YG Series Tournament Rules and Regulations
FAQ Follows the Rules
Specific event questions call Ray at 630.803.7658
Printed Format is found with registration forms.

These rules and regulations are designed as guidelines for the Young Guns Series at Fox Paintball.  The event coordinator is Splatterzone Paintball. All final decisions and resolutions with regards to these rules and guidelines are the sole responsibility of the event coordinator.  These rules may be modified, changed or added to from time to time depending on circumstances with regards to accommodating all facets of the event.  The rules are hopefully to inform and assist players in getting ready for and playing in a day of tournament paintball.  

Eligibility:

All players must be at least 10 and no older than 16 years of age when they play in their first event. It is okay if players turn 17 after their first event of the season.  Photo Id’s may be required to prove age.

Skill Level:

This event is novice unranked event. No player can have experience in a national event such as PSP or NPPL or SPPL. Player’s only prior experience should be other young guns series or other novice 3 person events. Experience in other local tournament series ranked at D4 and higher is not allowed. Teams found to be misrepresenting skill level will be disqualified from the series.

 

Registration and roster:

REGISTRATION is due 7 days prior to the event. Late registrations WILL be charged $25 more.

Online registration is available for all events. If filling out a paper form and presenting in person: Please fill out the registration with all information. Please make it legible or you will do it again. The registration form must include payment when submitted. If paying in cash you must pay at the field or at the store in Aurora before the pre-registration deadline. If you only submit the registration form on time without payment it does not count! If you are paying by credit card over the phone please call the store or field.  If paying by check you must make the check out to Splatterzone Paintball Productions and send to the address listed on the paper registration form.  Fox Paintball will not accept checks for registration.  The payment and the registration must all be done before the deadline to not incur the late fee.
The paintballs and air fee are paid for on the day of the event.
No refunds issued within 10 days of any event. Registration fees are NON-REFUNDABLE if you do not show for the event. Space is limited, first come first serve basis.
You need 3 team members to play but you may have 5 players on your roster. Once your roster is filled it may not be changed for the season. You may only play on one team roster. Team name changes must be approved by the tournament director and earned series points will only transfer to another team name with the same roster of players.

Event Day:

Team sign in begins at 7:30am, team meeting at 8:30am, and games begin at 9:00am sharp.

General Rules

Game type and location:

Game is based on a simple center flag rule. You must capture the flag from the center of the field and hang it at your opponents starting point within the allotted time.  Game time limit is 5 minutes. Games may be played on Speedball, Airball or XBall style fields as determined by the event coordinator.

Schedule:

Teams are assigned a position as they register in the morning.  That position will determine the 6 other teams and schedule that they will play to try and make the final three teams.  If you are one of the top 3 scoring teams you will advance to the final round. Teams will be called in advance of their playing time. Teams unable to make it onto the field in time will forfeit the game.

Scoring:

Games are worth 100 points, maximum.
First flag pull = 15 points
Eliminations = 10 points
Flag Hang = 40 points
Live players = 5 points
Example of a perfect game is: First flag pull (15); shoot all players on the other team (30);Flag hang(40) all players on your team are alive at end of the game(15); total of 100 points

Eliminations:

Players are eliminated from the game when they are hit and marked by the tournament specified paintball. The amount of paint or size of mark required to eliminate a player is variable as long as the paintball made direct impact, broke and left a mark.  Splatter or deflections may or may not count as an elimination depending on how and when the referee sees the mark.  If a referee sees and can account for obvious splatter they may wipe or leave a player to continue play.  A referee may also eliminate a player if the amount or accumulation of splatter or deflection is significant or if the referee did not see the accumulation or deflection occur.  It is up to the individual referee to decide on such matters where a judgment call is needed.  Good or bad, for you or against you, these calls have to be made on the fly and they cannot and will not be reviewed after the game is over.

Note: Make sure you wipe off and/or mask old hits by rubbing dirt on them, so you do not get called out on them again. If you do not do this you may and can legally be called out on them again.

