Scenario paintball

Scenario paintball is a form of paintball in which participants compete through a series of missions and objectives organised around a fictional or historical setting. Unlike conventional elimination-based games, scenario paintball typically involves a continuing storyline, organised factions, specialist player roles and objectives that contribute towards an overall result.

Scenario games may last several hours, an entire day or multiple days. Larger events can involve thousands of players competing across extensive woodland and purpose-built playing fields.[1]

Scenario paintball developed during the 1980s and 1990s, with Wayne Dollack and Kerry Rosenberry, known as Viper, among the early organisers responsible for developing and popularising the format in the United States.[2][3]

History

Origins

Scenario paintball developed from the woodland capture-the-flag games that characterised the sport's early years.

An early example was Operation CIA (Cash in Action), reportedly organised by Wayne Dollack in 1985. According to a retrospective history based on Dollack's recollections, the game involved 38 participants attempting to capture a tower defended by an opposing team.

The game lasted approximately eight hours and incorporated an objective beyond the conventional elimination of opposing players.[2]

Dollack subsequently developed more elaborate games incorporating night-time play, fictional characters and elements adapted from tabletop role-playing games.

These developments helped establish the mission-based and role-playing formats that became associated with scenario paintball.

Development during the 1990s

During the 1990s, scenario paintball developed into a distinct part of the recreational paintball industry.

Dollack and his wife Jackie produced extended scenario games through Florida Paintball Productions, both at Wayne's World of Paintball in Ocala, Florida, and at other commercial paintball venues.

By July 1998, Dollack had produced at least 64 scenario games. His Tour of Duty event at Skirmish USA in Pennsylvania attracted more than 600 participants and used approximately 200 acres of woodland.[4]

Another early organiser was Kerry "Viper" Rosenberry, who established Viper Paintball in Houston, Texas, in 1996.

Rosenberry had previously played alongside Dollack on Marion's Raiders and was involved in the development of early role-playing scenarios. Viper Paintball subsequently produced events across the United States, extending the format beyond its original southeastern American base.[3]

By the late 1990s, scenario games had developed into events featuring organised command structures, scripted missions, fictional intelligence operations, medical roles and specialised equipment.

Expansion

During the 2000s, scenario paintball expanded through major recreational events and dedicated scenario teams.

Events such as Oklahoma D-Day, SuperGame, Invasion of Normandy, Living Legends and Decay of Nations attracted large numbers of participants and became established fixtures of the American paintball calendar.

The growth of the format was also reflected in the development of major scenario events outside the United States.

European events include North v South in the United Kingdom, BigGame Mahlwinkel in Germany and the Scenario Big Game held in Brożek, Poland.[5][6]

Scenario paintball has continued to incorporate different styles of gameplay, including military-themed games, science-fiction scenarios, magazine-fed paintball and events with elaborate fictional storylines.

Gameplay

Scenario paintball is distinguished by its emphasis on objectives and missions rather than player eliminations alone.

Participants are generally divided into opposing factions, each with assigned objectives contributing towards an overall result.

Missions may involve:

Capturing or defending strategic locations.
Recovering equipment, documents or other props.
Escorting designated players or vehicles.
Rescuing fictional hostages or prisoners.
Gathering intelligence or completing reconnaissance assignments.
Defending positions against timed assaults.
Completing tasks assigned by a scenario director.

Successful missions typically earn points, which are accumulated to determine the winning faction.[1]

Storylines

Scenario games are commonly based on historical conflicts, military operations, science-fiction settings, films or original fictional narratives.

The storyline provides context for the opposing factions, battlefield locations and mission objectives.

Some events develop continuing narratives across multiple editions. Decay of Nations, for example, features a recurring fictional conflict between the UNA and EKRON factions.

Other events recreate historical military campaigns, such as the Normandy landings depicted in Invasion of Normandy.

Historical scenarios are recreational interpretations rather than literal military re-enactments.

Command structure

Larger scenario events commonly appoint a commanding officer, often called a general, for each faction.

The general may be supported by executive officers, squad leaders and other command personnel.

Commanders receive objectives from the scenario director and coordinate the movement of their players across the field.

Two-way radios are frequently used to communicate between command staff, individual teams and referees.[1]

Specialist roles

Scenario games may incorporate specialist roles with abilities defined by the event rules.

