Woodsball and speedball are the most popular ways to play paintball. Beginners are often unaware of the differences between these two and end up choosing the wrong one.
Woodsball and speedball differ on many fronts, like field size, playing hours, terrain, game pace, and more. In this woodsball vs speedball comparison, I will highlight the main differences that will make it easier for you to choose.
What is Woodsball Paintball?
Woodsball paintball, as the name suggests, is played most often in woods or natural outdoors. The gameplay is more like a scenario type where players compete to either capture the flag, attack and defense or elimination.
What is Speedball Paintball?
The speedball paintball variant is played on a relatively smaller field. Further, to make it more exciting and challenging, various vinyl inflatable bunkers are placed in different configurations. It is a more robust and modern form of paintball where high-end paintball guns are used to eliminate players.
Both of these types of paintball games attract large numbers of players each year. The woodsball vs speedball comparison given below will look into the key differences. Read on.
Woodsball vs Speedball: Major Differences
Paintball Field Size
Woodsball is usually played in a larger area with a natural setup, with trees and wood bunkers. Some arenas further provide subsections depending on the game scenarios.
While in speedball, the fields are smaller, open, and flat. Most often, there are artificial bunkers installed to make things exciting. Have you heard about paintball bunkering? It is an effective strategy to eliminate opponents.
Game Pace
A woodsball game is more tactical in nature. In addition, the field size is larger, which makes it easier for players to devise strategies for hiding and trapping opponents. All of these tactics take time, making the game speed slower. This is why woodsball can last a few hours to a full day.
Speedball, on the other hand, has straightforward gameplay. The field size is smaller, with few bunkers, making players more vulnerable. Further, the nature of the game is more offensive. There will be a greater push forward from your opponents, which will result in you having to defend or attack accordingly. Hence, the overall speed of the game is pretty fast. Most speedball games are over within one hour.
Team Size
Woodsball typically has larger team sizes than speedball. The larger field size can easily accommodate more players and allow them to spread across the woody terrain.
On the other hand, speedball has a smaller playing area, so fewer players participate. There will usually be no more than ten players on each team.
Types of Paintball Guns
In Woodsball, you will need guns that are suitable for long-range shooting. Considering the size of the field, players are far from one another. So, to eliminate opponents, you will need paintball guns that are ideal for shooting from a distance. Mechanical paintball guns are perfect for Woodsball. Best speedball gun with higher firing rates firing are good for short-distance encounters. These robust guns can help eliminate enemies more rapidly. High-end electronic guns are preferred for speedball.
Attire
When playing Woodsball paintball, you should wear protective gear that protects against injuries. The terrain can have steep slopes and ditches. So, there is a likelihood that you can get hurt. Players are recommended to wear goggles, knee pads, elbow pads, and gloves.
Moreover, you should wear hiking or long boots to protect your ankles on such terrains.
The players wear military-style camouflage attire that helps them to blend in with their surroundings. You can choose different shades of your camouflage covering according to summer and winter.
Here is an article you can read about what to wear in summer for paintball.
While for speedball, you select clothing that can reduce the impact of paintballs being fired at you at a closer range. It’s best to wear baggy pants, jeans, or cargo pants because they offer more resistance.
Conclusion
Woodsball and speedball are the two most played forms of paintball game. Both these types have distinct features that you should know before playing. In this Woodsball vs speedball blog, I have explained what sets these gameplays apart. I hope you find this article helpful.