PAINTBALL TIPS FOR BEGINNERS
Written By: Kyle Varella with kyle@paintballerhq.com
Paintball is a competitive contact sport that is also great for recreational purposes. Players simulate military combat while playing this game, but you don’t need any military experience at all if you wish to participate. All you need is reliable gear and basic knowledge on how to easily eliminate other players from the game. There are guides on the net that teach you how to choose the right kind of gear.
If you are a beginner to the world of paintball, the following guide should put you in the right direction.
Don’t Be Scared of Getting Shot At
The moment a paintball hits you, you realize that it is not as painful as you thought. It might sting but it will only last for a minute or two and you will soon be eager to continue playing.
Some beginners are so scared of getting hit by a paintball that they choose to hide for most of the game. Hiding makes the game boring and less interesting. In fact, hiding doesn’t stop a better player from hitting you because he or she can move quickly to an attacking position leaving you vulnerable. So it is better to go out, play and enjoy yourself not worrying about getting hit since it is only paint and you won’t feel much. Protective clothing will keep you safe from most serious shots.
Always Have Your mask on during a paintball game
Wearing your mask is the ideal way of protecting your face that in turns makes the game secure and entertaining at the same time. The importance of wearing a mask cannot be over-emphasized.
Always stay at a position that puts you at an advantage
The sound that a paintball gun makes when fired is very loud. It always draws attention to the position of the shooter which will make other opponents fire from all directions. As a player, you should fire your paintball at opponents when you stand a clear chance of hitting them. You should fire when you want to deceive your opponent so that your teammates can easily get into a safe location to take them down. As a player, you should also fire your paintball when you want to test if your marker is functioning appropriately before the game starts.
Also, it is a good technical skill not to fire your paintballs at opponents who are far away from you or too far down in a covered spot. Alternatively, you should quietly and quickly move to a superior spot. Always keep in mind that it is a great advantage to spot your opponents. If a player can’t spot an opponent, then he or she can’t win in a paintball game. New players always believe that hiding will win them the game, but that tactic is a dangerous one. Keeping your head down gives enemy players the chance to move to better positions and enclose you before you can plan a counter move. You should always scan the field carefully to identify opponents and their strategic positions. This should be done very fast because it takes an opponent less than four seconds to notice you, aim at you and cover you with paint.
Protect your body by not exposing it too much
When you are trying to spot your opponents from your hiding place, make sure you don’t expose much of your body area to the opposition. A little exposure that will allow you to see and fire your paintball at your opponent is preferable.
If you pop out of your cover and you can spot the opposition to the right, it is generally a great tactic to shoot the opposition from the left side of your cover. After taking a shot, change your position because they will be expecting you to fire at them from the right again. When you change your position, you will make it more difficult for your opponents to hit you.
Frequent communication with your teammates is very important
Communication in a paintball game is very essential because it gives you the opportunity to share knowledge with teammates. It is very important to communicate before the game starts because you will be able to come up with a simple plan and allocate players to different strategic positions on the field which will make your team function as an effective unit.
It is also very important to communicate during the game. Tell your teammates about your plan before you proceed so that they provide covering fire for you. When you tell your teammates that you have tagged an opponent, it will help them to track the number of them left on the field.
Don’t give up too soon
In a paintball game, when you get hit by a paintball, it either breaks which means you are out of the game, or the paintball bounces which means you are still in the game. Sometimes when new players get hit, they may think they are out and give up easily without even noticing that the paintball that hit them didn’t break, meaning they are still in the game.
Always Focus On the End Goal
Every paintball game has its own goal that you need to achieve to win. The objective of some games is to cover the opposing side in a hail of paintballs without getting yourself tagged or sometimes you will have to capture flags, defend some certain positions, rescue hostages, etc. Always make sure you have a great plan, choose a team leader and work with allies to achieve your objective.
Avoid getting eliminated
Most new players are eliminated very easily due to their lack of experience putting the entire team in danger. As a beginner, your best bet is to plan ahead about your cover and stay away from choosing a position that is dangerous ahead of time. When you get pinned down by an opponent, don’t be quiet; shout out to your allies for protection.
Enjoy yourself while playing
Always remember that the major reason for playing a paintball game is to enjoy yourself, so don’t forget to do that while playing the game. It is a stimulating sport that is worth every minute of your time. Have fun!