We'll break down the strategy of the game for beginners and more experienced players alike. We'll take you through some of the more common mistakes made by new players, and some tips and tricks any paintball player can take advantage of.
Beginner's strategy and game play
To give you a crash course on the basic rules is simple. Shoot or get shot. Capture the flag or prevent yours from being captured. Sounds easy, right? Wrong! The difference between the beginner and the experienced player is knowing what to do and when to do it. Take advantage of the surroundings and of the strengths of your teammates.
Keep your head on a swivel. There may be a flag to get, but if your head isn't moving around to see everything around you, you are going to spend more time in the safe zone than on the field helping your team. Make sure you are looking all around you - 360 degrees. There are players you move very quietly and quickly and they will sneak up and prey on your inexperience.
One of the most frustrating types of players is the 'hoser.' A hoser is the player (newbie and experienced) who thinks that wasting a box or two of paint during a match is an effective way to eliminate the enemy. The best players ration their strikes to make themselves effective for the entire game. One of the mistakes beginners make is trying to expend too much time and energy eliminating an opponent behind a bunker or a barricade. One or two shots might be worthwhile if you spot a gap in the defenses is OK, but don't blow an entire hopper on it. While you are wasting your time and pellets on trying to get through the gaps in the wood planks, others are maneuvering to attack your position.
Practice the range of your marker. With the many different types of markers and the power each one possesses, the range is going to vary widely. Too many new players waste paintballs by trying to hit a moving target at 100 yards or more away. The experienced player understands the drop of a pellet, its velocity over a certain distance and the patience to wait for a closer target.
Always be thinking one step ahead of everyone else. You can't only play for yourself; you have to think about what every one else would do in their position. Learning to anticipate the events that happen on the field is one of the greatest assets for the beginner.
Don't worry about making mistakes. As a beginner, you need to make quick decisions on the playing field and they aren't going to always be the right ones. Eventually the experience you gain just by making the decision to run for the next bunker or to take the flag will end up being the right decision and you will look like the pro on the field.
Paintballs are whizzing past your head and you make a break for a nearby bunker. You feel the sharp pain of a pellet on your shoulder. The beginner will likely immediately raise his or her marker and shout the all too familiar phrase, 'I'm out!" Don't do it. Check your body for the splat. It's not uncommon to feel the pellet and not have it burst on your body. If necessary, ask a ref for a paint check.
Your going to get shot no matter what - it is inevitable. What you can do is make yourself as difficult to shoot as possible. A common strategy is to 'play tight.' If you are trapped in a barrier looking for a way out, peer out the sides of the barrier. You can minimize the amount of your head showing to the opposing players.
Keep your elbows in and make yourself as compact as possible when you are traveling around the playing field. Crouch when possible to shoot. You not only steady your weapon, you create a smaller target for opposing players.
Keep you weapon ready at all times. Don't bring it down to at your side unless you are waiting for the next game in the graveyard. The game is moving fast and the difference between a player who has his or her weapon cocked and the one who is lazy, is a kill for the one who is ready. Remember to be a boy scout and be prepared!
Newbies often think paintball is a game of individual play - the one with the most kills wins. The object of the game is typically to capture the flag. Make sure your strategy reflects the team objective. It will pay off in the end when they bail you out of a tough situation when you need it most.
Take stock of your surroundings. Use trees, tall grass and low brush to cover you from enemy fire and to move stealthily around the playing field.
Vary your shooting position. If you are pinned in a bunker, move to the left side, poke your head out and take a quick shot. Move to the middle and take a shot. Kneel down, or lie in a prone position. Each time you move your position you force your opponent to re-aim each time.
When you first hit the field, take a look around at the first position you intend to take. Your team leader may direct you to a position, according to where they think the enemy will approach. Likewise, have a plan where you will be able to safely fall back.
As you gain experience on the playing field, you will start to learn several different tactics that you or a combination of players can use on the field.
Once you start to play a more organized and advanced game with experienced players, you will likely be placed into one of three main categories on your team: the front player, the back player or a forward.
Here is a brief overview of each position and their tactical responsibilities.
Front player: Role and attributes
If you are quick, strong, flexible, aggressive and love the paintballs coming at you like buckshot, the front man could be the position for you. You have to have nerves of steel because you will lead the charge in the beginning to try and take a bunker in the enemy's territory or secure a strong offensive position.
