Paintball Madness – Spray and Pray or Master a Shot?

I’ve been playing paintball for a while. I’ve seen a lot of different playstyles, a lot of different markers, and a lot of different games. The biggest distinction I’ve seen between the players I consider to be good and the ones I think are bad (or mediocre at best) has a lot to do with how much paint is left in their hoppers at the end of a match. You see, in my opinion, if a hopper contains 200 balls to start with (average sized hopper) and only has 20 balls left at the end, then there is something seriously wrong with the players paintball skills.

Why do I say this? Because I have noticed a direct correlation between the skill of the players and the amount of paint they use. It’s especially noticeable when teams have a mix of new and experienced players. Personally, I pride myself on one-shot hits. Any fool can go out on the field and quickly spray paint everywhere hoping it hits something, but it takes a much calmer player to assess a scene and time his shots in a way that gives him the most likely chance to take. an opposing player out of play.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying there is never a time when rapidly shooting paint in a continuous stream makes sense because there are some instances where this “spray” technique can and should be used. For example, if you need to pin down some opposing players to allow another member of your team to get into a better position. In this case, laying down suppressive fire makes a lot of sense. Also, if you need to fight your way out of a bad position, it might make sense to quickly spray paint on the enemy so you can safely retreat… but these are strategic decisions that fit into a larger overall plan. This is not the same as a player going out and wasting 100 paintballs with no real plan or thought behind it.

In arena ball you see people using spray techniques a lot, but for good teams they are using this technique for two reasons. First, they’re using it because they’re trying to hold onto the other team while trying to get in a better position. Second, they’re using it because small arena games take place in tight spaces and everything moves really fast…in other words, they’re playing Speed ​​Ball. If you are playing wooden ball then there is very little reason to use a spray and pray technique. In fact it doesn’t make any sense because in Woods Ball one of the keys to success is stealth.

So the next time you’re out in the bush playing a game of paintball, plan a strategy and then execute it calmly and carefully. Be deliberate, smart, and stealthy, and you’ll find that your team comes out on top more often than not.