Wow, I’m quite blown away by the volatility of discussion around whether or not paintball sniping actually exists in the sport. I’ve got more to do than get wrapped up in that drama but here’s what I do know. Do it right and you can make the stealthy eliminations that will turn heads and get people asking questions. Here are three critical pieces of the paintball sniper role.

Stop.

And by stop I really mean, slow down. The number one foul against being a paintball stealth ninja is your speed. Guess what? In measuring the overall frequency of sound, movement and color of the natural environment, the numbers come in at what is called the “alpha” frequency or about 9 to 14 cycles per second. Translate that into your speed and, oddly enough, you need to move at about 9 to 14 seconds per step, from the time one foot leaves the ground to the time it lands. This speed blends optimally with the natural environment. But you can’t just stand on the trail, take a step every few seconds and hope to turn invisible. Read on.

Drop.

Like L’il John says, “Git Lo”. And get off. The trail that is. Take 10 steps off the trail and move into a half crouch. Bend your knees and bend at the waist. Your eyes should be about the same level or lower than the chest of your opponents. Just getting your head “off the rail”, so to speak, where everyone else is looking will significantly reduce your chances of being spotted. As you approach your target or as necessary, drop to a crawl and keep moving real slow.

Breathe.

When you near your target and as the time comes to take the shot, you’ll experience what I like to call an “adrenaline dump”. The ol’ timer hunters call it buck fever. Your adrenal glands, located on the kidneys, release their load of adrenaline. Your heart rate will increase. Breathing will become heavier. You’ll feel like you see and hear more. Some of these things are very helpful. But this chemical dump will also cause you to rush. You’ll want to move quicker and take the shot. Wait. Breathe through the process. Slowly in through the nose and out through the mouth. Ask yourself “What do I really need to do to make this work?”. And then deliberately and methodically execute your plan.

Let’s face it. Paintballs only fly so far. If you want to be a sniper, you’re going to need to be in close. Your best friend is your ability to stop, drop and breathe.

By: D. A. Kramer

About the Author:
If you’ve read this far, it means you get jazzed about the skills of the tactical paintball player, particularly skills like camouflage, stealth movement and one-shot eliminations. That’s what I love too. So I created the training course and resource entitled Tactical Paintball Sniper – The Codex of Stealth Elimination and Covert Recon. Elevate your tactical paintball sniper game and learn from world-renowned experts sharing their underground and specialized knowledge on paintball sniping tactics.

If you are going to really get into the sport of playing paintball you are going to want to learn some tactics that will help you to survive longer on the field as well as have a better chance of winning more games. Here are some tactics used by professional paintball players that you can adapt to be better on your local paintball field.

When shooting the best method to use is to pepper the opposing player while moving aggressively towards their position. By doing this you will keep them from being able to fire and will keep them hiding behind a protective barrier while you move in closer for a guaranteed kill.

Learning how to use the defensive tactic of cover effectively is probably the most important aspect of paintball. Everything that exists on a paintball field can be used as cover in some way. You want to stand or crouch during moments of covering so that you remain mobile in case someone is trying to sneak up on you. Just remember that on most fields standing straight up also increases your chances of being shot, especially if you are tall! Crouching has a little less mobility but it gives you better cover and still gives you some level of stability.

Coming up from behind or flanking is a very important tactic to learn as it can be used in just about every situation you get into. You can even use this tactic to counter another team’s flanking maneuver as they break away from their attack to protect themselves.

The skill of suppression isn’t meant for taking out an opponent or team but more for the purpose of a distraction. This technique is often used in conjunction with a flanking maneuver or outright advance. You have to have really good marksmanship as well as good cover skills for suppression to work effectively. The whole function of suppressing is to keep the opponent preoccupied so they don’t notice your assault.

When invading an opponent’s position your goal is to eliminate as many targets as possible without getting hit to capture their flag and escape back to your side unscathed. Working together is the best way to accomplish this just as it is in a real combat situation.

When you are under cover and about to fire just remember that once you begin firing you have revealed your location to the enemy. Now, you have to take the fight to them and avoid being pinned down. If you learn these tactics it will also help you to defend against them.

By: Gregg Hall

About the Author:
Gregg Hall is an author and internet marketing consultant living in Navarre Florida. Find Army surplus and military clothing at http://www.militaryandoutdoorgear.com