How to Play Different Types of Paintball Games

Last Updated: December 8, 2021

Paintball is a very fun recreational sport that many novices and pro players can enjoy. It can consist of short, contained, and professional games called "Speedball" or be played on your own time and rules in an urban or wooded area.

Method 1

Method 1 of 15:

Team Deathmatch (Elimination)

1
Start on different sides of the field with the same amount of players on each team if possible.
2
Proceed in trying to eliminate every player on the opposing team. Some games can be played with "Multiple Lives". This means a player can be shot 1, 2, 3, or however many times you set up.
- Go back to their starting point and can then proceed in re-entering the game if you are shot.
- If a player is shot multiple times within a couple seconds of each other it still only counts as one life lost.
- The player must go back to the starting point before another life can be lost. This makes games last longer and can also be interesting when you have to borrow paintballs from other players on your team because you run out.

Method 2

Method 2 of 15:

Capture The Flag

1
Set up two flag sites on opposite sides of the field.
- Make sure that everybody knows where each flags are located and the flags cannot be removed or hidden by the team that is guarding it.
2
Retrieve the other team's flag and bring it back to their own base without being shot.^{[1]
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3
Eliminations are the same as team deathmatch unless otherwise specified.

Method 3

Method 3 of 15:

Center Flag Push

1
Know the story well. One flag is placed directly center of the playing field (this step is not important) this method of one flag is fun because it is much more of a challenge then neutral Capture The Flag because neither side has much of an advantage.
2
Retrieve the flag. You win by reaching the other team's base.

Method 4

Method 4 of 15:

Neutral Capture The Flag

1
Play the same as regular CTF except that there is only one central flag that players have to try to get possession of.
2
Try to obtain the flag and bring it back to their own base while trying to fight the other team from capturing it at the same time.

Method 5

Method 5 of 15:

Bomb

1
Play the opposite of capture the flag. One team starts off with a "Bomb" (it can be a small box or a towel or plastic bag.)
2
To Make the way to the opposing team's base will be the task for the team with the bomb.
3
Protect a specified location from the advancing team's bomb. The defending team's duty will be that.
4
End the game when either side is eliminated, or the bomb reaches the destination.

Method 6

Method 6 of 15:

Two sided Bomb

1
Play the same as regular bomb except that both sides have a bomb and must plant their bomb on the opposing team's base while trying to defend their own base from the other team's bomb.

Method 7

Method 7 of 15:

Neutral Bomb

1
Know the story: There is a bomb located in the middle of the map. Both sides must try to obtain the bomb and reach the opposing team's base.
- He/she must leave the bomb in that position and either team can then obtain it and advance it to the opposing team's base when the player is shot.

Method 8

Method 8 of 15:

Predator Vs. Prey

1
Divide teams unequally.
- Keep in mind that the prey will start off with fewer people. You can decide how you want to do this. (e.g. 2vs3 2vs4 4vs6 and so on.)
- Know that teams can be equal if you prefer.
- The prey then goes out into the paintball playing area.
- Set up where they want; and hide wherever, and however they want. (Under leaves, grass, in a bunker, etc..)
2
Go out into the field and try to hunt down the prey, while being hunted by the prey themselves if you are predator.
3
Understand that being shot differs on what team you are on.
- If a predator is shot, they are out of the game.
- If a prey is shot, they become part of the predators team.

Method 9

Method 9 of 15:

Assassins

1
Start off by placing everybody's name on a card and placing them in a container.
- Pick a players name out of the container.
- Understand that no players can reveal whose name they received. (It would be to your disadvantage anyway.)
2
Each player then goes out into the field wherever they prefer.
- Think like there is every man for himself.
3
Be aware that on the beginning the game players will try to eliminate whoever name they drew previous to the game starting.
- Don't shoot at anybody whose name you did not draw.
- Try to hunt down your player as quickly as possibly while watching out for other players that may be hunting you.
- Never trust anybody; treat everybody as if they are hunting you.
4
Remember that when you are shot you are out of the game.
- Keep in mind that the player that shot you then receives the players name who you were hunting. That player then proceeds in trying to eliminate the player that you were hunting for.
- Keep in mind that once a player is shot they keep all the names of the players who they have already eliminated. (e.g. Player A shoots player B and is now hunting for player C. Player D than shoots player A. Player D only receives C's card and player A leaves the field with player B's card)
5
End the when there is only one player left on the field.
- Be aware that because you are the last man standing doesn't mean that you have won the game.
6
Award the winner to the player who has the most cards in his possession (Most players eliminated) when the game ends.

