Best ways to enjoy Skirmish (Brisbane, QLD)

Brisbane may have been fortunate enough to become a fairly safe, metropolitan city over the years, but there’s no reason you can’t mess with the status quo… or at least pretend so, by sniping around in camouflage gear as if it were Tomorrow When The War Began (great Australian book about Australia becoming a warzone overnight – check it out!).

I bring you, paintball – where the mild mannered and meek become menacing, and the menacing become extra menacing. It goes without saying how awesome paintball is, because boys and girls have all enjoyed toy guns at some time in their lives – indeed, toy guns aside, we’ve all enjoyed throwing objects at people from a distance at some time in our lives.

So, what are you waiting for? There’s a surprising number of options for paintball in Brisbane but if you’ve ever been to more than one field you’ll know they all have the same basic setup. Either you turn up solo or in a small group and fit into a free for all, or you book out the place, which is harder to do because of the sheer numbers required. Up to you.

Alright, you’ve located some gun-polishing eyebrow raising Clint Eastwood movie-loving hooligans and you’re at the foot of the field. Tip uno: Leave the high fashion at home. Sure, the paint shot marks wash out, but do you really want to roughen up your fabrics with that, let alone with falling over and army dives et cetera? Bring a spare outfit, too – it’ll be nice to ride home in the train without people thinking you’re Lady Gaga. Tip duo: Hide your wallet, phone and keys back home. The hostel of communist-thinking travelers is safer than the place where people go to shoot each other. That’s just my opinion. Tip trio: Extra cash means extra bullets. You’ll have the option of buying in-game, and you’re going to want to be able to afford that option. It’d be a nice advantage to have over your enemies, too, wouldn’t it?

So, so here you lie, scoping out a middle-aged gender-obscure person who thinks they’re undercover. Ideally you’re wearing layers, because there’s someone about to pick you off and they’re aiming right for your back, but regardless of layers, beware indeed: Do NOT remove your mask. This is going to get repeated to you before you go in, but keep that thing on. Wow, obvious.

There’s more to remember than the things I have mentioned but everything else will get explained to you beforehand because they get new players through all the time. There will of course be the regulars (you can spot them because they have their own guns) and these are the bad boys to run from the fastest. They’ll get you, of course, and then it’s a change rooms visit, a trip back home and a weeks worth of pain. Ah, paintball.

Oh, and seriously – if you’re not over 15, that’s something to look forward to for later in life, but not right now (There’s a definite physical disadvantage and the youngins tend to get targeted). Hey, I don’t make the rules. Have fun!

Click Here to see Alex Windsor’s original article on Skirmish Brisbane from his website Totally Brisbane!