Paintball is played with a potentially limitless variety of rules and variations, all of which are specified before the game begins. The most basic of all game rules is that players must attempt to accomplish a goal without being tagged with paintballs. Generally paintball is divided into either its original incarnation woodsball, or the small arena-based and tournament de facto speedball. Amongst these paintball game types, variations of basic rules can be played.

 

1 Stock paintball

2 Basic variations

3 Tournament formats

 

Stock paintball

Stock paintball players must adhere to the following rules, in regards to usable paintball markers.

• The marker must have a horizontal paintball feed - the marker must be tilted (rocked) forward or backward to feed the next shot.

• The marker may not be semi-automatic - it requires pumping or cocking prior to each shot being fired 

• The marker must be powered by a single 12 gram powerlet - limiting the number of shots to 15-40 depending on the efficiency of the marker.

• The marker may only hold a maximum of 20 paintballs inside the feed tube

Basic variations

• Elimination or Slayer - Teams or individual player must simply eliminate all of their opponents.[2] Most games with a primary goal, such as capture the flag, use this as a secondary winning condition.

• Capture the Flag - When paintball was first started in 1981, the very first game played was a round of capture the flag with twelve people divided into two teams.[3] Each team must take the flag from the opponents' flag station and return it to their own station to win. Alternatively, in a variation called centerflag, a single flag may be placed in the center of the field for both teams to compete over.

• King of the Hill - Players attempt to capture and hold one or more bases. These bases may be arranged in a path, and to capture one the team must control all previous bases along the path, or the bases may be distributed with any one of them up for grabs. "Reinforcements" are common in these games as it is otherwise unlikely any one team will capture all bases without completely eliminating the other side.

• Attack/Defend A variation of "King of the Hill", one team is given an advantageous defensive position, such as a cluster of bunkers, advantageous terrain such as a hilltop, or a pre-built fortification, within which they must defend some critical goal point. The other team is given unlimited reinforcements, and must reach the goal point in as short a time as possible. Teams then switch sides and the now-attacking team must beat the previous team's time to reach the goal. Related attack-and-defend games can be played with uneven teams as military scenarios.

• Reinforcements/resurrections - Not a game format by itself, but common in recreational and scenario games, this rule variant allows one or more eliminated players of one or more teams to re-enter the game after being eliminated. The simplest form is when a group has an odd number of players; instead of having a player sit out, the team with one fewer player gets one "resurrection"; the first player eliminated may simply go back to his team's starting point, touch it, and re-enter the game as the team's "missing man". "Reinforcements" are commonly used in more structured variants like scenario play, and allow groups of eliminated players from both teams to re-enter the game at specified time intervals.

  • "Jail tag" is a full game variant based on the similar kid's game, in which players who are eliminated go to a "jail" area, and players still in the game can "rescue" a player from jail by touching them with their hand, and bring them back into the game.

• Vampire, Predator, Terminator, Zombie - A common family of variations derived from simple "elimination" games, players split into two uneven teams. Depending on the variant, one team (usually the team with fewer players) is given some advantage. "Vampires", for instance, may turn players from the other team into Vampire players by shooting them. "Terminators" or "Predators" may require a hit in a certain area, such as the facemask, to be eliminated. "Zombies" may have both advantages and disadvantages; they may require multiple hits and be able to convert players from the other team, but may also have a disadvantage such as being required to walk, or to "convert" players by tapping them with the barrel instead of marking them with a paintball.

• Scenarios - Players split into teams according to the specific scenario, usually modeled on some real-world police, military or security situation. A common scenario game is "VIP"; one player of one team represents the VIP, and the goal of the rest of that player's team is to get the VIP across the field without being eliminated, while the goal of the entire opposing team is to eliminate the VIP. The team protecting the VIP may have some advantage such as "body armor" (multiple hits may be required, or members of that team may simply not be able to be eliminated, allowing a player to use themselves to "shield" the VIP). Other scenarios generally fall into the "attack & defend" category, where even or uneven teams compete to invade and oppositely defend a specific fortification on a field. 

• Common Foe[5] - Great game if you're short on equipment or just if you want to keep the game moving and minimize the amount of time in the dead box. It allows for a quick winner stays style of scenario.

  • Rules:

    Divide into 3 equal teams: Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie

    Teams Alpha and Bravo begin an elimination style game

    When the number of people in the dead box is equal to the number of Team Charlie, who are waiting on the outside, a signal is given and team Charlie enters the game. At this point, the remnants of Team Alpha and Team Bravo combine to become Team Delta and defend the attack from Team Charlie.

    The players in the dead box unite to become Team Echo. They are on deck. This should be an ample opportunity to clean and reload.

    When the number of people in the dead box is equal to the number of Team Echo, who are waiting on the outside, a signal is given and team Echo enters the game. At this point, the remnants of Team Charlie and Team Delta combine to become Team Foxtrot and defend the attack from Team Echo.

    Play continues until a specified time limit or until you've gone a specified number of rounds.

    • You'll want to establish a clear signal that the game is changing. It's better if this is different from the signal to begin or end each round. For instance, when you're ready to change the game, you'll blow a horn

    • You may also want to have a refill station somewhere on the field for the players that stay in the game from one round to another.

  • Variations:

    • The same can be accomplished with only 2 teams. In that case, when half the players are in the dead box, they unite against the players still on the field.

• Hunger Games[6] - Small teams start separated with nothing. May the odds be ever in your favor.

  • Rules:

    This can be played as all-against-all or as multiple very small teams.

    All players start in a ring, each at least 20 feet from the person on each side. The smaller the gap, the more insane the break. Team members should start opposite each other or with opponents in between them.

    Place each player's gun on the ground 20 feet outside the circle from them

    Optional Put some sort of prize in the middle such as a better gun, extra rounds, or grenades.

    • Wish everybody, "May the odds be ever in your favor"

    • Countdown from 10 with the last 5 seconds silent. On 0, make the signal to start the game.

    • This game is insane off the break. Many will likely get out even before touching their gun but almost without fail, even the ones that get out off the break will love this game. When you

  • Variations:

    • Gamemaker Push

      • After there are several people in the deadbox and things have started slowing down, liven thing up a bit. Announce yourselves and be loud as all the deadbox players walk through a defined strip of the field and shoot at anyone that's there. You can choose if they are then out of the game or if they just need to relocate.