Dead Box:

Eliminated players must immediately go to the dead box as designated by the referee. Players should take the most direct route off the field towards the dead box. Players are not allowed to drop equipment or pods while leaving the field. Players are not allowed to talk or gesture to other players from either team while leaving the field, or after they have entered the dead box.

Penalties

From time to time penalties may be issued for the following violations.

1. Event Paint Only – players and or entire teams may be disqualified from the event and or series if caught shooting non event paintballs.
2. Overshooting – If it is determined by a referee that a player is intentionally shooting a player that has already indicated they are out, they may issue a penalty – 15 points.
   It should be understood that players being shot while crossing firing lanes is not overshooting. The game continues and paintballs are still flying while they leave the field.
3. Sideline Coaching – Directly communicating or coaching with a team on the field playing is not allowed. This includes signaling, pointing or otherwise creating body language or sounds that would give a team information on the field from the sidelines. We are well aware of all the tricks.  Please don’t give your team a 25 point penalty.
4. Arguing – Arguing aggressively over a call you did not like will earn a warning first, then a 25 point penalty, then a 50 point penalty, then ejection. Ref decisions are final.
5. Wiping/playing on – Intentionally wiping a hit or continuing to play after an obvious hit are subject to 50 point penalties.
6. Boundaries – Intentionally stepping or playing while out of bounds is subject to a 15 point penalty. Incidental contact with a boundary line may head a warning followed by elimination and a penalty if the player does not adjust.  Boundary lines may vary for different field types. Players should ask for the boundary limits if they are unsure.
7. HOT Flag Hangs – This term means an eliminated player hung the flag.  The opposing team will gain an automatic 40 point flag hang and the elimination of that player, even if they have no player left on the field.  If you have time check yourself or have a ref check for hits before hanging the flag.
8. Hot Chronograph/Electronic Power – One player will be picked at random from each team to chronograph. Players are not allowed to switch off power to guns while on the field or during the chronograph procedure. Switching off your gun is an automatic 15 point penalty. Players may clear one shot not over the chronograph before firing the next shot over the chronograph. Firing more than one shot as a clearing shot is a 15 point penalty. The speed must be under the tournament limit of 300 FPS. Penalty point assessment is as follows:

300-309                10 points

310- 314               15 points

315 and up          20 points

9. Illegal gun modes –All electronic guns must shoot in semi-auto ONLY mode. Any gun found in any other mode is subject to a 25 point penalty.
   All electronic guns capable of setting ROF (rate of fire) in BPS (balls per second) must be set to 12.5 BPS or lower.   
10. Dropping gear – Players must carry all of their equipment at all times except for the dropping of expended pods only.  Dropping full pods is not allowed.  Passing pods from one live player to another is acceptable.  Dropped or abandoned equipment is subject to a 15 point penalty. Equipment that is unintentionally dropped is subject to the referee’s judgment.
11. Dead Man’s Walk – Intentionally acting as an eliminated player while making any advance towards the opposing team and then continuing to play will result in a 25 point penalty plus elimination.
12. Dead Men Don’t Talk or Gesture – Eliminated player are not allowed to talk to anyone on or off the field either alive or dead. You may not talk to other eliminated players in the dead box. You certainly may not talk to live players on your team or the other team.  Any verbalization may result in a penalty of 15 points.  Also any gestures that would indicate communication with your team may result in a 15 point penalty.
13. Multiple Ball Capability* – Some guns other than electronic guns are capable of being adjusted to fire more than one ball per pull.  Response triggers, double fire triggers etc… any gun found capable of firing more than one ball per simple trigger pull is subject to a 25 point penalty.
14. Tools – Players are not allowed to bring any kind of tools onto the field. 10 point penalty.
15. Clothing/padding – Clothing is limited to two layers maximum.  No ponchos. No ghillie suites. No padded hopper covers.  Any clothing or material that appears to be excessive padding in an attempt to stop a paintball breaking may be asked to be removed.
16. Leaving Dead Box – 10 point per player. Stay in dead box until “game over” is called by the refs.
17. Leaving Start Box Early – 10 points. Anyone leaving the start box early will receive a penalty. Exception: If a player goes back to the start box and touches it before shooting at an opposing player, there will be no penalty issued.
18. Breaks-  Any ball that strikes a player and leaves any mark from that hit will be considered a break and the player will be called out. Referee’s decision.
19. One for One – If two players shoot each other at the same time, we will call both players out. Referee’s decision.
20. Flag Elimination – 10 points, if shot while in possession of the flag, the flag carrier must stay in that location and hold the flag over their head until someone else takes the flag from them.  Dropping the flag will be an automatic penalty.

