Fire discipline has to be the first thing we discuss here. Why? Because it’s integral to moving on in the paintball sniping business. Excellent camo and fire discipline are what separate the new snipers from the guys that can really pull off some high value eliminations. Maybe you remember the first time you actually picked up an unaware player in your scope. Maybe you just have to think back to the first time you flanked a group of opfor and shouldered your marker. Either way, you’re likely to remember an adrenaline dump. This is commonly referred to as “Buck Fever”, and takes practice to overcome. Being able to hold off on shots at an opposing player 20 feet away because he isn’t the General and you are far too valuable to your team reporting from the woodline next to the opposing team’s base requires some real fire discipline. Blending in well enough to maintain a position that close requires some real camouflage skills. Top it off with the patience to squat motionless for extended periods of time and you have the makings of a real paintball sniper. Fire discipline isn’t just waiting until the enemy is within your effective range, it’s much more than that.
An example of a paintball "Bushrag". Note there's plenty of room for local vegetation when I get to the field.
The tactical withdrawal, or displacement of a paintball sniper is another absolutely essential tool. I honestly can’t count how many times I have taken a shot without moving, secure in my knowledge that my target didn’t make my location. Guess what? An opposing front player off to my 9 o clock did. My mistake. At any rate, the principle here is to have several avenues of withdrawal which offer cover and concealment as you haul arse outta there. Before you take a position to shoot from, know where your next potential hide is, as well as how to displace as little as 20 feet away, because they didn’t see where you went. It’s one thing to be discovered. It’s another to be tracked. Bottom line is to have an idea where you’re going next, as well as a route for a hot withdrawal. It’s also important to stop every so often on a creep, take a knee and scan ahead. Try not look for anything specific, but rather look for what’s abnormal, out of place. You’ll rarely see a whole player or even a whole mask initially, you’re more likely to see a shape or color that doesn’t belong and have to quickly discern if it’s a player, if he’s OPFOR, and if he knows you’re there, all while smoothly rolling your marker up for that accurate, fast shot. Once you are in your zone, you brain will adapt quickly to the mentality of translating a potential threat from and hand shaped stick, etc.
Shot placement isn’t something you have a great amount of control over in paintball, even using first strikes. A lot of times you’re going to be happy to put a round on a torso at 150’, and it seems like a stretch to go for a mask shot. But often you’ll be stuck using a rec grade paint that is anything but tournament brittle. This is where the advanced part comes in. Move up 30’, smoothly, and gog ‘em. How? By treewalking up, avoiding jerky movement so as not to draw the eye, staying aware of your firing lanes (you did remember to walk the field, right?!), and putting paint on that 8”X 8” target you have been practicing on (remember to train as you fight, I always advocate training using masks). When setting up training, skip the soda bottles and paper plates, and invest in beat up old masks. Masks are great for training because they are often the first thing you see, every player has one, they are often what draws the eye, and are your best bet for guaranteeing a break.
"Favoring right"
Wind can be a paintball’s worst nightmare. Windy open areas play hell for the single shot sniper, fortunately, less so with first strikes. The truth is that sometimes there is a bit of guesstimation in the equation, and there isn’t a straight answer to beating crosswind. That said, there are a few tricks of the trade that will help. First thing you want to be able to do is to gauge wind, and distance. The best way to gauge distance is to size a paintball mask at 75’, 100’, 150’ etc through your chosen sight, (a scope over a red dot helps here) and simply memorize the size differences. Gauging wind can be a little trickier. Unlike military/LE sniping, you don’t have to work an equation to dial in your rounds. Look at the vegetation at or near your target. There are two things you’re looking for here. One is how much your given vegetation is moving, and the other is a simple ye or ne on whether the wind is a crosswind, i.e. it’s not blowing at or away from you. If you do have a crosswind, and you need to take the shot, all isn’t lost. You can start practicing now a simple system from the real world called favoring and holding. Let me explain: Imagine you have a target at 150’ and you are shooting FS out of your favorite barrel. You dial in your APR, center chest of the target. What can you do if you get a slight left to right crosswind? Take the reticle, at the same height, to his left armpit. If the wind picks up a little, go ahead and move it to the outside of his left arm, like you’re trying to pin his left sleeve to something behind him. Moving to the left (your left) armpit is known as favoring left. The outside of the left sleeve is holding left. A fast, effective way for a spotter to get his shooter on target. Make sure to practice as you play, in real wind.
"Holding right"
A classic sniper/observer combo is one way of building a sniper team, though I feel a good sniper team can be one, but is never more than two players. The reason for this has to do with maintaining stealth more than anything. The spotter should be an accomplished shooter who is well versed in camouflage, stealth, displacing, and sending valuable observations to everyone on the team, via radios, handsignals, what have you. His choice would likely be a semi, and perhaps his own sniper marker. It’s important to run light, as light as you can, but whatever your tactic, being quiet, mobile and fast is your ticket to success. A good sniper team can even take 2 separate positions within sight of each other, and using their preferred communication method to engage targets of opportunity simultaneously, thereby lessening their chances of individual discovery while increasing the chances of a successful break on their target. A good team understands how to cover each other for tactical withdrawals, guerrilla tactics as well as how to play either role effectively. It takes a lot of patience to sit motionless behind enemy lines so your buddy can make eliminationss. My personal take is that both players should have a full loadout, so as to be able to fill either role. Adaptability is key.
Bipods I feel, are a necessity. Whether it’s a sandsock, a backpack, or a rail-mounted adjustable deluxe, bipods really aid is those long shots. Hell, even a trio of sticks corded together will make a difference. In the event that you have the time to take a good clear shot at distance, take the extra time to stabilize your marker. Another great tactic to take a position standing, poke your barrel out from the branches, and just tie a knot with a piece of rope/550 cord at your chosen height from an available branch. Easy to replace if you have to bug out quickly, doesn’t add a lot of weight to your gear, and it’s very effective.
Now that we’ve discussed all of that, let’s talk about practical accuracy. Specifically, about being able to roll your marker up to your shoulder to quickly engage, at 40 feet, that unexpected front player with the DM10. You’ll increase your total number of eliminations as well as feel more confident running with your sniper marker as a primary if you don’t keep getting outdrawn. It doesn’t help you to be able to hit a mask consistently at 200’ from a stable position if you’re missing or not taking shots of opportunity at more common ranges. Sometimes filling the recon role for your team is simply maintaining excellent camouflage and eliminating with no more than one shot apiece threats within their effective range (you concede an advantage to their firepower operating within their effective range). Remember you can stand to be outgunned, that’s the nature of the position. It’s accuracy and speed that you will need, in that order. Being an awesome sniper isn’t about being good at one role or familiar with one set of skills. It’s about understanding how a tourney front player thinks, his gear, his tactics and being able to out snap him. It’s about understanding what the noobs on your team are going to do at the game on whistle, and everything in between. It’s about playing to your strengths and your opponent's weaknesses. Do not let him draw you into an exchange while he waits for backup; instead have the fire discipline to disengage, withdraw and reengage on your terms. By the time you reach a very proficient level in the sniper role, I guarantee you will have what you need cleanup using any gun, on any field, in any format.
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