Help an expert woodsballer understand how to play speedball better.

[el zorro]

Here's the drill. I've been playing paintball since Dec 2000. During that time I've played about 99% woodsball and 1% speedball mainly because there were no fields near us and my best friend had 50 acres of woods. Woodsball is first and foremost my favorite game and best game. I understand it, I know how to use it to my advantage and I consistently win at it.

However, I recently moved and am close enough to a park that speedball is on the menu when ever I'm able to play there. I'm not likely to do any tourneys, although I won't rule it out, and when I go to the local park it's only a bunch of rec ballers that I'll be playing against. The last time I played, however, my prowess in the woods was offset by my ineptitude on the speed.

What little I've observed about tourney players is they roll through reams of paint. Is that also necessary when playing rec ball?
And I've also heard tourney people talking about closing down lanes by shooting lots of paint through a certain zone. Is this necessary when playing rec ball?
FWIW, When I'm cornered in the woods and the sh** hits the fan, I'm not the least bit afraid to paint the town red. But I don't like throwing out ropes of paint just for the heck of it. I prefer conserving as much as possible. Can you be conservative in speed ball and still win?

My woods ball playing style favors aggressive flanking maneuvers coordinated with at least one other player. How do I turn that to my advantage on the speed ball field or do I need to alter my style of play? Part of the problem with rec ball is there isn't nearly as much coordination as I would like. How do you overcome that or can it be overcome?

Since, I'm right handed, I prefer to break to the right because it's easier to snap shoot on the right side of a barricade. I realize you can’t keep popping out on the same side or you’ll be hit so I do shoot from the left. How do I use this to my best advantage?

For those of you who prefer speed ball, understand speed ball and play speed ball with recreational players, I need someone to take me step by step through the process of succeeding on the speedball field.

[coolrazer]

Ok, I've played tournaments for 3 years now, so I'll try to help you out the best I can.

What little I've observed about tourney players is they roll through reams of paint. Is that also necessary when playing rec ball?

And I've also heard tourney people talking about closing down lanes by shooting lots of paint through a certain zone. Is this necessary when playing rec ball?

Yeah, I always say, "Practice like you play" The whole point of shooting as much as we do is to keep paint in lanes as long as possible and becoming the dominant player. When the game starts, we put as much paint in the air in lanes that it is very likely a player is going to run through, like right in front of the snake and around the back corners. The more people shot off the break, the easier it is to win a game because you'll be up on bodies. After you get in your bunker, someone's job may be to control a key lane, such as the lane to the snake. They may just have a constant one or two balls they pop in that lane to keep their dominance on the lane. Also if they have put someone in, they will shoot that person's bunker to let themseves move up or a teammate move up. After they get dominance they may post on the player and wait for the player to come out and get shot in the face by a snapshot. Another reason we shoot so much paint is to protect front players. A back corner will put a constant lane down the snake to keep his snake player alive. He may be shooting at the other snake corner, or an opposing player in the snake.

I prefer conserving as much as possible. Can you be conservative in speed ball and still win?
No, not really.

My woods ball playing style favors aggressive flanking maneuvers coordinated with at least one other player. How do I turn that to my advantage on the speed ball field or do I need to alter my style of play? Part of the problem with rec ball is there isn't nearly as much coordination as I would like. How do you overcome that or can it be overcome?
You still work as a team to get angles on people in speedball. Just try it like you would in the woods, just without the trees. You don't have to be quiet about it either. Just because the other player knows what's going to happen to him doesn't always mean he can stop it. Shooting a lot of paint from different angles can confuse a player, which helps you out when you come around to bunker him.

Since, I'm right handed, I prefer to break to the right because it's easier to snap shoot on the right side of a barricade. I realize you can’t keep popping out on the same side or you’ll be hit so I do shoot from the left. How do I use this to my best advantage?

You can't. In speedball you have to be able to shoot with both hands, there is no advantage to being able to shoot offhanded.

If you have anymore questions just ask.

[el zorro]

So at the start of the game when you lay out the paint, do you aim for a particular person or towards a particular place where you think some one will run to.

[coolrazer]

You aim at a place that you know the player will run through. Places like the head of the snake that a player will be diving through, or right next to a corner bunker where a player will most likely being running and gunning to. If you aim at the player, by the time the paint gets there the player won't be. Always aim in front of a moving player.

