Wanna improve your game?  Tired of getting outfoxed... out flanked... out maneuvered?   Here's some tips that'll be sure to improve your game.  If you and your gang try these, I guarantee that you'll be a force to contend with out there.  They work for us... they'll work for you.

Some of these are my very own concoctions... others.... well... lets just say I borrowed 'em from here and there.  Either way.... you'll feel like a Field Marshall out there.

If you want to really improve your team game, the addition of 2-way radios is a GREAT way to improve communication on the field.  A bunch of us use Motorola Talkabout radios with earbud and PTT mikes.  We communicate quietly, effectively, and it adds a dimension to the game that makes it  ROCK!!!!

Click Here to go to the Newbie Tips page.

Defense Strategies from Rob 'Tyger" Ruben

Click here to go to Defense Strategies

Suppose you are alone moving through a thick brushy area and see 3 to 4 opponents moving toward  your base. Here's what you do, Nothing! That's right, nothing! Instead just stay low and keep them in sight. Let them pass by and then follow them, as they close in on you base but DO NOT ATTACK (yet). Wait until they begin to attack your base then sneak up from behind and get them. One shot per opponent will usually do it. They will be so involved in the fire fight that you can almost always get 2 of them before they figure out they have been flanked. Sometimes you can get them all without them knowing where the shots came from.
If the opponents decide to backtrack in your direction you still have the advantage. Why? Because they are heading back toward a point they safely passed only moments ago and their guard will be lowered because of that.

1. LOOK AROUND ALL THE TIME.
Don't focus too much on what's in front of you. If you can't see along one direction, tell others to do it for you. Ask yourself, if you can see them (opponents and/or teammates), can they also see you?
 
2. TALK TO YOUR TEAMMATES.
When the firing starts, all surprise is lost and coordination becomes more important. Tell your mates what you intend to do (and what you want them to do) so they won't waste time having to ask you.  Don't leave them in the dark about what you can see.
 
3. TAKE ADVANTAGE!
When you spot an opportunity, get ready to go full blast for it. Quick reflexes based on situational awareness gives you a massive momentary advantage (SURPRISE!). Knowing the right timing (when to do what) is an invaluable skill. Also, be ready to create an advantage (distractions, bluff, speed, etc.).

4. MOVE AROUND.
Do it either silently or quickly because in-between won't work-- slow AND noisy kills. Work with available cover if you can, but RUN FAST as much as possible if you really have to move. At full speed you can cover 5 meters (15 feet) in as little as 2 seconds, just be sure to STOP as gracefully as possible (if you hurt yourself, you hurt your team). If you have to stop moving, pick a protected spot -- or don't stop until you're out of range. SHOOT, THEN MOVE. Even if opponents know
you're in the area, don't let them know exactly where you are at any particular time.
 
5. THINK AHEAD.
Once you learn how to read the terrain (ambush areas, movement routes, weak spots, etc.), begin considering how your opponents might use it against you. If you spot an opponent moving in your area, ask yourself where he'll stop and where he'll go to next. If you're moving to another location,
you should be looking where you might be spotted from and where you'll go after you reach your
next destination. A lot of players have picked a spot where they have nowhere else to go -- thus
neutralizing themselves.
 
6. OUTFLANKING WORKS.
Frontal attacks are costly in terms of time, ammunition, and teammates. One defender in a good
position can hold up, eliminate, or otherwise neutralize up to five opposing attackers, unless one of
those attackers goes to a flank position and hits the defender from the side or behind. A buddy pair
works because they can split up momentarily to hit an opponent from two different angles. Two pairs
work even better against multiple opponents. If you're being outflanked, move to another
position -- you can't shoot effectively in two different directions.
 

These elements are needed to make any offensive tactic work.
1) THE POINTMAN
Contrary to popular belief, the point man's job is not to absorb the first hail of paintballs. His job is to communicate. He must be observant to conditions accurately. The pointman should not engage
opponents if he makes contact, only relay information back to you or your group leader. He should move in spurts, stopping every twenty or so yards to orient himself as to what is ahead. He should be able to move quickly and choose the best terrain to move through. in the end, he will  make the best choice as to the best possible route.  It's important that he has a good eye for routes that can provide cover without slowing the momentum of the group.
2) COMMUNICATION
Orient yourself on the field using the clock. Is there an opponent at 10 o'clock or 2 o'clock? That's simpler and less confusing than saying, " there's a guy over there behind that tree" A raised fist from the pointman is the signal to stop. Moving your raised fist in an up and down motion once or twice is your signal to move. A sweeping motion to the left means go left t, to the right means go right. Simple. Keep the field chatter to a minimum. Concentrate on what's ahead of you and what the pointman is doing.
3) CROSSFIRE
How many people does it take to get a guy hiding behind a tree? One, if you're a good shot , Two if you're smart. Effective crossfire is achieved by creating several angles of fire forcing your opponent
to move himself into a vulnerable position. Don't only shoot straight ahead of you shoot at an angle
across the field. Work in teams. Identify a target then work on getting him out. He can't shoot at two
people at once. Have your teammate move to a better position and create another angle of fire. When he moves and he will, he's yours. If he doesn't move, then you only have to keep his head down until someone else can get a bead on him. Make sure everyone knows what your shooting at and call out positions that might not be noticed. Working in this way will help you coordinate your fire so that you can create a weak point in that line.
Again, it's that simple- identify targets, then work together.
4) BREAKING THE SKIRMISH LINE
Move down the field in a single file line, one behind the other. Stay at least two arms lengths away from the guy in front of you. Nothing matters but moving forward. Watch the pointman. If he stops you stop. be patient. If your opponent is in front of you he will only see the pointman first. Watch for ambushes but don't get fixated on them. Very few people have the patience to complete a successful ambush. When the pointman makes contact, then you will move on-line. In other words form a skirmish line to the left or right depending on the pointman's signal. The trick here is to come up on-line aggressively, firing and moving. The idea is to attack at an angle as opposed to head on confrontation. Your opponent may have already found a good defensive position. Chances are he is behind a good cover. Never run straight in the direction their guns are already pointed.
You want to force them to turn in your direction away form their cover. This should have a somewhat disorienting effect on them. It's important that you always move forward. A moving target is more
hard to hit than a stationary one.  As you eliminate forward positions, begin to move into those spots. Then gradually begin to move laterally across their front. By now you should have momentum. Now is not the time to be bashful. Call out the positions to your teammates. Make sure each position is secure before moving up. Once you've built some momentum, you may find yourself closing with them very quickly. Don't expose yourself needlessly. At this range it's hard to miss. You are essentially firing and maneuvering.
Pick the position you want to move to first then move to it. Signal to your teammate that you're
moving up so he can take your position once it's vacant. These types of tactics are devastating when used by a group.  Skirmishes stall when there is no movement. Taking the initiative with an aggressive action automatically gives you the   psychological and tactical edge.

