Zombie paintball hayrides are popping up all over the place during Halloween as the new fad in haunted house rides. These games are safe for all ages and a super fun way of learning how to shoot a paintball gun.
This style of zombie paintball is simple; everyone gets in a hay wagon with a loaded paintball gun. As the riders are driven through a course, they shoot at people dressed up as the undead. In most games geared for the general public, the zombies are not armed or dangerous; they won’t shoot back. The poor zombies in this game are just scary pieces of meat you get to blast with paintballs.
Image Source: thomasfamilyfarm.com
As a worker in the trenches, the job of being one of the zombies leaves much to be desired. However, if done correctly with lots of effort into props, details, storyline, and the right equipment, the zombie hayride can be a scary and exciting experience you will never forget.
Fortunately, you don’t have to wait until Halloween to play zombie paintball. There are several other game variations that are even more fun. These games can be played any time of the year in the field behind your house. If you’re a paintball enthusiast and play frequently, try some of these zombie game variations for a different spin on the same old game.
You can also play zombie paintball as a Halloween or birthday party theme your guests will never forget. When playing recreationally, you won’t need a lot of extra paintball supplies as a professional field or business would have. However, the more elaborate the costumes and props are, the more fun and memorable your game will be should your budget allow.
When you don’t have to cater to the general public, you won’t need a giant hay wagon to carry around players. You can also have the option of arming the zombies with paintball guns so they can shoot back for a much more interesting and exciting game.
Experts say playing paintball can be beneficial for the mind and body. This game also helps in building team spirit as it is a team game. It has been said that paintball game can aid in the development of stamina and agility. It can get you off the couch and help in burning up a lot of calories as you need to do a lot of running, jumping, dodging, bending and climbing.
How To Play Zombie Paintball
To play zombie paintball, you will need at least 8-10 people, however, the more, the better. Games with more people equal more zombies and much more fun. Split up into two teams with numbers specific to the game variation you decide upon. One game has two teams, zombies vs. humans, each armed with paintball guns.
Obviously, each team tries to eliminate the other, but the spin is this… zombies can only be killed with head shots, they can be hit in the body repeatedly without being eliminated. If a zombie shoots a human, the human is incapacitated for a period (5 minutes) and then can continue to play as a zombie trying to eliminate humans.
No matter how good the human team is, eventually the zombie team overwhelms the humans nearly every time. This is because head shots are very difficult in paintball if you don’t know what you’re doing or don’t have a precise enough marker. Considering this, split your teams up in the beginning with slightly fewer players as zombies and more players on the human team.
Variations
Another fun variation of zombie paintball is best played with a larger group. This game divides the players up into three teams; two human teams and one zombie group. The two human teams are divided into one with guns and the other without.
It’s the job of the gun carrying a human team to protect the unarmed team while they travel through zombie infested wasteland. The zombie’s jobs are to eliminate the protectors so they can eat the unarmed humans. It’s best if the armed human team outnumbers the unarmed players whenever possible (for example, of 8 players; 3 are unarmed, 5 have guns and protect the 3). This game is super fun and requires strategy from both sides if they want to win.
A good rule to follow is zombies must shoot the armed humans to eliminate them but are not allowed to shoot the unarmed group, they must have physical contact with them for elimination. While this can be a tap on the back or a full on tackle, this adds a whole new level of excitement to an already fast paced, adrenaline filled game.
Equipment You Need
Protective gear for all players
Besides the usual individual gear, you will not need a lot of extra supplies to play zombie paintball. However, the zombies will require a few specifics. No matter how you decide to play, zombies are going to get hit with the most paintballs, so their protective equipment must be a priority.
If you’re setting up a zombie paintball hayride, your zombies must wear protective gear from head to toe. This includes shin guards, knee/elbow pads, protective vest and armored shirt, arm/forearm padding, gloves, neck protector, and goggles. For zombies, paintball goggles are best to wear rather than full face masks, so the protective eye wear doesn’t interfere with face paint if you use this.
If you decide to go with scary masks instead, goggles are the best choice to fit over the mask. Choose zombie masks knowing you will also be adding protective eye wear. For example, either choose a very loose mask so paintball goggles can be worn underneath or a very tight mask (or face paint) for outer wear goggles. Cheap vinyl paintball jumpsuits are also available and great for covering zombies up for a unified look and also offer a bit more protection.
