Beginners and Experienced Players
By Nathan Baker

You have checked out the guns, seen the web pages, heard the stories, and now you want to play. However, a few questions remain: Where do you get started? Should you buy an equipment package? If so, what should you get? What else do you need to play the game other than a gun and goggles? Most importantly, where do you get this stuff?
As a first-time paintballer you might want to hold off on buying a gun for the first couple of times paintballing. You want to make sure it's something you like well enough before spending hundreds of dollars on equipment. There are some things you will want to have before you play. Find out what field you're going to, and what kind of terrain they have. After you have found out what type of terrain you will be playing in, you may or may not, need to have camouflage. If the field is a junkyard or urban setting, old clothing (especially shades of red, blue, gray, and black) will do just fine. If it is an outdoor setting, you may want to go with generic tri-color U.S. Camouflage. If you have the cash you may want to look into terrain specific camouflage, such as "chocolate chip," heavy woodland, urban, tiger stripes, etc. Most of these styles can be found at a military surplus store. A BDU outfit with pants, belt, and jacket will cost you around $50-80, probably double it you want all new clothing. Cheaper (and more expensive) camouflage can be purchased from a sporting goods store, with an equally good selection. Full one-piece suits can be as low as $30. Also, don't forget gloves! Just some cheap $5 camouflage gloves will work fine, and paintball-specific gloves can be picked up for around $15. Head cover is also a consideration: Bandannas, or bavaclavas can be purchased for just a few dollars, and baseball caps worn in reverse work well to keep your goggles from slipping down on your face.

Be comfortable! Make sure the camouflage you pick out is comfortable to wear - eight hours of running around and getting shot at is a long time. Beginner and novice players often overlook footwear. Many new players go for the combat boot look, although you can plan on having sore feet if you're not used to them. Invest $50-70 in a good pair of hiking boots or black cross-training shoes. I prefer a low-cut hiking boot, which is very comfortable and easy to run in along with providing excellent traction. It's probably a good idea to get something that gives you ankle support as running on rough and uneven ground can lead to twisted or broken ankles.

If you are going to rent your equipment there are a few things you need to look out for. The most important is to ALWAYS inspect your equipment before playing, especially the goggles. With the goggles you will want to make sure they cover your entire face, and are not cracked anywhere, especially on the lens. Check the gun to make sure nothing is loose or incorrectly fitted, and that it is relatively free of debris. Take care of the rental equipment as it is not yours and others will be using it another day. Treat it as if it were your own.

If you're looking to buy your equipment you will first want to decide, "How deeply involved in the game am I going to get?" If you think you definitely want your own equipment, but do not plan on tournament play, then you will most likely want to look at the low-to mid-range semi-automatic paint guns (also known as paint markers). If you really do not know how involved you want to get, or think you might like to get into some serious play later on, you will definitely want to look at the mid-range semis or possibly some high-end guns. If you're sure you want to be in tournaments or just really need the best gun on the market, then it's a high-end gun for you.

Goggles, $40-100

Goggle choice is more a matter of taste than markers are, as they all accomplish the same thing with only minor practical differences between different brands. Goggles are generally under $100 with a standard full face/ear protection setup running you about $60. Thermal lenses add about $15-20 to the price of the goggles, but drastically reduce fog buildup on the lenses, which is a BIG advantage on the field. Fog blurs what you see and makes it more difficult to spot camouflaged persons, and is otherwise just plain annoying. If you've experienced this problem, it would be a good idea to fork out the extra cash for the lenses (not to mention that you can get some pretty cool colors too.) Two of the best goggle manufacturers are Scott and JT, both of which have been making goggle systems for other sports for years now and are very reliable. JT offers my current favorite, the Spectra 260. The goggle offers superb peripheral vision and comes with either thermal or non-thermal lenses. Although it costs around $100, the extra visibility is definitely worth it. A very nice addition to your goggles is a visor. Some goggles come standard with them, and if not they can be purchased for around $10. The visor not only keeps the sun out of your eyes, but also offers forehead protection and reduced glare from the lenses. Here's a nifty goggle trick for you: Most goggles come in either standard black or drab olive. Simply remove the plastic guards from the goggles and using some paint pens, (your choice of colors) add some camouflage to your goggles!

