Editing Woodsball (section)

== History ==

=== Origins ===

Woodsball developed from the earliest form of organised paintball, originally known as the Survival Game.

On 27 June 1981, twelve participants played the first organised paintball game in woodland near Henniker, New Hampshire, United States. The game was organised by [[Charles Gaines]], [[Hayes Noel]] and [[Bob Gurnsey]] using Nel-Spot 007 marking pistols originally developed for agricultural and forestry applications.[2]

Participants attempted to collect flags from stations distributed across the playing area while avoiding elimination. Ritchie White, a forester, won the game without firing a shot.[2]

The game inspired the establishment of [[National Survival Game]], which began promoting paintball and franchising commercial playing fields during the early 1980s.[3]

The term ''woodsball'' subsequently became a common way of distinguishing natural-terrain paintball from newer artificial-bunker formats.

=== Early tournament paintball ===

Woodland fields were used extensively in organised paintball competition during the 1980s and 1990s.

Early tournaments included team competitions involving 10, 12, 15 or more players. These events typically used flag-based objectives and awarded points for eliminations, surviving players and successful flag captures.[1]

The [[National Professional Paintball League]] (NPPL) helped establish 10-man competition as a principal professional tournament format during the 1990s.

Although artificial-bunker fields became increasingly popular, major tournaments continued using woodland playing areas throughout much of the decade.

=== Transition towards speedball ===

The introduction of purpose-built concept fields gradually changed the structure of tournament paintball.

Developments included the Speedball Arena at [[SC Village]], [[Hyperball]] fields constructed using corrugated plastic pipes, and inflatable [[Sup'AirBall]] bunkers.

By the 2000 Paintball World Cup, the tournament had moved entirely to concept fields. The following NPPL/PSP season was also played without woodland fields.[1]

Nevertheless, woodland competition continued at recreational events, regional tournaments and specialised competitions.

The 2006 Three Rivers Paintball Festival in Pennsylvania, for example, included plans for a tournament division offering woodland play alongside conventional airball competition.[3]