Paintball!

[Phil Elmore]

I was doing some celebrating this weekend and actually devoted an entire day to doing nothing but having fun (very rare for me, as I work like, 2.5 jobs, or the equivalent thereof). Specifically, I went out into the woods and played paintball all day. It was freaking great. I'd love to hear your own paintball stories.

From left to right, college students Brent and Jeff, my friend "Trouble," me, and Brian (on whose property we played).

This is me, moving into the woods from the entrance at the back of Brian's yard. The shot was taken by Brian's wife, who was watching from just inside the treeline.

This is what the play area looked like. Smoke is from one of Brian's smoke grenades.

Brian and his teammate entering the woods to kill me and my team. I think the other guy is Brent.

Me celebrating after wiping out the other team single-handed.

 

[stickarts]

I had lots of fun when we played many years ago however it was also an experience getting hit by a paint ball out of the blue from an unseen sniper! Makes you think how scary the real thing would be!

 

[Bob Hubbard]

I love playing. Sadly, the cost of field paint forced me into an early retirement.

Oh, and I need a new marker. My Tippman is hurting badly, and it's no fun to take a pistol against guys running full auto.

 

[Don Roley]

They used to do paintball in Japan. The registered the guns and everything, only to have them confiscated when they passed a law later on banning them.

So the Japanese went out and invented full auto BB guns!!! You know them as soft air guns.

Now that I have done. And yes, it is rather fun. I have the disadvantage of being a favorite target. Everyone seems to want the bragging rights of nailing the ex-American infantryman. :mp5:

 

[silatman]

I've played heaps when there was no rules and it was an underground sport.
All weapons had to be smuggled in, in parts and then built up.
Spotters were placed around the field of play in case we were raided, the only rule that was STRICTLY enforced was that your mask had to be worn at ALL times or you were kicked off the field.
The guys who organized the games bought an unlicenced car for "drive by's"
and I was riding shotgun, I was getting driven around the field shooting out of the window when one of my mates came out from behind a barrel he was hiding behind, came around behind the car, stuck his barrel in the crack of the window I was shooting out of and unleashed about a dozen rounds.
About 6 of them hit me in the side of the head from a range of about 1 foot, nearly KO'd me.
Ahhh alls fair in war I suppose.
Once the game became main stream it lost most of its appeal for me. Its hard to believe that your Rambo when you have kids and ladies on the field.

 

[Bigshadow]

Ahhh yes! PAINTBALL! This is something my 11yo son and I enjoy doing together several times a year. We have our own markers (Kingman Spyder Compact deluxe) and gear. He has been playing since 7 or was it 8 yo. Anyway, we enjoy it, it makes a great day of exercise and fun. When I was a teen I played on a team here in Florida and did a few tournaments, back before paintball was popular (back in the late 80s). I have since gone back and introduced my son to it. We really have a blast. I would love to play more often. However, here in Florida, during the heat of summer, it can really test your endurance and tolerance of high humidity, heat, and exhertion. The kids typically fare better than the adults during this time.


From a MA perspective, I have experienced a definite relationship between our hand to hand techniques, our principles, and the paintball engagments and interaction of opposing teams. It is amazing how it naturally flows. There are so many analogies I can draw from it.

 

[Swordlady]

I love paintball. Great fun. I only played once - and for some odd reason, I was the first to die in most every single game. This one game, I only moved about five feet - and I got clocked right on the forehead. Stung like crazy, but I got over it pretty quickly. The only time I wasn't the first to die, I was the last person standing, flag in hand. Of course I eventually met my end, and got pelted by several dozen paintballs all at once. Ouch!

Unfortunately, paintball isn't cheap, and it's hard for me to find a bunch of people to go with. I actively bugged a bunch of my female friends at one point, but most all of them passed, saying it would "hurt too much". Wimps.

 

[Kreth]

I played a few times when I was in the Marines. A bunch of us went and smoked the civilians, because our day job was practicing field tactics. This was back in the days of the Splatmaster, none of this high-speed, low-drag full-auto stuff they have now.

 

[phlaw]

Started playing wodsball in 1990. My first game was in a 5 foot swamp because the field flooded the night before and we still wanted to play.

Started playing tournament around 2000/2001. I think my team website is still up. http://teamtoysoldiers.tripod.com.

Gave up tournaments last season. I sold most of my gear with the exception of 1 Marker (I use ti own over 50).

I have played once in the last year.

Still enjoy it, just don't have the time.