What is Paintball?
Paintball is an action-packed, adrenaline-fuelled sport that combines strategy, teamwork, and excitement. Players are equipped with markers (paintball guns) that shoot small paint-filled capsules, aiming to "tag" opponents and complete objectives on the field. Paintball can be played in a variety of formats, from fast-paced elimination games to scenario-based missions, offering something for everyone, whether you’re a casual player or a competitive enthusiast.
Tournament Paintball
Tournament paintball is the competitive side of paintball, where teams face off in a structured environment, following specific rules and formats. Unlike casual or recreational play, tournament paintball is highly organised, emphasising speed, strategy, teamwork, and skill. The sport has evolved into a global phenomenon with leagues and competitions held at various levels, ranging from local events to international championships.
Game Formats
Tournament paintball is typically played in two main formats:
- Airball: Fast-paced games on small, symmetrical fields with inflatable bunkers arranged in standard layouts. Teams, usually consisting of 3, 5, or 7 players, compete to eliminate their opponents and capture a central flag or score points within a set time.
- Woodsball/Scenario Play: Though less common in competitive circuits, some tournaments feature large, outdoor fields with natural terrain, where teams engage in strategic, mission-based games.
Key Elements of Tournament Paintball
- Teams: Each team consists of skilled players with defined roles such as front players, mid-players, and back players. Teams work together, communicating constantly to outmaneuver and outshoot opponents.
- Equipment: Players use high-performance paintball markers (guns), protective gear, and specially designed jerseys and pants. Tournament-grade paintballs are used for accuracy and consistency.
- Strategy: Success in tournament paintball requires excellent teamwork, communication, and tactical thinking. Teams must devise strategies for attacking, defending, and capturing objectives.
- Timing & Scoring: Matches are played within time limits, and points are awarded for eliminations, flag captures, or completing objectives. The team with the most points at the end of the match wins.
Tournament Levels and Leagues
Tournament paintball is structured across different levels:
- Local and Regional Tournaments: These are entry-level competitions where amateur and semi-pro teams can hone their skills.
- National Leagues: Popular leagues like the Central Premier Paintball League (CPPS) host professional tournaments, attracting teams from around the world.
- International Championships: The pinnacle of tournament paintball, where top teams from various countries compete for titles and recognition on the global stage. Check out the National X-Ball League (NXL) Europe or the Paintball World Cup held annually in the USA.
Why Play Tournament Paintball?
Tournament paintball combines the thrill of adrenaline-fuelled action with a strong sense of sportsmanship and camaraderie. Players improve their athleticism, strategic thinking, and teamwork while competing in a rapidly growing global sport.
Whether you are a seasoned professional or just starting out, tournament paintball offers an exciting and rewarding experience for competitors at all levels! Join a team, gear up, and take your shot at glory in the world of competitive paintball!
Scenario Paintball
What is Scenario Paintball?
Scenario paintball is an immersive and strategic form of paintball that goes beyond the traditional ‘capture-the-flag’ games. Players engage in large-scale, story-driven events, often set in outdoor environments like woodlands, fields, or specially constructed urban landscapes. Each scenario event revolves around a unique theme, often inspired by historical battles, movies, or fictional narratives, with missions and objectives that span several hours or even multiple days. It combines the excitement of paintball with the intrigue of role-playing, making it a thrilling experience for players of all skill levels.
Key Features of Scenario Paintball
- Themed Gameplay: Each scenario is based on a storyline or theme, such as military operations, post-apocalyptic survival, or fantasy quests. Players become part of the story, following the script of the event and taking on specific roles.
- Missions and Objectives: Teams must complete various missions to win, which could involve capturing key points, defending bases, retrieving objects, or eliminating key players. Missions change throughout the game, keeping participants engaged and requiring strategic teamwork.
- Large Teams: Unlike smaller tournament formats, scenario paintball can involve hundreds of players split into large teams. Teams work together to achieve long-term objectives over the course of the game, which can last several hours or days.
- Role-Playing: Players may be assigned specific roles within their team, such as medics, engineers, or commanders. These roles often come with special abilities or responsibilities, adding depth to the gameplay and encouraging cooperation.
- Varied Terrain: Scenario paintball typically takes place in outdoor environments, including forests, urban-style maps, and fields. This offers players a wide variety of strategic options, with natural cover, bunkers, and buildings playing key roles in the action.
The Scenario Paintball Experience
- Storytelling & Immersion: One of the defining aspects of scenario paintball is its emphasis on storytelling. Each game is a unique adventure, where players feel like they are part of a real-life action movie or historical battle. This level of immersion makes scenario paintball stand out from other forms of the sport.
- Strategy & Teamwork: Victory in scenario paintball requires more than just shooting skills. Players must communicate, strategise, and execute complex plans. Commanders lead their teams, while smaller squads handle individual missions, ensuring that every player has a role in the action.
- Extended Playtime: Unlike traditional paintball matches, which are short and fast-paced, scenario events can last anywhere from several hours to a full weekend. This allows for a deeper, more strategic approach, where teams must think long-term and conserve resources.