On the break, the front player has to weave quickly between bunker and trees to obtain a position that gives his team the best chance to advance on the playing field with the least resistance.
Because speed is important in obtaining offensive positions, front players rarely fire their weapons when trying to get to their primary bunker. Pausing to fire rounds at opponents slow the advance of the rest of the team.
An effective crouch position is a valuable skill for the front player to refine, because the crouch is one of the least prone positions for enemies to fire at. A smaller target takes less paint in the end. Being able to run while in the crouch… well, that's just going to make people down right envious.
Who said contortionists were just for the circus? The front player will need to be able to twist, turn, bend and play extremely tight to make sure he is least likely to be hit.
The front player has to use every legal maneuver to get into the enemy's bunkers. Anything.
Back players: Role and attributes
The back player sees the entire field before them. They need to be anticipatory, they need to have a great vision of the field ahead of them and they need to be able to think on their feet, devising strategies to counterattack opponent offensives.
Calling out enemy positions is imperative for the back players. Therefore, a loud voice is one of the first and most basic elements of a good back player.
Understanding how players create angles to attack is a great skill for a back player. By knowing how teammates can pin down opponents, using angles in their approach will help forwards achieve success.
The ability to create effective cover fire, pinning down opponents is considered a 'must have' for back players. Keeping the opponent pinned down is a huge strategic advantage for the team with great back players.
Five types of back players are utilized in a paintball match: A player sometimes called, The lobber, sits in the back and pumps paint into the air at a great distance. This back player hits players because of the number of paintballs actually put in play rather than strategic attack positions.
The sniper moves around the field into a covered position taking advantage of other player movements and attacks to cover their own shots. Snipers have to be aware of what is going on around them because they can be caught focusing on one target and not realizing opponents are tracking their position.
The changer can morph into whatever player he wants during the game depending on the conditions. He can play in the back, mid, or forward position
The coverman is the guy who helps pin down opponent positions on the playing field. He can be a player's best friend or worst enemy. Keeping a team's offensive players suppressed is a sure way to keep them out of your team's way. The best coverman can see where is opponents are going and anticipate where they are headed next.
The mover keeps his opponents guessing by traversing the field regularly. Constantly moving across the field the opposition will have a tough time trying to keep track of where this player is. This player is effective in providing both cover fire and crossfire opportunities when the angles are favorable.
Forwards: Roles and attributes
Forwards are the players in a paintball match that make the most use of specialized tactics. Accurate and quick shots, the forwards rely more on speed and quick guerilla-style attacks rather than pumping their opponent full of paint.
The forward is most effective when he or she can make the best use of cover fire from the back players.
Speed off the whistle to a predetermined bunker is an important task for the forward.
The ability to snapshoot. This is the art of popping out from behind a bunker unexpectedly and firing two to three rounds at a target. The top forwards know where their pellets are headed even before the expose themselves to take the shot. This is a very effective offensive maneuver.
Once these basic forward skills are developed, players can streamline their play to several different variations of the forward.
Players who tend to be fleet of foot and have smaller body size are sometimes considered the rabbit. The rabbit has an uncanny ability to fire at their opposition and not expose themselves to the enemy.
One player that plays a slower, more controlled game is the turtle. They are larger players who typically move when the action is focused away from their position. They are utilized best against newer teams who aren't as quick and organized.
The juggernaut is a player who plays the perimeter of the field, watching closely the movements of the other players. He can see the field extremely well and is one of the top players at anticipating the movement of his opponents. Other than the pros on the field, the juggernaut is considered the most valuable player with the least number of faults in their game. Because of the amount of movement the juggernaut has during a game, they are susceptible to a very adept sniper.
The pro is considered the most proficient player on the field. They are well versed in every aspect of the paintball game. They are accurate shooters, quick-movers and think faster than any other player on the field.
Tips and tricks for the paintball player
The best players on the field use every advantage they can muster to defeat their opponents. They use terrain, bunkers, accurate shooting and teamwork to gain valuable ground against the enemy.
While each person or team has developed their own set of tactics for use in a match, there are several basic tips any paintball player can use to make sure they can compete on a level playing field with any player they face.
Use your cover wisely. Trees and bushes are effective for cover, but they aren't as good as bunkers. When you are using a thicket of trees, stand about 5 to 6 feet behind them. When you stand close to a tree, parts of your body appear to be exposed. Standing further away from the trunk gives the appearance of complete cover. Because pellets can still penetrate bushes, it is best to stand further behind them to ensure you are not hit with pellets that burst through the cover.
