Try Paintball Now Launched, promises to bring new players to the sport.

On Wednesday, paintball industry giant Tippmann Sports, along with Special Ops Paintball, US Army Paintball, and the Paintball Sports Trade Association announced the launch of a new website, TryPaintballNow.com. Designed both as a way to bring new players into the sport and provide current players with a comprehensive database of fields and paintball shops, the new site features an appealling layout with featured paintball videos and links to Tippmann sponsored prize drawings and newsletters.

In a recent press release, Ron Goldblatt , the marketing director for Tippmann Sports said: “Paintball is in need of new players. And, as an industry leader, Tippmann felt the need to focus marketing resources on recruiting these players... We wanted to create an entirely new medium for less experienced players because many existing paintball sites are great for experienced paintballers, but can be overwhelming for those newer to the game. With Try Paintball Now, we have a platform in place that provides a variety of helpful paintball information in a fun and easy-to-understand format.”

Recalling my own beginnings in the sport, I honestly feel this is a great move, both for the companies involved and the players it is marketed to. The combination of resources of some of the leading woodsball companies, especially led by Tippmann (honestly: how many woodsball players start with a Tippmann 98 or A-5? I'm one of the rare few that didn't, but I've owned one since), greatly simplifies a new players search for information, gear, and local fields. All of which means a simpler, faster learning curve, and more time having fun playing the game.

A big thumbs up on this move! (gee, now I feel like Ebert and Ropert)

New Gear from Spec Ops

Spec Ops has introduced some cool new gear.

The company with some of the best-made (and most awesome) soft goods for woodsball has finally introduced hopper skins in SO Digi Cam and SO Omnipat patterns for Tippmann A-5 and X7 hoppers. Now you can break up your silhouette, camouflage the largest part of your gun, and soften it up a bit, too, encouraging bounces.

Spec Ops also introduces a CAR Stock for the Tippmann A-5, with a 5-position locking mechanism. Manufactured from aluminum and glass-filled nylon, this fully-functional stock, sporting the Tippmann SO logo, looks and feels just like the real thing.

Drop by the online store and also check out their new affordable BDUs in woodland camo, and the Omnipat Density Upgrade Kit for the Spec Ops Action Ghillie, too.

Desert Edge Hosts Triad Challenge Paintball Game

April 12, Team Desert Edge hosted the 2nd Annual Triad Challenge. Players from across the Utah, Idaho and Wyoming regions came to experience what some players called “the funnest game format in paintball.” Three teams with roughly 40 players each dueled it out for most the day in the cedar flooded hills of Eagle Mountain, Utah—home field of Team Desert Edge.

The format is simple: three teams, three base flags and a center flag. Teams get a point for each minute their color is raised. The game has three rounds (one hour each) and a final battle--with the base flags removed. Teams rotate bases between rounds so each team gets the chance to attack and defend each flag.

With a format so simple, teams had to have a game plan a bit more complex. Branching out too far, assaulting too many bases while fighting against one team, may mean getting “back-doored” by the other team. Bralen Jackson—head referee of the event commented, “The strategies that worked were the ones that held their own flags and attacked only one flag at a time. The teams that tried to attack two or more flags while holding their own got rolled.”

I think it’s the simplicity of the format that keeps players coming back, and in-fact--asking for more. Comments throughout the seasons from players requesting more Triad Challenges are overwhelming. The concern is to keep the game fresh, and “not wear out the format” says “Danger Dan” Saunders--the designer of the game format. Although the number of people attending doubled from that of last year, the game will remain an annual event. The event attracted the largest variety of Paintball players I have ever seen, ranging from well grounded scenario teams, first-time players, large families, and even paintball veterans like Brad Russian (former Naughty Dog), Jayson Orvis (Special Ops owner), and Jayson Nielson (director of SPPL) to name a few.

Sportsmanship was top-notch, and several players received awards for it. Combine that kind of fun atmosphere with enjoying one another’s camaraderie, great admin and reffing staff, and a beautifully wooded field, and you too may ask, “When’s the next Triad Challenge?”

Whenever it is, we'll keep you posted and I’ll see you there.

Photos courtesy of Josh Eades.