*NOTE: The Kingman Rocking trigger has been approved for use at this time. The trigger does require a separate pull to fire each ball and its max rate of fire is not as high as other electronic guns without rocking triggers.  This ruling is subject to change if situations change.

FAQ for
the Young Guns Series at Fox Paintball.

What exactly are the age requirements?

To qualify to play you must be 16 at the time you play your first event.  If you register to play in April and turn 17 in May then you qualify.  If you do not play the April event and wait until June to play, but you have turned 17 in May, then you do not qualify.  You must be 16 at the time you register and play your first event.  You may be asked for a PHOTO ID. Please make sure you have one available. School ID’s work well.   

Can I play in one event or do I have to play all of them? What is the Series?

Each event is a standalone event and trophies are awarded for the winners. Any team is welcome to play all events or a single event.  There is a series winner also.  Series winners get prizes too. You must compete in at least 5 events to earn the ability to win the series prizes.

What are the series prizes?

The prizes can include but not limited to,  team outfits (jerseys, pants and gloves) goggles systems, air systems,  loaders, harnesses, paintballs, free field admission for a season, entry to next season series.

Why don’t you give away guns for prizes?

 Most players already have their guns. Typically the guns we could give away would not be what players or the team would choose to use so they would just end up selling them.  We prefer to let players choose their own guns and let prizes be items to support the guns and players.

What is event paint, and why can I not bring my own? Isn’t Fox Paintball BYOP?

Event paint means you can only shoot the designated paintball supplied by the field for the event.   Yes, Fox is a BYOP field. However, certain event pricing is kept lower to allow and encourage more teams to enter. Since teams have to buy paintballs anyways, we require them to purchase them from us at a fair price to help us make up the cost we need to recover to pay for the events.  In doing so, we can also gain the support of a sponsor like Procaps to help get better prizes.   The paintballs we use are Draxxus Midnight. The average retail price is $49.95 per case.  We are charging $55 and that includes the sales tax.  It’s a very fair price.  Consider that entry and air is $90 or $30 per player (the same cost to walk on and play open games) plus the paintballs are sold at fair prices and you are getting a tournament event organized and run with trophies and prizes. It’s a super deal! That’s why if your team and involved parents (does happen despite the despicable lesson they are teaching) conspire to use non- event paintballs, we may disqualify your team from the event and series. We do use a custom paintball with our name printed on it to deter those wishing to cheat.

 What is the tournament format?

Typically teams may be divided into divisions or you may just play teams randomly from the registered teams. You will play 6 games to determine if you will play in the final 3 teams.  After all teams have played and scored their 6 games those 3 teams with the top 3 scores will reset and play a round robin to determine the event winners.  Series points are issued for your final ending position in the event.

How good are the teams that play this event?

This is a Novice Young Guns event, but it does not mean that all the teams and players are new to paintball.   There are teams that are returning from the previous year that still qualify to play.  They are going to be experienced in the series. They are still novice and still qualify as long as they have not taken their act on the road to bigger and more advanced events. 
Some players have played for several years in open games and are making the crossover to competitive paintball.  They may have really advanced equipment and are very skilled at shooting their paintball gun. In other words they may be good players despite their lack of tournament experience.     This tournament is a Novice event. That does not mean beginning paintball.  If you and your team are totally new to paintball and are just peeling the stickers off your guns then I would suggest learning the ropes in open games first.  You are more than welcome to toss your skills into the ring and give it a shot but be realistic about your success.