Why Play Scenario Paintball?
Scenario paintball is perfect for players who want a deeper, more immersive experience. It appeals to those who love military simulations, role-playing games, or simply enjoy the thrill of paintball in a larger, more strategic format. Whether you’re re-enacting historical events, surviving a zombie apocalypse, or battling in futuristic wars, scenario paintball offers an unmatched level of excitement, teamwork, and adventure.
Scenario Paintball Events in the UK
The UK is home to a vibrant scenario paintball scene, with many annual events drawing players from all over the country and beyond. These events offer a range of themes and experiences, from WWII battles to sci-fi showdowns, each providing a unique and unforgettable experience for participants.
Whether you’re new to paintball or a seasoned veteran, scenario paintball offers something for everyone. Join us at one of the UK’s many scenario events and become part of the action!
Woodsball
What is Woodsball?
Woodsball is a form of paintball played in natural outdoor environments, such as forests, woodlands, or fields. This style of paintball focuses on tactical, scenario-driven gameplay, where players use the terrain to their advantage, engaging in more strategic, slower-paced action compared to airball or traditional tournament formats. Woodsball is perfect for players who enjoy the thrill of outdoor combat simulation, utilising stealth, teamwork, and tactics in a natural setting.
Key Features of Woodsball
- Natural Terrain: Woodsball games are played in outdoor environments that include forests, hills, and natural obstacles like trees, bushes, and streams. Players use this terrain for cover and concealment, making stealth and positioning crucial to success.
- Scenario-Based Play: Woodsball often incorporates objectives or missions, similar to scenario paintball. Teams might be tasked with capturing a flag, defending a base, or completing specific objectives over a larger area. These missions add depth and strategy to the gameplay.
- Longer Game Duration: Games in woodsball tend to last longer than typical airball matches. Sessions can range from 20 minutes to over an hour, depending on the game format, allowing for more in-depth strategy and slower-paced action.
- Larger Playing Fields: Unlike smaller airball arenas, woodsball fields are often expansive, providing players with more room to maneuver. This encourages the use of ambushes, flanking tactics, and long-range engagements.
- Variety of Play Styles: Players in woodsball can adopt different roles based on their preferred style of play. Some may act as scouts or snipers, using the environment to stay hidden and pick off opponents from a distance, while others may serve as front-line attackers or defenders.
The Woodsball Experience
- Tactical Gameplay: Woodsball emphasises tactics, strategy, and patience. Unlike the fast-paced, chaotic action of airball, players must carefully plan their moves, use natural cover, and communicate with their team to outsmart the opposition. The terrain often dictates the flow of the game, as players use hills, trees, and foliage to gain a tactical advantage.
- Teamwork & Strategy: Success in woodsball relies heavily on teamwork. Communication is key as players work together to execute coordinated attacks, defend strongholds, or complete missions. Larger woodsball games often involve complex strategies, with players acting as scouts, snipers, or squad leaders.
- Immersive Environment: Playing paintball in natural woodland settings provides an immersive, military-like experience. The outdoor environment adds realism and excitement, making each game feel like an authentic battlefield scenario.
Woodsball Formats
- Capture the Flag: One of the most popular woodsball formats, where teams compete to capture the opposing team’s flag and bring it back to their own base while defending their own flag from capture.
- Elimination: A straightforward game format where the goal is to eliminate all players on the opposing team. This can involve stealth, ambushes, and coordinated team movements.
- King of the Hill: Teams compete to take control of a central point or “hill” on the map and defend it against the other team. This format encourages aggressive plays and teamwork.
Why Play Woodsball?
Woodsball offers a unique blend of strategy, teamwork, and outdoor adventure. It is ideal for players who enjoy tactical games that involve planning, stealth, and the use of natural cover. Whether you’re a casual player looking for a fun day in the woods or a competitive player seeking a more strategic challenge, woodsball offers a rewarding and thrilling paintball experience.
Woodsball Events in the UK
The UK has a rich history of woodsball, with many dedicated woodland paintball venues offering organized events and casual play. Woodsball fields are scattered across the country, providing players of all skill levels the opportunity to enjoy this authentic style of paintball.
Ready to take on the great outdoors? Join a woodsball game and experience the ultimate blend of nature and tactical paintball action!
Isn’t it just about 'playing war'?
A common misconception is that paintball is primarily for those aspiring to be soldiers. While it’s true that many younger players, both boys and girls, are initially drawn to the game due to the influence of ‘shoot-em-up’ video games, they quickly discover that paintball is far more than just simulated combat. It is a high-energy, adrenaline-fuelled sport that demands skill, strategy, and fitness to succeed at the highest levels.
Paintball is an inclusive activity, accessible to people of all ages and fitness levels (with age requirements varying by venue). Whether young or old, male or female, fit or unfit, everyone has an equal opportunity to enjoy and excel on the paintball field.
How do I arrange a Paintball game?
