Paintball enthusiasts take their sport very seriously. Just as with any other competitive team sport players, they want to win. And if the range of paintball team strategies is anything to go by, they have spent a lot of time devising ways to increase their chances of being victorious.
There are many paintball strategies to choose from, strategies that have been drawn up to suit particular game types, scenarios, and battlefield layouts.
There are only two game types:
- Woods ball – set in woodland or natural terrain; and
- Speedball – set in open spaces with man-made obstacles.
However, there are hundreds of interchangeable paintball team strategies to apply in any given situation.
At Paintball Sports, we’ve seen most of them over the years, but leading players have been known to create new tactics on the spot. For new players though, there are a few basic strategy pointers worth starting off with – for example, how to identify the opposition and how to deceive them.
Identify the Opposition
The most crucial (and most logical) of paintball strategies is to identify where your opposition is. With obstacles between you and them, this is not simply a case of looking across the battlefield – some cunning is required. In fact, there are many ways, but here are three of the most effective.
- Watch for the break – this can be difficult to do with the obstacles, but try to spot the opposition’s movement when they break from cover. And as you break, keep an eye out for where they are.
- Track the shots – try to spot where their shots are coming from. This can be done visually (if you’re brave enough to stick your head out while they’re firing), or aurally, when you try to pinpoint the location by sound.
- Communicate – keep talking to your team. The most effective paintball team strategies rely on gathering information from and sharing information with teammates. Shouting is the most popular way, but can give your own position way. Other ways are to work out hand gestures, or use two-way radios.
Deceiving the Opposition
Another key element in effective paintball strategies is deceiving the opposition to force them into making a mistake. There are three main ways to do this.
- Keep out of sight – sounds obvious, but it is still effective. If your opponent cannot see you, they cannot tell where your attack is coming from. But as paintball team strategies go, this is actually very hard to do as your team is going to be spotted eventually.
- Draw Attention Away – a classic example of deception, drawing the attention of the opposition away from your focal point provides them with a false sense of control. A team member gives away their position, but the rest of your team moves somewhere else.
- False Promise – good paintball strategies force the opposition to make mistakes and leave themselves exposed. The false promise does this by only hinting at an intended move. It’s very effective over a number of games, when opponents believe they can second-guess you.
Adapting is the Key
Of course, no two games of paintball are exactly the same. This means that paintball team strategies have to be flexible enough to adapt to whatever the specific situation is. Elements that can force a change in strategy include:
- Number of “bunkers”, or obstacles – choose between paintball strategies like flanking or direct attack more appropriate
- Natural cover – lone wolf or paintball sniper may be appropriate
- Number of players (7-15) – stronger defensive structures
Whether you are a veteran paintballer or a newbie, Paintball Sports provides the best paintball outdoor activities in Adelaide. And as part of our service, we offer simple paintball team strategies to those who request it. Our aim is always to ensure you have the best possible paintball experience!