EDIT:

A visual may help.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v428/coolrazer/DixieCup_2007_Xball.gif

So in that case if you wanted to lane the snake and left corner, you'd want to put the paint in those general areas off the break.

[The_beast]

zorro, I wouldn't think you would need too much guidance with 7 years of experience under your belt. I mean, I am sure you have laned before, I am sure you must be good at snapshooting and you most likely know where your paint is going, and covering and flanking manouvers shouldn't be new either.

[coolrazer]

zorro, I wouldn't think you would need too much guidance with 7 years of experience under your belt. I mean, I am sure you have laned before, I am sure you must be good at snapshooting and you most likely know where your paint is going, and covering and flanking manouvers shouldn't be new either.

Seriously, if you aren't going to answer his questions then don't post anything.

[ruschinrocket]

Laning in the woods is different than doing it on a speedball course. A lot of the times in the woods you're putting paint into trees and shrubs more to keep a guys head down so your team can flank them, rather than putting into a spot for a guy to run into like on a speedball field.

[Tweeters]

Laning in the woods is different than doing it on a speedball course. A lot of the times in the woods you're putting paint into trees and shrubs more to keep a guys head down so your team can flank them

that's actually...the same concept of railing on someone in tournament paintball. you don't rail on someone for the sake of putting them in, nor is it for gunfighting.

if you're not practicing with a tournament team or have any aspirations of playing tournament ball, don't bother with laning or locking down lanes during the game. imho if you're playing rec, let them get to their bunkers and fight it out; theres nothing on the line and you're both having fun.

recball basically is just one big gun fight with some moving into angles and running through when you're bored or feel like it. just have fun with it.

[The_beast]

Seriously, if you aren't going to answer his questions then don't post anything.

My intentions were to help. I was telling him not to be too nervous. Chances are he has already practiced alot of these concepts, I wasn't trying to steer him away. May I have my head back, or are you not finished chewing on it? :P

[coolrazer]

Fine...if you really want it back...

[NoelyDeezNutz]

Well, here's my little rant...

In rec speedball, generally the faster, quicker reacting people win....

Example: I break for the right 30 dorito, I hip slide in and pop right up and shoot down the right side and look inside for potential shots all within 3 secs. Of STARTING the slide.... Chances are the other team won't expect such a fast action... Catching them off guard...

Improvise... Say you plan on breaking to the left 20 standup... But no one sees you/shoots towards you... Go for the gusto and keep running to the snake and dive right in... (Assuming your snake is on the left side.... NO DIRTY COMMENTS!!!!!)

I play mostly pump.... So I go out with 50 balls MAX.... No pods... I recently played at paintball madness in CT... And it was 3 pump players, my g/f (her second time playing), and 1 more guy with a tippy custom pro... Vs. 7-8 people all diff. Playing levels... I shot almost all of them out... And most of those were gog shots.. Why? Because I did things they didn't expect.... And I have a good shot... ;)

I practice something paintball related EVERY DAY.... Whether it be snapping, running, sliding, breaking, shooting, reloading, you name it.... All with my dominant side and my offhand side...
And I believe it shows...

I don't talk trash, I don't cheat, I don't wipe/play on, I don't play hot, I don't bonus ball.... UNLESS THE PEOPLE I PLAY AGAINST DO IT FIRST.... If they wipe, I bonus ball them... They talk trash... I own them and than talk trash back... I let my game speak for me...

In recball, you don't NEED to shoot a lot... Pump/SC players prove that....

I go through the same amount of paint with my ion/vlocity combo as I do with my a/c pump/40rd hopper combo....

Learn the basics, how people react, how to counter it... If they are shooting out the right side, run up their left.... If they are shooting at you, let your team take him out... Your sole purpose isn't always to shoot everyone... Sometimes you're simply a decoy or a barricade... Most of all... Be willing to learn... Never be set in your ways... Always be willing to try new things/adapt/change.... Because it truly pays off when you walk off a day of play with most of the games you end without getting hit...

[oofox99]

arrrgghhh...??? Just play to win...thats how I see it...lol. Stay on your feet or on one knee only. Try not to pop out so much...pre fire when you pop out.

