ChoicePaintballGuns

The problem with CO2 is it can convert from gas to liquid and visa versa very easily; this is a problem for paintball players and their equipment.  CO2 is very sensitive to temperature changes.  When rapid shooting, it’s common for CO2 tanks to ‘freeze up’.  Next you will notice the velocity of your shots drop off and starts becoming inconsistent.  When you rapid fire your paintball gun you are use a large amount of C02 very quickly.  Your tank gets cold because the liquid C02 inside is changing into gas to replace the C02 used during rapid firing.  This change from liquid to gas is called a ‘phase change’.  When you fire your gun (with a chilled tank), you are releasing less C02 than if the tank was warm. 

There are also problems if your CO2 tank gets too hot; if you left your gun and tank in the sun for example.  If your tank approaches 89 degrees (F) all of the liquid in the tank will expand and the gas has nowhere to go.  Hopefully you have the right rupture disk in your tank because at this point only two things can happen.  Either your tank’s rupture disk will burst preventing your tank from rupturing or your velocity will rise to very dangerous levels.  Moral of the story…. consider an hpa tank or keep your CO2 tank a constant temperature.

Many paintballers hang up their gear for the winter, but some of the more hardcore fans play all year long.  Playing in the cold, however will require you to use certain paintball equipment.  CO2 tanks tend to freeze up after shooting your marker repetitively; this causes inconsistencies in the temperature of the gas, making your paintball gun’s shooting less reliable. CO2 tanks will freeze up much faster in cold temperatures; so a better choice is to use High Pressure Air (HPA) tanks for winter-time paintballing.  HPA tanks deliver the same temperature air more consistently and your marker will shoot better.  When playing paintball in winter, it’s also important to use ‘winter formula’ paintballs.  These are made by a company called Karnage and make a huge difference in being able to play in the cold. Regular paintballs get warped, become harder to break and may fly inconsistently in cold weather.  Winter formula paintballs act like regular paintballs in normal temperatures.  Playing in winter will force you to dress warmer and heavier too - this will give you more protection for when you get hit.

Use a little discipline with your trigger finger and you’ll not only save paintballs but you’ll also keep your opponents guessing!  You cannot win without regular shooting at your opponents and stay focused on avoiding getting shot yourself at the same time - it has to be one or the other (and both at the same time!).  This is why practice is so important.  Remember not to always come out of the same bunker in the same spot; vary your positions to always keep them guessing on where you’re at.  Otherwise your opponent may catch on to your pattern and use it against you.  It takes a lot more than just dodging a few paintballs headed your way to win the game.  If you’re not moving forward, you’re not winning.  You have to be able to move, shoot and be able to hit your target - all at the same time.  Obviously, the more accurate your shooting is, the more quickly you will eliminate your opposition.  Practice your accuracy by trying to hit moving targets as well as still ones.  To get the most out of practicing, it’s essential to have a reliable paintball marker that has a straight shot in a high rate of fire.  Practice shooting targets all you want but the best practice is doing - the more paintball you play, the better you get at playing paintball!  Schedule in a set amount of time each week that you can devote to practicing and improving your skills.  Practice drills can make all the difference if you take your practice time seriously.  Have one of your buddies coach you to help point out your strengths and build up your weaknesses.

The rover, also known as the insert player, stays more towards the middle of the field; he is the fill in man.  This player takes the front or the Backman’s place if they get eliminated.  It’s also the rover’s job to provide cover for the players ahead of him on the field; this means the rover will shoot a lot more paint than the frontman.  He also is the player responsible for important communications amongst the team - passing messages between the front and back players.  The challenge of this position is being able to fill in any position’s role when it becomes necessary.  It’s best if the rover is well rounded and knowledgeable about everyone elses positions.  He should be quick on his feet so he can take over the new position as quickly as possible.  Considering this, the rover wants his supplies (paintball gun, paintballs and air tank) as light as possible because he has to move around so much and so fast…. but he also wants to have enough to last through the whole game.  Compared to the backman, he won’t shoot quite that much (unless he becomes the backman) but he will still shoot way more than the frontman.  A player manning the rover position will often carry extra pods or air supply to last in case they have to cover someone else’s spot.

The Frontman, also known as the pointman, is the player in the middle of all of the action; you’d better have a strong stomach and plenty of balls to take on this spot on your team.  The Frontman is probably one of the most exciting positions on the paintball field but they’re also usually the first to be eliminated.  The Frontman makes all the daring moves and stays close to the enemies the whole game; this makes him a very key player in the game.   Sometimes, the Frontman is also the captain of the paintball team.  He plays at the front of the field and is the player responsible for getting the other team’s flag or accomplishing the team’s mission.  The frontman is closer than any of his teammates to the enemies.  For this reason he is backed up by several of the other positions on the field: the lockman, the sniper, and the insert.  The frontman carries the lightest load because he shoots the least; his job is to maneuvre.  He needs to be the fastest player with the quickest reflexes; sprinting, jumping, rolling and crouching at the blink of an eye are a must for this player.  Most of his time on the field will be spent going from one bunker to the next until he competes the mission.  The frontman must also know how to make himself small, minimizing the target for the enemy as he runs from bunker to bunker.  The Frontman’s paintball gun should be light, easy to carry, aim and shoot quickly and accurately.  It does not have to hold many paintballs because this position spends more time running and hiding than shooting.  However, every good Frontman will still carry enough ammo in case he gets pinned down with enemy fire!

