| Stop Being a Paintball Newbie! | | | | And remember, just because a player is |
| | | | running towards you shouldn't just assume |
| | | | that they are on the other team. If you are |
| | | | playing a 'Capture the Flag' game, that might |
| Paintball is one of the fastest growing | | | | be your team mate trying to get back to your |
| recreation sports in the world. At the | | | | end of the field with the enemy flag. |
| tournament level, players require all the | | | | |
| athletic prowess and skill of more | | | | * Play With Your Team! * |
| traditional physical sports. In the US and | | | | |
| Europe in particular, huge amounts of money | | | | In casual, walk-on paintball games you will |
| are being invested in paintball athletes and | | | | always find at least one self styled lone |
| teams. | | | | gun, determined to win the war on his own. |
| | | | Don't be that player! |
| Pretty much everyone comes into paintball at | | | | |
| the recreational level; it's a fun day out | | | | Paintball is a team sport and you can't win |
| and a chance to outsmart the other side. If | | | | without supporting your side. If you want to |
| you are just getting into paintball, here are | | | | move forward through the opposition, you can |
| some ways to get the edge over other new | | | | place a few paintballs near their cover to |
| players and even the odds with more | | | | keep their heads down while your team mates |
| experienced players. These tips aren't going | | | | move forward. They can then do the same for |
| to get you on to a professional paintball | | | | you. This is the paintball equivalent of |
| squad, but they should help get you beyond | | | | passing the ball. |
| 'newbie' status. | | | | |
| | | | Try getting all the way to an enemy flag on |
| * Use cover effectively * | | | | your own, if you must. Unless the other side |
| | | | has been almost eliminated, the closer you |
| So here's a tip from the army - don't look | | | | get to their flag, the closer you are to |
| over obstacles or cover, look around them. | | | | their defence squad. That means paintballs |
| The shape of a human head peering over a | | | | coming your way soon, Rambo! |
| barricade is easily recognized. If possible, | | | | |
| look around the base of the bush instead; it | | | | * Try To Stay Mobile * |
| makes you much harder to spot. Sometimes you | | | | |
| may want to be spotted, if paintballs are | | | | If you pick a barricade or any other type of |
| flying your way it helps your team locate the | | | | cover that is difficult to leave, once the |
| opposing players. If you do stick your head | | | | opposition figures out you location, you will |
| up, then, limit exposure to a maximum of two | | | | become a paintball magnet. Try to select |
| seconds. | | | | cover that has more than one line of retreat. |
| | | | Don't always shoot from the same spot; keep |
| That advice is only useful, however, if the | | | | changing the location and angle you are |
| cover that you have selected is appropriate. | | | | firing from. Keep the opposition guessing |
| Make sure that you are adequately hidden; a | | | | where the next paintball is coming from. |
| shot to the foot in paintball will still put | | | | |
| you out of the game. A couple of roots are | | | | If a paintball comes past you in a near miss |
| not enough cover and paintballs can still hit | | | | get moving, another one will be along soon |
| you through grass! | | | | and you want to be somewhere else. |
| | | | |
| * Identify Your Target First * | | | | And whatever you do, don't try to climb a |
| | | | tree! I've seen people do it. You're not |
| If you have been on a paintball field a | | | | going to get down in a hurry, there usually |
| couple of times, you will most likely have:a) | | | | isn't enough foliage to hide you and once you |
| Shot at and probably hit a member of your own | | | | fire your paintball gun, everyone knows where |
| team.b) Been hit by a stray or deliberately | | | | you are. From then on it's a duck shoot until |
| aimed 'friendly' paintball. | | | | you are down from the tree and that usually |
| | | | isn't before you get at least 20 nice |
| Everyone does it, but mostly when they first | | | | paintball sized bruises. |
| start playing. Most people react to the first | | | | |
| scenario by pretending it wasn't them and the | | | | * Don't Cheat * |
| second situation with righteous indignation. | | | | |
| | | | Wiping the evidence of a hit away is as low |
| It happens. | | | | as you go in paintball. If you do it, you |
| | | | will eventually get caught. Analyse what |
| You can reduce the incidents of friendly fire | | | | happened and take the experience to the next |
| in a paintball game (at least the ones that | | | | game instead. Don't give anyone reason to |
| you cause!), by making sure you have properly | | | | doubt you. |
| identified your target. It's difficult with | | | | |
| paintball masks that steam up and an | | | | Remember - it's just a game! |
| adrenaline high, but it's one of the | | | | |
| essential skills that you need as a regular | | | | Jo Blake writes for Paintball5 ( Subscribe to |
| paintballer. Nobody wants a player on their | | | | our paintball RSS feed and sign up for our |
| team who has a reputation for removing their | | | | newsletter to stay up to date with the latest |
| own team mates. | | | | in paintball! |
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