How to Get Your Wife or Girlfriend to Play Paintball

22 02 2011

paintball womenHave you ever wanted to bring your wife or girlfriend to play paintball with you but don’t quite know how to go about it? In case you’ve already asked your wife or girlfriend and they’ve addressed some concerns, we have some excellent suggestions to help you be successful in your pursuit.

One of the top complaints we hear from ladies that have never played paintball before is that it’s too rough of a game. The first thing to remind your special lady is that paintball isn’t a contact sport. There’s no tackling and no fighting. If your wife or girlfriend is really concerned, you’ll want to start with small games maybe at indoor fields that aren’t as crazy or dirty as playing in the woods or outdoor fields. Regardless of where you go, take plenty of time to go over the rules of the game, and try to get in as much practice as possible before the first game. You want her to feel like she’s has an idea of what she’s supposed to be doing.

Along the same lines of thinking it’s a rough game, ladies can be very worried about the potential for getting hurt. I mean, realistically, they could get shot with a paintball moving at high speeds one or more times, and that’s on a good day. It stands to reason that a well-prepared lady will be suited up with well-padded, loose fitting clothing.  Have her try on a few sample outfits, and make sure she can move and run freely. Next, make sure she has the right paintball accessories, especially a good set of gloves and a properly fitting helmet or head protection. We all know that the most painful places to get hit are the hands and the head, so you’ll want to make sure she’s got high quality protective gear to make her feel more comfortable and less scared.

Finally, try to find a few cheap paintball guns that your wife or girlfriend might like. You don’t want to start with anything too expensive or complicated, in case your experiment doesn’t work out, but you do want to let her pick from a few different paintball guns. That way, she can decide which one she likes best and feels most comfortable with. Don’t forget to remind her about how much fun and exciting the game can be.

You’ll definitely have to be patient and understanding, but if you make sure your special lady is well prepared and excited, it can be a totally rewarding experience for you both!


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Night Paintball: Gear You’ll Need

18 01 2011

One Night Ops Marker PackageNight paintball, if you’ve never done it, is an awesome experience.  Depending on where you play, there can be little to no light on the playing field, making it especially challenging to see your opponents.  However, when you play night paintball, you’ll notice you come to rely more on your sense of hearing than anything else, though there is plenty of regular paintball gear you can use at night.

Some players mistakenly bring paintball accessories like glow sticks, or flashlights they leave on for more than a few seconds.  These players might as well have targets and spotlights on them.  The goal of night paintball, just like regular paintball, is to go unseen.  On the other hand, it’s not a bad idea to bring a spotlight to use in case you’re in a pinch. For instance, if an opponent is approaching, you can shine the spotlight directly toward him or her, and then peel out while you wait for the opponent’s eyes to adjust to the dark again.

Should you want even more of an advantage over your night paintball opponents, get yourself some paintball accessories made for night play.  For example, you might acquire paintball accessories, such as night vision goggles or night vision scopes.  Even the smallest bit of light will shine bright with night vision goggles.  Though the experience can feel odd at first, you’ll get used to it in no time and trust us, it’s pretty cool.


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Most Frequently Violated Paintball Rules

4 01 2011

Paint anywhere on your person means you are out.

Unfortunately, there will always be people who think they can get away with cheating.  Real paintball players recognize that even if they could cheat, winning that way never feels as good as a fair win.  Even if you show up with an awesome paintball bazooka, no one will want to play with you if you’re a cheater.

Probably the most common way to cheat in a paintball game is wiping.  A player gets hit with a paintball and instead of fairly calling him or herself out (as they should), the player simply wipes off the paint mark so others can’t tell they’re hit, and they keep right on playing.  Some players will even use specialized paintball accessories to wipe so the paint isn’t visible.  If another player or the referee sees a player wiping, that individual could be removed from one or more games.

Another common variation of wiping is called playing on.  Instead of wiping off the paint, the player simply pretends like he or she doesn’t know it’s there and keeps playing.  This is unfair and against the rules.  Once you’re hit, you’re out, and you have to announce it immediately.  Of course, first check to make sure the paintball that hit you broke, since a bounced paintball doesn’t mark you out.