Before playing, decide on other fun details of the game that determine skill level of the players. For example, do you want fast or slow zombies? Slow zombies that lumber around are easy targets better for beginner players, but very hard on the zombie players. Fast zombies is much more fun and scarier but make the game better suited for the adventurous type.
What do zombies wear?
One of the biggest decisions is what you want your zombies to wear so you can distinguish them from the human players. Will they wear scary Halloween masks, face paint or simple colored bands around their arms? Obviously, the arm band option is the cheapest and easiest route, but spending time, effort and money on the details will create a game that will never be forgotten.
The vinyl coveralls come in either bright hunter orange or camouflage. Orange makes your zombies stick out and easy to see, while camo helps them hide for a much more challenging game. Finally, glow in the dark paintballs are available to make playing at dusk or night very fun and right with the theme.
Basic Paintball Safety Tips
The most effective and by far the simplest way to prevent injuries related to the sport is to ensure that you have appropriate paintball equipment to play with and the most suitable paintball clothing and safety gear on to protect yourself.
Eyewear
Eye safety: One of the primary concerns when playing paintball is the high likelihood of eye injuries which can be quite serious given the velocity of the projectile. Fortunately, these can be prevented by wearing high-quality paintball goggles.
However, most people try to make do with a pair of lab glasses or damaged goggles and in the process they set the stage for a painful injury and even vision loss in worst cases. There are several websites that offer quality paintball gear, so if you are an enthusiast, you should have no problems investing in a pair.
Shoes
The right kind of footwear: Paintball does involve quite a bit of running around, jumping, dodging, falling and more, so you need to ensure that your foot and particularly your ankles are well protected through the ordeal. Once again the importance of using suitable paintball gear is highlighted here. Ideally, you should wear shoes that offer good support to the ankles and prevent sprains in the event of a slip or a fall.
Foot wear with poor grip will simply not do because most players are running around a very slippery field at full speed which can be a dangerous combination. A pair of quality trainers with good grip and nonslip soles should do just fine.
The importance of good footwear cannot be stressed enough as proper shoes can not only prevent you from hurtling yourself into another player but also reduce the chance of injuries caused due to bumping into trees and other objects around the field.
Clothes
Suitable clothing: Proper paintball clothing is also crucial to ensure your safety or you may end up with nasty red welts which will turn an ugly blue in a day or two. As a matter of fact, it is normal to see most players using several pieces of paintball clothing that include gloves, neck protectors, forearm pads, knee pads and more. All of these pieces of paintball clothing worn together will play a huge role in preventing injuries.
It is also vital to ensure that you only play the game in reputable paintball centers with a good safety record and experienced staff on board, who are equipped to handle emergencies and enforce the rules of the game to make the event safe for everybody.
Top Zombie Paintball Attractions In US
Playing paintball and zombie paintball is tons of fun. Either way it gives players the opportunity to feel like they’re part of a video game. There’s the thrill of the chase and the victory of a sharp shot, and nothing in the world compares to the adrenaline.
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While it’s fun to play paintball out in the back yard, the US is home to many incredible paintball arenas, stacked with the proper obstacles and hiding places to turn an average game of paintball into an extreme experience that will let your imagination run wild.
In no particular order here are some of the top paintball and zombie paintball attractions in the United States.
1. Anderson Farms, Colorado
On this paintball hunt, save the farm and kill some zombies. In the corn fields, throughout the property, zombies have taken over. Each paintballer has their own gun aboard the special wagon! It’s up to you, players, to keep the zombies under control!
http://andersonfarms.com/zombie-paintball-hunt/
Image Source: andersonfarms.com
2. Paintball Explosion, Illinois
Paintball Explosion is home to 6 primary courses that can be utilized for paintball, laser tag, and airsoft. Their themed zones are intended to mimic prominent settings from computer games.
Guests are always thrilled about the Nuketown field, demonstrated after the guide in Call of Duty. The recreation center is set up with test shams and school transports, much the same as the zone in the well known first individual shooter amusement. If you’ve ever needed to play Call of Duty, all things considered, you won’t improve opportunity than the one offered by Paintball Explosion.
