The Right Way to Renegade
by Jayson "Oracle" Orvis on Mar 04, 2009
Renegade, Outlaw, Neighborhood ‘Ball, Pickup Paintball—it’s all the same thing: a paintball game that’s thrown together by one local dude or another. Pretty much any paintball that’s played somewhere other than a commercial paintball course is a “renegade” game. Industry experts estimate that at least half of all paintball takes place in the back-lots, forests and otherwise unused land of America and Canada. If organized paintball on commercial fields is the “heart” of the sport, then renegade paintball is the lungs, liver, kidney and guts of the game.
Today, the sad truth is that high gas prices and the popularity of video games is eating into the sport of paintball. Many small field owners have lost their fields and it’s getting harder and harder to find a good place to play. Never has their been a better time to get a renegade game going in your hometown.
I have hosted hundreds of renegade paintball games over the years. With all due respect for the heroic paintball field owners across this fair land, some of the most fascinating paintball I’ve experienced has been in renegade games. I’ve also seen dozens of renegade games turn into the nastiest, most backwards, hate-filled paintball ever. What’s the difference between a renegade game that plays like a neighborhood affair filled with friends and fun versus a renegade game that almost ends in a fistfight? There are a few things that make all the difference.
1. Set the Tone
(with a little bit of threatening.) Without a doubt, the finest sportsmanship I’ve EVER seen in paintball ANYWHERE has been on the SPPL field. Even though the SPPL is a tournament (and tournaments usually inspire notoriously bad behavior,) the SPPL tournaments inspire incredible sportsmanship. They do this by making it totally uncool to be a wanker on the paintball field. Right off the bat, the refs call attention to good sportsmanship and they remind everyone that this game is about making friends, not about hurting one another. Then, the SPPL offers great prizes to those who demonstrate the most sterling sportsmanship. Likewise, on the renegade field, I always start by reminding everyone that this is “neighborhood paintball” and that, while we’re really glad that they showed up, we won’t be inviting anyone back who acts like a hard-ass. Just by pointing it out at the beginning, we set a tone of friendly play—and we make it unseemly to be overly aggressive. Literally, it’s “cool” to be cool in our renegade games. And, once everyone gets the word that your games are chill and fun, then it’s easy to pack your games. When I advertise a renegade game in our town, I can count on at least sixty players showing up. That’s a massive renegade game and I think it’s because our field is decent and the fellowship is outstanding.
2. Play it Safe.
You can’t count on local players to understand basic paintball safety. In areas where renegade paintball is common, paintballers can play for years without ever laying eyes on a barrel condom. You’ve got to make safe play seem cool—and mandatory—in your renegade games. Serious players won’t come back to your games if there isn’t a standard level of safety, like mandatory chronographing, mandatory barrel plugs and basic mask discipline. Remember, you may have personal liability if someone gets injured in your game. Make every effort to ensure safety norms are maintained even in your public land games. If you provide a chronograph, it’s been my experience that everyone will line up to use it, even if you’re playing on public land.
3. Stick with Basic Rules.
One way to really screw up a renegade game is to introduce all kinds of funky rules. I’ve played on fields where arm and leg hits didn’t count or the boundaries were poorly defined. Whenever your deviate from the basic rules, the amount of cheating will go way up. Keep it simple and the level of cheating will go down considerably.
4. Ref it Up.
If the number of players in your renegade game gets much past thirty, you should get some players to rotate out as referees. Having a couple of refs on-hand greatly improves the quality of play, allowing standard “paint checks” and encouraging fair play.
5. Get Cranking with the GameLocator.
Never has there been anything like GameLocator for renegade play. Even small local games will draw big crowds when advertised on the GameLocator. And, as you increase the level of professionalism in your game, like added chronos, air fills, paint sales and referees, watch as the popularity of your games gs sky-high. One of the biggest factors that will determine how fun your game is will be the number of players who show up. The more the merrier in paintball. Use the Gamelocator to pump up your numbers.
6. Make Some Bank.
When is “renegade” paintball not renegade? When the organizer starts making money from it. We love renegade games because they’re cheap. But, some of the best renegade paintball happens on public fields where the guy who organizes it asks for some money. Even so, the renegade game is much cheaper than commercial. And, when someone’s making a little bit of money from the game, they have a vested interest in assuring the quality of the event. Don’t be afraid to buy some extra Tippmann guns and to rent them to new players. Start buying some extra paint and selling it on the field. Have your girlfriend cook some burgers and sell water and Gatorade between games. I watched as my good friend paid his entire way through law school by running renegade games out of the back of his beat-up Toyota hatchback. This guy just bought a couple dozen used PMI 3s and he made bank organizing games on the hillside just out of town. There’s nothing that says you can’t score a few bucks for putting together informal games. Make it worth your while.
When you host a renegade game, you will ultimately attract new players. These newbies are the life-blood of the sport and you hold part of the future of the game in the palm of your hand when a newbie shows up at your renegade game. Take good care of your players and you can start a tradition of paintball in your hometown—even if the nearest commercial field is hours away.