Sid’s Paintball

• Never ever take your mask off, unless you’re off the field and in a designated safe area.

• Know your marker and how it works before you play.  Make sure to ask any questions you may have before you make it onto the field.  During a game is the wrong time to discover a problem.

• Don’t worry, being shot by a paintball doesnt really hurt that bad.  You’ll be to busy plotting to get that guy that just got you in the next game.

Although most players would rather go in and shoot for the kill, defense is equally as essential to any game. A player must have defensive skills to survive. Of course some defensive strategies may see like second nature to you, but you must still remember the keys when you are getting shot at on the field.

Instead of taking a long glance around the field to spot an opponent or search for a flag, take very quick peeks. You can always take more than one. But, remember not to peek from the same exact spot twice. If your opponent spotted you during your first peek, you can bet that they will be ready for you the next time. Also, when you are peeking it is always safer to peek around something rather than over. You can duck back quicker and you are not so much of an easy target to spot.

Always keep your profile as small as possible. Keep your elbows and legs tucked close. The larger your profile, the easier target you are to hit. Also, if you stay low to the ground, you will be harder to spot.

Now this may seem like a no-brainer, but if you are being shot at and cannot get a good shot, drop back. Once you have dropped back a bit, you may be able to get a better angle on your opponent. Do not be afraid to move. Movement gives you different, possibly better angles. It will also benefit your team members if you are playing in a squad. If you hear one of your teammates being surrounded by fire, move and give them cover.

Cover is another important defense tactic. Whether it is cover for you or cover for your team member, it is always important. If you or your team member needs to move, cover for each other. And, if you are being peppered with enemy fire, your fellow team member may be able to take out the shooter, maybe even more than one.

The most important defense tactic is concealment. Why? Concealment gives you the opportunity to surprise your opponent. Nothing in this game is better than having the element of surprise on your side. Be hidden well and be patient. If you are hidden near your flag, you will be in the perfect position to defend your flag. Just sit and wait for the perfect opportunity to strike and defend your flag.

Finally, a critical key in defense is to spread out your team. Do not all huddle together in one area. Spread out in several directions. But, keep at least one of your team members in your sights. You may need him or her for cover and he or she may need you for the same.

Again, the idea of defense may not seem like the most glamorous and glory filled element of the game, but it is critical to your team or personal victory. So, follow the above tactics and stay clean.

Tourney paintball is big, there is no doubt. Even so, 70 per cent of paintball is still played in the woods. So, why do so many wear tourney gear in the woods?

If you’re in the woods and everyone can see your shining neon marker and your red jersey, you better be some incredible Neo-in-the-Matrix kind of player. If you’re a non-superhero player, you may want to consider some tried-and-true camouflage to give you the edge. If winning is cool, then camo is where it’s at in the woods, forests, and fields.

In a nutshell, camouflage takes advantage of the way that the human brain and eyes work together. When you’re searching for someone, your mind and eyes scan the landscape anticipating something that’s different: a color that contrasts, a shape that’s unnatural, a movement in the brush. If the eye can’t resolve on anything that stands out, it just keeps on going. If the outline of an object looks like an anticipated shape, such as the shape of an opposing player, the eyes and mind will lock on.

Good camo breaks up your outline and imposes shadows and highlights across your silhouette, fooling the eye into seeing right through you. Good camo combines dark, irregular shapes with a few fake highlights.

In order to avoid contrasting colors, your camo should be chosen to match the place you’ll be playing. The American military has chosen the common “woodland” pattern as a good, all-around match to most forest or jungle terrain.

What most don’t realize is that the level of chunkiness of your camo pattern is also critical. Since the U.S. military generally engages enemy at distances around 200 to 300 yards, woodland camo uses larger shapes to confuse the eyes of a distant watcher. If the military went to a smaller pattern with greater detail, that pattern would visually clump into a solid shape at long distances and would be less effective than woodland. This is called the pattern’s “fade distance.”

In paintball, we generally engage at distances around 30 yards–much closer than the military. For that reason, paintballers find detailed camo patterns more effective than woodland.Recently, the U.S. and Canadian Marines developed a pattern called “digi-camo” that captures the advantages of both long and short-range camo. In tests, this pattern has proven to be the most effective camo pattern available at a variety of distances. Up close, digi-camo has great detail, and it continues to confuse the eye at intermediate distances as well. It’s fast becoming the ultimate in woods camo gear. For paintball players, one source for digi-camo is Special Ops Paintball (www.specialopspaintball.com), with its tourney-style and a light fabric style of digi-camo pants and jerseys.

Astute players will point out that no camo will make you invisible while you’re on the move (and they’d be right). But, even if you’re an aggressive player, camo serves to confuse the opponent’s eye, forcing a delay as he or she tries to aim at any particular part of your body. “Is that an arm or part of the bush?” the opponent’s brain and eyes deliberate–while you rush forward out-of-sight.

Good camo is a critical part of a woods expert’s bag of tricks. Strap some on and find out how cool it is to feel invisible.