GENERAL PAINTBALL TIPS

Created by: Jean-Manuel (jm.maries@ags.fr)
Edited by: Martin Guerrero (gmartin@alumni.eecs.berkeley.edu)

NOTE: [ ... ] will mark additional comments by editor.

Introduction to the Tactics Series:

I happen to write strategy articles in France. Well, posting something every day has two drawbacks: 1) I don't have enough time, and 2) it takes time to practice, to understand and to put into action something you read.

Ok. There you go. I'll start with some tips:

A. SAFETY

1. Nothing is more important than safety: yours, the ref's, your team's, your opponent's, the spectator's.
[2. REMEMBER: SAFETY ALWAYS COMES FIRST! ]

B. EQUIPMENT

1. You must know your marker, the common failures. It must work perfectly. Have some tools.
2. Check your marker before walking onto a field.
3. Check the screws during the game.
4. Keep your barrel clean and tight.
5. Know how many balls your hopper contains, how many shots you get from different bottles, the weight of your bottles when they are empty, and how much CO2 you can put in.
6. Use antifog lenses [if possible. If not, you may want to spray anti-fog material every so often]
7. Use a stopwatch, look at it regularly.

[ Paintball Guns:

a) ALWAYS USE YOUR BARREL PLUG WHEN NOT PLAYING!
b) First time with you paintball gun? Get acquainted with it. Ask the field owners how to use it, ask whether it is a pump gun, or a semi, ask players around you (or your friends or family), about the gun.
c) Learn how to handle common problems:
d) During a game, if you can't do anything about your equipment problem, DO NOT GIVE YOURSELF UP! You can still be a very useful force in the game.
e) Bring the necessary tools to adjust velocity in your gun.
f) Extra Barrel Plugs would be ideal

Paintball Goggles:

a) If you have a choice, try getting a thermal lens to prevent fogging. A thermal lens is essentially a double paned lens.
b) You may also want to look at how much face protection the mask offers.
c) Buy an antifog spray and use once every hour or so. If you wear glasses, don't forget to spray on them too. Its useless having very clear goggles but have your glasses fog up!
d) You may also want to consider getting a small fan for the goggles to help them clear up.

Guppies/Extra Paint Loaders:

a) Close the lids VERY WELL. Make sure the Guppies are strapped securely.
b) Make sure you fill each guppie all the way. If there is not enough paint, you will hear a jiggling sound when you run. Worse, you increase the chances of a ball breaking in the guppie. You DO NOT want to put "contaminated balls" (covered with paint from a broken ball) in your hopper as the accuracy of your shots will significantly go down.
c) Don't position the guppies to the side of you. Even guppie hits count.

]

C. POSITIONING

1. Choose obstacles that will protect you while allowing you to look around and to shoot back. Don't bury yourself somewhere.
2. Keep ready to move any moment. Don't stay in uncomfortable positions -- your limbs will get "sleepy".
3. Always look for a retreat route, and make sure it stays clear of opponents/ opponent paint.
4. Be a small target. Watch your marker, your legs, your hopper, your butts.
5. Stay in the shade, beware of [shadows]
6. Look around, even if you have to expose yourself to do so. Try to locate your opponents and your teammates.
7. Look by the side of things rather than over them, and move slowly: movement will catch the eyes of your opponents.
8. When you are in a hiding position, don't move.
9. When an opponent looks your way but doesn't seem to spot you, freeze.
10. When you attack, stay low. When you explore, stay high.
11. NEVER position two persons behind the same shelter.
12. NEVER immediately go to a spot where one of your teamates has just been shot. If you do have to take his job on, do it from a different shelter.
13. If you are in the center (between the side limits), don't be the farthest of your team -- you'd be shot by all of your opponents.
14. When you are behind a "solid" shelter (barricade, wall...), don't stay against it, but a little back, so you will be able to move out already aiming, instead of having to go out, and then aim.
15. Also, protect your legs. A good position is to sit with your legs against the barricade.
[16. Choose a barricade which allows you the greatest field of fire.
17. When a ball barely misses you, MOVE! Don't give that person a second chance to aim again, and this time, get you.
18. Get Kneepads if you plan to be on your knees a lot.]

D. MOVING

1. Go from shelter to shelter. Always know which shelter you want to reach.
2. Move when the wind blows, it will be almost impossible for your opponents to hear you.
3. So, when the wind blows, keep your eyes opened for an opponent who knows that trick.
[4. When moving, try using teamwork, with teammates giving cover fire if necessary]

E. INDIVIDUAL TECHNIQUES

1. Point your barrel in the same direction you're looking in, so you are always ready to shoot.
2. Practice shooting while running.
3. Learn to shot both right and left handed.
4. When you shoot at a running opponent, shoot in front of him so he'll run into your paint.
5. When you are behind a shelter, don't shoot from the same place twice in a row.
6. Be calm, don't always shoot back when someone shoots at your shelter, but de ready for someone running at you.
7. Don't hesitate to shoot at an opponent you can't see, if it'll make him nervous or help a teammate.
8. Shoot at an opponent when a teammate is moving in on him, even if you know you won't eliminate him, so that opponent will rather look your way.

F. BE A TRUSTWORTHY TEAMMATE

1. Play with a teammate, in a group of two. (You call that "a buddy" I think?)
2. Never let your buddy down. If you move, tell him.
3. Be smart, but disciplined. Listen to (and ask) a teammate who has a good viewing position. Tell your teammates what you see!
4. Use a code. The main purpose of a code is not to keep your conversations secret, but to summarize long sentences in short words, and to state what has to be said, i.e what is important information.
5. Frequently look at your teammates, thay might have moved without telling you.
6. Never surrender, even if your marker is down. Stay, and pretend it works. You can also be used as a "goat".
7. After each game, review what you have learned, imagine all the things you could teach new players.

G. THE RULES

1. Know the rules by heart, you'll avoid penalty points [if applicable].
2. Play fair, whatever the situation. Don't go around bragging when you win, don't complain when you lose. And never cheat. It kills the game, it kills the fun. If you rely on cheating to win, you'll never improve. And if you can't help cheating, give up paintball, please.
[3. SPORTSMANSHIP]

Closing Statement for Tactics 01:

That's it for the first time. It isn't the most interesting part (in my opinion), but it is important. Anyway, I'll give you more precise tips of specific situations some other time. Next week I think.

jean-manuel
team Les Tontons Flingueurs
France
http://www.ags.fr/ludis/



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