Paintball

[240SX]

I've been kicking around the idea of primary pistol play for the last couple of years but (pardon the pun) I've never pulled the trigger on the idea. I love the concept of playing pistol primary but getting on the field and having a 15 year old with an Ego pin me down behind a bunker absolutely plays games with my mind.

I've bought and sold pistols without ever even getting to the field with them as I can't seem to muster the testicular fortitude to run a game with a pistol primary. In all honesty if I could pick one method to play the game of paintball it would be with two pistols in my hands but I'm unsure if I can put in the getting lit up time to develop the skill to play in this manner.

If I have to ask a question, I guess it would be how did you guys cope with the initial rookie time with pistol play to finally start developing some skills to get eliminations?

[spaz66777]

Planed on getting shot out. All the forums I read said that it time to get good. Once you get your first elimination it makes it all worth it and you will do anything to get another. It's a vicious cycle.

[LT.]

You just have to buy a T8.1/T9.1 and do it you can all ways sell and get some of the investment back.

[russc]

Are we talking about rec fields or speedball? In open woods/urban play, you should avoid going head to head and opt to move around your target to open up angles and increase your hit probability. Gunfighting should always be your last resort, so you shouldn't go into games planning on getting into situations where you are going to be pinned into your cover.

[Crimson Death]

This is the strategy I used when I first played Pump and then Pistols. I wouldn't run ahead I would let the firing line set up in front of me and then study what was going on. I would then exploit the weakest part of the oppositions line.

By doing this people expose them selves to you and you can practice shooting at live targets without being fired at yourself. Also you have to be very vocal to your team mates. Tell them when you're being shot at so they can shoot the person shooting at you. Tell them when to bump up or to cover you so you can.

[agentSmith]

For my own part I cheated, by starting to play pistol when the only other markers in the world were the Splatmaster, the PGP and the 007.
The 3357 came out in 87 and put me at the top of the firepower heap...

I would say that you have to look at things in a different way. Anyone who pins you down, only has you pinned as long as they stay on you. In other words by forcing them to deal with you, you are pinning THEM as much as they are pinning you. While their shots give away their position to the whole field and you quietly pop off a few.
Think of yourself as sacrificing your own 'body count' to help your team win. In old fashioned 10man, noone freaked out when they lost 1 man. Even in 5man it's not the end of the world.
That's because the truth is, 9 guys with machine guns can pretty much do anything that 10 guys with machine guns can do.
By giving your team a pistol player you give them something they didn't already have. A guy with no hopper, a guy with such a short profile from muzzle to the back of the head that he can get down in time while working over the TOP of a bunker. A brick or small bunker that used to have a player working each side, all of a sudden has a player working each side and a spotter on top, who can also get eliminations or force people in for his teammates.

To sum up my opinion of the keys:

1. Never think of eliminations as the measure of your success, instead guage how much you helped your team win.

2. Play to get better and win, not just win.

3. You have to live long enough to learn. If your own opinion of your skills makes you leery, then work on your skills with your current kit. Practice things like you only have a pistol, with your regular marker. This way it won't be so new when you do switch, yet you'll have your reserve of firepower to get you out of a jam, while you're learning. Think of a hopper as 20 10rd mags(or 29 7rders), count them and track them and imagine reloading them.

4. If you don't get hit, you're not playing hard enough. Take more risks, whatever marker you carry. I wouldn't have a teammate whose goal was personal survival first and foremost. Dues must be paid. The only way to be a player at the sharp end(where true pistoleros shine) is to fall over it enough times to quit impaling yourself on it.

5. Know your strengths. Low profile, ease of movement, especially at the crouch and crawl. Get shinguards, don't wear bulky rigs. Conventional players will often overlook cover if it's too small to hold THEM. Take small cover and make your shots count.

6. Shoot your pistol. You'll be saving money on paint your whole career with a pistol, don't pinch pennies at the start. Find somewhere you can shoot variously ranged while NOT in game, take a case of paint and SHOOT IT ALL! Then do it again and again when you can.


Hope that helps some!
Rob

[Gunz]

Exactly what crimson said. If you get yourself in a one on one, The odds are against you. Stay sneaky and work your way around the fire fights.

[skullcandy1993]

also...expect to invest some serious coin in getting yourself set up perfectly. I have been playing pistol primary for about a year and a half now, and I have invested just as much cash into soft goods as I have into all my pistols, if not more, and I am still looking for that "perfect rig"

[Chaz]

pistol can hurt at the start.. but no more or less then going from Muppet Mowing Electro to pump (for me at least)... Playing pistol the one skill I really picked up was the ability to keep a super steady and accurate shot at a full sprint in the woods. this is fun.

Like people are saying, you need to get past that fear of being peppered by the electro players. Once that fear is gone you can think clear about how/when you move and waiting for that perfect shot no one expects.

Don't give up once you start.

[PntBllnSquirrel]

I play woodsball all the time. I went from pump to pistol about 3 years ago. I will admitt that going out there at first was very over-whelming. It's once you realize that you are a smaller target and harder to hit that you start to become more brave and confident. You are going to get shot for sure because you are trying to aim more than you should instead of just instinctively shooting.

Practice Practice Practice

There is nothing better than getting out there and shooting your pistol. You have to learn it just like any other marker. My pistol is now just a part of my arm when I'm out there. I don't even feel it half the time I lift it to shoot. It's like pointing my finger and the paint flying in that direction.

So ,

Your going to get out.
You will get better.
You will have some great stories.
You will be under estimated and then picked first every time =)