12 Basic Paintball Rules To Keep You In The Game
By Andrea Wilson, Fri Dec 9th

Knowing some basic paintball rules will make your first gamemuch more enjoyable. When you know the rules, you won't show updressed inappropriately or with the wrong equipment and marker.At the least, knowing the rules can save you some embarrassment;at the most, it can save you from finding out you're not allowedto play.

1. Eliminations and Markings

According to the American Paintball League's rules fortournament paintball, "A player is eliminated from the game whenhe is marked anywhere on his body, clothing or equipment with aquarter-sized or larger splat caused by a direct hit from asingle paintball." The size of the splat that indicateselimination may vary from tournament to tournament and field tofield. Tournaments may also have rules for other kinds of marks,including the size of combined splats.

Other considerations will be: who to eliminate if two playersare hit at the same time (usually both), what a player should doif they think they're hit but can't see the mark, how persistenta player is in seeking verification from a referee, etc.

2. Vandalism

Shooting at anything outside the shooting range and playingfield will be considered vandalism. Cars, spectators, lights,speakers, buildings, birds, and critters are OFF LIMITS!

3. Gun Safety

You must use a barrel blocking device except when in the playingfield or on the shooting/chronograph range. A barrel blockingdevice could be a barrel plug or sock. A plug goes into thebarrel, whereas a sock fits over the barrel.

A chronograph is a device that uses sensors to measure thevelocity (speed) of a paintball leaving the barrel. You will berequired to check your gun's speed at any commercial paintballfield. Paintball guns are capped at 300 feet per second, butsome fields will require a velocity of 280 FPS or less (e.g.,for playing indoors or at night).

Your marker will be chronographed before every game. Tournamentplayers may be required to have their gun chronographed duringand after the game as well. Penalties are applied for tournamentplayers found with "hot guns" unless the player asks for achronograph.

Fully automatic guns and guns with autoresponse triggers are notallowed on commercial paintball fields or in tournaments.

4. Insurance and Waiver Forms

You will be required to sign a waiver to relieve the paintballfield or organization of any liability if you get hurt, or yourequipment is damaged or stolen. If you are concerned aboutpersonal injury insurance or theft insurance, you should checkwith your insurance agent. An example of a waiver can be foundhere: http://www.diehardpaintball.com/cgi-bin/waiver.asp.

5. Surrender

Many fields will expect you to follow their recommendations forsurrender. In other words, if you are 5, 10, 15 or even 20 feetfrom an opposing player, you should ask them to surrender. Ifthey fire at you instead of surrendering, you are usually freeto return fire.

6. Structures

Climbing on bunkers, structures, buildings, logs and trees isnot usually allowed in tournaments or on commercial paintballfields. Altering structures, trenches or bunkers is also notallowed. However, both these things may actually be encouragedin scenario games.

7. Referees and Judges

The decisions of referees or judges (tournaments) are final.Arguing with a referee will get you eliminated from the game. Ifyou need to dispute a point with a referee,

wait until after thegame.

8. Clothing

Some fields and most tournaments do not allow short pants orshort-sleeved shirts. There's a very good reason for this rule:paint balls sting and leave welts that can last for several days!

Tournaments will usually specify the kind of material a player'sclothes can be made of (not a slippery material that can easilybe wiped clean of paint) and the style of clothing (notoversized or baggy). They will usually forbid the wearing ofcamouflage patterns and ghillie suits as paint doesn't show upeasily on these.

9. Goggle Systems

While games are in progress, it is mandatory for anyone near oron the shooting range or playing field to wear goggles that meetASTM F1776 standards. This includes judges, referees, playersand spectators.

Goggle systems must include a full face mask and ear protectionmade for that model. No component of the goggle system may bealtered from the manufacturer's specifications.

Goggles must be worn at all times in the chronograph/shootingrange and on the playing field. Any player removing theirgoggles FOR ANY REASON will be eliminated from the gameimmediately.

If you are having problems with your goggles fogging up, or youneed to adjust your goggles for any reason signal to a referee.They will supervise you while you remove or lift your goggles.This rule even applies to wiping the sweat from under yourgoggles. Tournaments will apply a penalty to any player liftingtheir mask and eliminate them from the game.

10. Paint Balls

Only field paint is allowed in tournaments and on mostcommercial paintball fields. This eliminates the problem of old,brittle paint balls (or frozen paint balls!) being brought tothe field. Check the rules at your field. BYOP = Bring Your OwnPaint; FPO = Field Paint Only. Tournaments are very particularabout paint and most won't even allow "blood red" colored painton the field.

11. Foul Language

Using foul language is an infraction of the rules in tournamentsand will be cause for elimination. Recball fields and scenariogames may have more lenient rules, but to be safe, DON'T SWEAR!

12. Age Limit

All commercial paintball fields will have an age limit aspaintball is not a game for young children. Paint balls travelat high speed and can cause bruises and welts even throughclothing. A paint ball accidentally hitting someone in the eyecan cause permanent damage. Players must accept the risk ofserious injury and sign a waiver to that effect.

Knowing the Rules Will Keep You in the Game

Of course, these are not all the rules for playing paintball andrules differ from field to field. However, these basic ruleswill ensure that you're allowed to play paintball anywhere.

All other rules you may encounter apply to things that will bewithin your control on the particular field you're playing on.For instance some fields allow head shots (called "goggling")and some do not. This rule is one you learn on the spot as youread the rules for the field before you start the game. Readingthe rules is important and will prevent you from beingeliminated from the game unecessarily. "I didn't know," isn't anexcuse any referee will accept!

About the author:Andrea Wilson is a writer and the mother of a teenage paintballfanatic. To learn more about paintball, she recommends you takea look at http://www.PaintballHeroes.com andhttp://www.PaintballPicks.com.