The most exciting field sport to hit the circuit around the world is Paintball War. Its popularity in the West is borne by the fact that there are organized teams and competitions played on comprehensively built arenas on a regular basis across the world.
Paintballs consists of colored liquid inside a gelatin capsule and are the size of an average marble. The "paint," which comes in many colors, is water soluble, non-toxic and biodegradable. It washes off skin and clothing in a abreeze!
The paintball gun, called the 'marker', is a pneumatic gun fitted with a compressed gas tank (often CO2). It has a safety catch device and in action it auto-cocks - so that you get the joy of uninterrupted firing. The paintballs are filled in a 'hopper', much like a magazine of a regular gun.
A paintball, since it is being propelled from the gun by pressurized gas, can cause a brief sting if fired at a subject at a short distance. So it is safe to play at a safe distance under an instructor's guidance. Safety face masks are essential to play paintball.
The objective of the game is simple: capture your enemy's flag while guarding yours. And don't get hit by a paintball in the process. Once you are hit, you have to declare yourself out of the game and return to base. A referee is a useful participant in the process!
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