Deciding When To Shoot and When Not To Shoot

1200px-USMC-100806-M-8289C-012Paintball is a game of strategy and decision-making. You have to be constantly analyzing your surroundings and constantly thinking about your next move. One of the most important skills you will need is knowing when to shoot and when not to shoot. Taking a shot at the wrong time can make things harder for you and your team. Yet, not taking a shot when you have the chance can bug you for the rest of your game.

No AC Paintball game or situation is ever the same. You have to judge each shooting chance individually. This may sound difficult, but AC Paintball is here to help with some questions you can ask yourself to help determine whether or not you should shoot.

What Are Your Chances of Hitting Your Target?

The first aspect you will want to consider when deciding if you should shoot is your chance of hitting your target. In this case, you need to think about your skills, the distance between you and the target, and what obstacles are in your way. If you are far away with some obstacles in the way, you may want to wait and get a bit closer, unless you are very confident in your skills. On the other hand, if you have a clear shot, you will want to take it while you can.

Will You Give Away Your Position?

If you are playing on one of AC Paintball’s woodsball courses, hiding and stealth become a more important aspect of the game. In this case, you will want to choose your shots more carefully, especially if you are a sniper.

Consider your team’s strategy and observe what else is happening in the area. If you have an important role and will give away your position, you will likely want to wait. Yet if successfully eliminating your target will give your team an advantage, you may want to take the shot, even if you end up getting eliminated yourself.

paintball-1139966_960_720How Many Are in the Area?

Numbers are definitely something to consider in an AC Paintball game. If you are one person shooting at a group, you will likely get shot back at and get eliminated. However, if you are in a group and have more teammates around than your target opponent, you will likely want to take the shot.

Before the game, your team should think carefully about traveling in numbers. It can be advantageous to have some backup, but the larger the group, the bigger the target. In many cases traveling in small groups of two and three is the best choice.

How Important Is the Player You Are Shooting At?

With all of the previous questions taken into consideration, you will also want to judge the importance of your target player. If your target player isn’t much of a threat and other conditions tell you not to shoot, it is likely better to wait. On the other hand, if the target player is important or making it difficult for your team to win, you may want to take the chance and shoot at them.

How Much Ammo Do You Have?

This aspect may seem like a given but is still worth mentioning. You should always keep an eye on how much ammo you have left. You don’t want to get caught in the middle of an AC Paintball game without a way to defend yourself. Before the game starts, make sure you know how much ammo you have and plan your shooting strategy accordingly.

Make Your Decision Quickly

While there are many aspects to consider before shooting, you need to make your decision quickly. You may not be able to consider all of these at the moment you need to decide, but with some practice, you will improve. Learn to trust your instincts and do what you feel is best at the moment.

Another helpful technique is to imagine and decide what you would do in various situations before the game even starts. This way, when you notice a similar situation during an AC Paintball game, you already know what you want to do.

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