Have you got a rivalry to settle? There’s no better way to show someone what you're made of than by challenging them to a battle of wits, strategy and paint! A paintball arena is the best place to find out who’s the toughest, where any player can stand out for their strength, their tactical nous, or their aim - if you’ve got all three, you’re sure to paint the town red and emerge victorious. And when it comes to rivalries, the most famous of all in the United Kingdom is between the “Old Firm” football clubs, Celtic and Rangers, both based in Glasgow.

At times, the rivalry between Celtic and Rangers has been bitter and acrimonious, but nowadays it’s widely recognised to be beneficial to the city. The Derby matches between the two sides draw huge crowds to the city, boosting the local economy, and the passion of the supporters has raised the profile of Scottish football around the world. And this goes to show that the more passion you put into something, the more you believe in your purpose, the more you get out of life. You can discover this in numerous paintball centres around the city, where detailed game zones complete with natural and manmade obstacles, and mission scenario games give you an immersive experience, and bring out your best. And best of all, you don’t have to travel far from the city centre to get there, saving you time and money and allowing you to focus on the action.

Where are the best paintball venues in Glasgow City?

• West: Driving out west from Glasgow city centre past Paisley and the suburbs, you’ll be surprised by how quickly you get into the wilds. There’s a huge centre in a woodland setting near the village of Houston which comes highly recommended. There are three fantastic game zones - the Command Post in the depths of the forest, the Viet Cong Village, and a Tomb Raider style treasure hunt. Using top of the range equipment, you’ll get a chance to battle through all of these zones, and you can even stock up on smoke grenades to make it even more atmospheric.

• East: On this arena near Kirkintilloch, you can bring your own paintball marker (that’s the name for the gun) to give the action a personal touch. The site is a real passion project of the team who run it, and it’s also the training ground of the Trossach Ghosts, a paintball team that represents Scotland in international tournaments. One of the coolest things about the site is that the three game zones can be combined for full-site action over a huge area.

• Cumbernauld: This site is just a bit further east, near the new town of Cumbernauld. It’s a purpose built combat sports centre, boasting numerous game zones with installations such as the Black Fortress, pillboxes and an underground crypt. Imaginative scenarios play out in and around these obstacles, from Wild West stand offs, to train robberies, to just about anything else you can dream of. There’s also a child friendly version of paintball, called Splat Master, so the youngsters can get involved, or you can try the futuristic game of laser tag. With all of that on offer, it’s no surprise that this is one of the most popular paintball venues in the whole of Scotland.

Options for organising a game

Unlike the matches between Glasgow’s two titans of football, Celtic and Rangers, the champion of the paintball arena isn’t decided in a single game. Instead, your booking will be for a paintball session that includes several games. This means that you’ll get a chance to play across a variety of game zones, take part in a number of mission scenarios and mix the teams up each time. You’ll need to come up with a new strategy and improve your aim each time if you’re going to stay one step ahead of the opponent - but don’t lose your head, because the person you’re firing at in one game could be your teammate in the next! Between the games you can stock up on ammo, have some refreshments and, of course, boast about your performance in the previous game. The options for sessions range from about 2 hours, to half a day, or really go for it by booking in for a full day.

What will you receive when you arrive to the field?

Booking your session in here also involves thinking about your equipment. You can choose a standard option that comes with a paintball marker and a certain amount of paintballs, or an advanced package that includes more specialised markers like snipers, more ammo and even some smoke or paint grenades. You have to bear in mind that you might get through about 200 paintballs in an hour, and you don’t want to run out of ammunition in the middle of a battle! But you can always buy more between games.

Requirements to do this activity

The minimum age that kids can participate in a paintball game in Glasgow is 8 years old, on sites that have Splat Master guns. These are low powered markers, which fire paintballs at a lower velocity than standard markers, and mean that children can enjoy the action without the risk of tears. In fact, if you organise a private session for a birthday party or something similar, you can even bring 7 year olds along. Standard paintball is suitable for children over 10 years old, provided that there’s protective equipment of the right size for them to use. And some centres put on sessions just for adults.

And it’s not just kids who’ll enjoy paintballing with your friends. It’s a classic activity for stag and hen dos who want to see their friend off into married life with a bang. And it’s becoming a more popular activity for businesses who are looking for team building activities, or simply treating their team to a special day out. Whoever you're with, whatever you want to celebrate, you can make it an occasion to remember here.

Choose the field you choose, you’ll shoot at your enemies before turning them into your friends, come along for a great time!