[Etfren]

Well I have so far only played rec-ball at the local field (want to do some tournies some time soon) and no, you do not have to shoot tons of paint. Most rec-ballers aren't super competitive and from what I have experience, laning is very seldom used. Then again we get a lot of renters and woodsballers who prefer to sneak to the snake and gog people. I only use around 50-100 balls per game, even though I carry two pods with me, just incase.

[oofox99]

I mainly play speedball only...more of a competitive style of play. I like to lane and take the back right or left positions and move my front players up. I carry mainly a full hopper and 4 pods...I usually use about 2-3 per game...

[stuntman]

- excellent info, coolrazor-
I too played in the woods for many years before giving speedbal a try.
It took some getting used to, but really isnt that hard to pick up the basics (though mastering the details takes a bit of re-training ones self).
One nice thing about it is you dont have to worry much about flanks & attacks from behind - no dug-in snipers waiting for you to pass them before shooting you in the back, no opponents disengaging just to move around your position. Individuals may still try something sneaky at you, but its not like their whole team is suddenly going to appear on an unexpected flank & take you from an angle. The whole thing is a stand-up fight, kinda like the last 5 minutes of a woods game.
Alot of the overall game stratagies from the woods just dont translate well into speedball, but the basic small unit tactics of the woods are still solid in an arena.

[Mentalmonkey10]

Here's the drill. I've been playing paintball since Dec 2000. During that time I've played about 99% woodsball and 1% speedball mainly because there were no fields near us and my best friend had 50 acres of woods. Woodsball is first and foremost my favorite game and best game. I understand it, I know how to use it to my advantage and I consistently win at it.

However, I recently moved and am close enough to a park that speedball is on the menu when ever I'm able to play there. I'm not likely to do any tourneys, although I won't rule it out, and when I go to the local park it's only a bunch of rec ballers that I'll be playing against. The last time I played, however, my prowess in the woods was offset by my ineptitude on the speed.

What little I've observed about tourney players is they roll through reams of paint. Is that also necessary when playing rec ball?
And I've also heard tourney people talking about closing down lanes by shooting lots of paint through a certain zone. Is this necessary when playing rec ball?

Unless you are really competitive, or practicing, you shouldn't really need to lock down lanes, ect.

FWIW, When I'm cornered in the woods and the sh** hits the fan, I'm not the least bit afraid to paint the town red. But I don't like throwing out ropes of paint just for the heck of it. I prefer conserving as much as possible. Can you be conservative in speed ball and still win?

Yes. It's more difficult, but you are able to conserve paint. Pumpers do it all the time.

My woods ball playing style favors aggressive flanking maneuvers coordinated with at least one other player. How do I turn that to my advantage on the speed ball field or do I need to alter my style of play? Part of the problem with rec ball is there isn't nearly as much coordination as I would like. How do you overcome that or can it be overcome?

Paintball with your friend/group of friends, and ask if you can have one on your team. Also, most rec players will probably understand what you are planing on doing and can help you if you ask. There are still angles in speedball. In my oppinion, more there are actually more angles and "flanking" in speedball than in woods.

Since, I'm right handed, I prefer to break to the right because it's easier to snap shoot on the right side of a barricade. I realize you can’t keep popping out on the same side or you’ll be hit so I do shoot from the left. How do I use this to my best advantage?

Sorry, you need to learn to shoot well with both hands and play both sides of the bunker. It's just something that you have to learn.

For those of you who prefer speed ball, understand speed ball and play speed ball with recreational players, I need someone to take me step by step through the process of succeeding on the speedball field.

[DestructoSlayer]

I've learned a lot from this thread! I've been balling for 2 and a half years now, mostly speed. I can say that, if you can slide, do it, better chances of not getting hit into a bunker. Unload only when you have an angle, or you're covering your teammates. Learn to your best ability to use your non-dominant hand, I've been doing that a lot recently. And speedball is also a team sport, don't always rely on yourself, you have a hole unit there to help you out!

Hope you get addicted!

[el zorro]

Hah, I thought this thread was dead because I kept waiting for an email to show up in my in-box saying someone had responded and not getting one decided to check it out this morning. As it turns out, lots of good advice has been given.

I'm definitely going to try closing down a lane on the opening break the next time I go out to play.
And while I have shot left handed before, I'll continue practicing to get better at it.

Here are a few thoughts:

coolrazer - thanks for the diagram and I misspoke about aiming at a person because they will certainly be gone by the time the paint gets there. But you answered my question about aiming towards the most likely place they will run to.

