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Looking to start speedball, need advice/help

LordRodders

New Member
Apr 3, 2019
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Middlesbrough
hi all,
Complete newbie to this, really liking the speedball game type, I am very competitive so this game mode is perfect for me.
Any suggestions on how to start, what’s best marker for beginner, anywhere I can practice speedball, any teams etc?
I am based in Middlesbrough (North East)

Thanks in advance
 

Tom

Tom
Nov 27, 2006
4,076
1,210
198
Salisbury
www.TaskForceDelta.co.uk
The Mecca of speedball in the U.K. is CPPS nearish to Birmingham
There may or may not be a setup nearer to you, but competitive teams travel there which makes many local venues unsustainable to hold an up to date sup air field

If a local team crops up on here then that’s best before you buy gear. You don’t want to buy x brand only to join a team who have an exclusive brand ‘sponsorship’

Many teams have multiple sub teams, giving an entry level and feed to higher divisions
 
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LordRodders

New Member
Apr 3, 2019
4
0
1
29
Middlesbrough
Thanks, forgot to mention I’ve never played paintball, I’ve had a paintball gun a year ago but only used it on private land to shoot targets etc, I have never been on a proper paintball field etc, can I just walk on and play, do I need to take a ‘team’
Thanks
 

Tom

Tom
Nov 27, 2006
4,076
1,210
198
Salisbury
www.TaskForceDelta.co.uk
Thanks, forgot to mention I’ve never played paintball, I’ve had a paintball gun a year ago but only used it on private land to shoot targets etc, I have never been on a proper paintball field etc, can I just walk on and play, do I need to take a ‘team’
Thanks
At a ‘walkon’ event you can just turn up and play
But that would not be speedball / tournament specific

A walkon depends on the site and the crowd, but will typically be the local regular players with an assortment of styles

A tournament needs you to be part of a team. But it can be possible to turn up as an individual and either be part of a ‘scratch’ team which is just random individuals put together, or a team may be looking for extra players either as a one off or to see if you fit in for recruiting

Go for a walkon first and get a flavour of the game.
For some general info have a peek at this thread:
https://p8ntballer-forums.com/threads/what-paintball-costs.153010/
 

LordRodders

New Member
Apr 3, 2019
4
0
1
29
Middlesbrough
Thanks!
So other than a ‘walkon’ You’ve got to be in a ‘team’ to play, I’d like to go to a few local fields and play to get a feel for it.
So I can turn up no with gear, rent it from them, and play, will they put me in a team or am I on my own ‍♂
Sorry if I sound dumb lol never been to one ever!
 

Tom

Tom
Nov 27, 2006
4,076
1,210
198
Salisbury
www.TaskForceDelta.co.uk
Thanks!
So other than a ‘walkon’ You’ve got to be in a ‘team’ to play, I’d like to go to a few local fields and play to get a feel for it.
So I can turn up no with gear, rent it from them, and play, will they put me in a team or am I on my own ‍♂
Sorry if I sound dumb lol never been to one ever!
A tournament is the only style you need to be with a team

Rental / punter paintball is the generally known type of paintball, used by stag & hen parties etc
The biggest / national market leader is Delta Force, with IPG ‘selling’ their tickets in shopping centres etc. Try to avoid them and find an independent local site.
This is the most expensive way to play for a day. But it will give you a taste as a walkon could be a baptism of fire
Everything you need is provided
Groups are generally kept together on one side, but large groups could get a private game
The entry price looks low due to the price cutting race to the bottom, the real cost is the price of paintballs. This isn’t the rip off that some people think, as this is where all the money comes from to run a paintball business

Walkon Paintball is run on most independant sites, its typically once a month. Paint is cheaper and sold by the case of 2000 (about £25-30) and with a higher entry price
You are expected to have your own gear, but can generally rent the gear as well
The players will get spilt into two sides


Scenario Paintball is run as a themed event, usually a one off game at a site per year. Some organisers are running more.
This year there is a collective of teams from about 5-10 years ago doing a few old style scenarios
The Wild Geese ran the first of the year with Everwar at High Wycombe recently, PBM magazine have a game in July, and my team TFD are doing one in September
There are Scenario teams, but that is a group of like minded people. You can also turn up on your own. You get split into two or more sides and fight some themed games - probably all day long or morning / afternoon as opposed to lots of shorter games
Again you are expected to have your own gear but rentals can often be supplied
The entry price probably goes up with the specific event and any props etc, and paintballs are again priced by the case

(NPF bear Birmingham run a scenario themed walkon each month (Diamond Wars) which links into their annual Paintfest in July)


There are two general competitive formats in the UK. Speedball and woodsball tournaments
Speedball is the supair format
Woodsball is in the woods
Both are as competing teams


Another mention for NPF is that it is run by Ged Green who taught the Americans how a tournament should be run with style, and he ran the worlds first ‘modern’ tournament at NPF with ‘hyperball’ before inflatable bunkers were introduced by the French

https://p8ntballer-forums.com/threads/20-years-since-we-first-played-hyperball.177267/#post-1601557
 
Jul 17, 2010
47
6
18
Great information Tom, thanks

In a similar spot to OP, attending my first walk-on in Chester on the 21st of this month.

Hope to eventually progress to speedball.