Why Individual Movement Strategies Are Important...

Here are some movement tactics to get you where you need to go, without being seen or heard- or fired at.

Aside from walking, there are a few general moves that can be made in paintball.

Since paintball movement and strategy is directly related to military tactics, we thought using a military theme and actual pictures from military training documents would be helpful....And pretty cool too!:

Individual Movement Strategies: The Low Crawl

This type of movement will give players the lowest silhouette, and is best used when concealment is low, such as in a field. Or, this can also be used to still move ahead when enemy fire prevents a player from getting up off the ground.

To use this individual movement strategy, the body will be flat on the ground, with the gun held from the top. The butt of the weapon will drag along the ground, as the player pushed forward with his or her arms, and pulls their legs in. As this movement continues, the player moves with a low profile.

Individual Movement Strategies: The High Crawl

This individueal movement strategy is faster than the low crawl, but still provides a low silhouette. This can be used when there is better concealment, but the player is still in the line of enemy fire.
When moving with the high crawl technique, the gun is kept close to the body's chest area. The legs will be kept well behind the rear area to stay lower. To move, the player will alternate putting a leg and elbow forward.

Individual Movement Strategies: Rushing

Rushing is a quick way to get from point A to point B, and can be combined with crawling. This individual movement strategy should be kept on the short side, around three seconds, to keep the enemy from tracking players.

To rush, a player will lift his or her head up from their current crawling position and scan the area for their next move. Then, they will lower their head, bring their arms and legs closer to the body and then quickly lift up and run to the next position, and get back into a crawl...

This can be done several times to strategically get from part of the field to another in the quickest manner possible.

Moving With Stealth

There are points where players will not be crawling near the ground. But rather than just walking through the playing area, they should be moving with stealth. Moving with stealth means moving quietly, carefully and slowly.

To move stealthily, the weapon should be held in the ready position. Footing should be kept solid by putting the weight of the body on the foot that is currently touching the ground, and letting the toe hit the ground first and not letting the heal hit until the toe feels solid. Steps should be short to maintain balance, and the leg should be lifted high when there is high brush. So, when thinking about stealth, keep some other S's in mind- slow, steady and solid.

General Movement Tips

• Player should camouflage himself and his weapon
  
  
• Weapons should be taped up so they do not rattle when moved
  
  
• Player should wear soft clothes that fit well to prevent making noises
  
  
• Players should look for routes that are concealed and/or covered
  
  
• Players should avoid areas with loose stone, such as a steep hill
  
  
• Players should watch out for alarmed animals, as an enemy could be nearby

Book Recommendation:

Advanced Individual Movement Strategies: Paintball Heroes.

Related Articles:

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