The Smart Paintballer Starts With the Equipment First, Then Comes the Fun!

Vaughn Balchunas asked:


Don’t like being called a newbie? Tip number one: don’t act like a newbie. New paintball players sometimes don’t realize that the game is only fun if you’re well prepared. But get the right outfit, the right gun, and have a basic idea of what you’re doing, and you’ll be fine.

First and foremost, goggles. Wear them. Get the ones specifically made for paintball. Get high-grade ones. Make sure they fit. Because if you get shot in the face and get paint in your eyes because you neglected to wear goggles, you never know how badly your vision could be compromised—and if the resulting injury is bad, you might not be able to play paintball again. After you get the goggles, know how to take care of them. This is true of all of your equipment. Take care of your stuff, and your stuff will take care of you.

Remember to tailor your clothes to the place you’ll be playing. Don’t show up to a dark wooded area in a bright yellow jumpsuit or else you’ll be covered in more paint splatters than a Pollack painting. Get a good pair of shoes that are worn in. No one wants to go home with blisters. Get something to cover your face. A mask, perhaps, or go bandito style with a bandana. Paint can be sticky, and it’s easier to clean if it’s not all over your skin.

Then there’s the weapon-of-choice. Paintball guns, also called “markers,” and they are almost as many different kinds of guns as there are people who play the game to begin with. They generally look pretty similar in shape. If you’re a new player, try a gun that doesn’t require a lot of steps before being able to shoot. Get started with a simple and cheap gun while you learn how to use it, how to load it, and most importantly, how to take care of it. Plenty of new players start off using expensive, tournament-ready guns, but until you can use your gun properly and know how to clean it better than you can wash your own face, stick with something a little cheaper. That way, if you don’t take care of it, you’re not out as much money when you have to replace it.

Talk to people who have been playing for a long time, see what they suggest for someone who has never played paintball before. Or check it out online. There are plenty forums and websites geared towards putting paintball players together. Ask questions because only a newbie is cocky enough to ignore the potential for advice from people who definitely know better. Don’t be a newbie.



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Needs of a Paintball Sniper

Paintball Sniper asked:


What do you need in order to be a successful paintball sniper? You have basic personality needs, equipment needs, and the proper strategy. All of these combined will give you the tools you need to become a paintball sniper but you will have to put all of these together on your own to really be triumphant.

First you need to make sure you have the basic traits needed to be successful. You need to be patient. There are many matches that will have you stuck in positions for long periods of time before the perfect shot comes into focus. You will also be playing alone for the most part so you should be comfortable being in that role. This really can take out some of the basic fun of paintball which is the camaraderie but if you can get through this then you will be ahead of the game. You also have to be a confident paintballer. You will be waiting for long periods of time by yourself waiting on the perfect shot and you need to be sure that you can make it when the time comes because you usually only have that one shot.

You will not need much extra equipment other than your basic paintball needs. You will of course need a marker (gun) if you do not already have one. Most guns shoot the same distance because of industry guidelines keeping the speed of the paintballs exiting the barrel at less than 300 feet per second. So it is more important to find a marker that is comfortable to you so you can be your most accurate and consistent when the times comes for the shot. If you do have a marker you are comfortable with then you can simply purchase a paintball sniper kit that can convert your marker into a paintball sniper gun or buy the sniper gun parts separate such as a barrel or scope. You can get a paintball sniper barrel that will put more backspin on the paintball and slightly increase range but it is very difficult to increase range and not lose accuracy. You also need to match the paint you use to the barrel. A paintball sniper scope can also help some. High powered scopes are mostly useless in paintball because the markers will not have the range to make good use of this type of scope. I prefer a simple red dot scope cause of its ease of use and effectiveness at short and long range. Clothing can also enhance your effectiveness as a paintball sniper. One of the main keys to being a great sniper is stealth and a good camouflage outfit can greatly decrease your visibility. Some paintball snipers prefer a ghillie suit which are the best but can be pricey but you can do about the same with a camouflage suit that matches your surroundings. All of this equipment will help but will mean nothing if you don’t use your head.

Thinking through the match calmly, using your teammates, and having the proper strategy are the attributes that will separate you from the rest of the paintball snipers. Some of these you will have already and some you may have to develop. You need to be able to find a good hiding spot where you can be comfortable. Then you need to be able to use your teammates to help in putting targets in the proper position to get a good shot. You will also have to use your head to know when it is the proper time to take the shot. If you are lacking in one of these areas, practice time can help you get better. Practice will make you comfortable with your surroundings which will calm you down and allow you to use your teammates to implement the strategy you are using.

Be patient once you find a hiding spot (your suit will hide you), use your teammates to implement your strategy (always be thinking), then use the proper equipment and be confident that you will make the perfect shot at the perfect time and make that one shot kill.



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