| Playing paintball is something that everybody should do | | | | (sometimes padded ones are available) over your |
| at least once in their lifetime. It's fast, fun and great | | | | clothes so this covers up your arms and legs. After |
| exercise and you get a real adrenaline rush from | | | | that the paintball visor is the most important piece of |
| some of the really intense matches you can wind up | | | | safety gear because if a paintball hits you in the eye it |
| playing. Everyone from kids to folks in their fifties are | | | | can blind you - so no kidding around. Never, ever take |
| out there enjoying games of paintball every weekend. | | | | your visor off during a match - I've seen people |
| Even if you're not playing the actual matches yourself | | | | thrown out of paintball arenas for doing it. |
| paintball can be very exciting to watch as a sport. | | | | Having some tactics in advance is useful but you might |
| There are plenty of different paintball match types to | | | | wind up with people on your team that you don't know |
| choose from but one of the most popular (if not the | | | | - depending on how many people are playing that day. |
| most popular) is Capture The Flag. In this game a flag | | | | So having some basic tactics is a good idea but |
| is placed in either teams base and the object is to | | | | believe me when the paint starts flying and you're |
| capture the enemy teams flag and get back to your | | | | pinned down behind a rock by 4 or 5 enemy players |
| base with it. This is a lot tougher than it sounds. A | | | | then tactics go right out the window - it's just enough |
| variation on this match is where a single flag is put in | | | | to be doing to survive. |
| the middle of the combat zone and both teams have | | | | Team work is pretty much the best way to win any |
| to do their best to capture this single flag and run back | | | | paintball match. If you're playing Capture The Flag for |
| to their base with it. | | | | example make sure you have people guarding your |
| A well put together paintball field or combat zone will | | | | flag, some mid-field players and an assault team of |
| have plenty of obstacles that can get in your way but | | | | fast runners. Always know who is doing what job |
| also give you something to hide behind if the game | | | | because if everyone on your team runs for the flag at |
| turns against you. Usually you can expect a few forts, | | | | the same time it's game over for your guys. Oh and |
| some huts, old cars and if you're really lucky some | | | | always have one sniper near your flag that never |
| junked military vehicles to add to the realism of the | | | | shoots unless the flag is in immediate danger of being |
| game. | | | | captured - I've seen matches won and lost with a |
| Does paintball hurt? Well yeah it does - those things | | | | single shot. |
| travel very quickly and if you get hit on bare skin it will | | | | So make the call, send some e-mails and organize a |
| sting. My least favorite place to be shot is the top of | | | | game of paintball with your buddies. It's one of the best |
| the head which has happened a few times and left | | | | days out you can have where you can combine fun, |
| me looking and feeling like Elmer Fudd for a while after. | | | | mayhem and exercise all in one go. |
| Basic safety means wearing a pair of overalls | | | | |