Planning a paintball experience is simple and fun. Start by gathering a group of friends, family, or colleagues who are interested in joining you. Agree on the best date, duration, and budget for the event.
Next, use our “Find A Venue” tool to locate an accredited UKPSF paintball venue near you. The search results will provide detailed information about the venues in your area, allowing you to choose one that best suits your needs.
Each venue listing includes contact details, so you can easily reach out via phone or email for further inquiries. You’ll be booking directly with UKPSF Site Members, who will provide all the information you need to ensure a fantastic paintball experience.
Does paintball hurt and is it dangerous?
Safety is the top priority in paintball. A properly equipped player who follows the correct guidelines can enjoy the game without fear of injury. Much like in other sports, such as hockey, protective gear is used to mitigate known risks.
The most crucial piece of safety equipment is the paintball mask, designed to protect the face and eyes from potential injury. Players receive comprehensive safety briefings that stress the importance of always wearing their mask and adhering to key rules, such as maintaining minimum firing distances and avoiding shots at close range. Game marshals are present to strictly enforce these safety rules, ensuring all participants play responsibly.
In addition to masks, players wear full-body playing suits that cover exposed skin, with many opting for specialist clothing featuring padded areas for extra protection. Gloves and other protective gear may also be worn to further enhance safety.
Paintball venues are equipped with tools that allow trained staff to check and regulate the velocity of paintball markers, ensuring they operate within the legal limits. Advances in paintball technology have also improved the fragility of paintballs, making them more likely to burst on impact, reducing the risk of injury.
Many venues now offer Low Impact Paintball, which uses a smaller-sized .50 caliber paintball. These smaller rounds have significantly less energy and impact than standard paintballs, making them a great option for those concerned about discomfort. While the adrenaline rush remains the same, Low Impact Paintball offers a gentler experience.
With the right protective equipment and adherence to safety guidelines provided during the briefing, the risk of injury in paintball is minimal. In fact, players are likely to experience fewer bruises or injuries than in many traditional field sports, such as football.
FAQs
For a recreational player going paintballing, a good average of cost is around £10 per playing hour.
Most venues catering for such players will offer either an entry fee (covering equipment hire) and paintballs at anything between £6 and £9 per 100 dependant on the volume you are buying, or will offer packages that include equipment, a specific number of paintballs and sometimes refreshments. A typical package that includes 500 paintballs (good for several hours of play if you are not too trigger-happy) will cost around £39 – £45 per person.
The length of time you will play varies from venue to venue and depends very much on how many paintballs you buy. Typically you’ll be able to play for anything from a couple of hours to a full day. Some venues only open at weekends but many are open for bookings on weekdays. Many sites will continue to play into the evening during the lighter summer months.
Sites will recommend you wear clothing suitable for the weather – ideally clothing you’re not too concerned about – and sensible footwear, such as old trainers, sports or work boots or wellingtons. Players often wear hoodies and bring gloves with them. A change of clothing may also be needed if the day is wet or the ground muddy as the dirt and wet can penetrate the suits you’ll be issued with.
The most important thing to bring with you is a sense of humour and a willingness to get stuck in and possibly make a fool of yourself.
Give the venue a call – they’ll be happy to advise you on all aspects of the event you are planning, can tailor the day to your needs and will tell you how much it will cost, what to bring, when to arrive and so on.
You will be asked to pay a deposit for the number of players you plan to bring and then it’s just a case of turning up on the specified day to experience the ultimate adrenaline rush!
Why choose a UKPSF venue?
Choosing a UKPSF-approved paintball site guarantees a safe, professional, and enjoyable experience, making your day out stress-free and unforgettable.
When booking a paintball experience, it’s essential to choose a UKPSF (United Kingdom Paintball Sports Federation) approved site for several important reasons:
Safety and Standards
UKPSF-approved paintball sites adhere to strict safety regulations set by the federation. This ensures that all players, whether beginners or seasoned pros, can enjoy the game in a controlled and secure environment. From properly maintained equipment to comprehensive safety briefings, these sites prioritize player safety above all else.
Trained and Qualified Staff
At a UKPSF-approved site, staff members are highly trained and knowledgeable about paintball rules, first aid, and the proper use of equipment. This means you’ll be guided and supervised by experts who know how to handle any situation, ensuring a fun and worry-free experience.
High-Quality Equipment
Sites approved by the UKPSF maintain high standards for equipment, ensuring that markers, masks, and other gear are regularly checked and well-maintained. This reduces the risk of malfunctions and enhances the overall quality of your game, allowing you to focus on having fun.
Insurance and Legal Protection
UKPSF approval means the site meets the legal and insurance requirements necessary to operate safely. If anything unexpected happens, you can have peace of mind knowing the site has the appropriate insurance coverage in place for all participants.
Commitment to Fair Play and Enjoyment
UKPSF-approved sites follow a code of conduct that promotes fair play, sportsmanship, and enjoyment for all players. They create a welcoming environment where everyone, from first-timers to seasoned players, can enjoy the game.