The_Beast - My experience in the woods certainly transfers to the speed. My problem is I like total domination which I have in the woods but I'm only about 50-55% on the speed ball course against players with much less playing time that me, so I'm looking for any edge that will improve my play.

ruschinrocket & Tweeters - If I understand you right, you are talking about laning for the whole game in a tourney vs rec ball. Since I am a rec ball player I probably won't do it the whole game every game but I think I'll do it at least once just to see how it works out for me.

NoelyDeezNutz - Gotta respect anybody who can win speedball with a pump. I've gone up against pump players in the woods who are really tough to deal with. It seems like it would be much harder to win with a pump on a speed ball field against the semis. I agree about the need for speed and sliding. I've long used that for both woods and speedball. The last time I played speed ball I ripped the knees out of my blue jeans sliding into a bunker full of rocks. Ouch.

oofox99 - I always play to win, and pre-firing is something I've been thinking about. Our local field discourages firing blind. Pre-firing isn't exactly the same but I was hesitant to do so the last time out. I think next time I'll pre-fire because, done properly, it's not firing blind and tactically it’s the right thing to do.

Etfren vs oofox99 - interesting contrast in playing styles. But I have to say I'm super competitive regardless of whom I'm playing with. Don't get me wrong, I have a great attitude and if I loose I loose and still know how to have a great time. But I will do whatever it takes to win. While I like conserving paint, if it takes volumes of paint for me to win then so be it. I’m going to alter my style of play on the speed ball course and see how it works for me. If I do better great if not I’ll revert back to my old style.

stuntman - "...mastering the details takes a bit of re-training ones self". Yes that's where I'm at.
"The whole thing is a stand-up fight, kinda like the last 5 minutes of a woods game." I've slowly been coming to that realization. Put in that perspective, speed ball makes more sense to me only this is much longer than the last few minutes of a woodsball game. And it starts right at the beginning instead of building up to it as in the woods. (I still prefer the build up to the final fight in the woods but I understand the appeal of jumping right into the fight on the speed ball course.)

Mentalmonkey10 - "there are actually more angles and "flanking" in speedball than in woods. " I can certainly vouch for that. But the other team recognizes the same advantage more so in speed ball than in the woods, I think, and that makes it very challenging trying to overcome it while using it to your advantage at the same time. That's where coordination really makes a difference on the speedball field, IMO.

DestructoSlayer - Well I don't know if I'll get addicted but I will enjoy it. I'm really just a super-competitive woods guy who wants to do equally well (or at least improve my game) on the speed ball field.

[frontierjustice]

shoot faster

[Ebonclaw]

I guess I'll throw in my 2 cents.
In recreational speedball, the general consensus says that shooting a ton of paint is not necessary. That being said, take someone who is lethal with a pump gun and ten rounds, give them an electropnumatic and five pods, and letting them go to town tends to dominate most rec players pretty quickly.
My playing style depends entirely on the field I'm playing at, but I prefer playing front and taking as much ground as I can off the break. A lot of times rec players like to stay in the back of the field and play defensivly, they don't expect someone to take a 40 or 50 bunker immediatly and aren't prepared for the angles imposed on them. As a result, they have less than half the field to work with and are almost immediatly at a severe disadvantage. However, rarely is anyone else backing me up, so while I have angles on four people, that means if they have a remote clue of what's going on, there are four people with angles on me. Massive firepower and a lot of paint putting them in gives my slower teammates the opportunity to move up and support me.l...if I can live that long. But I'll usually get 1-3 people by then and that pretty much seals the game.
You can win playing conservative speedball with other rec players, but against tourny ballers, you havea much slimmer chance.

[jfreak]

One thing with speedball, especially rec speedball, is breakout strategy is a crap shoot. When I first "came out of the woods" any team that more aggressively made ground off the break usually won. With the proliferation of electros, that is no longer the case. Sometimes a fat old guy like me can still make the 40 or 50 off break, but sometimes I get laned trying to make the closest bunker. Developing your laning and shooting on the run skills will be big assets for you no matter how the other side is playing it though. Another thing I like to do is find a player you trust and then stay together on the field. One in front, the other covering him. If you can find a 3rd that is on the opposite tape to talk to, you can really own the other team. Teamwork is something that is generally lacking in rec these days, and can make for a big advantage.

[jax]

My take on woodsball and speedball.

