Paintball is a dynamic recreational sport where players compete to eliminate opponents by tagging them with paint-filled spherical gelatin capsules shot from compressed-air markers. The game’s foundation rests on standardized rules designed to ensure player safety and maintain fair play. Understanding these regulations is paramount, as they govern everything from personal protective gear to player elimination.
Mandatory Safety Procedures
The most important rule in paintball centers on eye and face protection, which must be worn at all times while on the playing field, the chronograph area, or the target range. Fields strictly enforce the use of approved, full-face masks designed specifically for the sport because paintballs travel at high speeds and can cause serious eye injury. Removing a mask in an active zone is a serious violation that results in immediate removal from the game and potential ejection from the facility.
A fundamental safety measure involves using a barrel blocking device, typically a barrel sock or plug, whenever a marker is not actively in play. This device is a physical barrier placed over the barrel tip to contain any accidental discharge in designated safe zones. Safe zones are the only locations where players are permitted to remove their masks, making barrel safety mandatory there.
Game Elimination and Conduct
Elimination from a game occurs when a player is “hit,” which is defined by a paintball leaving a solid, visible mark on a player or their equipment that is roughly the size of a U.S. nickel or quarter. This hit counts regardless of whether the player was struck on their body, clothing, marker, or hopper, and it also applies even if the shot came from a teammate, known as “friendly fire.” Paint splatter, which happens when a paintball breaks on a nearby object and only fragments of paint reach the player, does not count as a valid elimination.
Once a player confirms a hit, they must immediately call themselves “Out” or “Hit,” raise their marker above their head, and exit the playing area by the safest route. Eliminated players must not communicate with teammates still in the game, a rule often summarized as “dead men don’t talk.” A severe violation of game conduct involves “wiping,” the deliberate act of removing a paint mark to stay in the game. If a player is caught wiping, they are typically ejected, and in competitive play, this infraction can result in a penalty that removes teammates.
Equipment and Field Limitations
To maintain a fair and safe environment, all paintball markers must be tested and adjusted to comply with a strict velocity limit before play begins. This process is performed using a specialized radar device called a chronograph, which measures the speed of the expelled paintball in feet per second (FPS). The industry standard maximum velocity is capped between 280 and 300 FPS, a speed that balances projectile performance with injury prevention.
Many fields enforce a minimum engagement distance rule, often around 10 to 20 feet, to prevent painful close-range shots. If a player advances within this distance of an opponent, they are required to offer a “surrender” option instead of shooting. The decisions made by field referees regarding hits, penalties, and boundaries are final. Arguing with staff or failing to follow their instructions constitutes unsportsmanlike behavior and will result in penalties or ejection.