What do I do If I know there is player on a team that has played in a more advance tournament and level?

Certainly notify the tournament coordinator. You must be specific.  You cannot just think you know. You should absolutely know.  We will investigate these claims. We may not be able to verify it that day. If it turns out that the player in question was ineligible we will take the proper steps to correct it. Also be prepared to verify your own teams eligibility if you make such a claim. 

What about the weather?

We will play rain or shine.  Rainy weather can certainly be a part of the event.  If it does thunderstorm or lightning out we will suspend play until it is safe to continue.  It is up to the discretion of the event promoter, Splatterzone Paintball to determine if the event will continue, be delayed, rescheduled or canceled due to weather.

I bought paintballs for the event and didn’t use them all, can I return them?

No. Once paintballs are purchase and leave our possession they are yours forever. Simply put, once you buy them and walk away with them, they are yours.  You can use them at another young guns event or shoot them in the open games.  We encourage you to check the case of paintballs for breaks before you leave the sales area. If there is a broken bag in the case we will replace it right away.  If you return to your staging area and then come back with a broken bag, it’s your problem to clean and deal with. We will only exchange broken bags of paintballs at the exact time of the sale. That’s final! Also some people have tried to pull the “different paintballs” in the bag scam. Meaning somehow the paintballs inside miraculously turned into some other brand and/or color of paintballs.  This is another reason why you must check the cases before leaving the sales area.  Somehow this phenomenon never happens over thousands and thousands of cases of paintballs…except during field paint only events.   No, we will not exchange paintballs because you claim the case you already bought and inspected somehow changed colors and brands while returning to your car.

You say we can only shoot in semi-auto mode, and that there is penalty for using a gun in an illegal shooting mode. I don’t know how to set my gun to make it legal. What do I do?

Equipment and the proper or legal settings are entirely the responsibility of the player and the team. If you do not understand your equipment or know how to set it up before you register and come out to play then you will suffer the penalties.  Know your equipment. Balls per second, shooting mode and how to set the chronograph speed are the bare minimum.  Tournament staff is not there to adjust, modify or change settings on players equipment.

 My gun is not working. Does my entry fee include free gun repair and parts? Or can I get a refund because I don’t have backup equipment?

Obviously not.  Make sure you have spare equipment in case your primary gun goes down. We will not supply you with equipment to play, nor will we repair your broken equipment.  You are also NOT entitled to a refund due to broken equipment.

I’m a parent or player spectator and I didn’t like a call I saw made on the field. What do I do?

Nothing.  Bad calls one way or the other can and will be part of the game as they are in any sport. The refs are doing their best to make the right calls.  Please remember the game is called from the referee’s perspective, not yours.  What you see is not maybe what they see.  They cannot and most likely will not see everything.  You may see something they do not.  The calls are made based on what they see, not based on what you see from the sidelines.  Expect mistakes.  If you are uncertain of a call and have the extreme urge to ask a question, do so nicely and politely.   If you are rude, obnoxious or aggressive towards any staff or referees you will most likely be asked to calm down or leave.

Some examples of things you may see are:

Situation:
You see a player get hit with a paintball and they wipe the hit off.  No ref sees this.
Resolution:
There is none.  The player just got away with cheating or a “foul”. It’s like an illegal block, pass interference or holding in Football. Sometimes the players get away with it and there is nothing to be done about it.  The refs can’t make a call they did not see. No video replay’s either.

Situation:
You see a player get hit and the ref see it too, but leaves the player in or wipes it off.
Resolution:
 You find out that the player was shot by a late hit or already dead player. Sometimes a player gets hit and does not know it (like in the pod pack) and they keep playing until a ref eliminates them. If the ref knows that another player was shot during that time, they may keep that player in the game.  Sometimes both players may still be out depending on what was seen on the field. Not what you saw from the sidelines. Just remember this is a game for fun; serious fun of course. We understand that no one wants to lose. But no one is out to ruin your day or anyone else’s and calls are not always going to go your way. Remember that it’s the same for everyone.