Low-end guns, $100-200

Low-end guns generally do not lend themselves to customization, and if they do, it is usually just adding a better barrel. They have a slow rate of fire and many feature plastic parts and frames. The lowest-end gun there is currently in the semi category would be the Daisy Stingray. The gun is mostly made of plastic with metal valves and chambers and a thin metal insert for the barrel. The gun comes standard with a 50 round hopper. It is actually fairly accurate due to its long barrel, but will only fire around five shots per second without breaking balls. One of my personal favorite manufactures and guns is the Indian Creek "cat" series. There are currently five Indian Creek guns in the $150-300 range. They would fit into the mid-range category if it weren't for their price. All are made of aluminum frames and feature high rates of fire, usually over eight shots per second. They can all be upgraded to tournament quality. Barrels can, of course be added, along with firing bolts, expansion chambers, new grips, remote systems, new feeders, and trigger assemblies. In my opinion they may be the beginners best choice in weapons.

Mid-range Guns, $200-350

Mid-range guns feature decent barrels, fast ROF, metal frames and parts, and are quite usable right out of the box. This category of guns has the most options available for customization, and can be made into high-end guns with little work. One of the most popular manufactures in this category is Tippmann Pneumatics. Their Pro Series is one of the most widely used group of guns in paintball today, with a style fit for almost all people, from beginners to experts. Tippmann guns are very reliable and easily customized. Another type of gun, the Kingman Spyder, is quickly gaining in popularity and it is very customizable. Anything you can do with the "big boys" can be done to a Spyder. You can add valve systems, barrels, stocks, firing bolts, grips, and anything else you can readily think of. Spyders were originally notorious for valve problems, but have gotten a lot better in the past year.

High-end Guns, $350+

High-end guns are the toys of the elite and tournament players. The two most recognizable are the Automag and Autococker. The basic guns in each series are roughly in the same price range, at about $400, while others by the same makers are in the $500-1000 range. Many high-end guns are actually mid-range guns that have been highly customized. So if you are not sure about spending the cash on one of these you can always go for a mid-range gun and upgrade it over time.

Pump Guns, $60-150

Despite their slow rate of fire, pump guns are normally very accurate and well made. Their slow ROF puts them at a severe disadvantage in amateur play; however, as volume of gunfire helps make up for lesser playing ability. On the other hand, there are some tournaments and fields where only pump guns are allowed. Pump guns are inexpensive and can be upgraded to some degree, usually just barrels. Pump guns make a nice addition to any paintball gun collection, although I generally do not recommend starting out with one, as the faster-firing semi-autos dominate today's fields. All in all, playing with a pump gun increases the challenge and is a good way to brush up on your skills.

Now that you have figured out what kind of gun you want, then the next thing is where to find it. You have two basic options: You can find a pro-shop in your area or you can order the gun. There are many paintball distributors with websites and most offer deals on complete packages (gun, tank, hopper, and goggles) for great prices. Shop around for the best deals and find the one that suits you best. Use a Simple Plan: Simple because the more complicated a strategy is the more likely it will be to get off track.

