A growing sport among adults as well as teenagers is the challenging competition
that takes place with special weapons that are adapted to handle the pellets of paint used in simulated combat arenas. Using both indoor and outdoor tournament settings that are equipped with barricades and walls to crouch and hide behind, teams of four to six players face off against each other in a very fast paced game. In Massachusetts paintball has become a serious adventure sport that requires skill and stealth to accurately pin point an opponent and deliver a shot that knocks the opposing member out of the competition.
Deriving sneak attack strategies from military and police training those that are adept at staying low and using a sniper position to draw down on their enemies are often the victors that stand unscathed at the close of a match. In some situations the action can be over in a matter of moments as practiced teams maneuver through the course to surprise their adversaries. At other times the challenge of not being pelted with paint takes a longer period as teams that are clever and cunning use deception and occasionally self sacrifice to claim a win.
Armed with semiautomatic guns that can rapidly disperse a barrage of splattering ammunition toward the enemy the participants in the sport take the necessary precautions of covering their bodies, hands, and faces with protective gear that provides a type of armor and reduces the sting of hurtling balls of paint. With masks and eyewear that keeps the individual players from being harmed in any serious way the game comes down to the last man, or woman standing.
As the teams of friends attempt to ambush one another the regular participants have formed rivalries that are out to be named the best of the best. In tournament competition the opposing squads start out on opposite ends of the field and use the barricades and battlements to gain position while carefully picking off their foes. Utilizing both defensive and offensive strategies to outsmart the other guy, team play faces off against people of a similar skill level and ensures a fair match up of individuals that are classified anywhere from beginner to expert.
Additionally, those that attend a paintball contest are able to stay with their group as parties, and company outings allow for mix of excitement and fun, with an element of danger that is sure to start the adrenaline flowing. But at the end of the day everyone shakes and hands and congratulates the winners who have emerged from the field of battle with their uniform still clean.