Paintball Tips And Tricks

New experiences in paintball are usually exciting and often leave a newbie with an unforgettable memory. While it is actually fun going into paintball, competing against paintball professionals can be both intimidating and frustrating, especially when you are unfamiliar with the essential tips that can pave the way that leads to paintball excellence and mastery.

With games that require dexterous technical skills, a broad range of weaponry to select from, and a high probability of being hit with paint, it’s okay to say that each day of your paintball journey is action-fun-packed. 

More so, by learning the essential tips and tricks, you will be building both your confidence and communication skills.

In this article, you will get some paintball tips and tricks that you need to know to be a confident paintball player. First, let us talk a little about paintball.  

What is Paintball?

Paintball is a type of sport where players form groups/teams or as individuals, to eliminate opponents. It hit/marked them with little softballs containing non-poisonous dye and a gelatin shell (often-called paintballs) through a piece of equipment called a “paintball marker or paintball gun.”

Players can engage in Paintball on both indoor and outdoor fields of different sizes. One characteristic feature of paintball game fields is the presence of terrains, which players use to cover opponents’ shots.    

While there are many paintball rules, we cannot go without mentioning them.

 · Capture the flag

· Elimination

· Ammunition limits

· Attack or defense of a particular area

 Also, paintball games can last only a few seconds or span several hours or even days, depending on the variant played.

Paintball pro tips for beginners

Do you want to know the paintball pro tips? If yes, let us look at a few paintball strategies and advanced paintball tips to guide you every step of the way.  

STAY LOW AND USE COVER 

Always try to stay as low as possible when migrating from one point to another during a paintball game. Doing this has two evident advantages: it makes you much less visible to your enemy team and makes you less prone to attack or hit by opponents on the head.

To see exactly what we are trying to say here, kindly watch this fantastic video where fellow first-timers try out their guns. In paintball games, using your cover appropriately can be what distinguishes you from other first-timers. 

Don’t Be Scared Of The Paintball 

Contrary to what you may have heard about paintballs, it is not dangerous to be hit by them. Although you may be stung by a paintball, it may leave a slight mark. However, it does not take too long before any existing mark disappears. For a fact, some new paintball players become so worried that they spend their entire paintball practice session thinking about being hit. Because paintball experts have the technical know-how to maneuver their way, it is easier for them to move quickly into better positions, thereby putting you at a disadvantage. However, to keep yourself safe, and to worry less about being hit by a paintball, consider putting on light gloves and additional layers of protection under your jacket.  

Embrace Teamwork 

You could be tempted to go solo during a paintball game, especially if you think going solo can earn you the highest body count. However, teamwork plays a significant role as it gives teammates an edge over the lone soldiers. 

Most paintball maps will require you to lay down cover for your teammates and carry out collective duties that could be difficult if you attempt it alone. Apart from making you an unstoppable force on the paintball field, participating in teamwork makes the entire experience worthwhile and fun.  

Paintball guns are very loud when you fire them, so be ready to welcome tonnes of paintballs when you fire at an opponent. Generally, there are situations when you need to fire your paintball gun. 

Some of these situations include: 

• When you can see an opponent from a good position (a close range) 
• When you observe that your opponent is taking cover and you intend to keep him there in a bid to enable your teammate to move into a better position
• You want to test your firing device before the game starts

Therefore, you should never waste your paintballs for any reason. For example, if your opponent is far away or behind a solid cover, instead of firing, wait until you are in a better position to launch an attack.

Know When to Duck

Know your opponents. Some players fire rapidly while darting behind bunkers and trees to hide, while others will take their time, waiting for the perfect shot. If you are facing an opponent who likes to shoot fast and duck quickly, you should do the same thing.

Take fast shots and then duck behind your bunker again. But if your opponent is a more calculated shooter, you can save yourself some serious welts by holding steady and taking a few deep breaths first before popping up to make a move or take a shot.

If your opponent’s body language suggests that they’re not taking aim at you directly when they pop out from their bunker, then it might be safe to do the same thing — unless there are other paintballers nearby!