In the woods most people split up into small groups and head off to their favorite ambush spots. They have a battle and move on to the next point. You end up with alot of small battle with alot of time moving in between. Usually the group with the best position wins. Everyone knows a sweet spot they like to run to.

Speedball is a big quick battle where everyone starts off on the same terrain. No ambusing. Just instant action.

That being said, how often do you find yourself running at the start of a game to you favorite spot? In my experience most woodsballer start to play speedball in the woods after awhile. They just don't realize that is what they are doing. You have alot of small speedball matches.
Speedball takes away the ambush advantage of woodsball. This makes you have to coordinate with your teammate right off off the bat. It is essentially the same battle you could have in the woods.
Try to remember the last woodsball battle you had where you had 10 on 10 shooting at each other. You probably used alot of the same speedball strategies.

The reason most pickup teams in speedball fail is you have to coordinate IMMEDIATELY with people you are not used to playing with. Assigning goals, firing lanes, etc is the most important thing you need to do. Most of the time everyone says "I'm going to that bunker." The problem is they aren't stating where they are going to be shooting and what they are going to do next. They have no idea about that great plan you have in your head and you do do not know about theirs. You have to be a unified team right off the break.
Typically in speedball it doesn't matter how good you are if your team cannot communicate. You will lose most of the time unless you playing with people that you outclass. If you can consistantly dominate a speedball game by yourself then you need to find a better level of opponents.

In woods you can hide and hope to ambush your opponents, move and do it again to compensate for lousy teamwork. In speedball you can't hide very easily and not for long even when you can. You have to have a teammate supressing the other team so that you can move to your next bunker.
Everything you learned in the woods transfers to the speedball course but on a faster and better scale. You have to learn to shoot with both hands and also from anypoint of your bunker. You must learn to communicate. Most importantly you must learn to lead you team. Even if it is a pickup game someone must assign starting conditions. Nothing else really changes. You just have to stay smaller, smarter, more accurate, and communicate more. The other team has the same terrain advantage as you.

You get the same great battles you have in the woods without all of the walking and waiting. You just have to be more coordinated. Once you learn speedball you will really dominate in the woods. The only problem is once you get used to speedball you may start to get bored sitting in the woods waiting to shoot someone.
I know this article isn't awe inspiring but I hope it helps transition your thinking into speedball. Its not all that different. The rest is just coordinating with your team and becoming a more aggressive player.

[Stikman33]

Jax above hit it pretty darn close to on the head. I have been playing a very long time just like yourself. I started out in the woods on some friends property for the first 2 years, moved to the bay area and played tourney and rec regularly for another 2-3 years, and now live in a more rural area (there are fields nearby) but we play almost exclusively woods for the last several years.

I will tell you this, my experience as a tourney player totally improved my game at woodsball drastically. I was always a competent woodsball player in the beginning, using tactics very similar to the things your described. Aggressive moves, flanking, etc... The strategy part was the part i understood first. What opened my eyes though was during my tourney years. I really learned how to move even more quickly, and how positioning and close teamwork will drastically improve your game. I also incorporated several principles of speedball into woods. For example laning, instead of shooting into a bush to keep a guys head down (which i still do) i will often put most of the paint just outside the bush, but them pop some directly into it also. This still keeps them in their spot, but if they get brave and poke their head out, i can get them with the laning shots.

Also as Jax stated above, woodsball is really a collection of small speedball fights. I play similarly to you in that my younger brother an i run together all the time. We both played tourney (i was on the team, because of work he couldn't always make it, so just practiced with us regularly) and now playing woods we are nearly unstoppable. Now do we use fast electro's... yes, do we use HPA and fast hoppers... yes. Do we use them to their full capacity and use full auto or ramp... no. There are games where my brother an i will take out half the team (teams of 10-20 most of the time) and really only fire a few more shots than the number of guys we killed. Other games you get into a spot, and have to shoot your way our... the reason i carry 2-3 pods with me. It's not that the fire power is required to play, but i like to have it when i need to overwhelm some guy behind a bush so my bro or i can make a move on him.

So yea, you probably got .03c on that one :)

Daniel

[el zorro]

Thanks to Ebonclaw, jfreak, jax and Stickman33 for your input.