Common examples include:

Medics: May return eliminated or wounded players to active play under specified conditions.
Engineers: May repair fictional structures, bridges or other objectives.
Demolition specialists: May destroy designated objectives using approved scenario props.
Intelligence agents and spies: May gather information, infiltrate opposing factions or undertake covert missions.
Heavy weapons specialists: May operate approved anti-vehicle equipment.

Not every scenario event includes these roles, and their permitted abilities vary between organisers.[1][7]

Elimination and reinsertion

Unlike conventional tournament paintball, scenario games commonly allow eliminated players to return to the field during the same game.

Players may be required to visit a designated hospital, reinsertion station or faction headquarters before returning to play.

Some events use timed reinsertion windows, while others allow continuous reinsertion.

These systems enable extended gameplay without permanently removing participants after their first elimination.[7]

Event formats

Scenario paintball encompasses several related formats.

Mission-based games

Mission-based games consist of a series of shorter engagements connected by a common storyline.

Teams receive objectives at designated intervals, with results contributing towards the overall outcome.

These games can be organised on relatively small playing fields and do not necessarily require large numbers of participants.[1]

Twenty-four-hour scenarios

Twenty-four-hour scenario games developed as a distinctive format during the 1990s.

These events typically combine daytime and night-time gameplay, organised mission periods and role-playing activities.

The format was particularly associated with Wayne Dollack and Florida Paintball Productions.

Individual events may incorporate scheduled breaks while maintaining an overall scenario lasting approximately 24 hours.[1][4]

Big games

A big game is a large-scale recreational paintball event, typically involving substantial numbers of players and extensive playing areas.

Big games may incorporate scenario missions, but not every big game has a developed storyline or role-playing component.

The distinction primarily concerns emphasis: big games describe the scale of the event, while scenario paintball describes its mission-based or narrative structure.

Many major recreational paintball events combine both formats.[1]

Equipment

Scenario paintball accommodates a wide range of paintball equipment.

Participants may use conventional hopper-fed markers, mechanical markers, pump-action equipment or magazine-fed markers, depending on the event's rules.

Some events incorporate specialised equipment, including:

Paintball tanks and armoured vehicles.
Portable defensive shields.
Foam-projectile launchers used against designated targets.
Paintball grenades.
Radio communication equipment.
Costumes and props associated with the scenario.

Specialised equipment is generally subject to additional rules and inspection requirements.

Equipment restrictions vary between events, with some organisers allowing conventional paintball markers alongside magazine-fed equipment, while others provide separate magazine-fed games.[7][8]

Safety and officiating

Scenario paintball uses the established safety principles of recreational paintball.

Organised events require appropriate protective goggles, marker velocity limits and rules governing safe conduct.

Larger games may also impose additional restrictions on vehicles, pyrotechnics, projectiles and specialist scenario equipment.

Referees supervise eliminations, verify mission completion, enforce safety rules and record points.

Because of the size and duration of some events, organisers may also establish dedicated command areas, emergency procedures and controlled reinsertion points.[7]

Relationship to other paintball formats

Scenario paintball overlaps with several other forms of paintball but is not synonymous with them.

Woodsball describes paintball played in natural or woodland environments. Scenario games frequently use such terrain, although woodsball can also involve conventional capture-the-flag or elimination games without a storyline.

Magazine-fed paintball describes equipment using detachable magazines. Magazine-fed markers are popular in scenario games but are not required by the format.

MilSim paintball emphasises military simulation, including equipment, communication and tactics inspired by military operations. Some scenario games incorporate these elements, while others use fantasy, science-fiction or non-military themes.

Speedball generally involves comparatively short games on compact playing fields, with defined team sizes and tournament-style scoring.

The distinguishing feature of scenario paintball is its use of organised missions and objectives within a broader game or narrative.

Notable events

Major scenario paintball events have been organised in several countries.

Examples include:

SuperGame – United States.
Oklahoma D-Day – United States.
Invasion of Normandy – United States.
Living Legends – United States.
Fulda Gap – United States.
Decay of Nations – United States.
Castle Conquest – United States.
Paintball's Grand Finale – United States.
North v South – United Kingdom.
BigGame Mahlwinkel – Germany.
Scenario Big Game – Poland.

These events vary considerably in attendance, game format, duration and emphasis on role-playing.

References

External links