Communicate with Your Team

Communication between teammates is key to maintaining a cohesive offense/defense team. When you’re in the thick of it, remember to talk with your teammates about your location, their location and the enemy’s location. For example, if you are hiding behind the cover, tell your teammates if you can see any opponents so that they know how to approach their position. If an opponent is trying to take out a teammate from behind, give a warning by saying “opponent on left” for example.

A common set of signals can be very useful when there are too many people talking on one frequency, or it would be an awful idea to talk at all because it may alert the opposition. For instance, when attempting to cross an open field where snipers may be hiding or defending a base where quiet is essential to not alert enemies nearby that you have taken over their base.

A way of signaling teammates without using words can also save time and prevent confusion during heated matches. Examples of signals include three quick taps on your gun barrel meaning yes and two slow taps meaning no (or vice versa). Another signal could mean flicking your gun up and down twice when asking “are we going right or left?”

NEVER EXPOSE A LARGE PORTION OF YOUR BODY

When trying to sneak a peek in a bid to launch an attack, try as much as possible to expose only a little portion of your entire body. For example, suppose you pop out of your right side and notice an opponent in proximity. In that case, it’s best to take a shot from the left side of your position because your opponents will probably expect you to fire from your initial post. It is simple, change your location. 

Do Not Overlook Your Paintball Mask

The most important part of your paintball equipment is your mask. Do not overlook how crucial this piece of kit is. Paintball masks are extremely important, and will protect your eyes, face and head from being hit by a speeding ball. You may be very good at dodging paintballs, but you can never be sure that the person you are aiming at won’t accidentally shoot the ball in your direction.

Paintball masks are specifically designed for playing paintball games and cannot be used for other sports (like biking or hockey). They come in many sizes and shapes to fit as many people as possible. Make sure that when you buy a mask it fits securely on your face, so there is no danger of it slipping off while moving around during a round of paintball.

Know How to Reload

Reloading is a huge deal in paintball. Here’s why: it forces you to take your hand off the trigger, your hand off the gun, your eyes off the target, your eyes off the field and your eyes off the other players. This is a bad thing. It makes you vulnerable to being shot by other players, which in turn gives them an advantage over you.

You don’t want that happening to you. So avoid reloading at all costs.

Protect Your Gun

Paintball is a rugged sport and your paintball gun will take a beating so it’s best to protect it. Paintballs don’t just break in the barrel, they leave behind a residue that can be very hard to remove which may damage your gun. If you have an electronic paintball gun, you should always keep it clean and follow the manufacturer’s directions for proper maintenance.

When you are not using your paintball gun, always keep it protected with some sort of cover or case. This will help prevent dirt from entering the barrel, both during play and while transporting your equipment. You’ll want to do what you can to ensure that no dirt gets into the barrel as this will cause problems for both mechanical and electronic markers.

You also want to make sure that moisture does not get into any areas where it does not belong on your marker. The last thing you want is for water or other fluids to get inside the trigger frame or main body of your marker as this can cause permanent damage.

Learn the basics of paintball

There are a number of skills you need to master before you can call yourself a paintball expert. Follow these simple tips to get the right start on your paintballing career.

Standard paintball rules include

•  No outside paint
•  No blind firing
•  You must not fire at opponents that are not within 10-15 ft.
•  You must shout the word “OUT” when you are eliminated
•  You must not talk when you get eliminated
•  The maximum velocity attainable is 280 FPS
•  No playing under the influence
•  You must listen to the referee at all times

Forward momentum rule paintball

One of the most important rules in paintball is the forward momentum rule. This rule states that a player cannot shoot at an opponent who is closer to them than their own forward momentum would carry them. This rule is in place to prevent players from shooting at opponents who are too close for them to safely shoot at.

Some tournaments also state that a player must always keep moving forward and can never go back. This rule is designed to keep the game fast-paced and exciting. Players who break this rule may be penalized by their team or even ejected from the game.

FINAL WORDS

We understand the need for first-timers to understand paintball strategies, which helps build confidence and overall success in paintballing. In this article, we have provided the most critical paintball tips for both beginners and professionals. Tricks like taking cover appropriately when playing the paintball game, and not revealing too much body area can make a significant difference between paintball players. Feel free to read and reread this piece until you fully understand what the game requires of you.