Different Styles of Paint Balling

Paint balling is ever increasing in popularity.It appeals to all varieties of people because of the many ways and places that it can be played. It is considered by many the most intense and fun sport of them all.

The growth of Paint balling has taken off since the early 90's. Sporting Goods Manufacturing Association estimates that in 2007 over 5.4 million people were playing in the United States and over 1.5 million of those play on a regular basis. These numbers really aren't all that surprising to those who have played the game.

The game is so intense because players have a carbon dioxide gas powered gun that fires pellets  fill with paint. If struck by a paintball it will leave bruise, welts, or both. You really don't want to get shot which makes the game that much more realistic and fun. Unlike other sports there are stinging consequences for the losers. Many would look at this and ask the question, is it dangerous? I do not believe that there is much danger involved in the game if played correctly. Just like football that requires pads, paintball requires the use of a protective mask that covers the eyes, mouth, and throat. These masks decrease the risk of injury significantly. Many paintballers will use a long sleeve shirt or sweat shirt when they play in order to decrease the sting of being shot.

Paint balling is one of those games that can be played in many different ways. The most popular way of playing is capture the flag. It consists of two teams both have a flag of different colors. The mission is to steal the other teams flag and return it to your base without getting shot. 

There are other games that you can play. One of my favorites is the game of mutant. The way it is played is that two or 3 people will go into the woods or obstacle course. The rest of the players then go in after them. If a mutant shoots an enemy then they turn into mutants and turn against their own team mates and join the other mutants. If a mutant is shot then they have to sit the rest of the game out. You play until all the mutants are have been hit or all of the opposing team has been hit and turned into mutants.

One of the styles of paint balling that isn't my favorite way of playing is team combat. Team combat is great when you have large numbers of people playing at once. All you really need to do is break up into groups of two. Every pair is their own team and they fight against everyone else. The reason that I don't care for it is because often times you can get caught in a cross fire. You will be defending yourself or hunting someone and then a different team hits you in the back. The team that survives without getting hit wins.

There are many varieties of playing that aren't mentioned here. No matter what the type of game played all will leave saying that this is the most intense and fun game that they have ever played. That is what happened to me just a few weeks ago.