The back player, also referred to as the ‘backman’, is usually a more experienced player.  It is not uncommon for him to have to shoot with both hands, or even switch up trigger fingers when one finger gets too tired.  He starts shooting early in the game and doesn’t move around outside of his starting area much during the game.  The backman has a lot of responsibilities.  He pretty much controls the movements of the players on his team because he has the view with the most advantage.  He not only has to protect the flag or keep the opposing team from accomplishing their missions, but he must also defend his own teammates further up on the field, keep them informed on the opposition’s movements and progression, and tell the rover when he needs to take over for the pointman.  The backman needs a paintball marker and gun barrel that will shoot fast and hard.  It’s also smart for him to carry plenty of ammo; he will be shooting a lot throughout the whole game.  For this reason, he will need to carry the most paintballs, a larger air supply, and shoot a gun with a long barrel to improve his reach.  He must also be able to shoot and be accurate at high rates of speed and while he’s moving around the field.

There is a lot more to a paintball game than just shooting your paintball gun.  Winning the game takes skill, knowledge of the game and strategy.  You must know your moves and how to execute them, but be ready to change your plan in a minute’s notice.  Speed also plays a large role in the game of paintball.  Knowing what to do isn’t enough; you need to have the speed to make it happen before you enemy has time to catch on or shoot you.  In addition, try to cut your reaction times down.  Learn and practice what to do in certain situations so that in an actual game the move will be instinct.  You want to keep moving in the game from beginning to end; everyone knows a moving target is harder to hit.  Never stand in the same line of fire as a teammate.  You don’t want to give your opponent any advantage.  Plan ahead and mark the bunkers and landmarks that your opponents frequently use.  This may give you an advantage of knowing where your enemy’s probably going to go in the game.  When you are attacked, stay low to the ground as you retreat.  Staying low gives the opponent a smaller target to shoot at.  This will help keep you from getting eliminated.

There are two main ways to learn and refine your techniques.  First, by trial an error.  Second, by other player’s trial and error.  There are several different medias for learning from other players.  It can be from watching your own teammates, to reading articles from the experts.  The following tips will help you get the most out of your marker and your plays on the field.

 1.  It is most important to keep your marker clean.  Enough so that you should stop what you’re doing right away and clean it out.  Make sure you do a thorough job though; the bolt, bolt face, and the barrel must all be kept clean or the marker will malfunction.
2.  When a paintball breaks in your marker, make sure you not only clean out all of the paint, but anything else that doesn’t belong there as well.
3.  If you are still having problems with paintballs chopping inside the marker, you will need to take the gun apart and check for damage such as chips and burs.
4.  If the bolt face or o-rings are damaged, you should replace them as soon as possible.
5.  After playing all day with the problem of paint chopping in the machine, you should take it apart for a more thorough examination of the parts.  Look for scratches, fraying, or any other damage.  Check each part individually.  It’s a good idea to check the sear and hammer first, because these two parts must be in good condition to operate correctly.  The hammer and sear should be sharp.  The edges should be clean and no major wear should be visible.
6.  Make sure all of your paintball clothing is clean and in good shape. 
7.  Keep your camouflage jerseys and paints in good condition.
8.  Wear camouflage jerseys and pants that match each other. Mixing camouflage makes you easier to spot.
9.  If you are in an open woodsball field and a player has not spotted you yet, STOP.
10.  Keep the oil away from your compressed air tank when you are lubing up your marker.  The mix of oil and high pressure can cause a spark and pretty much blow you up - making for a crappy day.

The Big Game is the larger scale scenario paintball game.  The larger paintball games have become more and more popular.  They usually have at least ten players on each team and the game may last as long as twenty-four hours or even several days.  Most of the time, these games simulate real popular events such as historical conflicts or wars; therefore, use similar paintball gear as what was used in those actual events.  It is common for the game to be preceded by a big party the night before. 

Obstacles on the course may include both natural obstacles such as rocks as well as some man made ones such as tanks, land mines, fortresses, bunkers, and even occasionally underground bunkers.  At the very end of the game everyone comes out of hiding and shoots each other.  The objectives of these games may vary from total elimination, capture the flag or different missions.  The storylines and themes are usually kept fairly simple to prevent the game from getting too confusing.  One thing’s for sure, there is always a lot of action!  Usually there will be a general over each team from the start to manage his team and see to it that the objective of the game gets accomplished.

As a kid, you may have played cops and robbers or cowboys and indians.  Remembering these fun filled memories, adults now play scenario paintball - where they have the opportunity to be a soldier, a sniper, a navy seal, or even cowboy in the Wild West; and you get to use guns that actually shoot!  In scenario paintball, the playing fields and conditions are made to look like historic places, settings, or events.  Usually the terrain is a natural setting; a canyon, heavily wooded area or even an old junkyard.  Often times, historic battles such as D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge, or even the Battle of Gettysburg are reinacted on the the paintball field.  Depending on the size of the game, the amount of detail may vary.  These games, however, can range anywhere from lasting five hours to several days at a time.

One of the major differences between scenario paintball and traditional style paintball is the type of paintball markers and gear used.  In traditional Speedball matches, only a paintball gun is needed and used to make straight line, somewhat close range shots.  For the most part, your enemy has to be in your line of sight in order to hit them and get them out.  In a scenario game, paintball landmines, grenades, and other such weapons not only add to the atmosphere of the game but offer more interesting ways of thrashing your opponent.

Another major difference in traditional games and Scenario games is the number of players involved.  In scenario paintball games, sometimes the scenario will dictate how many people should be involved; for some games it’s common to have over 100 players on the field at one time.  In scenario paintball, military missions is the name of the game.  In general, you will either be in a platoon of players or playing solo and you will go on a mission (or series of missions).  In Speedball, once you are out of the game you are out for good.  In scenario games, however, you are usually only out for ten to thirty minutes before you are allowed to reenter the game.  Rather than getting all of the opposing players out of the game to win, your team will have missions and objectives to complete in order to win.  These missions usually vary from game to game.