The shit blog of Paul Chris Jones

My 1st rule of paintball is: COVER.

Paintballer using cover.

Why? Cover prevents the enemy from shooting you. Even partial cover makes you a smaller target (and thus harder to hit). You may think, what's the point, when I can just shoot dead any enemies I see? That's a video game mentality, boy - you ain't no bullet sponge!

There's 4 things you can be doing in a paintball game:

1. Hiding behind cover
2. Running to new cover / changing position
3. Looking for enemies
4. Shooting at an enemy

You can do numbers 3 and 4 from behind partial cover:
If you're locating enemies, you only need to use your eyes (which are unfortunately attached to your head, so I guess you'll need this too) You'll be sticking your head out - but the rest of your body can remain safe behind cover.
Similarly, when shooting enemies, you only need to put your gun, arms and head from out behind cover.

The ideal cover would be something which protects you on all 4 sides, to protect you from hits in the back and sides.

Paintballers using cover.

Take a look at the image (right). The far paintballer is using cover to protect parts of his body which would otherwise be exposed. Some body parts - legs, torso, shoulders - are useless when stationary shooting, so why not stop them from being a target? In this image, the paintballer could further increase his cover by hiding his right leg and shoulders.


My 2nd rule of paintball is: LINE OF FIRE

Your enemy's line of fire is defined as: what he can shoot at. If a tree is in his way, he can't shoot behind it, so that area isn't in his line of fire (and would therefore be safe for you). Your line of fire is equally important - you can only shoot what you can see.

The paradox is, you can only shoot the enemy when you're in his line of fire (and vice versa).Getting into a position to shoot an enemy is allowing him to shoot you too.

This paradox is resolved with the use of cover (or rather, partial cover). If you're 80% hidden (only your gun, arms and head sticking out, so you can shoot) and the enemy is out in open, you have a distinct advantage. Most of the time you would expect to win in this scenario.

Cover effectiveness (area enemy can be shot from is green)

The problem is, enemies will probably be using cover, like you. BUT chances are that cover doesn't protect them from all sides. If they're hiding behind a sheet of metal / fence then they're exposed on their sides and back.

The image (right) shows an enemy hiding behind, at first glance, a good piece of cover. But just look at the size of the area he could be shot from! He's protected from an area of 90°, but he's open to the other 270°.

The obvious thing to do to defeat this enemy is to move around his cover so you have a clear shot. Which leads to the third rule of paintball:



My 3rd rule of paintball is: FLANKING

The way to defeat enemies behind cover is to move around them until you have a clearer shot. Of course you should be using your own cover as you move, taking care to minimise time spent in the enemies' line of sight.

This is flanking, and is a proven technique on battlefields across centuries.

Using cover to flank an enemy.

Take a look at the image (right). In it, both paintballers begin behind cover and in safety. As long as they stay there, neither can be hit. The green player moves to a position where the enemy's cover no longer protects him (i.e. behind him). Along the way he uses cover of his own to minimise the chance of getting shot.

In practise on the paintball field, the enemy team will also be trying to outflank you (or at least the good players will). When 2 sides are trying to outflank each other, they keep moving further to the side. In paintball there's a boundary line behind which you can't cross, so you'll often find flanking groups moving along these lines. Logically you should be doing the same.

Imagine if you went down the centre of the field instead. You'd be exposed to enemies on both sides. Theoretically you could shoot them as they appear, by in practise it's too much to keep track of.

Finally, take a look at the image (left). It shows a small fort, heavily defended. The front has a horizontal plank of wood missing allowing for shooting while minimising exposure. How would you take out this fort? You may be tempted to approach from the front, popping out of cover to try to land a lucky shot between those planks. OR, you could move around the side, as far from the fort as possible, to get to the undefended back. I know which one I'd choose.