| Tournament Games are a form of competition | | | | |
| paintball. Paintball fields often hold | | | | Capture the Flag · Capture the Flag is |
| tournaments, awarding prizes to winning | | | | very similar to Center Flag. Capture the Flag |
| tournament teams. Common formats for | | | | is commonly played when there are larger |
| tournament paintball include 3-man, 5-man, | | | | teams (over five people per team). The rules |
| and 10-man games. A few years back, | | | | of Capture the Flag are very similar, as are |
| tournaments were held mostly in wooded | | | | the objectives. A team may choose to |
| fields, while now they tend to be held more | | | | completely eliminate the opposing team to |
| often on speedball fields (see below for | | | | win, or may grab a flag on the opposite |
| descriptions of speedball and woodsball). | | | | team’s back border, and bring it back |
| Some more famous tournaments include the | | | | to their border to win. If the flag carrier |
| International Amateur Open in Pennsylvania, | | | | gets shot, the flag should be returned to its |
| and the World Cup in Florida. | | | | original position. This rule can vary as it |
| | | | does in Center Flag. Capture the Flag is |
| Total Elimination · Although not widely | | | | commonly used in 10-man tournament formats. |
| used in tournaments, total elimination is one | | | | |
| of the more common types of games in recball. | | | | USPL Format Games The official format of the |
| It has the basic rule of one hit needed to | | | | game is patented and supposed to be a heavily |
| eliminate someone. The objective of this game | | | | guarded secret, so don't try this at home |
| is to eliminate all of the players on the | | | | kids! The USPL, United States Paintball |
| opposing team. Many games are based off of | | | | League, was founded for one main reason - for |
| total elimination, and have the same rules. | | | | paintball to be successfully televised. This |
| Some popular forms of Total Elimination | | | | format has more television friendly rules, |
| include Center Flag and Capture the Flag - | | | | and can be compared to football or soccer, |
| both used often in tournament format games. | | | | two more physical sports where two |
| | | | “goals†are also used. Players |
| Center Flag · Center flag, like stated | | | | may be put in a penalty box for unruly |
| previously, is a form of Total Elimination. | | | | behavior and the like, and the “game |
| There are two objectives to choose from when | | | | counter†will stop while the player who |
| playing Center Flag. Your team may choose to | | | | is penalized is getting off the field, |
| eliminate all of the players on the other | | | | causing play to freeze for a short period. |
| team for the victory (Total Elimination) or | | | | The objective of the game is to take the |
| capture the objective (a flag in the center | | | | opposing team’s flag and bring it to |
| of the field) and bring it to a certain | | | | one of three points - the opponent’s |
| location. The target location for the flag is | | | | zone (7 points scored), the neutral zone (3 |
| usually the back wall or border of the | | | | points scored), or the scoring team’s |
| opposing team. There are also a few special | | | | zone (1 point scored). Another notable rule |
| rules for Center Flag. Once a player gets | | | | of the USPL is that in most conditions - |
| shot the flag should be returned to its | | | | “slamming†an airball bunker of |
| original position. This rule can be altered | | | | an opposing player is allowed, causing the |
| so that if the flag carrier is tagged, then | | | | opponent to fly out of it. ("Slamming" refers |
| the flag must be dropped on the ground and | | | | to pushing a bunker from the opposite side, |
| the player must leave the field, or the | | | | literally pushingthe other player out of |
| player must stand still with the flag hanging | | | | it.)The field is divided into two main sides, |
| off his hand, and not fire at any other | | | | the home and away side, which are marked by |
| player. Once the flag is grabbed from the | | | | the starting points. The official format is |
| player’s hand, they may leave the | | | | also supposedly a heavily guarded secret. The |
| field. Different variations apply to | | | | USPL television show is expected to start in |
| different leagues. Center Flag is commonly | | | | 2002. |
| used for 3-man or 5-man formats. | | | | |