fun.

Tippmann Paintball Guns

Why would I choose Tippmann paintball guns over the countless other manufacturers of paintball guns.Sounded like a pretty intelligent question when I first asked.I was soon to learn the real question. Why wouldn’t I purchase a Tippmann Paintball Gun ?
It didn’t take long for me to see the numerous versions of Tippmann Paintball Guns. I also had it pointed out to me that each model has its own array of accessories and combinations that make Tippmann so versatile. Did I forget to mention the affordiability of Tippmann Paint ball Guns? Yes its true.You get a big bang for your buck with Tippmann guns.Just another selling point of many.
Whether you are a woods ball player or a Tourney ball player Tippmann Paintball Guns have a model just for you.

I thought I might highlight a few models and features for you in the event you are not familiar with Tippmann quality.

A good starter Tippmann Paintball Gun is the Tippmann Pro/Carbine.It is a simple gun with only a few moving parts that could get messed up.This gun is easy to maintain,repair,and tune.Because of its reliability you will probably get one if you ever rent a gun at a field.The biggest downside is lack of customization options.Priced around 150 dollars its still a top contender for a starter gun.

You can always opt for the Tippmann Custom 98 (model 98)This unit is very similar to the Pro/Carbine but is extremely customizable.From a wide variety of barrels,bolts air systems and sights available The 98 sports a rotating feed neck for easy barrel cleaning and a simple allen screw velocity adjustment.It has been said the 98 is the most popular paintball gun on the planet It runs for about 140 dollars

Moving up in performance and quality is the Tippmann A-5.The A-5is customizable as well as upgradeable to suit your changing needs.The base model features a Cyclone Feed known to out perform most high-priced tourney hopper systems.The Cyclone feeds paintballs super-fast without the chopping effect. When you are full blown auto this is a requirement not a whim.The A-5 is shorter than the Pro/Carbine and 98.It looks just like a Heckler&Koch MP5K PDW,a very popular close-quarter submachine gun. Price for this gun is around 230 dollars.

Next item is the Special Ops Paintball A-5A2 Sabre. Besides the above described features this gun takes the clunky airtank off-gun and provides an air-through buttstock design.For those players looking for less exposure while sneaking thru the bushes this model offers a low-profile design. Truly a fine piece of equipment offerred for around 650 dollars.

The Tippmann Special Ops Paintball A-5A2 Broadsword is an excellent gun for defense or role as heavy rifleman. This model allows you to lay down suppression fire like a pro.

I think you get the picture as to being affordable as well as versatile.Whether you are a beginner or advanced, Tippmann has a marker for you