Checkmate: Paintball Tactics
In the sport of paintball, strategy is everything. While on the surface, a paintball game looks rather random, like an amateur, more colorful version of laser tag, underneath, paintball is based on serious paramilitary tactics. In fact, paintball tactics are what set the sport apart; both an individual and a team sport, paintball relies on intelligence, planning, visualization and, above all, creativity. It is not simply a sport of men and women running around playing soldier; like the real military, every movement is planned, every consequence considered and, in the end, when victory is achieved, the entire team can take credit for every step toward that goal.
Planning Victory
Paintball tactics can be divided into three categories: individual tactics, squad tactics and team tactics. Individual tactics are tactics designed to protect the individual, and to separate amateurs from professionals. These strategies help an individual stay alive long enough to actually help his or her team; if one player is eliminated prematurely due to ignorance or inattention, the team as a whole suffers. Firstly, a player should always look around an object, not over an object, ensuring that every body part is hidden. When a player chooses to look, he or she should only look once; multiple looks will only alert the enemy to the player's position. These looks should be quick peeks, not long gazes. Amateurs especially must remember they are not invincible; if opponents are firing constantly, they probably have a decent angle on the players. Players should back up slowly if they are under heavy fire, reposition and search for a better angle, always crawling on their stomachs, not walking upright. Paintball tactics should always accentuate defense first, and offense second.
For individuals, squads and teams, paintball tactics are all about angles. Angles provide the advantage to one team, and elimination to the other. While a solo shooter can take advantage of angles, squads, or smaller groups of teammates, can make the most out of geometry. Paintball tactics involve strategic movements and traps, positioning players so that opponents quickly run out of places to hide; eventually, at least one person in the squad will have an open shot. These paintball tactics involve a lot of planning and a lot of strategy. Like chess, creating angles is sometimes slow, usually repetitive and requires a lot of concentration and dedication to the cause. Squads also excel at ambushing and flanking opponents, both paramilitary strategies used to surprise enemies into submission.
Team-based paintball tactics involve a lot of formations. While some teams will simply spread out across the field, this does not take advantage of the concept of a team; instead, it creates a lot of individuals each employing their own strategies. Teams can, instead, approach the game in formations. Some formations involve attackers and defenders, while others employ a strong-side style of fighting, where the bulk of the players are placed on one side of the field to overpower whatever opponent squads they encounter. Team paintball tactics should take advantage of both individuals and squads, but above all, they should take advantage of the team atmosphere and the strength in numbers.
