Defense Strategies in Paintball

As the old saying goes, "The best offense is a good defense." This philosophy is incorporated into almost every team sport, including basketball, football and soccer where it is just as important to keep the other team from scoring as it is to score. A paintball team can also use the same approach to prevent an opponent from capturing their flag.

Each paintball team has a limited amount of ammunition when the game starts and they need to make every shot count because the game can last for a longtime. A player should only shoot when he has a clear shot at the opponent to preserve ammunition for when it's needed the most.

Another good defense strategy is to spread a team out over the playing area to ensure coverage of an enemy force form any direction. Once an opposing team member sees one of the other team's players, the team has a better chance at neutralizing the opposing team player.

If the team looses half of its members in the first few minutes of the game, the wisest tactic is for the remaining players to fall back to their base and regroup. The team should set up a perimeter around the base to keep the opposing team from maneuvering into a better position. At the same time, patrols should be dispatched to search out the opposing force.

When a scout comes in visual contact with the enemy, he can shoot the opponent. However, if there is an enemy group approaching the base, he should return and report the sighting so that they can fight of the enemy with an equal size force. The one drawback to this tactic is that if one of the enemies escapes the battle, he can inform his team members of the base's location.

Catching the opposing team off guard requires concealment and camouflage. Even so, paintball guns have a limited range and it is better to wait until an opponent enters a "kill zone" before firing.

During a firefight, players' positions are revealed. By finding sufficient cover, a player can survive the enemy's return fire. If this is not possible, then moving to a safer area is the best idea. The team member should advise his teammates before moving so that they can provide cover fire if needed.

It takes teamwork and planning for a paintball team to win a match. Good field communication is essential to defending a team's base. With the base safe, the team can move ahead, defeat the opposing team or capture their flag.