On that note, a third common cheat in paintball is to wear oversized clothes or extra layers when playing. Additional layers provide extra padding.  It’s not rocket science to realize that a softer surface means the paintballs are less likely to break. Unless it’s extra cold, you should not be wearing more clothes or bigger clothes than needed.  If a ref or another player catches you over-dressing, you’ll likely have to sit out a game or two and take off the extra layers.

Finally, the last commonly violated paintball rule has to do with the velocity setting of your paintball gun.  Many fields have their own limits, but the generally accepted rate is no higher than 300 feet per second (fps).  There are certain paintball accessories available that might provide a faster shooting speed, but a velocity higher than 300 fps is more likely to injure another player.  Additionally, you cannot bring any illegal paintball accessories onto the field; you must play with regulation gear.

[photo: Joey]


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Common Paintball Tactical Terms

28 12 2010
Snap Shooting in Paintball

Snap Shooting

Teamwork and communication are critical elements of a successful paintball game.  When playing as a team, it is crucial that you discuss the signals and terms you’ll use before the game starts, to make sure everyone stays on the same page.

Here are some of the most common terms used in team-play:

Backer: A player that stays back to provide cover fire while other players move forward.

Blind Fire: To fire your paint ball gun without looking where you are aiming.

Camping: A strategy usually used by newer players that involves staying in a hidden location and taking out any opponents that approach.

Cannon: One of many paintball accessories. This one allows you to fire multiple paintballs in one shot.

Darting: To run as fast as possible from cover to cover, usually while under fire

Double Trigger: A paintball gun trigger that has been lengthened to fit two fingers, allowing for a faster rate of fire. Double trigger kits are typically available wherever paintball accessories are sold.

Flank: Having one or two teammates provide cover fire while another team member moves around the sides to the opponent’s location.

General: The leader of a specific team.

Hammer: A player delivering lots of fire so another teammate can sneak up on opponents.

Pairing: When two teammates become responsible for each other and move together.

Pawn: Purposely placing one teammate in a vulnerable position to lure opponents.

Snap Shoot: To peek out of cover for a very brief period of time to fire off a few rounds with your paint ball gun and then get back behind cover.

There are many more paintball terms out there, but this is a good starting vocabulary for new players.

[Photo: Andres Aguiluz Rios]


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Top 5 movie scenes we’d like to play out in scenario paintball

18 11 2010

Paintball shooter with his paintball gunHas paintball lost its luster for you lately? Do you find yourself wondering why you spent so much dough on paintball accessories that just gather dust in your garage? Yeah, me neither. But, as with any passion, your paintball obsession must be kept as fresh as a doe-eyed noob. Here’s one way to fan the ember of your paintball passion: re-enact famous shootout scenes, using your paintball gear as stand-ins for all those Hollywood guns. You can even film your masterpiece, since Tachyon XC just unveiled their new helmet-mounted camera for filming extreme sports.

Now the only question is, which scenes should you act out? Well, we do have a few suggestions:

1. The Matrix: Bank Vault Shootout
Every time The Matrix flashes on one of the B-channels, I can’t look away unless this scene has passed. Before the bank vault shootout, I saw Keanneau Reeves as one big “Whoa.” After I saw this scene, he was my hero for about a week. This scene is poetry in gun-slinging motion.
Paintball Version: If you need the full marble effect, this one might have to wait until after the Zompocalypse.  Otherwise, find an abandoned school indoor courtyard, load up your markers, and jump down the rabbit hole.

2. Bonnie And Clyde’s Death Scene
This scene made movie history for the sheer number of bullets fired into the jolting bodies of Faye Dunnaway and Warren Beatty, playing infamous 1930s bank robbers Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. The “R” rating was invented thanks to this scene, in part.
Paintball version: Get some beat up cars and shoot up yer buddies. This would make a great initiation rite, or a killer newbie graduation.

