Rooster's Tips and Strategies
There are many many strategies in the game of paintball. I certainly couldn't put them all on one page, so I'm gonna hit the basics, and if I see it need be, I'll put a page 2 for here. Also if you have any tips or strategies, I'd love to get them...jus email me.
1.) This is the number one mistake that newbies and sometimes myself get into while playing paintball. The veterans and pro's call it "TUNNEL VISION" I can't express this enough when I say, When you play paintball LOOK AROUND. Tunnel vision is the main reason why flanking and counterflanking (Which I'll talk about in a bit) works so well. Tunnel vision is when a player is concentrated on a VERY SMALL area of the field, probably because he is getting shot from that direction or is seeing someone in that area. Well, DONT DO THIS!!!! While playing no matter what is going on.....look around....it doesn't take that long, believe it or not, and it will save you from wiping paint off your ass. So if your getting shot at, LOOK AROUND. If your guarding a position LOOK AROUND. This is the numero uno thing a paintball player should master.
2.) Communication is in my opinion the second most important trait a player needs to master. Hand signals are a important factor, along with regular speech. Sometimes I play with small handheld radios, which the transmissions can be caught by the opposition. But regardless, communication is the key. Let your buddy know where the enemy is. Plan your attacks by letting others know what your doing and where you will be. (It might save you from getting shot by your own teammates) Sooner or later, if you play with the same people, you get to know what they are doing or what they will do BEFORE they do it. This is good, and this is what you need to be aiming for. Because not only is talking good for you, it's bad for you. A good player can pick off a voice no matter how faint. So I recommend hand signals.
3.) Play as a team. The main people whom I'm talking to is the Gung-ho rambo type. These people don't win matches unless they are lucky as hell. People like that usually get pinned down and are begging for your help afterwards. And when you play like a team SPREAD OUT. (Newbies listen to this one) Newbies tend to stick to the saying, "There's saftey in number's" That's not exactly the case. There's nothing better to a good player than a group of newbies all huddled together. I recommend splitting your team into two groups. I'll call them A and B. If there are alot of players you can also split them into C,D, etc. But a group should consists of a good 2-4 players. NO MORE. A group needs to be at LEAST 10 yards away. Dont bunch up but don't spread out farther where you can't see or hear your groupmate.
4.) Pin and Flanking is the main strategy used by paintball pros all around the world. It's the oldest and most effective way (IF done correctly) to conquer your opponent. As in before you split your team into 2 groups. I would recommend putting the people that shoot alot of paint fast as Group A. Then I would put your marksmen as Group B. Group A goes ahead and runs into opposition, when this happens they pin the opposition down with heavy fire. After they have them pinned, group B will pull a "Flank", that is they move to either the left of right (Or even behind) the enemy that is pinned down. After that Group B moves as close and fast as they can and lay waste. BUT Group B needs to also be aware of a "CounterFlank" which is that the pinned enemy sends some fellow members back to flank the Flankers (Group B). This is an effective way to beat back good paintball players. So during group B's flanking move they need to stay aware and not get that "Tunnel Vision".
5.) Find a good buddy. A pair of paintballers make an excellent team. Find someone you can depend on. A veteran paintballer will ALWAYS (Well SOME of them do) buddy up with a newbie if asked. Jus be reminded that he will expect alot out of you (That means watching his ass) and will not hesitate to give some criticism.
So if its your first time out, jus ask and watch closely.
6.) As you develop your paintball skills you will find that there are always new stuff to learn. A veteran player will ALWAYS have different traits than a new player. For example, A veteran player will not hesitate to pull back. Or you ever notice how fast and EXACT a veteran shoulders his gun? (Which guarantees a first round hit, who needs sights?) A veteran will also use his own personal tricks and style. The best paintball player will learn these skills fast. The faster you learn them the better. Soon you'll have a WHOLE library of tactics and styles in your head which will allow a certain style for a certain situation.
7.) Don't be intimidated. I've seen alot of newbies and even myself intimidated during a game. (Trying running into a gaunlet of Cocker fire) Just because there gun is bigger and badder than yours doesn't mean they are better physically and mentally. There's always a rule of thumb to go by which I say CONSTANTLY. Paintball is 25% gun and 75% player. I wish I had a dollar for every time i've beaten a bragging cocker or shocker in a game. It doesn't matter what gun you have, it's the tactics and player. Some of the BEST players I've seen don't own expensive guns, most of them own pumps. Most of the time if a player is bragging, he's jus a snobby little rich kid with to much hormones. Jus watch out for the guy in the corner cleaning his spyder or pump, not saying anything.
8.) Don't hug trees!!! Another mistake commonly found on a paintball field is players getting right up against a barricade or tree. I guess this is a natural instinct passed on through the world war years or something, I dunno. BUT, I recommend getting about 4 to 5 feet behind the barricade and kneel on one knee. The farther away you are from the barricade the less you have to move left and right to see what the enemy is up to. The goal is to be able to lean left/right maybe 5 to 6 inches quickly and still see the enemy. This also means it only takes a quick 5 to 6 inches to get cover again.
