What is scenario paintball?
Information provided by: Wikipedia

Scenario paintball is a type of paintball game where players complete missions in a historical or fictional setting. Scenario paintball games are often larger-scale re-enactments of historical battles involving hundreds of people, such as the Battle of Normandy, or modern scenarios such as storming a building and rescuing hostages. Occasionally, the scenario director may create wholly fictional settings, allowing for more creativity and imagination on the part of the participants.

While the average Speedball game lasts around 5 minutes, Scenario games are much longer, and generally last between 6-26 hours.

Game Play
Information provided by: Wikipedia

Scenario paintball games are often larger-scale re-enactments of historical battles involving hundreds of people, such as the Battle of Normandy, or modern scenarios such as storming a building and rescuing hostages. Occasionally, the scenario director may create wholly fictional settings, allowing for more creativity and imagination on the part of the participants.

To enhance the realism of the game, scenario games may also incorporate faux "air strikes", "helicopter insertions", "booby traps", and an extensive intelligence network both before and during the game.

Objectives:
Each team (often 100+ players) has a base of operations called a command post or "CP", which is surrounded by various bunkers. Missions are called in to the command post via radio. The General, having received the mission, then decides if it is feasible to undertake the mission and which players to assign to it. Completing the mission earns points for the team, with the side accomplishing the most missions/points winning.

Eliminations have no effect on teams' scores. When a player is eliminated, he checks in at his team's "dead box" and awaits the next "insertion window" (about every 15-30 minutes or so). Thus, eliminated players aren't out of the action for long.

Player Roles:
When a player starts the game he is issued a character card. The character card is the proof of a player's game ID and what side s/he is on. Players will most likely not be allowed to the CP without it. Some character cards will also be indicate the player's "role" in the team: a demolitions expert, medic, computer technican, pilot, accountant, or even a mad scientist. In most games, there are players who show up just for the role-playing aspect. Players do not have to play a role in the game, but those that accept a role to play will be provided with specific goals to accomplish in the game. An important point to remember about most scenario games is that Missions win games, but Role-Players will develop information about those missions that gain more points.

This role-playing aspect extends off the field too, so it is not uncommon for players to be "in character" both on and off the field during the game. Role players will be in negotiation between teams for props, real and faux deals for gear or info, and even attempt to get teams/players to defect. For Role-Players the event starts before the game with discussions on Internet BBS forums, character research, phone calls between teams, and costuming. This "Pre-game" may start weeks or months before the first paintball is fired.

The End
Information provided by: Wikipedia

During the last few minutes of the game, one team will attempt a last-ditch effort to take control of the opposing HQ or another strategically important area. These battles, while not necessarily important for points, are a fun way to end the match and allow players to let off some steam by engaging in a climatic final battle after hours of sneaking and hiding in the woods.

After the game, there is usually an awards ceremony where the scenario director thanks the attendees for their participation, gives out awards like most valuable player, best costume and the like. It's also an opportunity for the generals of each team to acknowledge the hard work of his team and to give a nod to players that went above and beyond their call of duty. Frequently the sponsoring companies will have donated several items for a raffle and give these away as prizes. This is primarily a chance for the players who have been enemies for the past few hours to get together one last time to shake hands and walk away as friends and good sports.

Equipmant and Props
Information provided by: Wikipedia

Scenario players tend to lean to the "Mil-Sim" style of gear, choosing equipment that emulates real military gear in form and function. It is also not uncommon to see elaborate costumes, paintball "bazookas", walkie-talkies, electronic bugs, and other props built for the game.

Because players tend to be on the field for many hours at a time, they tend to pack more gear than in a regular woodsball game. Players will have a whole host of items such as maps, ID Cards, grenades, night vision systems, and possibly a radio or two. Companies such as Flurry Industries, Opsgear.com and Blackhawk Industries make vests based on Law Enforcement and Military Personnel vests. Because scenarios tend to be played in the woods, or in a mix of woods and buildings, camouflage uniforms are worn which are made by Tru-Spec and Proper.

Although most players in the paintball realm use shiny small neon colored markers, some players lean to the more realistic-looking paintball guns like the Tippmann A-5, Smart Parts SP-8, Ariakon SIM4, and the War Sensor WG-47. Apart from look and feel, most who use that style like the fact they can use a sling or holster to keep their hands free. In addition, this style of gun will have the mounting rails for lights, lasers, red dots, scopes, and night vision optics that are used in night play. Paintball pistols, such as the War Sensor WSP, are carried as backup guns. It is not uncommon to see a Paintball rocket launcher that shoots Nerf balls, or a land mine that sprays paint on the field.

