Woodsball, A Game of Men

I have dabbled in all styles of paintball. I've played on air fields, hyperball fields, I've played in fake towns, and junkyards, almost anywhere and everywhere you could imagine. But there is just something about a nice big forest that I just cannot seem to escape.

That's right; I'm talking about woodsball people. In my personal opinion, it’s the best way to play. Now don't get me wrong. I enjoy the fast paced excitement of X Ball as much as the next guy, or girl for that matter. But woodsball just feels so much more real to me.

Being out in a forest adds so much more to the game because whether you know it or not, there is always one more person playing then you brought with, Mother Nature. She can be your best friend or you worst enemy. Nature forms the field to its own specifications and every field is different. It can be anywhere from a few yards wide to a mile across. Air filled bunkers are replaced by trees and rocks and Astroturf is replaced by, you guessed it, actual turf. Nature creates every little twist and turn you travel on and it can even control how you move throughout it. There can be a wide open field that you wouldn’t dare expose yourself in or dense overgrowth that blocks off your path and forces you to turn back. Not only that, but it adds a whole new level of field mechanics to the game, literally. The land can be elevated to give you the advantage on the high ground or it can be dug out to give you a ditch that you can use to travel through unseen in order to sneak up on your enemies.

But terrain is just the half of it. You also have to deal with the weather. In a moment’s notice your sunlight can disappear causing your vision of the field to worsen. It can start to rain worsening traction on the ground and causing your mask to fog up. And different temperatures can have many different effects not only on your body but on your equipment as well.

On top of having to deal with the environment, you have no idea where you’re opponents are at the beginning of the game. All you have is your gun and your teammates. You have to constantly be alert and aware of your surrounding environment and teammates alike. There are distractions everywhere in the forest, branches cracking bushes rustling, and little woodland creatures running around everywhere. You have to move quickly and silently, working with your team to cover as much ground as possible while concealing yourselves so as not to give away your position too soon. You use your camouflage as best you can while using hand signals instead of words to relay messages to your teammates. Every step you take you can feel the adrenaline coarse through your veins and your senses seem to strengthen in anticipation of battle. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. All styles of paintball are fun, but nothing beats woodsball.