3. The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Cheers to director George P. Cosmatos for showing that historical accuracy can be rad. Sure, the body count is low, but the gunslingers are incredibly close. Superb tension combined with stellar ‘staches; what’s not to love?
Paintball version: The low body count makes it easy to stage this one with your pals. For the paintball memory of a lifetime, how about taking a road trip to a true Old-West ghost town? Just make sure it’s not federally protected before you shoot it full of paint.

4. The Wild Bunch Says Adios
In less time than it takes to boil an egg, no less than 90 bodies fall in Director Sam Pekinpah’s comment on the violence of the Vietnam War. He hoped this scene would provide a catharsis, helping the audience to be purged of violent impulses by seeing such sustained bloodshed. Boy, was he wrong. Audiences ate it up—and proved that violence will always sell.
Paintball version: You’ll need an automatic paintball gun to mimic the Browning M1917 that figures large in the film’s theme of betrayal. You’ll also need a ton of friends… might be just the thing for that next high school reunion.

5. Scarface: Say Hello to my Little Friend
Urban gang armies, gaudy wealth, mountains of drugs, and the proud bastard who finally gets his just desserts.  This shootout is perfect for so many reasons. Al Pacino’s final stand, his body riddled with bullets, is gracefully concluded, with his two-story fall into an indoor swimming pool. Ah, how the mighty fall.
Paintball version: Does your team have a hotshot? Re-enacting this scene might bring him down a notch or two.

Whichever Hollywood shootout you re-enact, keep that swagger for your next game, too. Remember that the confident player is often the victorious player. Just look your opponent in your eye, and ask, “Do you feel lucky, punk?”

[photo: Clauz Jardim]


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New to Paintball? Here’s What You’ll Need

18 09 2010

Ultimate Paintball Beginners Accessory KitGreetings, paintball noob. Welcome to your new addiction. If you’re reading this post, chances are you’ve gotten a taste of the greatest sport ever invented, and now you want more. Of course you do.

(Helpful hint: If you’d rather be paintballing than reading right now, skip right to the end of this post for a handy video.)

Off the field, collecting paintball gear can become an addiction of its own. An obsession, even. Starting out, though, it isn’t necessary to invest hundreds of dollars into fancy paintball guns and accessories. A few inexpensive basics can get you by while you get your feet wet and decide if you really want to delve into the dark and seedy underworld of hardcore paintballing.

Following are what I consider the bare basics you need to get started. You can find all of these (except the gun) and more in our Ultimate Paintball Beginners Accessory Kit.

Mask: Contrary to popular belief, the most important piece of paintball gear you need is not a marker, but a mask. Your paintball mask protects your eyes and head from paintballs. Any old pair of goggles won’t work; it’s important to buy a mask that’s made for paintballing and meets industry standards.

Most paintball starter kits come with an entry-level mask, or you can buy a basic one for around $20. These models are fine for starting out, but if you decide to become a more serious paintballer, you’ll want to look at upgrading to a mask with a thermal lens and a wider field of view.

Marker: Yes, your paintball gun is important, too. I have two pieces of advice for beginners looking to buy a gun:

1. Go for basic.
2. Go for cheap.

Paintball guns can range in price from around $150 up to $800 or more. Before you start investing a bunch of money, you should try out as many different guns as you can (the best way is to experiment with a variety of rentals) and get some field time under your belt to get a feel for your play style. For a good, basic cheap paintball gun, I recommend the Tippman 98 Custom. It’s lightweight, easy to use and customizable with barrels, triggers and other attachments as you improve your game.

Hopper: The hopper is the piece that holds your paintballs and feeds them into your gun. A compact, inexpensive gravity hopper will offer a reliable performance for beginners.

Air source: Most beginners use a Co2 bottle, which is cost-effective and easy to fill. You get roughly 50 shots per ounce of Co2.

Barrel cover: The barrel cover slips over the barrel of your gun between games to prevent you from accidentally taking someone’s eye out. Most markers come with one, but I suggest buying an extra, as they tend to get lost easily.

Squeegee: You’ll need a means of cleaning broken paint out of your barrel. Go with a pull-through squeegee for ease of use.

Here’s the same information in video form:

[insert video]


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