Also, at big scenario games such as Oklahoma D-Day and Skirmish Invasion Of Normandy people gather to the mass. At big games such as those they can last to a week or so. There are vendors which house the latest equipment from Mil-Sim paintball companies. And don't forget some players construct paintball "tanks" with working turrets that shoot out nerf rockets.

General Scenario Rules of Play
By: scenariopaintball.com

scenariopaintball.com is the licensed host of the General Scenario Rules of Play copyright © 1996-2006 McKinnon. These rules are used by many scenario producers and provide a good start to understanding the intricacies of the scenario format of the paintball.

General Scenario Rules of Play - Version 3.02

Scenario Lingo
Information provided by: Wikipedia and Sprye Bane

APV - Acronym for Armored Paintball vehicle, also called a tank. These include both land, and in some case, water vehicles. A typical APV is equipped with a LAW launcher or handheld or mounted paintball markers. Typically, they are enclosed to protect the operators, and can only be eliminated by a direct hit from another LAW rocket. Due to the nature of being built custom made, a plethora of tank designs can be seen across the scenario world. Also see "PAV".

Armband Tape - Used to identify what team a player is on. Tape is literally colored duct tape. Typical armband team colors are generally blue and red. Other colors such as brown, yellow, white, black, etc. can be used to designate special job positions, such as demolitions, engineer, medic, pilot, etc.

BBD - Barrel Blocking Device. Another term for a barrel sock (barrel condom), although this term can be used in a more general sense to mean anything that effectively stops the marker from injuring another person accidentally.

CO - Commanding Officer. See General.

Demolitions - Job position in which the player is allowed to use demolitions equipment such as satchel charges or LAWs.

Engineer - Job position which has the ability to repair destroyed structures.

FH - Field Hospital.

General - The General, or CO, is the leader of one of the two sides in the scenario. He is the one responsible for issuing missions and keeping his team's morale up. When he is not available, his XO takes over.

GSRP - Acronym for General Scenario Rules of Play. These are the basic set of rules that many scenario games follow. Even if your scenario producer does not use the GSRP, it is still a good idea to know the basic rules.

Helo - Helicopter. Typically used for a special type of insertion.

HQ - Headquarters.

Medic - Job position which allows the player to "heal" other players by physically wiping the paint off of the other player. A common strategy is to "lure" medics out into the open by shooting one of his team mates who calls for him. Then the medic can be taken out as well. Medics can not heal themselves, and can not be healed.

PAV - Paintball Armored Vehicle. See APV for more information.

Pilot - Job position which allows the player to "pilot" a "helicopter" or other such transportation vehicle. These pilots can not be shot at, nor anyone else on the "helicopter", nor can the occupants of the helicopter shoot at any other players until they are dropped off. See Helo and LZ.

LAW Launcher - A device used to eliminate APVs, bunkers, or other enemy players. Typically constructed like a spud gun, they are used to fire LAW Rockets or sabot rounds at the enemy. Because of the increased mass of the projectile, muzzle velocity is generally chronographed far lower, around 230-250 feet per second at the most.

LAW Rocket - Typically a Nerf foam pocket vortex football. They are two inches in diameter, and fit snugly into the barrel of a LAW rocket. In most games, after firing they are dead props until a ref re-issues them.

LZ - Landing Zone for a helicopter. See Helo.

Mission - Missions are what determine the winner of the scenario game. The producer will send the coded missions to the Generals, who must then assign a force to accomplish them. Having a ref sign off on the mission card completes the mission and awards the team points for it.

Prop - Any object which the scenario producers have introduced into the field as a playable object for players in the scenario game.

Prop Stealin' Ho - A person who knowingly removes a prop from its location or from the field in order to prevent the other team from getting it. While not always a move against the rules, unless a player has a specific mission to retrieve a prop, it is considered cheating to be a prop stealin' ho.

Producer - The company or person responsible for organizing, running, and keeping the game safe. Some well known scenario producers include MXS, Viper paintball, Blackcat Paintball, and Wayne Dollack.

Rejuv - Short for Rejuvenation Point.

RTS - Real Time Strategy. A newer scenario game concept being heavily pursued by scenario producers such as Viper Paintball. The idea behind this setup eliminates the standard mission sequence and allows the two Generals to duke it out as they see strategically fit.

Satchel Charge - A kind of prop that is placed under referee supervision for triggered elimination or demolition. These are typically an alternative to LAWs for vehicle elimination.

XO - Executive Officer. Second in command to General.