The last experience I had of Paintball was a couple of years back…
We had a big group of frens…
Made our way up to Bukit Tinggi…
Well dat was like the only place that had it at that time…
Split into two groups…
Shoot each other into oblivion…
Ahahahahaaa…
Boy did we had fun…
Neways…
Last weekend…
I managed to catch the country’s premier competition…
Nation Cup 2004…
The best part of it was that they had international teams…
If u think they are impressive…
Well…
They are damn impressive…
But my hats of to the local lads…
They were quite good too…
On par I can say…
Maybe just the experience lacking…
Arrggghhhh…
Itchin for a go when I get the chance…
Later…
Here's a write up on paintball in Malaysia...
Njoy...
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Paintball pandemoniumBY MICHAEL D’OLIVEIRO
XTION PAINTBALL SUNWAY EXTREME PARKLot 998, Jalan Lagoon Selatan (opposite Sunway Medical Centre)012-211 2206 E-mail: carolz@xtionpaintball.comWebsite: www.xtionpaintball.com
IT’S THE terrifying and constant hail of bullets, the screams of your comrades above the clatter of semi-automatic weapons, the snipers lying in wait to pick you off. And worse, the threat of friendly fire.
Sounds like the Gulf War, doesn’t it? Except it’s just a round of paintball in progress at the Sunway Lagoon.
Most of us have seen or heard about paintball, probably through friends and stories from overseas and, more recently, from home. The great news is that this high-octane game can finally be enjoyed by Klang Valley residents looking for a bit of team-building and fun.
And so I found myself at the new Sunway Extreme Park, gearing up to learn the not-so subtle art of pellet warfare. It takes an hour to learn the rules of paintball, and considerably more hours of playing to master it.
One of the senior marshals expertly initiated us into the world of paintball, the same way a sergeant-major “welcomes” raw recruits to boot camp — without the screaming of course.
He reminded the gung-ho ones how primitive the paintball weapons can be. “Don’t try to be a Rambo or Chow Yun Fat and do this (aims the gun on its side) because nothing will come out,” he says humorously, explaining that the pellet-holder above the gun supplies its contents through the law of gravity.
Safety first
One thing you learn early on is that anything involving plastic pellets flying at 15m per second means potential harm. That’s how powerful the guns can be. Safety is THE most important aspect of the sport. Thus, we were constantly reminded to keep our face masks on at all times.
The other constant reminder we got was that our gun barrel plugs (which prevent pellets from being inadvertently discharged) had to be kept on at all times until the signal to remove them was given (usually just before the game began). A rundown on the objective of the game followed.
Each “battle” was to be fought in a field divided into two and a “no man’s land” in between. Barrels and wooden boards acted as shelters for teams taking up positions. More importantly, each team had a bottle that was displayed clearly for the opposition to see.
The aim was to shoot the opposition team’s bottle. This would grant the team’s designated runner the “licence” to retrieve the flag and deliver it to home base away from the frontlines. The first team to get its flag back to base is the winner.
Being shot doesn’t mean you’re finished. The rule is that you would have to put your weapon down, run back to base and then return to the battlefield. Still, you wouldn’t want to be shot as it would rob your team of an extra man in the midst of fighting. Usually, a best of three games format is played to decide the winning team, although the duration and nature of the game varies wildly according to skill and tactics.
Itching to go, we “locked and loaded” within minutes of briefing,
All guns blazing
As the starting siren wailed, both teams took up their battle positions. Somehow, I managed to “volunteer” myself to be flag retriever, and now I was beginning to regret it. The first game was paintball pandemonium as we struggled to overcome the hail of gunfire and adrenaline buzz.
Shots whizzed past my ear. Paintball pellets were splattering all around me. We heard shouts of “Flag is down,” but couldn’t tell whether it was ours or theirs. By the time I tried to grab ours, it was too late.
The other team had got their flag back to base. The second game was crucial. We either clinched it or we were out. With the initial excitement over, a game-plan was hatched on the spot. I could sense a greater team spirit building up as we felt the urge to get one back.
The siren wailed again and one more round of intense battle ensued. Despite being shot at several times, my partner and I stuck to our guns (pun intended), running back and forth, eventually stumbling back with the flag. The sirens rang and we were congratulated by the marshals. Things were back to even, and now it was down to the wire to determine the victors. Our team held another briefing to come up with a new game plan.
The final battle was as fierce as it could get, with everyone unloading their pellets at will. We grabbed our flag and ran for victory. The finishing siren wailed, and then the bad news hit us like a one-ton truck. The opposition team had reached their base with flag in hand a mere few seconds ahead of us. In a space of 15 minutes, it seemed like we had gone to hell and back. Strangers became comrades and the “wounded” became team heroes. We consoled ourselves and congratulated the winners.
The art of war
Paintball can be fun and serious at the same time. Of course, the game is more enjoyable if tactical planning is devised early on, because the aim if after all to win. One important tip is that unless you’re a pretty good sprinter, don’t be the flag retriever. Otherwise, be prepared to be shot at by everyone else in the opposition team, including their best marksmen!
Obviously, in inter-office games the boss would be advised not to take up this role as the focus on him or her would be extra intense! Having a game plan is the best way to achieve victory. Have battle signals and strategies worked through until everyone understands them. Back-up plans are a must. We ended the day tired but buzzed by the new experience. It certainly produces an adrenaline rush that keeps you talking about it.
Paintball is best when you’re with friends or colleagues and you just want to break the routine of what you normally do. Guys and girls can get into it easily, as long as you’re keen on outdoor action. But best of all, you get to let off steam and experience some serious team-work at the same time.
o Packages available: The starter pack is RM60 per person (with a minimum six-person booking) and comes with paintball gun, face mask, barrel plug, team ID arm-band, CO2 cannister and 50 paintball pellets. Field Charges (per hour): Mon–Fri, before 5pm — RM10. Mon–Fri, after 5pm — RM20. Public holidays/weekends before 5pm — RM20, after 5pm — RM30.
