GAMES OPTIONS

Bulldog - Centre Flag Games
The most popular format for smaller style fields

A single flag is placed at centre field usually visible from team bases. The objective is to gain possession of the flag and place it at your opposition's base. Often it is necessary to eliminate all opposition players to achieve this. Centre flag games are used for 3 to 5 player competitions as this format produces fast action packed play and can be played on almost any field. We use it on Bridge of Remagen, River Kwai and Super Airball.

Each team has a flag at or near their base with the objective being to retrieve your oppositions flag and get it back to your base whilst defending your own flag. This format makes up the rest of competition play for 7 to 10 player teams. Unlike the Bulldog scenario often the stealth like approach can be effective particularly on large heavily wooded fields with dense ground cover. Our Forts and Flags field is perfect for this and is also used on the Generals and Kakoda.

A player from each team, usually the loudest characters in each group are chosen as team medics. We fit them out with a medics coat so they stand out like you know what. When tagged in this game, rather than go to the elimination zone, players stay on field with their gun in the air calling 'medic'. All the medic has to do is touch you and you're back in the game. The medic has a paintball marker as normal and can tag opposition players. Once the medic has been tagged three times in the vest he or she is eliminated. Many variations of this game can be played on any field.

Using a pack of playing cards one player in each team is chosen to become a traitor. Only he or she knows who this is. I find it adds another dimension to the game as everyone tends to go it alone for fear their partner may be the traitor. The traitor must wait until fired upon and can wait as long as he or she likes to try and set up a situation where they are the most effective. Quite often the traitor will wait too long and either get shot by old team mates or new ones. Any field, with any other scenario.

One team starts at the base while the opposition spread themselves throughout the field. The base team must run the gauntlet (a cylindrical canister) to the base at the other end of the field to win. Additional scenarios can be added by placing objective details or treasure maps in the gauntlet. This must be played on a dense bush field to give the carriers any chance of success. We use the Kakoda or the Generals field.

This game takes a little more planning, communication and organisation than most. The rescue team are sent into enemy territory with a stretcher to retrieve the 'dummy' pilot of a crash landed aircraft. Mission - to bring the pilot out alive. Often this may require some of the rescue party to sacrifice themselves for the missions success. Again variations can be played depending on field density and player numbers, again the Kakoda or Generals work best for this scenario.

This game can be played with just one general or one per team. Rather than a flag the General becomes the objective. Shoot the General on the opposing team and you win. Players become bodyguards for their general. If playing with two generals the first out loses. If playing with one, the General must retrieve something (we use the gauntlet) from the field and return it to base unscathed - to win. The Generals field was established for this game.

In this game if you are tagged on an arm or leg you can continue to play but must not use that limb. Head or torso shots are out. Everyone ends up rolling around laughing at the site of their mates trying to drag themselves around with no legs or getting team mates to load a marker for them. Works best on speedball style fields where refs can keep an eye on the antics.

Everyone starts with an armband, different colours for each team. When tagged you must give your armband to the player who shot you and return to your base. If you get shot and have no armband to give - you're OUT. If you have multiple armbands when shot you only have to give one and return to base. This game can go on for quite a while so I suggest a time limit. Works best on a smaller bush field. We use the Alamo.

One player from each team is taken hostage by the opposition and starts at their base. The hostage must do what their kidnappers say for this game to be successful. The objective is to rescue your team mate without tagging him or her so it can be difficult. Everyone seems to have a different idea of how to play this. Our opposing teams use different coloured cams and headgear so identifying your hostage is relatively easy. This is definitely a bush game, not much good on speedball type fields.

While one team faces away from the field the other team is sent in to hide. After a short period of time the game commences and the attacking team go in search of their opposition. This game is based on time and when the last player is tagged the watch stops. Teams swap roles for the next game. The best time wins. When hiding players are tagged they are out but attacking players just need to return to base before re-entering the game. Dense fields like Kakoda work well here but we are developing a field specific to this scenario