I have been playing paintball for nearly twenty years. I thought I might pass along some observations that can help you really power up your game. 

It almost goes without saying, but I actually know several players who do not check to see that they have everything, and that all equipment is clean and ready, and fully functional until they get to the field where they plan to play. The problem with this is that you can find youself in a situation ranging from inconvenient for forgotten equipment, to devastating as you try to spend the better part of your playing time making up for something that you could have fixed in a few minutes in the comfort of your home with all your tools, and materials at hand. 

The night before you play lay out a couple of towels, and spread out your equipment. When you have done a sight inventory of the basics store them. Then go back and give your gun(s) a good cleaning. Run a cloth through the empty inside of your hopper. Wipe down your gun. Pack up and get ready. 

A lot of times you do not even think of this. Check the fit of your mask and make sure it is as comfortable as you can get it. Make sure the inside is clean and the faceplate is not blurry.

Check you shoelaces. You want them tight enough for good support, but not so tight that they will cause you pain or distraction. With shoes made comfortable you can maneuver on the field with confidence when you need to. 

Once you have chrono checked before going onto the field, step to one side, or go to an area where you can see a little distance before play begins.

Choose a target about thirty feet away, short range, and take two or three shots. When you have zeroes your target remember what your sight picture looks like. Now choose a target about fifty to sixty feet away, and repeat the operation, and do it again at ninety to a hundred feet.

Now you have a good idea of what it should look like at each basic distance when you aim at a target. Remember to do this each time you play. A paintball gun is not so consistent as a regular gun due to its ammo. Your sight picture might look a little different each time, so make sure you repeat this each time. 

I cannot tell you the number of times I have watched people load up with as much as their packs will hold and charge out to play. Why?

The more you carry the slower, and less agile you will be, and the more quickly you will tire.

Carry only that amount of paint and equipment that you think you will actually need for that game. That will be different in the larger scenario games, but for regular rec play it is a good idea. 

Spray and pray. You have heard of it, probably seen it, and some of you may have tried it. Why?

I know it feels reasurring to send a storm of paint through the air, but what are you really accomplishing? Most opponents are going to duck and not move. The really dangerous ones will move while the noise from your paintstorm is masking their movements.

I have seen a lot of spray and pray, but it rarely results in an elimination.

Instead try this: Fire twice at your opponent, and watch as they duck. Those shots have now provided you with a range and a sight picture. As the silence drags your opponent will likely get curious and start peaking. When they stand, or peak use what yo have learned from the ranging shots that made them duck and pick them off- like a groundhog sticking its head out of a hole.

You have saved a lot of paint and are much more likely to get a useful elimination this way. 

When you are being advanced on move to create angles between you and the advancing opponent. You can get to a new position faster if you move at an angle.

When you are moving do not underestimate the usefulness of your surroundings. If you can move in a way that leaves obstacles, trees, buildings, bushes, and so on between you and your opponents use them. 

Do not get bogged down behind a nice safe bunker or wall. Remember these are paintballs, not bullets. You can usually see them coming and can often dodge them.

Move quickly, fire to distract, and move! When you move it is much harder to hit you. 

Remember that in any combat engagement the high ground is an advantage. In paintball it can be devastating. Paintballs drop fast as projectiles go. Firing from a position higher in elevation than your opponent can give you critical extra yardage, even as your opponents' fire falls short. 

Do not fire without thinking. I have seen hundreds of players who fire at their opponents' cover, and just in their general directions rather than focusing on targets of opportunity.

Remember if your opponents' foot is sticking out a toe hit is just as much an elimination as a shot between the eyes. The tip of a barrel or an elbow sticking out provide a path to victory you should not ignore.

When you have the chance aim for hard targets- facemask, gun, pack, rather than body mass. The hard targets will break balls at a distance that flesh will simply bounce when hit. 

Always think. Sometimes events that seem like a disaster can actually be turned to your advantage if you keep your mind and your eyes open.

I was playing a speed ball game. Each side had started with ten men. Both sides were down to three. The other team had moved their most dangerous player into cover behind a barricade forty feet from me. He and I had exchanged fire, and it had been a close thing for both of us to survive. Just then, disaster! I chopped a ball in my Automag! I knew if I tried to remove the barrel and swab it I would be overrun.

I swabbed it once, and fired a couple of times to clear. The bad news was my balls were hooking hard right. My opponents sensed my trouble and stepped up their fire. I leaned out from my cover, and the dangerous mid field player ducked back behind his cover. A thought struck me. The curving balls were pretty consistent over the last five rounds I had fired- all had been useless.

I aimed a little left of my mid field opponent's cover and fired. The ball hooked beautifully and curved at nearly 90 degrees around his cover and I had him out!

Use situations that occur with an open mind and they can be to your advantage. 

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