Were you tasked to be the sniper in your team? If you are, then you should know how to be a great sniper because whether you like it or not, winning the game will fall on your shoulders. Learn what a sniper is and how you can improve your paintball game.
What is a Sniper?
Ever watched action movies and found someone who was hiding from the top of the building aiming to shoot at the person making a speech? That’s a sniper. Even in paintball, that is the role of a sniper – to shoot accurately and from a far distance. Of course, the difference here is that you won’t be shooting bullets, but rather, paintballs, so you’re also taking into account the impact your paintball makes on your opponent.
Usually, a sniper is the stealthiest and most intelligent person in the group. Why? It’s because he or she should be able to think about what their opponent is thinking. If you’re that person, then your job is to figure out the opponent’s strategy. Where are they going? Where are they hiding? Those questions are pretty common to ask especially when you’re trying to build a strategy around it.
It comes as no surprise that a sniper should also be stealthy. What’s the use of a sniper if you make a lot of noise, right? Not only do you risk giving away your location, but you also risk losing against the opponent. If they find out where you are, then you can be shot. After all, a lost sniper is not going to be of any help.
10 Tips to Be a Better Sniper
Want to be a great sniper? Follow these 10 tips so you can lead your team to success.
1. Practice shooting with accuracy.
Practice shooting? Isn’t that a given? You’d be amazed that people overlook this very basic step. You can’t be a great sniper just because you know you can aim and shoot. You still have to practice because there are a lot of other things that can change when you actually play in a paintball field.
As a sniper, you have to be accurate. There’s no doubt about that. You have to know where to aim and how to aim with just one shot. If you miss your target, you just end up showing where you are and your opponent can track you down. So if you’re still confident with your shooting skills, practice a little more until you’re used to aiming accurately and consistently.
2. Use a high-quality paintball.
Is skill enough to be a sniper? Unfortunately, no. Just like any sport, you have to have high-quality equipment. One of those are your paintballs. Paintballs may not seem to be a winning equipment in paintball, but they make a lot of difference when accuracy is the concern.
To make sure that your shots are accurate, you have to use a paintball that doesn’t have any dents. They shouldn’t be too large and heavy either. Any paintball that isn’t perfectly round affects how it moves when it’s shot from your marker. To be specific, if your paintball has dents and corners, it won’t go where you plan it to; it might fall short or change direction.
No, your paintball wouldn’t act like a boomerang or will suddenly go to a different direction. Instead, a defective paintball will not be as fast as you want it to be. It’s also pretty inconsistent.
3. Use the right paintball marker.
Apart from the paintballs, you have to ensure that your paintball gun is reliable. If you plan on investing in a marker, now is the best time. A brand-new marker may not be a guarantee that you’ll be a great sniper, but at least it won’t fail you when you need it the most.
Most of the time, paintball guns in establishments are overused and damaged in one way or another. An overused paintball marker is not going to be as efficient and accurate as you want it to be. Sometimes, they even experience some jamming in the barrel.
Before you step into the playing field, ask the staff if you can test the performance of the marker. If you still doubt that these establishments don’t have quality markers, then it’s best to bring your own.
4. Practice being stealthy.
How do you become stealthy? First, you have to wear the right clothes. What’s the point of being a sniper if you show up in bright-yellow gear? Your outfit should be aligned with your role. This means that you have to wear camouflage prints and dark-colored boots. If you can even have fake grass around you, then why not?
Since most paintball fields are set in greenery, it helps to cover you and your equipment with grass, soil, or any green-colored accessories. For those who love going overboard, they even wear a camouflage costume that has grass everywhere. It may seem ridiculous but it’s a very effective way to stay hidden.
5. Look for a strategic hiding place.
One of the first things you have to do when you get on the field is to find a strategic hiding place. Don’t know where to hide? Don’t worry and don’t panic. Survey the area and look for a spot where you can see targets while still being hidden. Hiding behind an object or a tree is not a good idea.
One of the best hiding places are bushes. Yes, bushes are great areas to hide especially when you are in your full camouflage attire. However, the downside to hiding in a bush is that you can rustle a lot of leaves and your opponent can easily see and hear that.
6. Survey your hiding place when you arrive.
What do you do when you already find a hiding place? You don’t just hide in there right away. In fact, that’s a little careless. What you should do is survey the area. Are there near targets? Where will you be shooting from? Is there an escape route you can use or a spot you can hide in just in case?
It’s not enough to hide behind the bushes when there is nowhere to go from there. As a sniper, you should look for a hiding place that will also allow you to be mobile because you will be moving a lot in spite of what other people will tell you.
7. Move if you have not seen a target.
Have you stayed in your hiding place for more than 15 minutes and not seen a single target? That only means one thing – you have to change your spot. It’s not your fault that people won’t go to where you are. After all, some just go where their feet will take them. So if you haven’t seen a target for more than 10-15 minutes, it’s time to move and go to a different location.
8. Shoot when you are ready.
You’re a sniper. That means that you shouldn’t be too excited to shoot. This is what separates you from other positions. Instead of shooting at the general direction of the opponent, you have to be careful with your shot. In fact, you should just shoot once and make sure that it counts. Otherwise, you will be found in your hiding place and the other team will start aiming at you.
Before you pull the trigger, make sure you have a clear target – one that will be hit right at the center. Don’t aim for places where the paintball might slip.
9. Move away when you are spotted.
Remember the advice of looking for an escape route? This is where it will come in handy. An escape route will be able to hide you from people who have already spotted you. Unfortunately, even if you hide really well, there is still a chance that an opponent can find or see you. If this happens, you should move away.
When you move away, though, make sure that you still remain hidden. Going out into the open when you were already spotted is a death wish. So take cover and try your best to find your next hiding spot.
10. Learn to adapt quickly.
A sniper is more than just a person who’s good at aiming and hiding, they should also be very agile. Contrary to popular belief, snipers often move from one place to another for fear that they get caught in their hiding place. Besides, if there’s no target where they are, why stay there?
As a sniper, you have to know how to adapt quickly – and that’s just not on changing hiding places. When you are caught and you get away, it’s time to strategize again. Needless to say, you have to be able to adapt the moment your plan doesn’t go as expected.
Conclusion
Yes, yes, we remember promising tips to try out expensive hobbies. We can’t guarantee that you can try them all, but some of them can definitely be added to your list without breaking the bank.
The first thing to do is to see if you can rent the equipment instead of buying it. If it’s just for the trail, why spend as much money? Pay for the period you use the equipment and tick it off the list.
Now, what if the equipment cannot be rented? The next step is to look for deals and discounts. You can even buy secondhand equipment, right? Also, there is no need to buy additional gear for extra money. Buy only what you need the most. If a friend has the equipment, borrow it from them. Payback some other way, if you don’t like borrowing! Maybe you can have an exchange system where you borrow something and lend something else.
Either way, having expensive hobbies like paint balling can be fun and exciting if you know how to manage your finances and armed with information about them. The same goes for almost every hobby, of course. Just don’t be afraid to take up a hobby because it seems to be expensive. Try and find to way to reduce the investment. We are sure you’ll be able to do it.
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