Scenario paintball is growing faster and faster; soon the numbers of woodsball players will far outnumber speedball.  Because you can play just about anywhere; an empty field, junk yard or the woods behind your house, this game is very accessible.  The other popular draw to scenario paintball is the awesome equipment available.  This game allows paintball guns and equipment that simulates real rifles and military combat gear. 

If you’ve never played scenario paintball before, buddy up with a partner who’s played before.  If you don’t, you may feel a bit lost.  Follow him around during the game to see what kind of missions you will go on, how you interact with other players and what kind of gear you will need.  At first, use whatever paintball gun you can rent or already have; don’t worry about what people thing of your equipment.  First go to test the waters and see if woodsball is for you.

As there are numerous different tactical paintball markers to choose from, it will be smart to see what other players use; determine which position you would like to play and what guns work best for that position.  Depending on your mission or spot on the field, choose from brand name M4 carbines, sub-machine guns, AK47’s and extremely realistic sniper paintball guns.  There are even many replica markers available from specific conflicts such as the Vietnam M16 or Desert Storm.  Such variability in choice allows virtually endless game play options, scenarios and fun on the woodsball field.

You will learn quickly with scenario paintball… always have some sort of camouflage to wear.  If you can’t find camouflage clothing, then wear dark greens, black and browns for woodland environments; tan, light brown and off-white, for desert.  For urban scenarios, wear clothes with whites, grays and blacks; just plain white for snowy conditions.  The point is to wear clothing or camouflage that blends in best with the environment you’ll be playing in.  In most cases, stealth means everything in scenario paintball.

Like speedball, woodsball games also offer different positions for players, depending on the scenario.  Often, scenario paintball teams are broken up into different roles, much like a military platoon.  While these positions can vary, in general they are the light, medium and heavy rifleman, sniper and field commander.  Their paintball weapons and gear should be chosen accordingly to their responsibilities in the game.

The light rifleman is the equivalent of a regular soldier.  They use the most basic paintball guns and tactics.  These are the guys that do a good amount of the shooting involved in the game; they provide much of the cover fire for the more forward players or for the whole unit to move.  They should carry ample supply of paintballs and use paintball markers that have good medium to long range accuracy.  

The medium rifleman is the equivalent of the mid-player in a speedball game.  They are required to take the place of a downed player, whether in the front or back of the field.  Because of this, these must be skilled players in all the positions on the field and possess excellent shooting skills; the medium rifleman should not be a first-time player.  These players should use tactical paintball markers that are not only good for close quarter battles but even sniping as well. 

The use of suppressive fire is one of the greatest advantages that an organized team has over individual/walk-on players.  The militaries of the world rely on suppressive fire to advance their squads and to put enemy heads down.  Paintball can work exactly the same way.  The heavy rifleman is important in laying down the most constant barrage of cover fire and aggressive offensive shooting.  To be a heavy gunner you will need a huge and fast paintball gun, tons of paintballs and a lot of paintball CO2.  This position is most useful when taking on a large company of enemies.

The sniper is a player who can see a lot of movement, looking for the best vantage point for pin-point shooting; or he can stay extremely still, once he finds his place.  Depending on the mission, the sniper may be needed for important cover fire or to pick off key opposing players in an ambush.  Stealth is key with this position and specific clothing and equipment is mandatory.  Camouflage or a ghillie suit help you become invisible with your surroundings.  A good sniper paintball marker with an 18”+ barrel and precision mid-long range scope are necessary elements.

Finally, no platoon is complete without a Field Commander.  This player, calls the shots, acts as a coach and communicates to his team when to move where on the field.  This player should be one of the most experienced on the field as he must know the value of each position and when they are needed when.  This player can roam the field to keep in contact with the other players, or he can choose a specific spot; usually he plays in the backfield. 

After playing just one game, you’ll quickly see why scenario paintball has become so popular.  Not only is the game extremely fun and addictive, shopping, buying and shooting the tactical paintball guns and gear are even more of a blast.  You can also save tons of money by getting completely outfitted for your scenario game at ChoicePaintballGuns.com!  Tactical vests, ghillie suits, camouflage fatigues, paintball grenades and landmines and an amazing selection of custom military replica paintball guns are found at great low prices.