Field Manual / Game Tips

What to Bring Before Leaving Home:

• Extra batteries if your marker/loader requires them.

• Water!
  Why buy from the field when you can just bring it from home? You could use even a 2L empty pop bottle and just keep it back at the staging area. A good idea is to fill your water bottle up to 1/2 way and freeze it. On game day fill the rest of the bottle and the ice will help keep the water cold throughout the day.

• More money than you think you'll need. Better to have the extra and not use it, than running out of paint when there's still 2 more hours to go.

• Bug juice. (that's insect repellant...not something GUARDIAN drinks)

• Sunscreen if you don't wear a hat or some type of head cover.

• Tools to service your marker during breaks in the play.

• Long sleeve shirt and pants to protect you from paintballs and brush.

• Good footwear is essential.

• Pack a lunch and some snacks.
  Some fields provide food, while others don't. It will be a long day, so you'll need the energy.

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What to Bring onto the Field for Play:

• Rags or towels to wipe your mask when you're in the deadbox,
  and to wipe off all the paint that you've been shot with.

• Spray bottle of water to wash your goggle lens.

• Paper towel to wipe the water from the spray bottle.

• SQUEEGEE or something to keep your barrel clean

• Hex keys / allen keys to adjust your velocity when required. Some fields do random "velocity checks" and nothing is worse than being checked, then being OVER the limit of 290 to 300 FPS and having to go back to the main staging area just to get the appropriate hex key. They're small and BDU's have lots of pockets...

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Big Game Tips:

• Bring enough paint/ammo to last you for 2hrs. This is a realistic expectation and after this time elapses then go back to the staging area to fill up your pods and top off your air tank.

• Carry your paint to match your air. Unless you are the designated ammo carrier for your team, there is no reason to carry 2000 paintballs if you only have enough air in your tank to shoot 1000 of them! Balance it out and be more effective because you can move with decreased weight.

• Recharge your ammo frequently. In a Big Game, threats can come from anywhere. So be prepared and reload often so that you can effectively meet those threats with a full hopper!

• Carry a radio, because these games tend to be played on multiple fields at the same time, and the action could get spread out. If you get separated from your group or don't know what you should be doing next, radio in for instructions and get back into the action!

• Hydrate yourself frequently. After every stoppage in play, or after a big firefight, take a drink of water. Keeping hydrated will reduce your chance of a heat-related injury and can help to keep you in the game.

• Read the rules and know them. If they are posted before the game make a copy and carry them with you. Some games have special missions and personnel with special abilities i.e., medic.

• Elect a team General and follow his orders. It is key to winning Big Games. The team General does not have to be the most experienced player, but he should be the overall decision maker. Follow orders even if you think you have a better plan. Work as a team to complete missions as even experienced players that like to play "lone wolf" can be dominated by a bunch of rookies who play as a coordinated force!

• Break up large group into a few smaller ones. Elect a leader of each group. It will be easier to control smaller groups than one large one.

• Find out what your team's objectives are and work to accomplish the missions. Get involved in the game. Big Games are not always about shooting the most paint.

• Don't be afraid of speaking to more experienced players and asking them questions. They are a wealth of knowledge.

• Always be honest. If you get hit and see a paint splat on you, raise your hand yell "Out!"and exit the game. When in doubt, call over a ref for a paint check.
  Don't cheat.

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Small Game Tips:

("One off" games, from 10-30 minutes in duration)

• Bring enough paint to last you for the expected game length. If you could typically shoot 400-500 rounds in 1hr, then carry maybe 250-300 for a 30 minute game. Again, there is no point carrying 1000 rounds and the associated weight that goes with it, if you'll never shoot it.

• You can leave your standard "on the field supplies" like squeegees, towels, spray bottles and tools at the deadbox or mini staging area. All the wiping, fixing and cleaning can be down in the safety of this area instead of on the field like a Big Game or Scenario Game.

• Move more aggressively off the start. In Big Games you could have an hour to move into position for an assault, but in smaller CTF-type games you need to move fast to gain the key advantages for your team, like high ground or an excellent fighting position. Games like this can be won very quickly just by moving aggressively off the start point.

• And lastly play fair and have fun.

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