Summer Paintball: At the Battlefield

So you have got your new gear, jersey and paint, and you are raring to roll. But there are some things you can do to improve your chances of not dying quickly while duking it out on the field.

First of all check out the field and listen to other players talk. With the field look everywhere, look for weak points and choke points. Look for bunker placement and lanes. Lanes are a lane of movement/fire. A player will either move from one group of bunkers to another, or shoot in one particular direction. That is the lane. The biggest thing you are looking for is lane movement.

You want to try to predict players and where they will go. For example you are playing a seven versus seven game. The field is completely equal and indoors so no sun or wind variation. The bunkers are a mirror from the 50. Your options are either a taco that can only hold on player, a sausage that can safely hold no more than two players, a dorito that can only hold one player, or some other bunker down the field. So right off the bat you can only quickly protect four players at max with the bunkers right in front of you.

That means three players will either be running to get cover, or bunkering up at bunkers that can't handle that many players. So here are some options: You run down the field and get a good bunker and field position, you can grab one of the first bunkers in front of you, you can go to the snake off the break, or breakshoot trying to kill other players. Breakshooting is when a player does not move very far from the starting net, but shoots at other players trying to kill then as they get to a bunker.

This players basic job is to kill opponents and provide cover fire for his teammates, allowing them to move down the field. Also look very hard for choke points linked to good bunkers. Is there a bunker that will be a very high advantage for you opponents? Well watch and see if there is one way to make it to the "super bunker" safely. Then get yourself in a place that you can take out a player trying to advance to that bunker, as well as be a help to your team.

In a nutshell you don't want to to be so focused on a single bunker you lose sight of the game around you, or are at such an angle, that you can't help your team from where you are. While you are at any field looking at bunkers is only the first part.

Listening to players is the other. If you listen or ask questions you will hear stories or tips on where to go and what to do. Mostly you want to understand the lingo of bunkers. Communication between teammates is a key ingredient in paintball. Know what the bunkers' names are, know where other players are, know how many opponents are left. You want to know as much as possible while in the heat of battle.

But listen first, some players will just talk about who did this, and how that is a terrible bunker, unless..... Things like that, you can add their mistakes and success to your personal experience and become a better player. One more thing I would suggest is to sit out the first few games. Watch and learn how these players are moving, communicating, shooting, and thinking. Then you will have a big advantage over the player.

The biggest advantage in paintball is your mind. If you can out think another player the game is yours.