3. The Paintball Park, California
Camp Pendleton is home to a unique paintball encounters on earth. Players will have the capacity to strategize their diversion on a genuine army installation. There are a few themed zones, and they’re all as bona fide as anyone might imagine.
You’ll have the opportunity to weave and evade around armed force tanks, copters, and fuel fortifications while killing your paintball rivals. Break out your camo coat and get the chance to work. It’s a great opportunity to put your shooting abilities to utilize great.
4. Conflict USA, Pennsylvania
Located in the interesting town of Albrightsville, Pennsylvania, Skirmish gloats an incredible measure of play space. This 700 section of land paintball desert spring has more than 50 zones, containing an assortment of playable open doors. Contact Nature playing paintball in the forested areas. Mimic military strategies with posts, helicopters, and tanks.
Play in a ridicule cityscape, or even in the two strongholds on Skirmish’s grounds. Notwithstanding their wide assortment of zones, Skirmish additionally holds yearly occasions.
The most prominent occasion is their situation diversion called “The Invasion of Normandy” – a ridicule of the recorded fight that attracts almost 4,000 members each late spring.
5. Barrage Paintball, Colorado
Found only outside of Denver in a town called Dacono, Blitz Paintball acquires its spot on the rundown for an assortment of reasons. While the paintball grounds are magnificent, the most eminent specialty that Blitz gloats are its colossal palace.
Charged as a top competition zone, this medieval setting sets the standard high for expert paintball players. With a couple of impediments to hole up behind in the manor zone, just top-level players will have the capacity to leave the field unscathed. In case you’re up for a test, you’ll see one here.
6. CPX Paintball, Illinois
On the off chance that you need to play paintball in an alternate universe, CPX Paintball in Chicago has you secured. Home to the absolute most one of a kind zones on the planet, this is another paintball field that brings a completely immersive nuclear age involvement to players.
The champion zone is the Town of Bedlam. Its boulevards are fixed with exteriors of curious shops, intended to impersonate the engineering of 1950’s America. Players feel like they’re lost in a retro apparition town until the paintball fire begins flying.
If the vibe of Bedlam isn’t suited to your tastes, CPX is likewise home to an Armageddon zone, a Wasteland Zone, and even a Jungle that takes after Indiana Jones film sets.
7. Hollywood Sports, California
This paintball field in Los Angeles is the main place on earth that will furnish you with the chance to play paintball within the sets from your most loved movies.
Hollywood Sports is broadly viewed as a standout amongst the most themed paintball stops in the whole world, and it’s no big surprise why. You’ll have the capacity to have shootouts on the copied sets of movies like Mad Max and reproduced computer game sets enlivened, similar to Black Ops Canyon.
On the off chance that your surroundings are similarly as vital to you as the round of paintball itself, Hollywood Sports merits the top spot on your paintball container list.
8. D-Day Adventure Park, Oklahoma
In Wyandotte, paintball is more than only an amusement – it’s an ordeal. In spite of the fact that the experience stop offers a normal course of paintball year round, its busiest time of year is amid an occasion they call D-Day.
D-Day is a week long paintball celebration, themed in the wake of something else every year. There are campgrounds and merchants that serve this paintball celebration, and each day of the occasion is loaded with unique smaller than usual amusements and missions. If you need to arrange a paintball excursion, plan it around D-Day. It’s justified regardless of the excursion to Oklahoma in case you’re a genuine aficionado.
9. End of the World Paintball, Wisconsin
End of the world is presently home to 16 themed playing zones. However, the paintball stop keeps on including more. Their zones fluctuate in size, with littler regions for unpracticed players and expansive fields for individuals who cherish the excite of the game.
Manors are a pillar of paintball fields, and Apocalypse brags a standout amongst the most amazing strongholds worked to date. This 40,000 square foot palace gloats seven towers standing three stories tall, and additionally a four-story keep. The mansion is additionally home to mystery concealing spots and an extensive catwalk. It serves as the ideal stronghold for any situation amusement you can envision.
10. Field of Screams, Rhode Island
At Field of Screams in Rhode Island, there is a special zombie paintball attraction. Only open a few months out of the year, you will surely get your zombie on. Players board a giant military truck and the paintball guns are mounted onto the truck itself. Together, each player on the truck will control their own gun and work together to kill the zombies before they invade the truck. Enter at your own risk!