THREE SQUAD STRATEGY: Divide your team into three squads. Assign an area of responsibility to each squad. There are only three possible areas of responsibility. Learn what squad you are in and where you are going. A) the right border tape B) the left border tape C) the center

DISPERSAL: Humans are, by nature, animals of the pack. We think with "herd" mentality. We do what everyone else around us does. You can see it in the way novices play. One runs to cover behind a rock, next thing you know six more run to cover behind the same rock. Their primitive, subconscious mind is telling them that there is safety in numbers. It's like a clip from a nature documentary. A herd of gazelle stand all clumped together while a hungry lion circles around them looking for a victim to pick off. DON'T THINK WITH "PREY" MENTALITY. THINK WITH PREDATOR MENTALITY! Watch any third-rate war movie and you'll hear the stereotypical sergeant screaming to his men "SPREAD OUT!" The theory is very simple. If you are all clumped together you present one large target. If you are all spread out you present many small targets.

DEPLOYMENT: The ideal deployment for a team is the skirmish line. Just like a scrimmage line in football, an unbroken line stretching from boundary to boundary. In practice this skirmish line will zigzag across the field as opportunity for cover and advancement present themselves. That's OK, just don't forget to maintain a skirmish line, even a zigzag one. As in football, the line will prevent any opposing players from getting past you and shooting you in the back.

FLANKS: It is critical to always have your flanks secure, especially along the border tapes. Experienced players hardly ever participate in a frontal attack. They probe right or left along the border tapes in the attempt to gain an advantageous ANGLE OF FIRE into their opponent's positions. For this reason you should pay close attention to your flanks to avoid elimination. This can be done in several ways:

Keep a field border to your immediate right or left - at least you'll have one flank totally secured, since your opponents cannot attack from out of bounds. Find several teammates you can count on and keep them 30 feet out to your left and right in a skirmish line configuration. Communicate any opponent's attempts at flanking maneuvers to your teammates immediately.

ADVANCE: The name of the game is "capture the flag," and to do that you have to get across the field within 30 minutes. You can't win if you sit still. YOU HAVE TO ADVANCE. Maintaining a skirmish line, move forward from cover to cover. Advancement doesn't need to take place across the whole field. The right squad can hold in defensive positions creating a "hinge" that the rest of the team swings around, sweeping inexorably toward the opponent's flag. Or the left can act as the hinge. Sometimes the middle can be the hinge for a double advance along both border tapes.

WITHDRAWAL: But if worst comes to worst and your simple plan begins to disintegrate, your teammates begin to drop like flies, and your opponents begin to flank your position, the best thing to do is PULL BACK IMMEDIATELY to better cover. Let your surviving teammates know you are abandoning your position so that they can pull back also. As you withdraw toward your flag pick up as many surviving teammates as you can and form a defensive perimeter 50 feet out from your flag in the best cover you can find. It's "ALAMO" time. "CUSTER'S LAST STAND." Now you will be playing for time, trying to hold out until the game runs out. You're going for a draw. It's not winning - but it sure as hell beats losing!

The best way not to get shot is to keep moving. A stationary target is much easier to hit than a moving one, and staying in one place gives your opponent more time to maneuver to an optimal firing position. Learn to use cover effectively, finding the areas that your enemy can use to hit you and either avoid or move quickly through them. If you are getting shot at and are behind minimal or no cover then RETURN FIRE - this follows the ducking rule. If paintballs are being shot at you, you have a tendency to avoid them and duck behind cover. Use this to your advantage if you see someone shooting at you then return fire with an onslaught of paintballs. Even if you do not hit them, they will most likely duck behind cover, giving you time to make it to a safer position.

CAMOUFLAGE

If you are difficult to see it is obviously difficult to shoot at you. Camouflage does not necessarily mean an "Army look". Use whatever works best for the particular locale you'll be playing in. In a wooded area, green and black or woodland style camo is best. In an urban setting (houses, junkyards, etc.) wearing patterned clothing with blue, black, and red colors is best. Another very important feature is a visor or your goggles. The visor will not only increase the protection factor of your goggles, but will also shade your eyes from the sun, which coming through your goggles can blur your vision and make it very hard to see. Not only that, but sunlight reflecting off goggles looks like someone flashing a signal mirror saying, "Hey! Here's my head - shoot at it."

