From Now Paintball In Qatar!
In 15 short years, the sport of paintball has
become recognized as one of the world's most exciting
outdoor participation sports. Paintball is played
in over 40 countries by millions of men and women
of all ages and lifestyles.
Whether home-makers or high-school students, professionals
or retirees, all paintball players share in common
a love for adventure and a strong competitive
spirit.
Paintball is a combination of the childhood games
"flag" and "hide & seek,"
but is much more challenging and sophisticated.
Although there are many different game formats,
typically a group of players will divide into
two teams to play "capture the flag."
The number of players on each team can vary from
one or two, five or seven or ten, to over 1,000
on a side, limited only by the size of the playing
field.
The object of the game is to go out and capture
the other team's flag while protecting your own.
While you are trying to capture a flag, you also
try to eliminate opposing players by tagging them
with a paintball expelled from a special airgun
called a "paintgun." Games run from
20 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the
field and the number of players. Between games,
players take a break to check their equipment,
get more paintballs and have a snack or soda while
they share stories about the thrills of victory
and the usually funny agonies of defeat. Win or
lose, everyone has a good time and there's usually
the next game waiting for you.
 |
Paintballs is a round, thin-skinned gelatin capsule
with colored liquid inside it. Paintballs are
similar to large round vitamin capsules or bath
oil beads. The fill inside paintballs is non-toxic,
non-caustic, water-soluable and biodegradable.
It rinses out of clothing and off skin with mild
soap and water.
Paintguns, also called "markers,"
come in a variety of shapes and styles as you
see in this special "paintgun roundup"
issue [ed. APG 12/96 issue]. They may be powered
by carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen (N2) or compressed
air. Many have power systems that use large refillable
cylinders called "tanks" or "bottles"
that give hundreds of shots before needing to
be refilled. Some use small 12 gram CO2 powerlets
as their power source, each powerlet being good
for 15 to 30 shots.
 |
With pump-action paintguns (pumpguns), each time
you want to shoot a paintball you first cock the
paintgun by using a pump, then you squeeze the
trigger to shoot the paintball; you must recock
the paintgun before you can shoot again. Stockguns,
using 12-grams, have the most basic pumpgun configuration
(though they are becoming ever-more high-tech
within the constraints of the configuration) and
stock gun play is in a class of its own. With
semi-automatic paintguns, the first time you want
to shoot you must cock the paintgun (usually by
pulling back a cocking knob or handle), but after
you shoot the first paintball the paintgun's action
will recock the paintgun for you; you simply squeeze
the trigger each time you want to shoot a paintball.
With a full-auto paintgun, when you squeeze the
trigger for the first time, the 'gun will begin
to shoot paintballs and will keep on shooting
paintballs as long as you keep squeezing the trigger;
when you release the trigger, the 'gun will stop
shooting. Paintguns range from simple to sophisticated,
but what they all share in common is a limitation
on their power and range. The international safety
limit on the speed (measured in feet per second,
"FPS") at which a paintgun shoots a paintball
is 90 m/sec. A chronograph is used to test for
speed limits, and all paintguns can be adjusted
to shoot under the speed limit. A paintgun's range
is limited, too; even shooting 90 m/sec, at maximum
elevation with barrel pointed up into the air,
a paintgun can lob a paintball only about 3 meters.
Safety paintball players always must wear goggles
specifically designed for paintball to protect
their eyes. Goggles must be worn during a game
and at all times when a person is in an area where
shooting is permitted, such as the target range
or chronograph area. A protective facemask is
mandatory nearly everywhere, and should be worn
regardless. Paintball is a very safe sport as
long as safety rules are followed. Insurance statistics
have shown that paintball is safer than golf,
jogging, tennis, swimming and many other sports.
 |
Referees on the field enforce safety and game
rules. No physical contact is permitted in the
game, and players are ejected from games or the
playsite for breaking safety or playing rules.
Fields have boundaries, and a player who steps
outside a field's boundary is eliminated from
that game.
The Game Paintball is a sport played by people
from all professions and lifestyles. It is a sport
where women and men compete equally, and where
age is not dominated by youth. Like a game of
chess, being able to think quickly and decisively
is what makes you a star in paintball. Intelligence
and determination, not merely strength, speed
or agility, are key to success in the sport. Paintball
is a character-building sport. Players learn about
teamwork, gain self-confidence and develop leadership
abilities while having fun and getting welcome
stress-relief. Increasingly, corporations are
finding the benefits of having their staff and
management participate in paintball games. Paintball
is an exciting sport, and above all paintball
is fun! It's a chance to shake off your day-to-day
responsibilities and rekindle your spirit of adventure.
When the adrenaline starts pumping, you can't
help but love the thrill of the game!
|
