Playing Tight: Small tips, big difference part 1!

Ever hear the saying you make a better door than a window? When
you are in the way, it is obvious. That can be said for paintball
too. And, obvious is obviously something a player does not want to
be.

The bigger a player appears to be, the easier they are to hit.
And, the object of paintball is to, of course, not get hit. By
bigger, we do not mean one's stature or body type, but the way they
are presenting themselves on the field.

Believe it or not, things like elbows can make all the difference
in a friendly game of capture the flag.

This article will highlight some helpful tips players can implement
into their game to make them, well, have better game, and prepare
them to become not such an easy target to hit.

Coupled with other strategies, playing tight is one sure way to be
paint-free longer.


Crouching Player, Hidden Target

The first, and probably most obvious method of becoming smaller is
crouching. Crouching seems to be a lost position, as we no longer
have to do it in front of the television set, thanks to remote
controls. On a paintball field, however, this could be a savior.
When crouching, players should tuck their bodies in as close as
possible, making sure knees and elbows are not protruding out.
This is almost like being in the fetal position, but upright.
Another way to look at this is as if the player is rolled up in a
ball.


Barriers

Another way to be lesser of a target is pay more attention to
posture and actions when behind a barrier. For one thing, players
should look around a barrier, not over it, as this will keep
showing the head to a minimum. Once again, elbows need to be
minded, as they can stick out from a barrier. They should be kept
tight against the body to prevent that from happening.

Spelling Bee: Partner Practice

If practicing with a friend or teammate, there is a way to practice
that will also ignite a little friendly competition. Pick a
five-letter word, like P-A-I-N-T or S.P.L.A.T. Set up a few targets
around an area. Each person will take turns calling a target,
which each player would then take a shot at. If the player who
calls it makes the shot, and the second player misses, they get the
first letter. This goes on until one player spells out the word in
question. That player, well, loses.

Using these simple practice ideas, a player can be assured that
each time he or she hits the field; they will have better aim- and
a better chance of hitting, instead of being hit!

Lets improve your aim, shall we?

Target Practice- Ways to Improve Aim

In a game like paintball, it's crucial to have good aim. Without
it, in a game where the enemy must be eliminated, a loss is certain
without hitting targets. Good aim is a skill that is mastered over
time, but it is a skill that can be honed from the beginning.
There are some ways to practice aim prior to hitting the field.
For those that have their own equipment, here are some drills to do
from the backyard:

Hanging targets

Hang some targets, such as cans or bottles, from strings on tree
branches, clothesline poles and other sturdy objects. The idea in
this is that the targets will be of height of opponents in
different positions. Let the wind be a natural obstacle, as it
will mimic the opponent moving.

If this becomes easy, move back a few steps, further to one side or
another, or choose smaller targets. This is a surefire way to
build aiming skills.


Point Game

This is almost like solitaire for the paintball fanatic. Set up
some different size targets in an area. Put a can here, a piece of
wood there, and old doll over yonder, etc. Assign point values to
each of them, and then load the gun with only a certain amount of
balls. (Kind of reminiscent of that amusement park shooting range
game, where players fire at objects that begin to move or make
noise, such as a piano player or a rocking chair....)

Players should first set a goal of a certain score they hope to
achieve. Once the round is fired off, add up the points. If the
goal is met, congratulations! If not, practice makes perfect! Try
again! This could be implemented to play between several people
who would like to practice, each shooting a round and whoever has
the highest score wins. While trying to reach a goal, this method
of practicing also builds aiming skills.


Obstacle Course

Since shooting while moving is sometimes a necessity, aiming on the
move also become something that needs to be practiced. For a more
advanced way of practicing to hit objects, try moving at the same
time! Set up a small obstacle course with targets. Then, move
through the course while shooting at the targets. Not only will
this help aim, but also simply aid in getting the body used to
moving through zigzags while using a weapon.

Three more important movement techniques...

Rushing

Rushing is a quick way to get from point A to point B, and can becombined with crawling. Rushing should be kept on the short side,around three seconds, to keep the enemy from tracking players.To rush, a player will lift his or her head up from their currentcrawling position and scan the area for their next move.
Then, they will lower their head, bring their arms and legs closerto the body and then quickly lift up and run to the next position,and get back into a crawl. This can be done several times tostrategically get from part of the field to another in the quickestmanner possible.

Moving With Stealth

There are points where players will not be crawling near theground. But rather than just walking through the playing area,they should be moving with stealth. Moving with stealth meansmoving quietly, carefully and slowly.
To move stealthily, the weapon should be held in the readyposition. Footing should be kept solid by putting the weight ofthe body on the foot that is currently touching the ground, andletting the toe hit the ground first and not letting the heal hituntil the toe feels solid. Steps should be short to maintainbalance, and the leg should be lifted high when there is highbrush.
So, when thinking about stealth, keep some other S's in mind- slow,study and solid.

