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Knowing some basic paintball rules will make your first game much more enjoyable. When you know the rules, you won’t show up dressed inappropriately or with the wrong equipment and marker.At the least, knowing the rules can save you some embarrassment;at the most, it can save you from finding out you’re not allowed to play.

1. Eliminations and Markings – According to the American Paintball League’s rules for tournamentpaintball, “A player is eliminated from the game when he ismarked anywhere on his body, clothing or equipment with aquarter-sized or larger splat caused by a direct hit from asingle paintball.” The size of the splat that indicateselimination may vary from tournament to tournament and field tofield. Tournaments may also have rules for other kinds of marks,including the size of combined splats.Other considerations will be: who to eliminate if two players arehit at the same time (usually both), what a player should do ifthey think they’re hit but can’t see the mark, how persistent aplayer is in seeking verification from a referee, etc.

2. Vandalism – Shooting at anything outside the shooting range and playing fieldwill be considered vandalism. Cars, spectators, lights, speakers,buildings, birds, and critters are OFF LIMITS!

3. Gun Safety – You must use a barrel blocking device except when in the playingfield or on the shooting/chronograph range. A barrel blockingdevice could be a barrel plug or sock. A plug goes into thebarrel, whereas a sock fits over the barrel.A chronograph is a device that uses sensors to measure thevelocity (speed) of a paintball leaving the barrel. You will berequired to check your gun’s speed at any commercial paintballfield. Paintball guns are capped at 300 feet per second, but somefields will require a velocity of 280 FPS or less (e.g., forplaying indoors or at night).Your marker will be chronographed before every game. Tournamentplayers may be required to have their gun chronographed duringand after the game as well. Penalties are applied for tournamentplayers found with “hot guns” unless the player asks for achronograph.Fully automatic guns and guns with autoresponse triggers are notallowed on commercial paintball fields or in tournaments.

4. Insurance and Waiver Forms – You will be required to sign a waiver to relieve the paintballfield or organization of any liability if you get hurt, or yourequipment is damaged or stolen. If you are concerned about personal injury insurance or theft insurance, you should checkwith your insurance agent.

5. Surrender – Many fields will expect you to follow their recommendations forsurrender. In other words, if you are 5, 10, 15 or even 20 feetfrom an opposing player, you should ask them to surrender. If they fire at you instead of surrendering, you are usually free toreturn fire.

6. Structures – Climbing on bunkers, structures, buildings, logs and trees is notusually allowed in tournaments or on commercial paintball fields.Altering structures, trenches or bunkers is also not allowed.However, both these things may actually be encouraged in scenariogames.

7. Referees and Judges – The decisions of referees or judges (tournaments) are final.Arguing with a referee will get you eliminated from the game. Ifyou need to dispute a point with a referee, wait until after the game.

8. Clothing – Some fields and most tournaments do not allow short pants orshort-sleeved shirts. There’s a very good reason for this rule:paint balls sting and leave welts that can last for several days!Tournaments will usually specify the kind of material a player’sclothes can be made of (not a slippery material that can easilybe wiped clean of paint) and the style of clothing (not oversizedor baggy). They will usually forbid the wearing of camouflagepatterns and ghillie suits as paint doesn’t show up easily onthese.

9. Goggle Systems – While games are in progress, it is mandatory for anyone near oron the shooting range or playing field to wear goggles that meet ASTM F1776 standards. This includes judges, referees, players andspectators. Goggle systems must include a full face mask and ear protectionmade for that model. No component of the goggle system may bealtered from the manufacturer’s specifications.Goggles must be worn at all times in the chronograph/shootingrange and on the playing field. Any player removing their goggles FOR ANY REASON will be eliminated from the game immediately.

If you are having problems with your goggles fogging up, or youneed to adjust your goggles for any reason signal to a referee.They will supervise you while you remove or lift your goggles.This rule even applies to wiping the sweat from under yourgoggles. Tournaments will apply a penalty to any player liftingtheir mask and eliminate them from the game.

10. Paint BallsOnly field paint is allowed in tournaments and on most commercialpaintball fields. This eliminates the problem of old, brittlepaint balls (or frozen paint balls!) being brought to the field.Check the rules at your field. BYOP = Bring Your Own Paint; FPO =Field Paint Only. Tournaments are very particular about paint andmost won’t even allow “blood red” colored paint on the field.

11. Foul Language – Using foul language is an infraction of the rules in tournamentsand will be cause for elimination. Recball fields and scenariogames may have more lenient rules, but to be safe, DON’T SWEAR!

12. Age Limit – All commercial paintball fields will have an age limit aspaintball is not a game for young children. Paint balls travel athigh speed and can cause bruises and welts even through clothing.A paint ball accidentally hitting someone in the eye can causepermanent damage. Players must accept the risk of serious injuryand sign a waiver to that effect.Knowing the Rules Will Keep You in the Game Of course, these are not all the rules for playing paintball and rules differ from field to field.

However, these basic rules willensure that you’re allowed to play paintball anywhere.All other rules you may encounter apply to things that will bewithin your control on the particular field you’re playing on.For instance some fields allow head shots (called “goggling”) andsome do not. This rule is one you learn on the spot as you readthe rules for the field before you start the game. Reading the rules is important and will prevent you from being eliminatedfrom the game unecessarily. “I didn’t know,” isn’t an excuse any referee will accept!