Forward Paintball

Forward Paintball

Tips To Improving Your Competition Paintball Game

Paintball has become a very popular game within the last ten years, offering two basic styles of play; speedball and woodsball.  Organized paintball began with speedball; a game played on a closed course littered with inflatable bunkers and two teams made of 3-5 people each.  The game is timed and the goal is often either eliminate the opposing team or accomplish a short mission (capture a flag) with points given for different actions. 

The game of speedball has greatly developed with many levels of tournament play.  There are even professional paintball athletes who are paid with competition purse prize winnings and paintball equipment sponsorships.  Most commercial paintball parks and fields offer speedball courses and just like any other sport; many young paintballers start playing early, aspiring to be a professional paintball athlete one day.  With much practice and many hours of play, a player's skill level at speedball will continue to grow.   Although there are many good ideas on improving speedball expertise, here are a few basic tips that are smart to incorporate by the beginner or advanced player…

Tunnel vision in speedball can be deadly… try your best to eliminate it.  Tunnel vision is the inability to effectively use peripheral vision.  Focusing on only what is directly in front of you, instead of being watchful of what your opponent may be doing can cause you to be a target instead of a winner.  This often happens to the inexperienced but also when a player is occupied with another task, such a re-loading.  It can also happen if a player is paying all his attention to one particular opposing player. 

Senses can be trained to overcome the problem of tunnel vision.  Law enforcement and Assault Teams learn to scan the surroundings immediately after defusing a dangerous situation, searching for unknown assailants.  This practice should be part of the routine practice, scanning the area over and over until it becomes an integral part of your defensive play.  While speedball is a timed match, often lasting less than 15 minutes, tunnel vision can be crippling to a team's forward movement and must be learned to overcome.

Communication in speedball, as in most every facet of life, is vital to a winning team.  The first communication starts before the game even begins; a review of the team goals, a re-hash of who's playing what roles and their responsibilities during the match.  Sometimes it's necessary to re-configure the team's strategy after seeing how the course if laid out or learning last minute information about the opposing team. 

During the game, communication is even more essential.  A warning, a prod to go in another direction, a secret signal about the easiest route to take—all are important messages communicated between teammates.  After the game, meet for a few minutes to discuss techniques that worked or maneuvers that didn't to re-figure strategies for the next time you play.  The more you learn to communicate with each other on and off the field, the more likely your success will be.

Use precise movement.  Although novice players seem to be always moving on the paintball field, constant movement is sometimes wasteful and unnecessary.  Experts in speedball are very economical in their movements and, although sometimes a lot of movement may be necessary, there is always a purpose to their motion.  Consider moves before making them.  Is the move necessary?  Will the results be better?  Will the move assist in achieving the team's goals?  Can you accomplish the same purpose with less movement?  Conserve energy for times when 100% explosive movement must be used.

Employ cover effectively.  Use the bunkers on the field for effective cover to avoid being hit, however, don't stay there the entire game.  That wouldn't be much fun, not to mention you wouldn't be much help to your team!  It is ideal to find a bunker that gives you access to an opponent or gives you a good view of your team's progress, and stay there as long as it is feasible.  In speedball, if you come from behind your cover with out a plan, there is a good chance you will be shot.  Make your movements small and quick, rushing from bunker to bunker; however maintain an urgency with your forward progress.

As in any sport, the chance of being shot or losing in the game of paintball can cause a lot of stress.  Being shot not only physically hurts, but injures your pride as well.  Losing the game can mean losing prize money, respect on the field or even your teammates.  A little stress however can help with your urgency to progress towards your goal.  Remember, even if there's money or pride at stake, competitive paintball is still just for fun.  Most will agree that winning is generally more fun than losing!  Practice these tips to improve your game and you will have more fun winning competitive speedball! 

About the Author

Dan Levesque is the owner and operator of a successful online paintball retail store, ChoicePaintballGuns.com.  He also owns and operates several other successful businesses and is the treating doctor at a full time chiropractic clinic.  He is also a professional powerlifter and trains several top level strength athletes.

What's a Good Small Carbon Fiber Paintball tank 45/48ci 4500psi?

I have 68ci 4500 carbon fiber nitroduck but its too long for me. Got stuck on shoulder (hard to aim) and I already use drop forward (not planning to use remote). so I'm going to buy 45/48ci 4500psi tank hoping it will be smaller. Also how many paint I can go with this tank?

Thanks!

If size is an issue, checkout the Draxxus HPA tanks. They are smaller than normal carbon fiber tanks but offer the same fill capacity. The regulators are rebuildable. They come in high pressure and low pressure output (800 psi or 400 psi). They also make conversion kits to convert a 800 psi output reg into a 400 psi output and visa versa. Super nice tanks with quality regs.

To determine tank shot capacity just take the ci and times it by 10 for 3000 psi tanks. For 4500 psi models times the ci by 15. Therefore, a 45/4500 tank would be 45 x 15 or 675 shots. This is only an estimate but a good indicator.

More info on Draxxus Tanks

http://www.rockstartactical.com/Draxxus_Tanks.html

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