Effective Paintball Strategy

Here I will talk about some important keys to improving your game. This you will not only help improve yourself but this will also help you become a more dynamic teammate. I will walk you through the planning stages of your game. You will see what you should be looking for and how to plan your initial steps out of the box or stating flag. I will focus on line of sight and defensive tactics that will allow you to have the upper hand over the opposition right from the whistle.

Walk Through: Your Breakout

One of the most effective things you and your team can do is a thorough walk through the field of play. Smaller fields or ones that are already familiar to you are easier of course. Some large rec fields may be too big to actually walk through before a game and in this case most fields have some sort of map to reference. Even if you already know the fields you are playing try to take a fresh look at it. You should begin at the starting point and bring your head up and look directly at the other starting point. Here you are looking to see what you exposure is. You should look to see if you need to be moving laterally or can you advance quickly with minimal exposure. You should be thinking too about your posture out of the box. Will you need to drop low to shrink your target area or will an up right position give you an angle on their lanes. At this point you should also be thinking about your team’s strengths and weaknesses. If you have small or quick players who can advance quickly for the forward positions they should be planning and prepping for their moves. They will be paying special attention to the lanes of fire they will pass to their first bunker or cover. Be thinking about you lane of travel. Will you have an opportunity to fire to your first bunker or do you need to keep your head down and prepared to slide? Would it be wiser to arch your approach instead of running direct as this may take away your opponent’s angle of fire? The back and mid players should be looking for the quick marks. Looking downfield will let you see were the other team may be moving on the break and give you an idea where to concentrate fire. Shoot at where they are going to be and not where they are! Let them walk into your lane of fire. This will either mark them or totally disrupt their game plan. The player should be thinking about protecting his forward players too. To do this you can fire in the direction your teammate is traveling to keep the other team’s head down if you can’t actually make the mark. A heavily bunkered opponent is almost as good as a marked one! A bunkered player can’t return effective fire and will allow your forward players to move quickly and safely to positions of strength.

Walk Through: Their Breakout

As you continue to walk the field keeping in mind your roll on the team you should have in mind a plan of attack that should get you out of the box quick and strong. Your players should be in positions where they will have strong points of attack or at least effective points of defense. Your next step should be on their side of the flag. Planning both ends before a game starts gives you the advantage of not only knowing the field but understanding how to play the field. When it comes time to switch sides you will already be familiar. You should be planning just as you had before but know you will also have the advantage of knowing how it looked from the other side. What worked well for them as they broke out? What lanes did you just eat them up on? You should be tailoring your strategy to both your team’s performance and what you have seen so far in the game. If your role is to lay down the suppressing fire on the break you should look at the opponents right before the start whistle. Look at those player and they may help you do your job. Most players that will be on the run will subconsciously prepare themselves by crouching. The players that will be playing the back or opening fire will usually carry their marker higher and stand more upright. Use these clues to plan your first shot. A games outcome is often decided in the first 10 seconds of a game. Make sure that is 10 seconds closer to your team’s victory.

Keys to Keep in Mind

The more preparation you put in before the game the better your team will perform during the game. It only takes one ball to mark someone so even of you are shooting a Spyder you can take out the guy with the Angel if your team’s plan is strong and effective. Know the people on the team if you can. Who is strong at snap shots? Who is fast? All these points will help you plan your team’s moves on the field. When you are walking the field and you find your first move bunker or position scan the field again from that spot. What is your exposure? What lanes can you cover? What is you next move? All too often this is where a team’s plan ends. They can find cover but they can’t find lanes of attack and advantage. They can’t plan their next move. They flounder out of the gate and lay back. Be a team of strength and know how to move and where to go to take the upper hand. Before the game even starts your team should have in place a step by step plan of attack. All of you should know each others first moves and roles. Once the whistle sounds you will break out with authority. You will make strong and moves that will put you in points that give your team the advantage. Your goal is to either mark them or get their heads down to allow your teammate to advance and make the mark. Next time around I will talk a little more on the in game changes to your strategy they you will need make.

Thanks for reading and Goggles On!