Basics

Safety

Paintball Safety: Safety should be your number one concern when playing paintball. If it is not, then paintball is not the game for you. Why? Because paintball markers can cause serious injury if not used with respect and maturity.

Masks: All of our paintballers have one thing in common. They all are wearing paintball masks. You must wear a paintball mask not a pair of ski goggles, safety glasses or anything other than a paintball mask. Any other form of eye wear will not be able to protect you from a flying paintball. Our masks cover most prescription glasses.

Clothing: Some seasoned players will wear short sleeves in summer weather. However outside of those situations you want to cover as much of your skin as possible. Even your fingers. Why? The answer should be obvious. A paintball will not only sting, but can cause a small bruise if you don’t cover up properly.

Paintball paint is washable and biodegradable, so wearing you favorite sweatshirt is OK. Just don’t leave the paint on your clothing for for an extended period of time. Any paint will stain if left to dry long enough. Remember you will be running, sliding, perhaps falling, or diving about the terrain. It is not a fashion show, so wearing your best dress clothes is not advised.

Our best advice is wear long sleeves and long pants. Any gloves will help, and if you can cover your head with even a bandanna you may avoid getting paint on your hair from direct hits or splatter.

How Safe Can You Dress? Safety should be your number one concern when playing paintball. If it is not, then paintball is not the game for you. Why? Because paintball markers can cause serious injury if not used with respect and maturity.

 

Operation

Operating Your Paintball Gun (Marker): Want to know the lingo? We don’t call them guns. They are “markers”. You don’t fire ammunition, you shoot “paint”. A paintball marker is safe to use when used properly. It does not kick-back when you pull the trigger to shoot a paintball. When you are not on the playing field you should have your gun safety on, your fingers away from the trigger and most important; your barrel plug inserted into your marker barrel as displayed below.

What purpose does the barrel plug serve?

  1. It indicates to other players you are no longer a target.
  2. Should you forget to place your safety in an “on” position and accidently pull the trigger, you won’t injure anyone nearby.

After you have registered and are assigned your marker you will receive your 200 paintballs. Fill your hopper and be sure your hopper lid snaps shut so you don’t spill your paint. If your Co2 tank should leak at any time, return to the registration area and have it exchanged or repaired. Another reason to return your Co2 tank is for a refill. You should get approximately 600 shots from one fill.

The marker you will use is a Tippmann 98 Custom as displayed in the photo above. The Tippmann 98 Custom is in our opinion the most reliable marker on the market today. You can bring your own marker but it must be calibrated to no more than 300 feet per second to be used at our paintball fields. You can test and calibrate your marker at our target range outside the registration area. Don’t waste your paint on too many test shots

 

Tips

We must start with the obvious. Never take your mask off or lift it up while on the fields. There can always be someone after a game that forgets to keep their fingers off the trigger, has not put a barrel plug back into their barrel, and/or not placed the gun safty on. Referees will be vigilant about this rule. Keep your mask on!

When the game starts, run! Field position is key. Get up field fast when the game horn sounds. But don’t get beyond your lines. Make sure you have team mates willing to do the same otherwise you may be too far beyond your lines allowing the other team to maneuver around you for a clear shot at you.

Don’t shoot! That’s right, don’t shoot until you are ready to give away your position! If you’ve moved up field fast, you may have a great position. Let your opponent move within range and then take a few quick shots at them looking for a break of paint. Bounces don’t count, so if paint doesn’t break you’ll need to keep shooting.

Don’t call yourself out! Well, sort of. If you are hit, don’t assume you are out. Paintballs do bounce sometimes and if you call yourself out, you’re out. So what do you do when you are not sure? You call “Paintcheck!” This will draw a referee to you. The referee will inspect you and when the ref determines if you are hit, they will call you out or announce, “Players clean!” if you are clean …and you go back to playing.

 

 

F.A.Q

Q: What is a “Walk-on” player?
A: Players without a large enough group to play with as their own group. Generally walk-on’s consist of one to three players, but sometimes as many as five, six or seven. Walk-on players are mixed in with larger groups to play with and separated by skill level so that everyone at the complex has fun.

Q: Does paintball hurt?
A: It hurts just enough that you don’t try to get hit during a game.

Q: How old do I have to be to play?
A: We allow kids 10 to 18 with a parents permission. They may be younger as long as there is a parent or older sibling to accompany them.

Q: Can I bring my own marker?
A: Of course!

Q: What should I wear?
A: Long sleeves and long pants. The more skin you cover the better off you are.

Q: Can I just show up to play?
A: Yes, walk-ons are permitted.

Q: What is a “Paint Check”?
A: You call paintcheck when you have been shot, but do not know if the ball has broken leaving paint on you. Example, on your back, backside, rear of legs etc… Do not call yourself out unless you see a nickle size of paint on you. If you are unsure, you call, “Paintcheck!” and a referee will come to inspect you.

Q: What so I do when I call “Paint Check”?
A: Immediately take cover. Players may continue to shoot at you until a referee has arrived to inspect you. You should pull back to a tree that offers cover. Meanwhile if you are hit again while taking cover, those shots count. Only shots taken at you while a referee is inspecting you will be disallowed. All other shots count!

Q: Can I shoot a player under Paint Check?
A: Yes and no. Read carefully. You can shoot at a player up until the time a referee meets that player. Once the referee has arrived at that player to inspect them, you may not continue to shoot at them. Once the referee announces, “Players clean!” You man continue to shoot at that player. If in doubt, don’t shoot until the referee leaves the player and you can see the player is NOT leaving the field. You will know then for sure, that player is still in the game.

Q: Can I bring my own paintballs?
A: No. For insurance purposes you must use our paintballs. Once you use your complimentary 200 paintballs you may purchase more at a reasonable price.

Q: How much does it cost if I’m not with a group?
A: $35.00. That includes mask, marker, 200 paintballs and constant air tank. If you have your own marker, $15.00.

Q: What if rain threatens?
A: You must show up to reschedule or forfeit your deposit.

Paintball is a sport that is not dramatically effected by rain. If you are planning a day with us, make certain all members of your group have your last-minute phone number to confirm you intend to play in soft-rain.
So many groups call us the day of a session when it has either rained all night then stopped, begun to drizzle in the morning or even a light rain has begun and is forecasted for the entire day. We will play in the rain. It can result in fogged masks, however the cover of the trees helps keep the rain off players. Playing in the rain is really dependent on the players in your party.

Another thing to consider is that it may be raining in your area, but not raining at our complex. It may be raining hard in your area, and raining lightly at the complex. It is always best to make it clear to your group that rain is no reason to decide your group has cancelled for the day. Hard rain will end the day, but soft rain game-play is common for us all year long.

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