| Knowing some basic paintball rules will make your first | | | | game. Ifyou need to dispute a point with a referee, |
| game muchmore enjoyable. When you know the rules, | | | | wait until after thegame. |
| you won't show updressed inappropriately or with the | | | | 8. Clothing |
| wrong equipment and marker. | | | | Some fields and most tournaments do not allow short |
| At the least, knowing the rules can save you some | | | | pants orshort-sleeved shirts. There's a very good |
| embarrassment;at the most, it can save you from | | | | reason for this rule:paint balls sting and leave welts that |
| finding out you're not allowedto play. | | | | can last for several days! |
| 1. Eliminations and Markings | | | | Tournaments will usually specify the kind of material a |
| According to the American Paintball League's rules for | | | | player'sclothes can be made of (not a slippery material |
| tournamentpaintball, "A player is eliminated from the | | | | that can easilybe wiped clean of paint) and the style of |
| game when he ismarked anywhere on his body, | | | | clothing (not oversizedor baggy). They will usually forbid |
| clothing or equipment with aquarter-sized or larger | | | | the wearing of camouflagepatterns and ghillie suits as |
| splat caused by a direct hit from asingle paintball." The | | | | paint doesn't show up easily onthese. |
| size of the splat that indicateselimination may vary | | | | 9. Goggle Systems |
| from tournament to tournament and field tofield. | | | | While games are in progress, it is mandatory for |
| Tournaments may also have rules for other kinds of | | | | anyone near oron the shooting range or playing field to |
| marks,including the size of combined splats. | | | | wear goggles that meet |
| Other considerations will be: who to eliminate if two | | | | ASTM F1776 standards. This includes judges, referees, |
| players arehit at the same time (usually both), what a | | | | players andspectators. |
| player should do ifthey think they're hit but can't see | | | | Goggle systems must include a full face mask and ear |
| the mark, how persistent aplayer is in seeking | | | | protectionmade for that model. No component of the |
| verification from a referee, etc. | | | | goggle system may bealtered from the manufacturer's |
| 2. Vandalism | | | | specifications. |
| Shooting at anything outside the shooting range and | | | | Goggles must be worn at all times in the chronograph |
| playing fieldwill be considered vandalism. Cars, | | | | shootingrange and on the playing field. Any player |
| spectators, lights, speakers,buildings, birds, and critters | | | | removing their goggles |
| are OFF LIMITS! | | | | FOR ANY REASON will be eliminated from the game |
| 3. Gun Safety | | | | immediately. |
| You must use a barrel blocking device except when in | | | | If you are having problems with your goggles fogging |
| the playingfield or on the shooting/chronograph range. | | | | up, or youneed to adjust your goggles for any reason |
| A barrel blockingdevice could be a barrel plug or sock. | | | | signal to a referee. |
| A plug goes into thebarrel, whereas a sock fits over | | | | They will supervise you while you remove or lift your |
| the barrel. | | | | goggles. |
| A chronograph is a device that uses sensors to | | | | This rule even applies to wiping the sweat from under |
| measure thevelocity (speed) of a paintball leaving the | | | | yourgoggles. Tournaments will apply a penalty to any |
| barrel. You will berequired to check your gun's speed | | | | player liftingtheir mask and eliminate them from the |
| at any commercial paintballfield. Paintball guns are | | | | game. |
| capped at 300 feet per second, but somefields will | | | | 10. Paint Balls |
| require a velocity of 280 FPS or less (e.g., forplaying | | | | Only field paint is allowed in tournaments and on most |
| indoors or at night). | | | | commercialpaintball fields. This eliminates the problem |
| Your marker will be chronographed before every | | | | of old, brittlepaint balls (or frozen paint balls!) being |
| game. Tournamentplayers may be required to have | | | | brought to the field. |
| their gun chronographed duringand after the game as | | | | Check the rules at your field. BYOP = Bring Your Own |
| well. Penalties are applied for tournamentplayers found | | | | Paint; FPO = |
| with "hot guns" unless the player asks for | | | | Field Paint Only. Tournaments are very particular about |
| achronograph. | | | | paint andmost won't even allow "blood red" colored |
| Fully automatic guns and guns with autoresponse | | | | paint on the field. |
| triggers are notallowed on commercial paintball fields or | | | | 11. Foul Language |
| in tournaments. | | | | Using foul language is an infraction of the rules in |
| 4. Insurance and Waiver Forms | | | | tournamentsand will be cause for elimination. Recball |
| You will be required to sign a waiver to relieve the | | | | fields and scenariogames may have more lenient rules, |
| paintballfield or organization of any liability if you get | | | | but to be safe, DON'T SWEAR! |
| hurt, or yourequipment is damaged or stolen. If you are | | | | 12. Age Limit |
| concerned aboutpersonal injury insurance or theft | | | | All commercial paintball fields will have an age limit |
| insurance, you should checkwith your insurance agent. | | | | aspaintball is not a game for young children. Paint balls |
| An example of a waiver can be foundhere: | | | | travel athigh speed and can cause bruises and welts |
| 5. Surrender | | | | even through clothing. |
| Many fields will expect you to follow their | | | | A paint ball accidentally hitting someone in the eye can |
| recommendations forsurrender. In other words, if you | | | | causepermanent damage. Players must accept the |
| are 5, 10, 15 or even 20 feetfrom an opposing player, | | | | risk of serious injuryand sign a waiver to that effect. |
| you should ask them to surrender. Ifthey fire at you | | | | Knowing the Rules Will Keep You in the Game |
| instead of surrendering, you are usually free toreturn | | | | Of course, these are not all the rules for playing |
| fire. | | | | paintball andrules differ from field to field. However, |
| 6. Structures | | | | these basic rules willensure that you're allowed to play |
| Climbing on bunkers, structures, buildings, logs and trees | | | | paintball anywhere. |
| is notusually allowed in tournaments or on commercial | | | | All other rules you may encounter apply to things that |
| paintball fields. | | | | will bewithin your control on the particular field you're |
| Altering structures, trenches or bunkers is also not | | | | playing on. |
| allowed. | | | | For instance some fields allow head shots (called |
| However, both these things may actually be | | | | "goggling") andsome do not. This rule is one you learn |
| encouraged in scenariogames. | | | | on the spot as you readthe rules for the field before |
| 7. Referees and Judges | | | | you start the game. Reading therules is important and |
| The decisions of referees or judges (tournaments) are | | | | will prevent you from being eliminatedfrom the game |
| final. | | | | unecessarily. "I didn't know," isn't an excuse anyreferee |
| Arguing with a referee will get you eliminated from the | | | | will accept! |