11. Indoor Extreme Sports, NYC
For those of you on the East Coast, during the winter, you’re still in luck! In Long Island City or Staten Island in New York, indoor extreme sports has Zombie laser tag. Put an twist on your favorite intense game by adding zombies to your game. It is an additional charge but you won’t forget the experience and it definitely will make you want to come back
12. Funagins, Ohio
In Sylvania, OH, Funagins, puts on a zombie paintball apocolypse. This sounds as crazy as it is. Players raid a village (in the dark) to find and kill as many zombies as they can. Don’t worry about protecting yourself, the zombies don’t shoot so get to them before they get to you!
http://www.funagins.com/zombie-paintball-apocalypse/
13. Zombie Outbreak, Florida
In nowhere but Orlando Florida, you don’t want to miss this live experience full of actions. Zombie Outbreak is a video game that puts a different spin on classic paintball, because it’s less active, so even those with health conditions can participate! I can assure you that it’s just as fun and it’s a can’t miss experience. Can you survive?
14. Atlanta Zombie Apocolypse, Georgia
In the Zombie Kill exhibit, players have a paintball gun and shoot zombies until their brains explode. It’s a little creepy exploring the dark woods. You never know when a zombie will pop out but that’s the fun and thrill of the experience. Good luck!
It’s difficult to limit down the best paintball fields in the United States, particularly when there is such a variety of one of a kind encounters to look over. While these offer probably the most immersive encounters the universe of paintball brings to the table, they’re positively not by any means the only places where paintball players can go to get a brilliant diversion in. Pick one of these murdered themed parks, suit up, snatch your paintball firearm, and call your companions. It’s an ideal opportunity to take off and get the diversion going.
Importance of Exercise For Paintball
The proper paintball exercise can give you equal doses of cardiovascular training, strength training, and running workout. Exercise at least three times a week for at least 30 minutes in preparation for your actual paintball exercises. You can mix and match different kinds of exercises in one day. For example, you can jog and do a cardio workout in one session.
Cardio
Cardio workouts improve your endurance. After a few weeks of doing continuous cardio exercises, you will start noticing different changes in yourself. You are stronger and don’t tire out that easily as before. Running on the treadmill or riding a stationary bike can improve your strength and endurance also.
If you don’t use the gym, you can jog or ride a bike. When in your home, try running up and down the stairs, or exercise videos to get the necessary cardio you need. Mix and match different exercises so you don’t get bored with doing one form of exercise. Just do everything that you can to keep your heart pumping!
Endurance
Building up your endurance is also important since paintball will keep you up and about while running in different directions. Speed is important but endurance is more important. You want to keep your speed throughout the whole session. Practice both speed running and distance running. Try to run at least 3 miles. Speed running will improve your speed and sprinting abilities which is important in paintball.
Paintball will require you to be fast while lugging around a paintball gun and with all the safety gear. Strength is important in carrying all these extra weights with you. Paintball is not just concerned with running. You also do crawling, diving, sprinting and shooting. Do strength training exercises at least three times a week to keep up with the demands of paintball.
Muscle Strength
If you want to build up muscles, then you need to concentrate on certain parts of your body to do this. Strengthen your legs because you will be using them 80% of the time in playing paintball. Another area of importance is your back, having strong back muscles will improve your strength.
Paintball also requires strong abdominal muscles. But, you don’t need a six-pack to play paintball. To build up abdominal muscles, try to do some squats, leg lifts, and lunges. Crunches also strengthen your core.
Diet
Diet is also important in playing paintball. Eat healthy. Drink lots of fluids like water and other sports drinks. Running around during the game may cause you to become dehydrated. It’s better to stock up on fluids before the game, than to die half way through.
The Bottom Line
Whether you’re new or old to paintball, you’ll definitely love zombie paintball. As crazy as it sounds, and as crazy as it is, it’s just as fun, if not even more fun when you bring a few horror fans into the mix.
What do you think about this? Know any other great location that should be on every paintball fan’s bucket list? Hit us up with a comment down below and make sure to show your friends this article as well. Paintballing is balling. Ok, bad pun. But you get the point – it’s much more fun together.