There are many things you can do to be a better player.  Practice is always important.  However, it does you little good to 'practice' if you have no idea what to practice.  More importantly, you need to know what you need to get better at.  Being a marksman doesn't help you avoid getting shot; it helps you shoot people out.

   I've been winning long enough.  So this page is to give a few hints on things to do and things not to do.  I need more of a challenge, guys.

   Here are some things to do to make yourself a much harder target in your next game of speedball.
 

* Use your bunker wisely!  If any part of you is showing, I'm going to hit it.  That means tuck your feet in.  Don't let your back show.  And when you shoot, pull your whole gun in.  If your hopper is showing over the top or around the side, I'm going to hit it.

* Also, be sure to keep your eyes out and communicate.  Know where people are.  Just because you're completely hidden from the guy in front of you doesn't mean he can't move and flank you.

* When shooting at people, remember that you might be clear from your target, but you are not necessarily clear from other guys.  Make sure you know where the enemy is.

* Learn to snapshoot.  Pop out behind cover with your barrel pointing in the direction of your target before exposing yourself.  Don't waste time pulling your marker to a shooting position.  Be ready whenever you're exposed.

* When you're not shooting, don't show.  Don't waste time looking to see if your shots hit after shooting some guy.  Shoot and take cover.  If he's out, he'll stroll off the field.

* When you do get someone out, communicate it to your friends.

* If someone moves to a position that threatens a friend, communicate!  In fact, always communicate.

* If you're in the front, shoot cross-field.  Try to get forward.  And don't be reckless.  Take your time.  People who charge without thinking get shot a lot.

* If you're in the back, tell the people up front what to do.  You can see everything; they can only see the back of their bunker and a tiny sliver of the whole field whenever they peek out.  Help them out.

* Be alert.  Look around you.  Don't get tunnel-vision.  You might be shooting at only one guy, but be sure you know where other people are.

* Be sneaky.  If you sense no one is looking at you, go ahead and move up.  If you're sure of it, you'd be amazed at how far up to the enemy that you can get just by crawling.  Two of us literally crawled within ten feet of someone's bunker before they were eliminated and he didn't know anyone was that close.  And I crawled stealthily to the next guy and he didn't notice, either.  And I eliminated a third guy further back.  All because I advanced when no one was looking and stayed patiently for a few minutes, quiet, behind my bunker, and was forgotten about.  LOOK and LISTEN.  Had someone merely checked the opposite side of their bunker, I would have easily been taken out.
 

   These are just little things that seem obvious but are quickly forgotten.  Most of my eliminations came because some guy forgot something 'obvious' before I shot him.  So be alert and think.  I want more of a challenge, next time.