Ultimately, the art of "blending in" comes down to two major points: 1) Lack of movement, and 2) Lack of overly bright colors. To get a little technical, the human optic system picks up both of these things before anything else. Movement is the number one thing, here - with minimal camouflage, it is possible to stand COMPLETELY IN THE OPEN and not be seen (I've done this before), as long as you are absolutely still. The human sight also picks out shades that are brighter than the surrounding colors WAY before it detects colors that are darker. This means that true camouflage isn't always the best answer, as too-light camo will stick out like a sore thumb even when compared to someone wearing navy-blue clothes in a woodland setting. What does this all mean? In a nutshell, move as little and as slowly as possible, and make sure your clothing is as dark or darker than the majority of the terrain you'll be playing in. (As a side note, Army surplus stores are the absolute best place to find camouflage clothing.)

HOW TO SHOOT TO WIN

First of all, a lot of ammo can very well make a difference between success and defeat. If you can afford it, get as much as you can - better to have too much ammo than not enough. When engaging a target there are a few different types of shooting, such as slow steady fire (for keeping their heads down, and conserving ammo), the close-in-one-shot kill (if you can get them to surrender, even better), or deceptive fire (fire at different speeds, slow then quick bursts, to see if you can catch them peeking out from cover.)
Your best strategy when trying to hit a target behind cover is to lob your shots with varying speeds, firing off a couple rounds fairly quickly, then a half-second later firing a few slow, aimed shots. The hope here is that you might catch them peeking out, or trick them into making a run for it. Learn to judge the drop rate of the ball - with the right distance and practice, you should be able to effectively avoid much cover by getting the ball to "fall" over and behind it.
If you can get close to your target, try to take them out with a single shot. If the target has friends nearby they can zero in on you by listening to the sounds of your gunfire, whereas if you just shoot once it is very difficult to determine exactly where it came from, and in the heat of battle it may be ignored all together.

USING COVER

The best type of cover is one that will allow you a good view of the target and surrounding area, yet leaves you all but unseen to your opponents. Natural walls (fallen trees, rocks) and man-made obstacles (tire piles, old vehicles) are prime examples. The most important aspect of these types of cover is that you don't need to expose yourself when firing at the enemy - if you have to expose yourself to enemy fire when making an attack, the cover does little more than give you time to reload, while at the same time limiting the area your opponents have to cover.
Another thing to look for when choosing cover is that there is a safe way to retreat from it when the need arises (which is going to happen sooner or later.) If there is no back route to safety, you're just getting yourself into a position where defeat is inevitable.

HOW TO MOVE

Nine times out of 10, it is suicide to move around alone. At the very least, stick with a partner. You cover his/her back and they cover your's. The best-sized groups to move around in are between four and six people, depending on how many total players there are. These groups are small enough to not draw too much attention, but large enough to provide good offensive power and cover fire. Avoid moving in too large of a group. Twenty people moving through an area is pretty easy to see, and even though you have the numbers, a few well positioned individuals can easily take out most, if not all, of the group.
Avoid flat-out running. Move quickly and decisively. Inspect all areas along your route while keeping a good pace. As mentioned above in the Camouflage section, faster movement attracts attention. Running also leads to nasty surprises, as you may stumble blindly into a group of opponents, or even get shot by your own teammates.
When you are moving make use of all available cover, always double-checking, if necessary, to make sure that you don't miss any possible routes of attack. Always be ready to fire. Keep your gun level and ready for action, as you never know what you might stumble upon. Learn to move sideways, keeping your gun aimed in the direction you are traveling. Sidestepping provides a smaller target to shoot at and allows you to move and keep your gun relatively steady.

