Speedball has many variations (Airball, Xball, and Hyperball), each game has different rules and bunkers on the field; however, all of them are considered speedball because they are played on small fields at a fast ‘speed’. Airball and Xball are the most common types of games played when referring to speedball. Airball uses inflatable bunkers, Xball also uses inflatable bunks but characterized by a giant X in the center of the field, Hyperball uses ridged black tube bunkers, which are more challenging to rearrange. In this article we will be focusing on Airball and Xball.
When playing locally for fun, the teams can be any size that the paintball players decide on. For tournaments, the NPPL (National Professional Paintball League) allows only teams of three, five, or seven. It’s a fast game, like the name implies. The game time length varies from league to league and country to country but usually between 2 minutes and as long as 10 minutes. Variations depend on:
The game of speedball can be played on any paintball field; however, the official NPPL field is 100ft x 180ft border to border and 120ft x 200ft net to net with the surface being NPPL ActionTurf, grass, or dirt. The field can vary in size and surface based on your local paintball field. Ideally, the field will be set up with each side having the same amount of bunkers. Each side of the field should have almost a mirror image of the other team’s side. This eliminates either team having any field advantage due to the side of the field that they start on. This will make the game more fun for everyone and each team will need to rely on their team/player skills.
Speedball is a good game to play when you are running out of time on the field because it is fast and will make the most of the remaining time on the field. It is also a good game to play when the players prefer a fast-paced game. All players get the most field time with this game because even if eliminated, there will be a new game started every 20 minutes or less. This game can cause fatigue and exhaustion sooner. Follow health precautions to be able to keep up with the pace of the game safely.
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