APACHE SPIRIT WALK
To perform the spirit walk, you must push the toe of your shoe down into the ground cover and then slowly push it forwards. Doing this you will be using your shoe as a bulldozer, clearing a spot for your foot to rest in.
 
BETTER THAN THE AVERAGE BARE
Use bare patches whenever possible. A well worn path is better than a twig strewn forest floor.

HIGH STEPPIN'
Pick your feet up. Not only will contact with the ground make noise but brushing your feet through high grass and low bushes will make noise too.
 
SOUND F/X
Use background to cover any noise your movements will make. Move when the wind blows, or use the sounds of paint battles to cover your sounds.
Rain is the stealth players best friend.  (of course you couldn't convince Sacha or Brett of that)
 
DON'T BRUSH THE BRUSH
It's better to go around branches than it is to push through them.
 
RIDIN' HIGH
Keep your loaders tube etc. away from your legs. They'll rattle when you walk.

STEP SHORT
If you take short steps your balance will be better. If you feel something that will be noisy
under your foot you can pull back. Crawling makes way too much noise.

HALT
Travel a short distance, stop , look , and listen, before you start moving again.

A common mistake that I see very often is players leading with their gun. In other words, the first thing that the opposing player sees is a gun coming around the corner. This telegraphs your position and allows the other player a chance to prepare for your impending doom, as he/she knows just where you are going to appear. This applies in the woods as well as an urban field. If you are in a hidden position, and are not under fire, you MUST acquire a target before you can engage it. Simply put, look before you shoot. The exception to this would be if you are already engaging a player and you need to ‘force’ his/her head down. You can’t hit what you can’t see. Look for a target, once you have one, engage it. When you bring your gun up, and then look around for an opponent, you present a large target which can be seen clearly from across the field.

 To properly look around a corner (or a tree or barricade), or to locate a target, use the "quick peek" technique. This is done while keeping as much of your body behind cover as possible, and exposing only a small portion of your head, quickly looking out from behind your position. If your teammates are under fire, and you don’t have a target, use this technique to locate the opposing team members, then communicate their position, or look for an opportunity to engage them.
 An important addition to this technique is to not look out from the same place twice. Often times, an opponent will see you look out, then set up and wait for you to reappear in the same place. When you do, SPLAT! Change the location of your peeks by changing positions, i.e. kneeling, crouching, or standing, or by alternating sides of a barricade.

 If you are behind a barricade, and know where your opponent is located, set up before your shot. From behind cover, bring your gun up to your sight plane, and roll your upper body out from behind the barricade. As you appear from behind cover, your weapon is already sighted, and you are on target quicker. Thi avoids lag time in bringing the weapon up from a resting position and allows you to immediately engage your would be attacker.  This exposes only as much of you as needed to complete an accurate, controlled shot while remaining as protected as possible. SWAT teams all over world use this method, called the "Cyrillian Roll". It is effective if you are standing, kneeling or prone.

 A word of caution for paintballers, however: be aware of your hopper. As you complete this maneuver, or any shot from behind cover, your hopper sticks up 6-10 inches from the top of the gun. A slight canting of the weapon as you roll may expose less of the hopper. Enough of a cant however, MAY impede the performance of your gun by causing a misfeed or a failure to feed. Practice with your weapon, and be aware of how it may perform under a situation as described above.

A final note: if you own a gun, you should own the tools to work on it! An allen wrench and/or a screwdriver is all that is required for most paint guns. Buy them, take them with you, and know how to use them. Time spent asking for help for minor problems that are simple to fix is time away from your play, and the player that helps you. Let me emphasize that I am always ready to help anyone with a mechanical problem when I can. However, no one knows your gun like you do, and if you learn to work on your gun off the field, problems on the field are easier to handle.

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