Scenario paintball

Today's average recreational paintball game has been reduced to some variation of either elimination or capture the flag. Speedball, also known as "Tourney" (tournament style) paintball, is played in a small court and limied to about 5 minutes per game. This has led to ever more focused and competitive forms of play. Scenario paintball, on the other hand, is a cross between a mystery novel, a role-playing game, and controlled chaos.

These will generally be three day events with a get together BBQ and early check-in Friday night, and play going from noon Saturday to noon Sunday, with scheduled breaks for dinner and a maybe a few hours sleep at night. Games are based on a set story line , usually either historical military action or fictional fantasy. Occasionally they are completely generated by the scenario director, allowing for more creativity and imagination on the part of the players and the director.

Each team (often 100+ players) has a base of operations consisting of a command post or "CP", and is surrounded by various bunkers. Missions are called in to a the command post via radio. The General, having received the mission, then decides if it is feasible to undertake the mission and if so who he will assign the mission to. If the mission is completed points are awarded to the team. The side accomplishing the most missions/points wins. Eliminations have no effect on teams' scores. When a player is eliminated, he checks in at his team's "dead box" and awaits the next "insertion window" (about every 15 minutes or so). Thus, eliminated players aren't out of the action for long.

Scenario games also incorporate faux "air strikes", "helicopter insertions", "booby traps", and an extensive intelligence network both before and during the game. It is not uncommon to see costumes, paintball "bazookas", walkie-talkies, electronic bugs and a whole variety of interesting devices built for the game.

When a player starts the game he is issued a character card. The character card is the proof of a player's game identity and side affiliation, and players will most likely not be allowed in your base without it. Some character cards will also be accompanied by other specialty cards or roles to play.

In most games, there are players who show up just for the Role-playing aspect. The Role-Players will have their own game going inside the larger scenario game and will have a major impact on the overall outcome. Players do not have to play a role in the game, but those that accept a role to play will be provided with specific goals to accomplish in the game. An important point to remember about most scenario games is that Missions win games, but Role-Players can develop information about those missions. This role-plaing extends off the field too. Negotiation between teams for props, deals (real and faux) for gear or info, even trying to get teams/players to defect. For Role-Players the event startes before the game with discussions on Internet BBS/forums, research of characters, phone calls between teams, and costumeing. This "Pre-game" starts weeks or months before the first paintball is fired.

Scenario paintball is good for any level of paintballer. There is a place for the high-speed speedballer and just the place for the woodsballer who likes to sneek and peek.