Take advantage of the action. Paint is being fired from all directions and players are moving all over the field. If you keep your wits about you, you can use the diversion to get to a different position on the field.
Be quiet. If your opposition can't hear where you are, they can't shoot at you or find you. You can limit your shots and move when the action is at a frenzied pace to your advantage.
Be patient. Let your opponent make the wrong move before you do. If you are in a bunker standoff, let him pop his head out so you can see where he is, before you decide to take action.
Pay attention. If you are behind a bunker, pay attention to the direction the shots are coming from. You can also use angles to tell where a player is and where his pellet hits a bunker… or another player.
Create a distraction. Fire paint near an opponent; fire off several rounds lobbed through the air. Whatever you can do to throw the hounds off your trail, do it.
Talk it up. Your teammates are vital to your success on the playing field. Calling for cover fire, identifying enemy movements and making sure everyone is doing their job are essential for a player and team's success.
Read the game. Learn to watch and predict the other players' movements. You will be able to counterattack an offensive maneuver by your opponent if you are one step ahead of him or her.
Many players who play the game regularly with a team, develop hand signals and other methods of communicating that help them with player movements and directing attacks or other maneuvers.
The bottom line
You are always going to have the showboat on the field, dressed to the max, an Angel automatic with every bell and whistle, his dog and pony show in tow, but no matter what, skill and guile on the battlefield will always win out in the end.
Learn the above skills and don't be afraid to learn from other players and ask them above a move that you made on the field. Watching and playing against players who are better than you is the surest way to make your can improve by considerably.
Practice these maneuvers at home in the yard or at your paintball range. There will be time when the fields aren't being used and you might be able to get a little practice time in. You can learn the field, where the bunkers are, the best strategic areas, and good hiding spots.
Set up a target in your yard and practice your aim. Practice snapshooting at the target. Vary the range you are shooting from. Learn how your weapons fire and under what conditions it performs optimally.
Some final tips:
You aren't always going to be able to play in sunny warm weather. The snow and rain have a habit of taking a day and squeezing all of the life out of it. But, it doesn't necessarily force you indoors to play your paintball match.
Here are a few tips for playing in inclement weather:
Rain gear - Wear anything that will keep the rain off your body. It is no fun running around the playing field in clothes that are soaking wet. A rain-slicker from Wal-mart, water repellent jersey, a garbage bag - whatever you use make sure it can keep the water away from your skin. Being wet on the outside is a piece of cake. Get wet on the inside and the shivers start to affect your accuracy, your mobility and is down right uncomfortable.
Keep your head covered - Wear anything over your head to keep as much water off your face. It will pay dividends when you aren't wiping fog off your goggles every time you stop behind a bunker.
Cover everything else - wrap your hopper, your pellets and anything else related to paint. The water swells the pellet cover and will cause unnecessary pellet bursts inside the chamber or barrel of your marker.
Wear proper footwear - Sneakers aren't going to cut it in the rain. The ground is going to be slick and the rain is going to soak right through them.
Bring a set of gloves - When your hands get cold, they seize up, reducing quickness on the trigger and increase clumsiness. Not to mention the fact that when you get a scratch it hurts like you wouldn't believe.
And finally really - If you know rain is in the forecast, make sure you bring an extra set of clothes. You should bring an extra change with you anyway, but make sure it is a part of your gear when the skies are clouding over.
Many of the same tips can be used when you are playing in the winter. Winter you say? That's right, winter paintball can be fun, but the primary reason why people don't play when the thermometer drops below zero is because they don't think smart when trying to keep themselves warm. But keep in mind other cold-weather tips as well.
Any time you go outdoors in the winter, people talk about dressing in layers. It's no different in paintball. You might get warmer than you want, but at least you're not shivering in your car in the parking lot while your friends are having a ball.
Gloves and stocking caps are a good idea. You lose most of the heat from the top of your head, and like in the rain, wearing gloves prevents poor trigger reaction.
Get cold-weather pellets. Period.
In the winter, you are going to have to take extra precautions with equipment. Plastic parts become brittle in below-freezing temperatures. Any knick, bump, or smash could cost you some deniros if you aren't careful.
Sunglasses are nice because of the glare off the snow. But, anti-glare goggles take the cake.
There really are innumerable ways to help improve your game. The knowledge to be a better player lies in playing the game and perfecting the skills that set you apart from the others.
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