he record will show that the Allies once again prevailed over the Germans at Skirmish Paintball's Invasion of Normandy this year.

But the real story is the community feeling that comes from one of the world's largest paintball games, held each year here in Carbon County.About 4,000 people formed a massive encampment last weekend to participate in the annual two-day game, see old friends, and of course, "throw some paint" out on the battlefield."It's just the adrenaline, the scale of everything. You have thousands of people out there all shooting at each other," Chris Park, of Medford Massachusetts, said.The game itself takes place on Skirmish's sprawling paintball fields outside of Albrightsville. Historical accuracy isn't as important as the overall experience, but the event bears some resemblance to the original invasion.At noon on Saturday, thousands of 'Allied' soldiers piled out of replicas of the landing craft used at Normandy, under the cover of smoke grenades. Kyle Hines of West Virginia, who played with the Germans, said there is some strategy, but the Allies eventually win."Right at the beginning, you try to find them through the smoke. For the Allies, it's try to run, and don't get hit. But at some point they are gonna push us back," he said.Camouflage isn't too important - some players are brightly dressed. Some hard-core paintballers will outfit jeeps to drive on the battlefield like makeshift tanks.Of course, the Allies usually win. It's by far the more popular side. Many of the Germans admitted they would rather be on the Allies, but signed up too late.There were players of all ages, and plenty of women holding their own against the men. Ed Barron of Thornton is 76 years old, but he said that he's welcomed by the younger players."I was looking for somebody else my age, but I didn't see anyone else with white hair sticking over the mask," Barron said.The players come for the action on the field, but the tent city that springs up around the event is a big draw too. The collection of RVs and vehicles from all over the East Coast looks like it could be the outside of turn 3 at Pocono Raceway. But instead of the roar of engines you hear the pop of the air-powered paintball markers.Nate Siebenthal of Connecticut traveled down with his buddies to camp out."We always say we're going to get more into the strategy, but we mainly come to hang out and shoot some paint. It's just the massiveness, the event is part of it. Even if I didn't play, I would come and camp and hang out," he said.There's a midway where players can buy hot food, check out new paintball gear, and of course, restock on paint. Some players said they went through thousands of rounds on Saturday."The aim is to waste it," Park said. "Accuracy through volume."The players who arrived early were rewarded with prime camping spots, but had to suffer through heavy rains Thursday night. But that was just fine for some players, like Marcus Stiles of West Virginia, who makes the trip each year with his family."Camping is like the family of paintball. If you ain't camping, then you truly ain't playing," Stiles said.