Adventure Games Paintball of Weare, NH, a long operating field which happens to enjoy the benefit of being the commercial paintball field closest to the location of paintball’s first-ever game (June 27th, 1981, Henniker, NH) held an anniversary/birthday bash this past Sunday and did themselves, the game and the industry proud!

68Caliber took a trip over for the Sunday Festivities and we were very impressed with the bash laid on.

At this point, our coverage of the event divides into two parts.  The first with all the pictures covers the 30th Anniversary celebration.  The second uses AG’s special event as a near-perfect example of how to do customer service at a paintball field RIGHT.

Highlights of the anniversary bash were three enormous HAPPY 30TH ANNIVERSARY PAINTBALL sheet cakes – two vanilla and one chocolate.

Yummy, yummy, yummy, I got cake in my tummy

Special games were being organized all day long and entry fee was waived for players going pump – like this fine couple:

They're sporting an SL68-II and an NSG Splatmaster in honor of the day

the field even laid in some custom jerseys by Raza Life just for the occasion:

The parking lots were packed and, although I didn’t run into anyone in particular, Alex, AG’s head honcho, informed me that “everyone I knew was there”.

The atmosphere was festive, lots of smiling faces and some fast games all went together to make a great day of paintball marking the thirtieth year of our favorite sport.

Now a bit about customer service.  AG Paintball is a field that caters largely to new players, groups for parties and a large and regular corps of regulars – speedball, pump and woodsball all.

In operation since 1986 (or thereabouts) it is the perfect example of an old school paintball field operating on old school principals, all of which are evident from the moment you visit their website or walk into the pro shop.

You don’t survive as a paintball field for well over two decades without getting two things right: promotion (to get customers in the door) and customer service to keep the coming back.

Here’s what I mean.  The field has opened an expanded parking facility across the street from the field. Three staff members were assigned to do nothing all day but park cars and monitor traffic.  I over shot the entrance and in turning around in the main parking lot to head back for the new lot, the referee stationed there (this guy who looks like he’s sitting on air) -

Thanked me!  He actually thanked me for cooperating.  The other parking refs were equally professional and courteous.  (No wandering around wondering where I was supposed to go, not getting blocked in by discourteous players).

I then noticed that there was another referee assigned to the chronograph:

making sure all of the guns were within limits and providing instruction and advice to rental players.

Then I hit the staging area (which is well supplied with tents, tables, chairs, convenient to the fields and – policed by more staff members:

I visit AG on a fairly regular basis (it’s the official testing and review field for 68Caliber) but I was a bit surprised to see one of their latest additions – this bank of keyboards and screens for player waivers and sign in:

Clear instructions, easy to use system, a staff and time saver – it’s beautiful.  No lines, customers can work at their own pace and anyone needing special attention is instructed how to get it first.

It’s these little things that make all of the difference.  Good job, AG!