Paintball is a team sport. But most importantly, it’s a game of intense strategy, and maneuvering.
Winning a paintball game depends massively on the tactics deployed, although mistakes from the opposing team can also hand yours the victory.
However, you don’t have to wait for the opposition team members to make mistakes to win a paintball game. You can emerge victorious if you get your team tactics spot on.
So what we’re going to do here is explain some paintball team tactics you can deploy to win your paintball game. Let’s dive in.
Paintball Team Tactics To Win Games
You can deploy any tactic and still win your paintball game, if every member of the team abides by the original plan.
So, here are tactics to win paintball games.
1: The multi-squad play tactic:
This paintball team tactic is a widely used tactic. As the name implies, multi-squad play involves dividing a paintball team into two groups.
Let’s name the groups A and B. Group A is the group that advances into the field to assume strategic positions, while group B provides cover.
A player’s shooting accuracy or awareness decreases when moving. So, when group A is advancing into the field, group B has to provide cover. In other words, group B has to distract the opposing team by firing in their direction. But then, the paintball fired should be targeted at the opponent. It’s not advisable to waste so much paintballs to provide cover, given that the game just started.
The multi-squad play strategy has its disadvantages. The advancing team (Group A) may get to a point where they may lose communication or no longer be able to communicate effectively with the cover team, group B.
A Handy Tip: The term “group A and group B” is for illustration and not how groups are named in the multi-squad play tactic.
In other words, you can decide the name for each group. It’s all up to the team members to decide.
2: The leapfrog tactic:
This tactic shares some similarities with the multi-squad play tactics, though there are some differences.
The similarity is that the players are divided into two groups. And when one group advances, the other stays behind to provide cover.
Let’s name the two groups as group A and group B (you can use any name you want). As group A advances, group B have to remain in their positions and ensure the opposition team doesn’t hit the members of group A who’re advancing.
Now, here’s where the leapfrog tactic differs from the multi-quad play.
When group A advances, they have to get into position and provide cover for group B to advance. Group A will continue engaging the opposing team until group B gets into a new position.
3: The team free for all tactic:
Here is how this team tactic works. Each player acts independently. In other words, they move independently, and act as a single unit. But this doesn’t mean they’re no longer part of the team. They are very much in the team.
The thing is each player already knows the plans and goals. They also know their team’s plan to defeat the opponent and have to act independently to achieve the collective goal.
The “team free for all” tactic is a great strategy. The only challenge is the capacity of the team and chances of a team member mistaking another for an opponent and shooting them.
In terms of capacity, each player must possess the experience, skills and tactical ability to act in a manner that won’t contradict the team’s general plan.
Any action taken by a team member should revolve around the general tactic the group is deploying. Otherwise, confusion might set in and the game would be difficult to win.
Another challenge, as earlier explained, is the possibility of teammates mistaking their team members for the opponents and firing them. It happens a lot, and is very common in this tactic.
Tips To Make Your Paintball Team Tactics Efficient
You can win a paintball game by deploying your tactics and ensuring that other precautions are taken seriously.
Here are tips you can deploy, alongside your paintball tactics.
1: Try to make sense of the opposing team’s plans:
Don’t go into a paintball game focusing only on your tactics. Your opponents might have better tactics than you and have better chances of winning, if you do.
What’s a good tactic by the way? A good tactic considers the opposing team’s plans and can adapt to any situation. In other words, you can tweak your tactic to neutralize the opposing team’s.
So, try to understand the paintball plan or strategy your opponent is using. This way, you can easily read their games and stop them in their tracks.
Understanding your opponents’ plans will eliminate any surprises and put you in a much better place to counter them.
2: Avoid running in an open field:
While mapping out or discussing your plans with the team, remind them to avoid running in open areas. Encourage the team to run in areas where they can take cover and avoid getting shot by the opponent.
Several things can serve as shields when playing paintball. Examples include trees, silts and brushes. So decide where to take cover to avoid getting hit by your opponents.
So, learn to take cover when playing paintball. Don’t expose yourself too much.
3: Keep moving:
Your opponents might hit you if you stay in one spot for a long period. So keep moving. Move from one strategic position to another, and be super fast.
Move and take cover. That’s how it works. You can also fire at your opponents while moving to distract them.
When you shoot at your opponents while moving, you’ll keep them occupied with dodging your balls rather than shooting at you.
A Handy Tip: Consider shooting at your opponents when they’re close by and not far away. Use your paintballs judiciously to avoid running out of balls.
4: Act without fear:
Every individual in your team must be brave. Take time to dwell on this. Bravery and survival strategies are essential in paintball. You’re going to make decisions before and during games, and need a strong mental state to get your decisions right.
Approach every game with the belief that you’ll emerge victorious. Have trust in your abilities, skills, tactics and every person in your team. Shun fear or anything that can cause you to make mental mistakes.
5: Use the element of surprise:
Don’t make it too easy for your opponents to predict your next move. Use the element of surprise. A team member can show up in places your opponents never expected and hit a target.
Just incorporate the element of surprise in your paintball team tactic. You can strike serious fear in your opponent’s minds with it.
6: Keep your ego aside:
Being your team’s key player and a good paintballer is good. Not many paintball players have the skillset and privilege you possess.
Unfortunately, most people may allow pride to get into their heads and may want to impress, thereby acting like prime Arnold Schwarzenegger. You’re not Arnold, but you. And you’re unique that way.
Allowing your ego to get the best of you isn’t something you should condone as a paintball player. Don’t be the reason for your team’s loss.
7: Get one step ahead of the enemy:
It’s important to survey the area or field you’ll be playing the paintball. And when surveying, be vigilant. Don’t admire the cuteness of the field or paintball arena. Rather, create a mental picture of the entire arena.
The things to focus on are:
- Where will my opponents hide on either side of the field?
- What are the escape routes the opposition team can take to leave the area when attacked?
- What can your team retreat to?
- What is the best chance your team has?
Finding the answers to these questions can put you ahead of your opponents. You can even create more questions to open up more possibilities for victory.
Since you’re in a team, allow each member to contribute to the plan you’re creating.
8: Embrace teamwork:
You’re in a team, and unless you’re using a strategy that allows each team member to act independently, you should consider working with your team.
You can only achieve success when everyone in the team knows their roles, and executes it perfectly.
Conclusion
You can see the paintball team tactics and strategies. Tactics are crucial in paintball games. You obviously can’t go to war without a tactic.
If you do, your opponents will take you by surprise and crush your team. It’s the same thing in paintball games.
It’s essential to study your opponents and try to make sense of their tactics. Understand their positioning too and bend your tactics to match theirs.
