Two Critical Qualities of the Most Effective Paintball Snipers

This is an excerpt from Chapter 1 of the “Paintball Sniper Field Training Manual“.

The whole manual is available to members of the Paintball Sniper Codex Training program available here: Paintball Sniper Codex

Patience is "Character Quality #1" for a Paintball Sniper

Quality #1: Patience
Timing is everything. The first rule of skilled paintball snipers is: one shot, one out. This is an ideal scenario that we work to achieve. (The reality is that paintballs are unreliable. Two shots, one out is more accurate and a better strategy in most practical situations.) More on that later but with that objective in mind, you can imagine that a lot more than the right marker goes into a snipers success. In fact, one of the best weapons you can have on the playing field is patience.
During a scenario game of tactical paintball, most players become enthralled with the excitement of the game. This enthusiasm leads them to move too quickly or to respond without thinking through all of the options. The patient player has an extreme advantage. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been stepped on by players rushing the field or how many eliminations I’ve made within feet or inches of my target because they were blundering blindly.

Dictionary.com defines patience as “the ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay.” It takes time to wait out a situation, plan a skilled move, or uncover your opponent’s weak spots and tactical plan. A paintball sniper who is disciplined in patience and stable enough to endure the “rush” of the game without rushing ahead will give them an advantage. This takes training and trial and error to perfect.

Quality #2: Fortitude

Fortitude is "Character Quality #2" for the Paintball Sniper

Being able to remain mentally and emotionally strong during a threatening or difficult situation is a quality that all successful paintball snipers share. The basic skill set that snipers are trained to master cannot be successfully maintained and performed if they cannot remain in control during turmoil. Having the fortitude to remain strong in a hectic environment will give you an advantage over your opponent. Your eyes stay clear, your breathing stays regulated, your thoughts sharp. As the famous author, Rudyard Kipling, wrote: “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs….then you’ll be a man my son.”

Patience and fortitude aid in achieving stealth since you must be able to wait out the best opportunity and slowly approach your position undetected.