General Movement Tips

-Player should camouflage himself and his weapon
-Weapons should be taped up so they do not rattle when moved
-Player should wear soft clothes that fit well to prevent makingnoises
-Players should look for routes that are concealed and/orcovered
-Players should avoid areas with loose stone, such as a steephill
-Players should watch out for alarmed animals, as an enemy couldbe nearby

Do you know the low, and high crawl?

Movement Strategies

In paintball, the success of a team can greatly depend on the
movement of its individual members. Here are some movement tactics
to get you where you need to go, without being seen or heard- or
fired at.

Aside from walking, there are three general moves that can be made
in paintball:

The Low Crawl

This type of movement will give players the lowest silhouette, and
is best used when concealment is low, such as in a field. Or, this
can also be used to still move ahead when enemy fire prevents a
player from getting up off the ground.

To use this movement, the body will be flat on the ground, with the
gun held from the top. The butt of the weapon will drag along the
ground, as the player pushed forward with his or her arms, and
pulls their legs in. As this movement continues, the player moves
with a low profile.

The High Crawl

This movement is faster than the low crawl, but still provides a
low silhouette. This can be used when there is better concealment,
but the player is still in the line of enemy fire.

When moving with the high crawl technique, the gun is kept close to
the body's chest area. The legs will be kept well behind the rear
area to stay lower. To move, the player will alternate putting a
leg and elbow forward.

Paintball skill and strategy...

In the first article we revealed three important ingredients to
teamwork:

attitude
skill
and strategy.

We covered attitude in the first email mini course. So lets finish
up on skill and strategy, and then in the next article we'll dig
deeper into battlefield techniques and secrets!

Skill is the second major ingredient in effective teamwork.
Teammates of widely varying skill levels can work well together;
the key is ensuring that each player's skills integrate well with
everyone else's.

If one person's tactical skills are far below those of his
teammates, he probably won't be able to keep up. If his skills are
vastly superior to everyone else's, he'll get bored and quit. Then
the team has lost time that could have been spent getting a better
candidate fully integrated into the team.

Another issue is each player's learning curve. Say you've found
the perfect candidate in terms of attitude and commitment, but her
skills are a little below everyone else's.
Does she have natural talent, or is she a quick study?

Is her strategic approach similar?

Is she always working to improve her performance?

If each answer is "yes," then she probably is the right person
after all.

Each team member should also be able to play a backup role, in case
you lose a crucial teammate. Suppose your team loses its wingman.
At the moment, you need someone to watch the center, but you don't
need a sniper. Does your sniper have well enough secondary skills
to fill in as wing man?

However, strategy is often more important than skill. No matter
how well you get along with your teammates or how high your skill
level, lack of strategy loses games. The most common strategic
mistake occurs when players forget that they are part of a team.
Yes, it sounds obvious, but in the heat of a firefight it's hard to
remember that what's happening to you is only one part of a much
larger picture.

Paintball is also a game of logic. One expert player describes
paintball strategy as "playing chess in your head," and it's an apt
metaphor: Teammates must think several moves ahead and plan for
contingencies that may never occur. Each player needs to be able
to think logically, anticipating each move's potential results, and
analytically, anticipating unexpected or unintended consequences.

There is a final factor that grows out of the other three:
Communication. Communicating with each other clearly, both on and
off the field, goes a long way toward ensuring that attitude,
skill, and strategy take care of themselves.

Teamwork...The Winning Formula

Teamwork is the foundation of success in paintball. Playing by the
seat of your pants is fun and exciting, but it wont win you games
as consistently as knowing how to play like a real team.

In paintball, winning teamwork depends on three major ingredients:
attitude skill and strategy.

Let's start with attitude, since it's often what makes or breaks a
paintball team. A team of expert strategists with tournament-level
skills, but without a similar attitude, will still lose games.
Great teamwork -- the kind that wins -- requires teammates to share
certain characteristics.

First, commitment: Do you play occasional pick-up games? Do you
play weekly? Or do you practice constantly and play at every
available opportunity? And how seriously do you take the game? Do
you futz around, splattering each other with paint? Or is each
game an all-out death match? Teammates who are prepared to devote
similar amounts of time to similar goals will likely work together
best.

Second, how does each of you handle conflict and criticism?
Teammates will screw up occasionally. When someone makes an
error...


Do you fly off the handle? Joke about it? Ignore it?

How about receiving criticism -- do you get defensive?

Insist it wasn't your fault?

Take responsibility?

Teammates don't need to react identically, but they do need to be
able to work with each other's approaches.

Third, you need mutual trust and respect. Without them, you'll
second-guess each other's decisions and actions, and your strategy
will break down. Each player needs confidence that everyone else
knows his role and can perform, even if all hell breaks loose.