TEAM COOPERATION

When moving as a group, it is vital that you have some sort of team tactics. I've seen a group of six people taken out by a lone gunman IN THE WIDE OPEN due to horrible team cooperation and tactics (believe me, it's not a pretty site, hilarious, but not pretty.) Always make sure that a teammate is covering you when you move, so there's never a time when no one in a group is prepared to instantly engage the enemy. The best method is to have one team member move forward, then cover you as you move ahead of them to the next piece of cover. This tactic also works very well when you or a teammate is stuck behind cover. Having a teammate unload towards your opponents will normally make them duck (as discussed above), giving the trapped individual time to escape to better ground.

Effective communication greatly increases the effectiveness of a group. Make sure that everyone knows exactly what you're doing before trying it, so they can react appropriately. For example, if you are going to make a charge to better cover, make sure a teammate is going to cover you. Pre-game planning is also essential from general game tactics to deciding who is paired with whom. Bad situations can often be "made better" if everyone knows what they need to do beforehand, rather than shouting to each other over the sounds of gunfire. A group of inaccurate individuals who can communicate effectively are a lot more dangerous than a group of good shots who can't even tell each other which way they are going to move.

CHECK YOUR EQUIPMENT EVERY GAME AND WHILE ON THE FIELD

Obviously, your paint gun is the most expensive and fragile piece of equipment on the field. Check your gun periodically for ball breakage, and paint in the barrel, as this can affect your accuracy and velocity. Dirt or grime in the barrel or on the operating rod can wreak havoc, not only to your paintballs, but to your gun as well. Squeegee the barrel after EVERY game and fieldstrip at least once per day to make sure it's clean. Check your hopper and loader elbow after every game for broken balls or dirt that can cause problems. Both the barrel and hopper of paintball guns are washable, so running them under water is okay. Before screwing on a full tank of cO2 check the O-rings and connections for debris or dirt, and clean, oil and replace as necessary. If you are using a remote system check each connection periodically, as they do have a tendency to come loose. Most importantly check your cO2 levels! A 12-ounce tank of 300 FPS can only shoot about 400 rounds before going dead. Note that the temperature of the tank will help you determine how full it is. The colder the tank, the more cO2 it contains. Room temperature tanks are nearly empty.
Beyond your gun, a good set of goggles in working condition is essential to a game of paintball. Make sure that the lens is not cracked, the mask is tight and fitting properly on your face, and that you can move in it okay. It is very important to remember that paintball masks were designed to withstand the impact of a paintball traveling at 300 fps. Although skiing or motorcycle masks and goggles may look safe to play in, they are not designed for it and will probably cause more harm than they will help.
Your gun and goggles are not the only pieces of equipment you need to be concerned about. Comfortable shoes can really make the difference towards the end of the day. Low-cut all-terrain hiking boots are excellent, as are tennis shoes with ankle support. Your footwear should allow you to run full speed, provide excellent traction and be very comfortable. Wear loose clothing, as tight clothing can chafe and be very uncomfortable after awhile. If you are playing on a cold or snowy day don't be afraid to pile on the layers, as you can always take layers off. There is nothing worse than paintballing cold and wet. Gloves are often overlooked unless it is cold out, but even in the warmer times of the year they can be lifesavers. Personally speaking, getting shot in the bare hand really sucks, and can even lead to bleeding. The shell of the paintball has a tendency to scratch bare skin; so covering your skin up prevents this. If you choose to wear a cup find one that you are going to be comfortable in for eight hours. If you are going to wear boxers, be sure they aren't too loose. (If you have ever tried running a race in them, you'll know what I mean.)

GUN VELOCITY

There are different schools of thought on this. Most fields will limit velocity at around 300 fps to keep the game safe. A velocity rate between 200-300 fps will give you minimal non-breakage on your balls when they hit (the more so the closer you get to 300 fps). A slower velocity allows for more of a lob in your shots, which can be very useful when trying to hit an enemy behind cover. A higher velocity will increase the range and accuracy of your shots. It is best to experiment with different speeds to find the one you can work with the best.