I think the main disadvantage I find for myself in speedball is my stealthy skills I like to use in the woods (hence the user name) are not much good on a speedball field where everyone knows right were you are from the get go.
Jax pretty much nailed down my problem when he said, "In woods you can hide and hope to ambush your opponents, move and do it again to compensate for lousy teamwork." I'm good enough at woods ball that compensating for lousy teamwork is often what I find myself doing and with at least one other talented player I can usually run the field. I also like to stalk my prey in the woods but since they still don't know where I am or where I am coming from and even if they ambush me, 9 times out of 10 I can turn it into an effective counter attack. But again, on the speed ball field everyone knows where you are.

SO, considering all that's been said I agree that better coordination is what it will take. In other words someone has to step up and be the team leader, even if its rec ball, and (try to) assign players their duties in order to win. I think what I need to do is spend some time with a tourney player (there is one near where I live) and learn more directly from him how to assign players their responsibilities and gain the experience that comes from a little bit of one on one training. And learn how to dissect a speedball field tactically in order to know how to make those assignments.

[NoelyDeezNutz]

Just remember though... No one like a bossy team mate...

One of my first times playing, 2 kids that were on a YG team tried giving out orders to our whole team (6 people... The 2 kids + 4 older teens and younger adults)
The 2 kids got shot out within 10 secs, EVERY game.... So no one listened to them...

If you wanna be a leader in recball, you're gonna have to be a teacher.... And rather than hand out orders, sit there and show/explain what you would do if you were there, what they should watch for, what their main role on the field is, etc...

Ill venture out and say I'm a respected player @ all my fields... And most of the time, the people who play often, know what to do.... Its the crowd that hasn't played much or is renting that needs the help...they are the ones ill sit with for a while and show diff. Things, angles, how to play a bunker, etc. After all, if they become a better player, that whole team gets better (the whole, only as strong as your weakest link line...lol)

I've also kept in touch with most people I play with (on aim, pbr, pbc, pbn apb.net, ghtp max'd)... Its cool, for me at least, to watch someone grow as a player...

I also just snagged a "coaching" job for a young guns team (13-14 yr. Old kids). Their first tourney is in sept. And HOPEFULLY they do good... I'd like to see my time/effort have an effect on people and their skills/life....

[protofreak]

So at the start of the game when you lay out the paint, do you aim for a particular person or towards a particular place where you think some one will run to.


aim right before the back corner bunkers take out the back mne you take out most of the laining which gives your front men a chance to move up

[el zorro]

Just remember though... No one like a bossy team mate...

You have nothing to fear from me. That's why I need to spend more time learning the game first from a pro and take it in steps. I look at the leadership thing as being more down the road after I've proven myself.

aim right before the back corner bunkers take out the back mne you take out most of the laining which gives your front men a chance to move up

That makes sense. I'll definitely do so the next time out.

[protofreak]

just make sure you dont get taken out by there back men

you can stall or run and shoot

i stall i might move 3 or 4 feet to get a better shot but i realy dont move till either there back me are behind a bunker i i see him walkin back covered in paint then move up to your spot

[Tweeters]

you can definitely be stealthy on a speedball field.

[el zorro]

you can definitely be stealthy on a speedball field.

Yeah I know. I've run around an opposing player's bunker and taken him out before he knew what hit him but it's not the same as in the woods. He still knew I was there. In the woods people never quite know where everyone is.

[jax]

Dynasty makes a nice video. Dynasty disected. It is not awe inspiring but it has alot of good techniques. If you have net flix you can rent it from them. It is worth watching.

One major mistake most people make in paintball (especially in speedball) is that they want to 'hug' the bunker. They get so close that they are practically leaning on the bunker. This is natural because it makes you feel smaller and more protected. This will also get you bunkered. You do not need to stay so close. Every bunker has a 'box' the you can move around in without getting shot. The best thing you can do is to get a buddy and learn how much room you have in your 'box'. You need to do this out of a game. Have him sit on one side of the field and see how far back you can stay from the bunker before he can see you. Then STAY in the spot and have him move to another bunker and see how that looks. how big the box is depends on the situation. IE how many players are left. What their angles are. etc. You'll figure it out but it takes time and practice to learn it. Every field will be different. Alot of people learn the angles and forget about the 'box'. Alot of people bunkered when they shouldn't have also.

The hard part is using your 'box' in a game. Resist the urge to hug your bunker. That is probably the hardest transition for people to utilize. Knowing it and using it understress are two completely different things.

