Tips And Tactics For New Players FAQ
Enjoy!
Q: How do I hide?
A: Motion is often what leads to getting spotted. Someone may not actually see the player, but if the player's body disturbs a pattern of light in an area, that can attract attention and tell a sharp player someone is there. Noise is a giveaway, too. Keep big trees, rocks, thick brush, etc., between you and the other team. Don't cross large open spaces if you can avoid it, even if that means taking a longer route.
Learn how to "square" into cover, using the cover to keep from being seen. Crawl. Get your team to create a distraction so you can work in closer to the opponents.
A marker and a marker's loader have a shape that players learn to spot, so keep the gear out of sight also. Using camouflage helps when playing in the woods.
Q: How do you use the clock for spotting?
A: Think about a clock (not a digital clock!) Directly in front of you is 12 o'clock (your 12). If you stretched out your arms, your left hand would point toward your 9 o'clock and your right hand would point toward your 3 o'clock. Remember that your 12 is not my 12 if I'm at your 9, so call out whether he is at "your 12" or "my 12" to explain where the opponent is located.
Equipment - Types And Terms
Q: What is a dial rod?
A: A dial rod, or dialing rod, is a long piece of metal, usually aluminum, used to adjust the velocity of a pumpgun that has an adjuster in the bolt. The dialing rod goes down the barrel (with no ball in the chamber, or else the rod could not get into the bolt). It fits into a slot in the bolt and allows the player to turn the adjuster, changing pressure on the mainspring. More pressure raises the velocity. Less pressure lowers the velocity.
Q: What is a "venturi" bolt?
A: This refers in paintball to a bolt with several air holes in it. The idea is to shape the air flow as it leaves the bolt so that it does not "smack" the paintball hard all in one spot, but instead pushes on the ball over more of the ball's surface. That is to reduce the possibility of the ball breaking in the barrel. Venturi bolts that are properly designed for a marker's system have been shown very effective to reduce ball breakage.
Guns
Q: What makes a good entry-level semi-auto for paintball?
A: First, it must be inexpensive; $200 seems to be the critical price point. Second, it has to be simple to operate, easy to maintain and reliable enough to survive the abuse a new player will subject it to until he learns how to take care of it properly. And third, an entry-level paintgun must have enough performance features to remain competitive when the owner makes the transition from playing with friends in the backyard to taking on regular players in at-a-field, walk-on games. In other words, low cost, good reliability and acceptable performance.
Q: How can I make my 'gun quieter?
A: Have holes added to your barrel, but before doing that, consider buying a replacement barrel that has holes in it. This is called a ported barrel. How quiet the barrel will be depends basically on the patterns of the holes, the barrel length, the speed at which the marker is shooting.
New Players & Tournaments
Q: What should a new player expect from a tournament?
A: Adrenaline. Excitement. Fun. And that people on the team will make mistakes. Tournaments raise the level of competition. A team of new players would do well to find a tournament that has a division for new players or rookies that limits the experience level of all the players.
-Paintball.com
Tips And Tactics For New Players FAQ
Tips And Tactics For New Players FAQ
