Paintball Advice for Newbies

Safety Tips

Safety is something the paintball community takes seriously... and with good reason! The last thing you, or anyone else for that matter, wants is for people to get hurt. So make sure you follow these very simple guidelines.....


NEVER take your goggles off during a game... no matter what! Even if your goggles have fogged up so badly that you can't see anything, keep the goggles on. This blindness is only temporary, but if you remove your goggles, it may land up being a permanent fixture.


Whenever you are not in an area where shooting is allowed make sure that you have your barrel plug inserted. This is a simple precaution to prevent people being shot accidently... remember, the players/spectators won't be wearing goggles in these areas.

• Make sure you know what your team mates look like... you don't want to eliminate people on your own team! Apart from the fact that you might cause your team to lose, you will not be very popular!
  
  
• You should have some sort of a game plan in mind. For example, if you are playing a game of "capture the flag" you should decide whether you are going to play offense or defence. It's also important to make sure that your team mates know what you plan on doing.
  
  
• Communicate! Once the paint starts flying everyone will know where you are anyway... Talk to your team - tell them when you see the opposition, call for back up, let them know what your intentions are. Communication is critical for paintball success.
  
  
• Teamwork is another important element. It is a good idea to split teams into smaller "fire teams". If you have just started playing, try to team up with a more experienced player... this will help you survive, while giving you the chance to learn from him/her.
  
  
• Keep reasonably close to a team mate (within 15 feet) but never too close! This allows you to provide each other supporting fire, but prevents you from both getting hit by one burst of fire.
  
  
• Fireteam movement should be coordinated, with some players providing covering or supression fire while the remaining players move. Movement should always be from cover to cover. Never stop moving if you don't have any cover!
  
  
• Be aware of what's going on during the game. New players tend to suffer from "tunnel vision" - they get fixated on one opponent and they lose sight of the overall picture. Situational awareness takes time to develop, but it is important - without it, you won't know what to do when.
  
  
• Use your ears - the sounds made by the opposition will often give you vital information about their position, direction of movement etc. This is valuable intelligence to have.
  
  
• Perhaps the hardest thing to learn, and also the most important, is to be aggressive! The temptation for beginners is to find the biggest hiding place and not moving until the end of the game. This is NOT the way to be an effective paintball player - Get in, do your job and get out fast!
  
  
• Lastly, remember that it is just a game. Win or lose, you should have fun! If you made a lot of mistakes, just learn from them.... life will go on, I promise you.