It helps me the compare speedball with football. When I want to move up I want you to hammer a bunker to keep the guy in so I can move. You essentially become my blocker and I am the ball carrier (Literally:) ). I compare laning to cornerbacks. You are going to knock down anything that comes in you zone. You back guy is your quarter back. He is the one calling the plays and telling you where you need to go. This sounds funny but it helps break it down for me when I'm having a bad day.

The last bit of advice I have is also a major mistake by most players. Backmen. Everybody thinks they can play back. Most people can't. They get tunnel vision. Its not just about shooting alot of paint. What happens I say I'm going to play back. You HAVE to depend on me to move you and protect you. I fail you fail. I shot alot of paint but you still got shot out. Next game you don't depend on me. You get bunkered. Playing back in my opinion is extremely stressful and alot harder than it looks. You have a whole lot of people depending on you. If you want to play back you have to be a quarterback. You have to see the defense. See the entire field and find that open slot. Its all about communication and trust. You can not get tunnel vision and focus your entire attention on one guy. Most people slip and get tunnel vision for awhile. This could be a critical mistake. When I say go you go instantly with no hesitation. When you say, "I'm going" I have to know where you are going so I can instantly starts blocking for you. INSTANTLY. You backman needs to know your routes and you ALTERNATE routes before the game. He needs to know where to block.

In most pickup games the backman ends up being the worst guy on the team. Noobs always like to play back because they are to scared to move up. Or it may be the guy that likes to shoot alot of paint. Either way be picky about who you trust behind you.

Most of the time the other team is going to have almost the same exact game plan as you because of the identical terrain on both sides. This means you also have to know how to block THEM from moving up. You have to counter their movement while trying to move up at the same time.

All of this is the basis of assigning lanes, breakout moves, keeping them out of the snake while your front moves into it, etc. Its like football. You have to a play BEFORE the game starts.

The best piece of advice I have for new speedballers is to do a 'Run thru'. At some point in the game. Tell you back to 'lay it down for you' and RUN THRU the opposite team shooting out anyone you see. Never stop running and never stop shooting people. If you hit a guy instantly turn to another target and start to hammer away. Your first few times you will probablly get lit up like a christmas tree. This will get rid of your fear of being 'over shot' and also start to open you eyes and get rid of the tunnel vision. When you finally pull one off your field awareness will grow explode. Trust me and try this. You will start to look for opportunities to do another one When you get lit up and keep on playing the noobs will get better faster also. They see you get lit up and realize it isn't that bad. This one stunt will improve your game faster than anything else.

Hopefully this help clarify some stuff for you. Play speedball for a year and you will be suprised at how much better you will become.

[Tweeters]

Yeah I know. I've run around an opposing player's bunker and taken him out before he knew what hit him but it's not the same as in the woods. He still knew I was there. In the woods people never quite know where everyone is.

actually you can have that level of stealth, its just way harder to do than it is in woodsball.

[el zorro]

Dynasty makes a nice video. Dynasty dissected. It is not awe inspiring but it has a lot of good techniques. If you have net flix you can rent it from them. It is worth watching. I found it on Blockbuster.com but it's unavailable. I'll keep an eye out for it elsewhere.

One major mistake most people make in paintball (especially in speedball) is that they want to 'hug' the bunker. Yeah, I know what you mean. Looking back over my woods ball skills staying in the 'box' is something I've already been using but didn't know to call it that. Thanks for spelling out the tactical advantage.

Regarding the back man, I am a front man. I really don't like playing back (because it’s not in my nature to do so) but as you well pointed out the backman has to cover your moves. And as you very well pointed out, they almost always do a poor job in a rec game because they don't understand how to do it. Before I moved to my new home, my main partner was basically my backman. If I wanted to make an aggressive move I knew I could always depend on him to put out enough firepower for me to do it. My younger brother could play either forward or back, he definitely likes to throw some paint! I think I'm going to train him to be my back man and see how we do. To borrow another sports analogy he's the catcher on his HS baseball team so he has a good grasp of the collaboration between the catcher and his pitcher.

The best piece of advice I have for new speedballers is to do a 'Run thru'. Trust me and try this. Sounds like fun to me. I will add this to my must do list.

[Superandy12]

Can you be conservative in speed ball and still win?


yes. it only takes only one ball to get someone out.