Getting Started with Paintball

Paintball is an exciting new sport that has become popular with extreme sports athletes. I got into paintball in high school. When I first started the semi-automatic guns were special and not common. I rented a pump gun pistol for my first game. It was a huge field and pure adrenaline rush. I wandered around the field, came to a clearing and got my first dose of getting tagged by a paintball on my right forearm. I was ambushed by some guys hiding behind the bushes that I never saw. I quickly learned to seek cover behind buildings, bushes, trees, and inflatable barriers in future games. If your not moving you better be covered up by something or you are asking to get nailed. Over the years the semi-auto guns became common rental guns, and the gameplay got more competitive. Players that go on to buy their own guns, find their accuracy and consistency improved. As you become comfortable with your gun, it is easier to start getting kills and taking people out on the other team. More than anything tactics and giving your teammates cover at the right time can put you in position to get kills or flank your opponents and attack them from behind. I have taken my share of flags back to the base and the sprint back is a lot of fun if you don’t get nailed on the way back.

For anyone going out to try paintball I have a few tips before you go:

1. bring a couple friends, I have found private games with 20-30 folks and a private field full of workmates or friends is much more fun and less likely to be filled with guns that outclass you, plus the teamwork is increased, and the trash talking is more fun in between games

2. invest in your own helmet if you plan on playing a couple times, rental helmets are not that nice, and if you can get a visor that has anti-fog you will be a much happier camper

3. try different tactics, whether it is conserving paintballs, or spreading your paint everywhere, you will learn how much paint you need to get through a day of gaming. I usually only need one box of paintballs for my day, even 1000 balls can be enough the way I play. But some players like to shoot the whole game and need more paint to get through a match. Sometimes you can stay and defend the base if you want to conserve paint. Running forward early and engaging the other team is usually the fastest way to use up paint. You will also find that some guns are better for long distance sniping than others, most guns shoot the same distance, but there are a few barrels that lead to longer shot range

4. bring some sturdy shoes, tennis shoes will be destroyed during a paintball game, full of mud and scratches by the end of the day. I found a comfortable pair of workboots that I always wear, because they have a lot of ankle support and good traction, and they aren't that heavy to run around in.

5. if you are afraid of getting hit, but still want to play, then buy a body shield to wear over or under your clothes.

6. I find that a paintball jersey and some loose camo pants are all I need to wear, but a lot of my friends wear layers of sweaters, and sweats when they play, but then I always go home with a couple bruises after playing, but really I think it is impossible to not have bruises after a full day of paintball

7. Bring food and liquids to consume in between games, you will be dehydrated and there often is no snack bar available at the fields

8. Bring a change of clothes with you, because at the end of the day you won't want to wear what you started with

9. Bring a towel to clean your guns, your hands and body and face in between games

10. Never put paint from the ground back into your hopper, it will make the barrel dirty and make the rest of your shots curve during the day or jam the gun

11. Buy your paintballs before showing up at the field it will save you money, the fields overcharge for paint, most people use about 1000 during a 4-6 hour game, some people use more, expect to use .5 to 2 hoppers every game, a hopper holds 250, just depends how many shots you take

12. If you can afford it, buy an ammo belt to carry extra paint with you on the field, if you like to take a lot of shots you will need to reload during the game, and if you don’t have the paint on your waist you will have to get it from another player during the game

13. Prepare for a very athletic day, a lot of running and carrying the gun and paint can get heavy sometimes by the end of the day when your adrenaline fades a little

14. Travel in groups of 2 or 3 so you can attack opponents from multiple angles and give each other cover as you advance forward on the field, one or two give cover fire while the others run forward, assuming your opponents are hiding behind their cover. Always keep eyes active watching every direction because you never know if the other team is flanking you on the side or from behind, talk to each other or have hand signals to tell each other what you want to do during the game