GETTING HIT

If you feel a ball hit you or suspect you have been hit, but cannot immediately see the ball breakage DO NOT CALL A HIT! Duck behind cover quickly, stop shooting, and check yourself for a hit. If you cannot locate a hit, ask a teammate or a referee to check you out. The reason for this is every now and then you will get shot and the ball will not break, and if you call hit accidentally you are STILL OUT. Baggy clothing and/or layers will also increase the chance of a ball bouncing off of you. US Army BDU field jackets are excellent for keeping balls from breaking all the time, as they tend to be baggy and have a lot of material in the front of them. If you wear another baggy shirt underneath you can also greatly increase the chance of balls bouncing off.

GAME VARIATIONS

MULTI-FLAG

Multi-flag works well on either a field or in outlaw games.

· Teams: This game is designed for multiple teams (more than two) and works best with at least four teams.
· Team size: Depending on the amount of players and number of teams wanted, team size should range from two to five players per team. If there are 20 players you could have four five-man teams, five four-man teams, or even 10 two-man teams.
· Field layout: The field should be divided into at least four areas. Each with a flag station (of course you can have more than four areas, especially if you have a lot of players or teams.) A central location on the field should be marked as the return station. This area should be at least 25 feet square (larger for large numbers of players, also serves as "dead zone") and should be manned by a referee. This is a "no fire zone" which means no shooting in or out of the marked area. Those that do so should be immediately eliminated from play. Each flag station should have one flag for each team (if there are five teams, there should be five flags at EVERY flag station.)
· Objective: The objective for this game is for each team to locate and return as many flags as they can to the center area or to eliminate the other teams.
· Rules: As in all games, if a player is hit they are out and must return to the center dead zone. If a player carrying a flat is hit, the player is not only out, but the flag is no longer in play. This presents an interesting strategy. A team that has returned more flags then the others may want to just hunt the other teams in order to kill the flags they are returning. A live player may not enter the center dead zone unless they are returning a flag. A live player in the center dead zone may not fire out of or be fired upon while in the dead zone. A team may only carry one flag at a time. The game is over when either all flags have been returned or killed; only one team remains, or a team has returned a preset number of flags. (This should be set before the game and is an optional rule. Teams start the game at the center dead zone, then separate and move to wherever they like on the field until the whistle is blown to start the game. This is similar to hide and seek where everyone takes off running for 30 seconds to a couple of minutes and then all hell breaks loose.
· Extras: There are many ways this game can be modified. A rule I have used before is that when a player carrying a flag is shot, instead of returning it to the dead zone, the player who shot the other player gets the flag. This actually creates an interesting scenarios, it allows players or teams to play alternate strategies. A team can hunt other teams in order to capture their flags. Another variation is to give each team a base to hang their flags. These areas function as no fire zones. All the flags are hung in the center and it doesn't take much to guess that this can turn into an incredibly nasty firefight.

SUPERMEN

This is not really a game, but an option that can be added to other games.

· Teams: This variation can be used in other games where there will be at least three teams.
· Team size: The size of the teams does not matter with the exception of the Super team. This team should be much smaller than the other teams. (If the other teams have 10 men on them, the super team should have three or maybe four men.)
· Rules: The Supermen are invincible. Shoot them as many times as you like and they are still not out. However, the Supermen should have a limited supply of paint, depending on the game being played. The supply should be 30-50 rounds per man, or maybe one hopper full. The Supermen's objective is to eliminate other teams.
· Extras: The Supermen add an interesting twist to any game. While they may not have a lot of ammo, they cannot be eliminated. Now while you might think they could make quick work of any team even if outnumbered, there is no rule that says they can't be shot at. And we all know it is not very fun to have five people shooting at you at once. So as you may well imagine, it is probably not in the Superman's best interest to just go "kamikaze."

Hints & Tips Chapter 2

*Absolutely NO Drugs or Alcohol at the field!*
Anyone caught possessing, or being under the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol, will be asked to leave the field immediately.

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