9.) Type of movement. If your playing woodball I recommend 2 things. Either move very fast and make alot of noise. Or move very slow and make hardly any noise. There is no such thing as moving fast and making no noise. (Of course ive seen some people move very slow and still make alot of noise) During paintball games the sense of sound and the sense of sight is the only 2 senses used. The sense of sound comes first. First a player picks up the sound (Leaves, twigs, shots,talking,etc.) he then turns his head and uses sight. The key to this is to prevent the sound from ever taking place, thus lowering the chance of him seeing you. I recommend during play (Esp. Woodball) that you crouch as LOW as you can. (Observe S.W.A.T. Teams) Move slowly and concentrate on everything around you. If you see or hear anything you can do three things. I recommend stopping and pinpointing the sound/sight then reacting accordingly. OR you can hit the dirt or find cover. Then there's the age old way to do it.....retreat 10 to 12 yards and do whatever.
10.) I noticed during my last big game, that alot of newbies on the opposing team were observing alot of things I was doing, where I was going, and how I was reacting to things. (THIS IS GOOD!!) To an extent. You see at my paintfield we switch sides every game. The newbies were trying to go the EXACT same place that I just came for. Which in other words means, being predictable. I tried not to lite them up to bad, giving them a paintball a piece. So what I'm trying to say here is just because the veteran went that way on a game, doesn't mean you should go that way either. Veteran's (Some) are very predictable also, if they found a hole to where they can get you I guarantee you they will use that hole again and again until you stop them.
11.) I used this tactic on a woodball game and it worked really well. What I did is that I put EVERYONE on the right side of the field and I put just me, my girlfriend, and my cousin on the left. When the game hollared go, my team stuck to the right tape while I stuck to the left tape. But the trick is to walk alot slower than the right side. When the right side hit's the opposition they will be ALOT of shooting, and the other team will think EVERYONE is on the right side and will probably move accordingly. Little did they know that we was sneaking up from the left and got behind them all. Worked wonders.
12.)Ok, newbies, I noticed that you ALWAYS, ALWAYS, (75% of newbies) will just SIT THERE, either behind the flag, or just in a bunker. And you shoot shoot shoot people from a mile away, most of the time without hitting a thing. Sure paintball is a really fun sport, it get's really fun when your hitting people. The thing is that ya need to get out of those bunkers and do a little offensive. Sure, the action is a little heavier and the odds of getting hit are alot higher, but ITS ALOT FUNNER! A defense is a good thing. Ya need no more than 3 to 4 people guarding a flag (With a 12 man team, against a 12 man team) Yes, 3-4 people. A defense isn't there to stop and eliminate the other offensive team. Usually the defense is used to stop sneakers and stop the offense and hold them there. You will get a couple of eliminations but you will most likely just bunker a couple guys. The goal is to just hold them until either of two things happen. A. The time runs out the game or B. Your fellow offensive teammates come and help you out. If the game time is unlimited and you have no more teammates. All I can say is pray. =o)
13.) Ok, well this my not be a tactic, but I want to put this down just for the record esp. since newbies read this page alot. WELL, all I want to say is that it is not cool to jump out of a bush and shoot someone point blank. It's not cool. If that's the only way a newbie can knock off a veteran, well it's a shame. There are rules to paintball and one of them is called a surrender. If you are closer than 15-20 to a person, all you have to do is say you are out. If he disagrees then all ya got to do is lit him up. I recently got shot point blank by some newbie, and ya know what I did, no I didn't shoot him back, I put my barrel plug in and called myself out. After the came I confronted him and showed him the bloody circle he left me and asked him if he wanted one like it. He decided to really piss me off and say, "It's the game man." I agreed and let me say the next game I really messed him and his son up pretty bad and I really pissed them off when I said, "It's just a game huh." as he was walking off the field. You don't realize how bad something like that hurts until it happens to you. All I'm saying is that I'd much rather get a surrender any day than a simple kill. Give's you alot more bragging rights and gives the you and the field owner some respect that you play clean. After all, the more people you hurt, the less they play. Just think about people.
14.) Accuracy through Volume. (NO NO NO!!!) I know there are alot of those spray and prayers our there. I know because they are some on my team. The only time I really spray paint is when 4 things happen. First, if I'm up against the whole team, like 8 to 10 guys walking in front of you. Second, if I'm giving cover to someone or bunkering someone. Third, if my first 4 shot's don't hit there mark and Fourth, if I have a break in my barrel and the accuracy is WAY off. When I play paintball I shoot 3 round bursts (Unless there are real close and I can't miss) The first round is just a marking round, (To see where my second shot will hit)The second shot usually means a hit, but if not I can follow with a quick third or a fourth if need be. After that the person you are shooting at is either running(Now you can spray) or is under cover. (Stop shooting till he peeks out) Remember, the more you shoot the more other people can here you. 40% of my kills is flanking someone who is shooting a million rounds without thinking about nothing else but shoot shoot shoot. The more you shoot the more you announce your presence. The less you shoot the more respect you get, (and thank yous), the less noisy you are, and the more alert you are.
Email: rooster_82@att.net
