So there you are just you and your best buddies, hip deep in the muck. You hear a twig snap, turn too late and you and your buddies are quickly covered in brightly colored paint circles. You’ve been fragged by the enemy. Even worse, you’ve been outsmarted by the enemy. It doesn’t have to be this way.

You and your team need a strategy. Most paintballers ignore stealth and accuracy and instead focus on movement and firepower. That’s their mistake, don’t let it be yours. War is war. A battle is a battle. Some of the most brilliant minds in history from Genghis Kahn to General Macarthur have studied and improved the art of battle. Your paintballing experience will be well served if you’ll learn from them.

Use a Sniper

Most paintballers do not understand sniper play and most paintballers discount accuracy. They favor movement and firepower. Of course firepower and forceful movement have their place on the paintball field just as they have their place in real combat. But how many times have powerful aggressive forces bogged down in long drawn out shooting matches. This is how Napoleon lost at Waterloo and Hitler lost in Russia. Of course an accurate, long distance shot with a paintball gun is just not in the realm of possibility. However, a well placed ambush sniper can pick your adversary apart after they pass. If your sniper is willing to belly-crawl into position he can get behind or beside the enemy force and pick them apart

Get yourself a good ghillie cape. All paint ball guns have about the same range so, your advantage is in getting closer to your enemy. If your paint gun, mask, and your pod belt are completely camouflaged in ghillie leaf, you’ll have a significant advantage in the wooded margins of the battle field. If you’re well camouflaged, the opposition will walk right by you without noticing you.

Consider purchasing a good red dot or holographic sight to make your first shots count. Make sure to use raised sight rails or special stocks to give your mask the clearance you’ll need. Remember, a good sight will line you up with the target but, you still need to adjust for wind and drop over distance. Paintballs are not nearly as aerodynamic as a long, lean rifle bullet. A good Spyder paintball gun with raised sight rails and a holographic sight will put you at a definite advantage on the paintball field.

Clear, reliable, communication is one of the most important advantages in battle. Invest in good, well built radios for you and your team. Make sure the ear plugs are snug and don’t fall out. Also make sure your radios are water resistant or water proof. A failure in communication between you and your team members could spell doom.

Now that you’re well equipped, you just need wait for the whistle to blow. When it does, race your sniper into a position on the weak side. Have him place himself a little forward and a little to the side of the probable paths the enemy might take. It is vitally important that your enemy does not see your sniper move into position. Your sniper must be patient and allow the entire element to pass by. Once the enemy is fully committed to the siege, the noise and confusion of battle will provide adequate sound cover for him to begin picking them off one by one. A well hidden sniper can sideline many adversaries before they spot him, especially if he is willing to hold back and go quiet at the proper time. Just by letting the enemy pass by, in the first place, the enemy will be confused, as they fully expect that if someone is near, someone will be shooting at them. If they walk by and nobody fires at them, they become relaxed and assume they’re in a safe area. Once, they make that assumption, you pick them off one by one.

The game of paintball is much more than paintball guns, paintball markers and other paintball gear. The mind and the plan are just as important as the equipment, even if you have laid out the bucks for a quality Spyder gun. If you prepare and plan properly, you can rest assured of a good day on the field of battle.