Paintball field

A paintball field is a designated area used for recreational or competitive paintball. Paintball fields may incorporate natural terrain, artificial obstacles or purpose-built tournament layouts, depending on the playing format. They range from woodland playing areas and commercial recreational facilities to standardised speedball fields used for professional competition.[1][2]

Commercial paintball fields commonly provide rental equipment, compressed-gas filling facilities, safety briefings and supervised games. Tournament venues may also incorporate spectator areas, protective netting, chronograph stations, team preparation areas and electronic scoring equipment.[1][3]

Types of paintball fields

Woodland fields

Woodland fields are associated with the origins of paintball and the development of woodsball.

These fields use natural terrain, including trees, vegetation, rocks and changes in elevation, to provide cover for players.

Some facilities incorporate additional structures, such as wooden barricades, trenches, bunkers and observation towers.

The first recorded organised paintball game took place on natural woodland terrain in New Hampshire, United States, on 27 June 1981.[2]

Woodland fields remain widely used for recreational paintball, scenario events and some competitive formats.

Recreational fields

Commercial recreational fields may combine natural and artificial obstacles to create different playing environments.

Common features include wooden bunkers, barrels, drainage pipes, barricades, buildings and other purpose-built structures.

Some recreational fields are designed around particular themes, such as villages, military-style environments or urban landscapes.

Commercial venues may operate several different playing areas, allowing games with different team sizes and formats.

Speedball fields

Speedball fields are relatively compact playing areas using artificial bunkers rather than natural terrain.

Early speedball fields used obstacles constructed from materials including timber, plastic drainage pipes, barrels and other rigid structures.

These layouts allowed organisers to create more predictable playing environments than conventional woodland fields.

During the 1990s, inflatable bunker systems became increasingly common in tournament competition.

Modern speedball fields generally use inflatable bunkers arranged according to published tournament layouts.

These layouts may be symmetrical or otherwise designed to provide comparable playing conditions for opposing teams.

Hyperball fields

Hyperball is a style of artificial-bunker field associated with the development of tournament paintball during the 1990s.

Hyperball fields traditionally use large plastic drainage pipes and similar cylindrical obstacles.

The pipes can be arranged vertically or horizontally to create bunkers, tunnels and other forms of cover.

Hyperball was widely used before inflatable bunkers became the principal format for major speedball tournaments.

It remains a recognised style of recreational and competitive paintball field.

Inflatable tournament fields

Inflatable tournament fields use air-filled bunkers designed specifically for paintball.

Sup'Air Ball began manufacturing inflatable paintball bunkers in 1996.

The manufacturer's first generation used sealed structures constructed from heavy tarpaulin and stabilised with water.

Sup'Air Ball fields were demonstrated at the seven-player World Cup in Toulouse and the Paintball World Cup in Orlando during 1997.[4]

Subsequent developments included ground anchoring systems and continuously inflated bunker designs.

Inflatable bunkers became established in professional and amateur speedball competition because they could be transported, rearranged and used to reproduce tournament layouts.

Field layout

Paintball field layouts vary according to the playing format, number of participants and available space.

Recreational fields may use irregular terrain and obstacles intended to create varied playing conditions.

Tournament speedball fields commonly incorporate:

Starting areas for opposing teams.
Artificial bunkers providing cover.
Defined playing boundaries.
Areas for referees and field officials.
Designated spectator or observation zones outside the playing area.

Modern tournament layouts often use distinctive bunker positions identified by names such as the snake, Dorito, centre and corner.

The precise dimensions, bunker arrangements and playing surfaces depend on the competition and its applicable regulations.

Tournament organisations may publish standard layouts before events to allow participating teams to practise under comparable conditions.

Commercial field facilities

Commercial paintball venues may provide facilities supporting recreational games, training and organised competitions.

These commonly include equipment rental areas, player registration facilities, staging areas and compressed-gas filling stations.

Additional facilities may include toilets, changing areas, retail counters, refreshments and covered spectator accommodation.

Larger venues may operate several playing fields or provide dedicated spaces for different forms of paintball.

Commercial operations are subject to applicable local planning, environmental, insurance and safety requirements.

Field safety

The operation of a paintball field involves procedures intended to reduce the risk of injury to participants, staff and spectators.

Common measures include protective netting, designated playing boundaries, marker velocity testing, suitable protective equipment and supervised games.

ASTM F1777 establishes operational safety requirements for paintball game sites.[1]

ASTM F2184 provides guidance on the installation of protective barrier netting around paintball playing fields, chronograph areas and other locations where markers may be discharged.[3]

The applicable safety requirements vary according to local law, tournament regulations and field operating procedures.

Further information is covered in Paintball safety.

Historical development

Early commercial fields

During the early 1980s, the growth of National Survival Game and independent paintball businesses encouraged the establishment of permanent commercial playing sites.

These early fields generally operated on woodland terrain and used equipment derived from industrial marking applications.

Commercial field operators subsequently introduced rental equipment, organised games and purpose-built obstacles.

Development of artificial-bunker fields

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, artificial-bunker fields became more prominent.

These environments allowed tournament organisers to provide more controlled layouts and improve visibility for spectators and referees.

Venues such as SC Village in California became associated with the development of artificial-bunker competition.

Hyperball and other pipe-based layouts subsequently became common at tournament facilities.

Standardised tournament layouts

The introduction of inflatable bunker systems during the late 1990s changed the construction and operation of competitive paintball fields.

Tournament promoters could transport bunker systems between venues and reproduce playing environments using published layouts.

The growth of the National Professional Paintball League, Paintball Sports Promotions and National Xball League contributed to the increasing standardisation of tournament field design.

Modern professional competitions commonly use multiple inflatable-bunker fields at temporary event venues, while permanent commercial facilities may maintain similar layouts for regular training and competition.

References

External links