The 36 Deadly Styles

[The Billionare]

Speedball is like kung fu. It requires self control and discipline. This thread is dedicated to the many different styles that players like you and I play. I like to play the front because I'm fairly small and rather skinny allowing me to be flexable. I can take the smaller bunkers with quickness and snap shoot out some of the best of the best at my home field as well as in practice with teammates. I like to snap shoot a lot, I have a nack for it. I can tuck tight and have discovered a few tricks that can get some pretty quick eliminations. I like to get a player looking one way and then letting him have it from another. The simplest way to do this is to poke out one side snap shooting a quick burst. Do this two or three times. Then go out the other side of the bunker. You can usually catch them off guard for a split second allowing the tag to be made. This is also known as random behavior in case you noticed the similarity. The difference is that you lead them to believe that you are not very random and will continue to come out the same way each time. You can also trick them by poking a foot out one side and bringing it back in. They may take notice and start paying attention to this tiny detail that requires more concintration than they can afford and also gives them a false sence of security. When they shoot at your foot is a good time to pop out the other side and tag a barrel. Beware and not allow your foot to be tagged. Poke it out and back in quickly, but not to quickly. It has to look like a mistake on your part. You can use your butt as well, however it makes a much easier target. Next week, the tag on the run method. This can work wonders when mastered. Sometimes standing in the open can give you the advantage.


[Edited by The Billionare on 06-02-2001 at 05:51 AM]

[Jaydebull]

I mainly play speed ball and have for quite some time. The tactics you described work occasionaly for me but not always. If someone peaks there head out of one side of a bunker it will more than likely come out of there again at some point. Getting the upper hand in a fire fight by making them duck is the best, once you have the upper hand they are going to have to fight hard to get it back. I have discovered a few tricks that work well on newbies, but players that have been around awhile dont fall for to many tricks, and you have to use angles and crossfire while taking care not to leave yourself vulnarable. My favorite newbie trick is turning your head the other way to fake like your looking at someone else while keeping your eyes on the person your in it with. It's surprising how long it takes a newbie to pull the trigger and how much of themselves they expose while trying to pick you off. This has also worked on people that have played for awhile thinking they are catching you off guard when really they are your target. When someone thinks you arent looking at them they really take their time with their aim. Try it if you havent already...

[The Billionare]

That's good tactics. Your right. The tactics I describe work very well against most new players. For more advanced players you can run out of your bunker and stop right in the open while there shooting and just shoot back. Practice this with team mates. It works very well for me. I dodn't usually look at it like you said about having the upper hand. I just snap shoot. This causes most players to duck back down. If I catch an oponent just aiming at a bunker I'll help a team mate out and pick him off. Most experienced players will scan the field for this every few seconds. I do and catch a lot of people slipping just waiting for the other guy to pop out. It's what you were saying about angles. The two techniques if you will are simple tricks. They work better against new players, but will work on experience if you get good enough. You would be surprised at how crapy some experienced players aim is. This is why bobbing and weaving right out in the open for a few seconds can get you a few good tags. Just dart out a few steps shoot a few balls and dive back in you bunker. Most people see you start to run and will sit up all the way out leaving half of there upper boddy exposed while you tag them and get back to your bunker. Thanx for the tactics though they are good ones I will definately try.

[Jaydebull]

To me paintball is kind of like pool, using the angles is key... I never run straight toward someone unless i am going to bunker them, but will run at an angle forward while advancing, its easier to hit a straight on target than lead a target thats running sideways. The hop out and shoot tactic works good if you play in the back, gets them to waste some paint in your direction, but if your in the front I think you might just be asking to get walloped. I appreciate your tactics and respect them, because they seem to be unpredictable which is also key. Doing the unexpected sometimes works wonders, and if it doesnt you more than likely wont try the same thing twice. Thats how players get to be experienced by finding out through trial and error what does and does not work. If it works for you, thats good enough for me.

[The Billionare]

You are so right. Random, but not chaotic. I like the comparison to pool. I play pool, and because of this I know you are right. I never thought of it that way. Thanx a bunch. Just hearing that made me think of a lot of things to improve my game.