Position Overview: Sniper

Like an alligator silently cruising his domain, the sniper slips into ambush position then waits. Some snipers push the envelope of paintball ballistics to fire off long, aimed shots. Others use superior camo and stealth to take targets up close and personal.

In either case, the paintball sniper turns fieldcraft and marksmanship to his advantage. While others attempt to power their way across the field, the sniper outplays the opposition on the strength of his wits. Patience is a minimum requirement and practice is a must.

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Position Overview: Sabre

The Sabre is the most versatile position on the team. He flanks, he suppresses, he runs point, he snipes and he serves as the team’s all-around backbone. He covers any position that has been left empty by a downed comrade. With a balanced gearkit, he carries enough paint for a series of tough engagements, but not so much as to slow him down.

The Light Riflemen pivot off him, the Heavy Gunners tee off his base of fire and the Commander relies on him to anchor the team’s position. Even though he can (and sometimes does) pull a flanking maneuver, he more often sets the center and trades punches with the enemy position. While he’s keeping the bad guys occupied, his flankers and snipers are moving in for the quick, side-door kill.

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Position Overview: Dagger

When you’ve hammered the enemy’s line thin, all it takes is a fast, hard stab to break through. For those times when you need someone bunkered, you call the Light Rifleman to streak through the gap and break their backs.

He is the guts and glory boy—called for when your team’s getting their flank-thing on, ordered on point when you’re covering ground, and handed the flag when it’s time to make the last run. He’s fast and light and he doesn’t mind having his butt hanging in the wind.

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Position Overview: Commander

When one dude achieves such a level of respect that his paintball buddies will follow his command into fire, then that team has a chance at legendary status.

The Commander must become a master of strategy—the initial plan is his responsibility. But, he must stay flexible enough to tailor the plan to fit the developing tactics of the battlefield. Perhaps, the toughest part of command is hanging back and letting others “take point.” Out front is no place for the Commander and his team makes sure he’s securely in the rear. However, a great Commander knows that his men need to see him put his ass on the line on occasion. So, when the moment’s ripe, the Commander doesn’t hesitate to get in the thick with his buddies.

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Position Overview: Hammer

Few are prepared to carry the enormous burdens, or the bulging gearkit, of the Heavy Gunner. Few can afford his monster gun or it’s limitless appetite for paint.

But for those who have the brawn and bucks, the Heavy Gunner position is like a horseman of the apocalypse on the field. To qualify as a Heavy Gunner, as opposed to a less-endowed Heavy Rifleman, you need to be toting something really, really heavy. . . something like a Double-trouble Tippmann A-5 Gatlin. At thirty rounds per second, the Double-trouble slams the bad guys like Zeus throwing lightning bolts.

You have to see it to believe it.

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Position Overview: Broadsword

The use of suppressive fire is one of the greatest advantages that an organized team has over 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.

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Deep in the redwood forest, fourteen of us are hidden. Most wear camouflage attire, topped off with boonie hats or head wraps. Six “new” players have joined us today; they’re not new to paintball, they are experienced speedball players. But speedball isn’t what we are going to play today. This is woodsball. 

I can’t but help catch their sidelong looks as I slip into my ghillie suit. The new players are obviously a little taken aback with my “furry suit” and the rifle rag that camouflages my scoped Armotech. 

“Hey, Bigfoot!” one says. “Are you some kind of sniper? Why do you wear that get-up? And what’s all that crap on your gun?”

“You can’t shoot what you can’t see,” I answer. 

“Does all of that really work?” he asks. 

I smile. “When we’re all done playing today,” I say, “you can tell me.”

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Not long after the invention of the direct-feed paintball gun, players began to tinker with the idea of making their paintguns quieter. Paintball silencers have been around almost as long as hoppers.
In this four-part series on Dimensions of Stealth, we’ve discussed camouflaging yourself and your gear, moving silently, and identifying your target without being identified yourself.

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You’ve formed your paintball team; you’re holding practices, competing in events, and maybe you’ve even snagged a sponsor. Your team is psyched to play, but you’re wondering how to build the necessary skills and cohesive teamwork. How do you choose the right players and train so your team dominates the woodsball field?

Team owner Billy Smith of Low Country Paintball in Ludowici, Georgia, and team captain Dan Saunders of Team Desert Edge, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, graciously answered the following questions about how they select team members, practice for competitive events, and improve skills.

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Overview of the benefits of playing with an organized woods paintball team.

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