Short Fuses: Using Paintball Grenades
Paintball, a hybrid sport of Hide and Seek and Tag, with elements of Capture the Flag thrown in for good measure, appeals to any player's adventurous side. Combining paramilitary strategy with athleticism and dexterity, paintball is much more than some violent game played by violent youths. While still primarily a male sport, paintball fields are filled with players of all ages, from pre-adolescents to fathers, from teenage girls to college graduates. Traditionally, paintball pits two teams against each other, each player armed with a paintball gun or marker. Players struck by an exploding paintball are eliminated, and the last team standing, or the first team to capture the enemy flag, wins.
However, such a simple plan can only last so long. For added excitement, paintball players have gone above and beyond the original intentions of the sport. From extreme paintball to scenario play, modern paintball incorporates everything from home-made paintball rocket launchers to World War II authentic gear and battle simulations. Paintball grenades, while illegal in tournament play, are essential weapons in most scenario games and recreational play. Paintball grenades add both another level of strategy, and provide players the opportunity to completely immerse themselves in the role play of military warfare.
Two for One
In most scenario games, any hits from paintball grenades counts as a kill. The paint is usually a different color than the paint of the paintballs in play, differentiating between the two. Since any drop of spray from a grenade means elimination, referees must be able to ensure that a particular splatter is from a grenade, not a stray paintball or contact with a downed player.
There are two general kinds of paintball grenades in use during recreational play. Once again, neither type is allowed in tournament play. Non-explosive paintball grenades are similar to water balloons. These rubber tubes are sealed on one end, and held together on the other end with an arming pin. Paint is inserted into the balloon with a syringe, maintaining the pressure within the grenade. When the arming pin is pulled and the grenade is thrown, the loosened end opens, spraying paint over a wide area. Other non-explosive paintball grenades consist of a small compressed air tank surrounded by a paint container which, when thrown, will force the paint out in a large arc.
Explosive paintball grenades are a little more expensive, and a lot more dangerous. These grenades in particular are often modeled after World War II grenades, adding to the role playing aspect of scenario paintball. These grenades are fueled by black powder, and even incorporate a short fuse. A small bag of paint is wrapped around the device. The fuse, embedded in the tightly-packed black powder, is capped with a safety catch; when the safety is removed, it is used to ignite the fuse. Players throw these paintball grenades like real grenades; when the fuse runs out in a few seconds, the powder explodes, and paint covers the area and any players caught in the vicinity.