Method 10

Method 10 of 15:

President/VIP

1
Teams begin by picking a VIP for their team.
- Everybody must know who the VIP is from each team and the VIP must wear some kind of bright clothing.
- You can decide if you want to the VIP to have a gun or be unarmed. Oftentimes it is more exciting if he is unarmed.
2
Know your main objective. Eliminate the opposing teams VIP while taking out anybody who gets in your way.^{[2]
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3
If you are shot, you are out of the game.
4
The game ends when either teams VIP is shot.

Method 11

Method 11 of 15:

Civil War

1
Line up shoulder to shoulder, at far ends of the playing area.
2
Have someone call out the "FIRE!" then each team simultaneously takes one shot each at the other team.
3
Step out (or fall down) and the survivors stay in their line and take a step forward if you are hit.
4
Repeat until one team is eliminated.

Method 12

Method 12 of 15:

Playing with Medics

1
Choose a medic for your team. The medic should be someone who is relatively good at dodging paintballs, as they will have the power to heal everyone else and you want them to be in the game as long as possible.
2
Try to eliminate players on the other team. If a player who is not the medic gets shot, he is temporarily out.
3
Heal "out" players. The medic must make their way over to an eliminated player and touch him to heal him. If you want, you can put a limit on the number of times a player can be healed.
4
Play Team Deathmatch once the medic is hit. The medic cannot heal himself, so once he is out you will have to play as if your team does not have a medic. You cannot elect a new medic.

Method 13

Method 13 of 15:

The Wild

1
Put everyone's name on a piece of paper and place in a hat or something similar.
2
Take one piece of paper out of the hat. The person's name drawn out is the rancid beast.
3
Send the beast in unarmed. The rancid beast will enter the field and will have 15-20 seconds to hide.
4
Hunt. Once hidden, the players may enter the field and hunt the player down.
5
Kill the players. The beast needs to eliminate the players. This is done by simply touching them. In turn, the players need to eliminate the beast.
6
Eliminate the player if he is touched by beast. However, the beast can bring them back to the game but as zombies only, and these zombies are in the beast's service.
7
Close the game when either the beast or the team is eliminated.

Method 14

Method 14 of 15:

Cargo/Convoy

1
Form two teams with uneven ratios. For example: 2 vs 4 2 vs 6. The smaller team has to take out the convoy. The convoy is a shot one and done rule. The "pirates" or "attackers" have three lives.
2
Make the convoy from one end of the field to the other while carrying a box or bag.
3
Close the game if,
- The convoy is killed or
- The attackers are killed, or
- The convoy gets to the other side.

Method 15

Method 15 of 15:

Active Shooter(s) Scenario

1
Split the teams evenly. One team will be Special Weapons And Tactics (S.W.A.T.) And the Other some militant combatant group of their choosing or "Robbers".
2
Start (both teams) on opposites end of the field. The "Robbers" will have to defend a fixed position and hold out against the officers.
3
Know that the officers must get the combatants to surrender their weapons (By having them put their hands up and walk off field) or eliminate the targets. Role play is really big in this scenario game.
4
Switch sides once round is over.

Community Q&A

Question

When I run out of paintballs, what do I do?

Community Answer

You can either surrender, as if you have been shot, or stay in the game, if there is some sort of knife-hit or close combat rules in the game. Best to stay under cover until as many opponents have been eliminated as possible.
Question

Does being hit by a paintball hurt?

Llamacorn_Z

Community Answer

Yes, this is why many paintball games use masks and armor-like clothing.
Question

Can you play any games with just 2 players?

Vivienne Klein

Community Answer

Yes, you can because all you need is 2 people. So basically, you can just go 1 on 1.

Warnings

Make sure everybody has protective equipment.

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Helpful 14 Not Helpful 0
Treat all paintball guns as if they were real guns when you are not playing a game.

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Not recommended for players under 12.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
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Make sure everybody's gun is shooting under 300 FPS. You can use a chronograph watch or just look at the paintballs as they fly through the air and make sure they do not "look" too fast.

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