Position is simply where you choose to make your stand.
- Don't back yourself up against somewhere you cannot retreat from.
  Whenever possible, make it EASY to retreat by choosing a location that
  you can fall back to with cover. (i.e. a 200 ft sprint across an open
  field is NOT a retreat, it's a SLAUGHTER)
- Don't spread your players too thin.  If you cannot provide cover fire
  for your nearest teammate, you're too far away from him.
- Formation can make all the difference in the world.  A good way to
  rout the opposition is to get them in a line and then flank them.
  All of a sudden, you can see ALL their team members, and can usually
  threaten at least two of them.  One person keeping two busy is a
  bargain in any game.  When digging in, select a spot you can "arc"
  your players in, so the flanks provide cover for the forwards.

    e n e m y  h e r e


         x  x  x
      x           x    <-- this will help prevent flanking.

      y  y  y  y  y   <-- nevernevernever do this.


Tactics is how your team moves, attacks, and defends.
- As I mentioned above, when moving, never spread out too much.  If
  one of your flanks is ambushed, they may be eliminated before the
  rest of the team can get there to help.
- COMMUNICATE!!  if you are on the attack, don't be concerned about them
  figuring out where you are -- they probably will see you LOOONG before
  you see them.  When you see someone, YELL.  THERE'S ONE!  OVER BY THE
  TWO BIG TREES!  WATCH OUT ON THE LEFT, HE'S GOT A GOOD SHOT AT YA!
  Make sure everyone knows where the man is.
- Avoid "Tunnel Vision" and "target Fixation".  These basically mean you
  are concentrating on one thing, and are not observing what is going on
  around you.  If you see a guy, and tell the others (as above) don't
  just head straight for him.  There's probably another 4-5 waiting around
  for you, and if you don't find them, they'll find YOU.  Identify as many
  opponants as possible before engaging.  If it looks like the battle is
  going very good, look for the "odd man out" -- the guy(s) circling
  around and getting ready to shoot you in the back.
- Help your teammates.  This does not just include cover fire, but also
  think for yourself AND your friends.  If you see a teammate walking
  along, headed near a "good spot", remind them that there may be an
  opponant in that location.  If you see a teammate that has a good
  forward position, but can't do much due to several opponants in key
  positions, help him!  DON'T RUN UP TO HIS POSITION.  Instead, give the
  opponants another "front" to worry about -- FLANK FLANK FLANK.  Even if
  you can't make progress from there, you may pull an opponant out of
  position and allow your friend to make the best of a good position.
- Don't "clump".  If I'm waiting for you, the best thing I can ever hope
  to see is three of you walking side-by side.  If I aim for you in the
  middle, I just about can't miss.  And if I've got a semi, I'm very
  likely to get at least two of you.  If I shoot at you when you're near
  that tree, you can't ALL fit behind it now can you?
- Don't be afraid of getting marked.  (this is what separates the
  "professionals" from the guys trying to have FUN, which is us, right??)
  If you get hit, it's not the end of the world.  You'll be playing again
  in another 15 minutes.  Be prepared to take little risks now and then.
  If there's a guy that has you pinned down, you HAVE TO MOVE.  If you
  stay there, and his team is working as a team, you'll find yourself
  in a crossfire in a good hurry.  Move while you have the chance.
  Also, if you have an opportunity to flank, but there is a defender that
  will get a couple "free shots" at you while you run into position, TRY
  it once in a while.  You'll be suprised just how hard of a target you
  are to hit when moving.  On average, it will take three shots to hit a
  man moving across your field of view, and you'll only hit a guy that is
  retreating using "evasive maneuvers" about 25% of the time.
- Recognize the difference between Cover and Conceilment.  Cover will
  make it harder for the opponants to hit you at their present location,
  will hinder your ability to fire back, and will eventually become
  useless due to shifting positions on both teams.  Conceilment works
  to prevent opponants from seeing you.  Good conceilment is hard to find.
  When conceiled, you can get 1-3 "free shots" at your opponants.  You will
  probably not be able to move, so they must come to you.  The best use
  of conceilment is in capture the flag games.  Leave one defender visible
  at the flag, and hide another defender behind him.  This man must be
  alert, and must concern himself entirely with the flanks and the rear.
  The obvious defender should be instructed to look ONLY straight ahead,
  and deliberately ignore any flankers.  He will lure opponants in with
  visions of an easy elimination, only to be marked by the hidden defender.


CONTROL is forcing your opponants to do something they do not want to do,
or making them think they want to do it when they shouldn't
- of course the ultimate control of an opponant is to eliminate
  them.  Once they're out, you no longer need to worry about them
  or their actions.
- there is more to do to an opponant than to eliminate them.  I'm sure
  you've found yourself stuck behind a tree, forced to move somewhere
  else, or just plain having problems getting the position you want.
  Your opponants have been *controlling* your actions.  If they have
  control over you, it's almost as good as an elimination, and is not
  as risky for them as an attempted elimination.
- one wayt to control your opponant is with suppressive fire.  It's
  also the most common way, and is fairly well-known how to defeat.
  The simplest thing to do when they're shooting at you is to move,
  or to stay behind cover and shoot at someone else.  If they are
  preventing you from doing anything except hugging your cover, it's
  definitely time to move, because you are totally controlled.
- Another method is to hold a side or front.  If your opponants are
  dug in along a line and are doing a good job of holding you back, your
  progress is under control.  There may be a very good reason they
  don't want you on the other side of that ridge.  The answer is to flank.
  If necessary, come all the way around from the back.  If necessary,
  pull your whole group back 100-200 ft before sending out flankers.
- Deception is also a form of control.  You are influencing their
  actions by giving false information.  An example is if you know you
  are being followed/chased, "drop" a man.  Continue to run your group,
  then dig in about 100-200 ft down the way.  They'll fall into position,
  and start to work their way up to you.  Your odd man out has been
  conceiled, waiting for them to move past.  When they do, he lights a
  few up. (this may be considered a suicide run, but sometimes it's
  worth it)
- Another form of control is stealth.  You are controlling the information
  they are receiving, thus limiting their actions to responding to the
  information they do have. (a good combo with deception)  If you don't
  know where they are, you *are* being controlled. (if you knew they were
  over there reloading, you would BE over there, but you're not.  you're
  under their control)  This is the hardest one to counter, mostly because
  you never know when this is happening.  The best way to address it is to
  keep careful track of the number of unfriendlies left around.  If you're
  within earshot of your other teammates, call the hits.  When you get an
  elimination, yell "ONE!"  Your teammates should echo this down the line
  so everyone knows one opponant is gone.  The next elimination your team
  gets, the eliminator shouts "TWO!" etc.  If anyone is trying to "sneak
  through the cracks", or if you're at their flag station and suddenly
  realize there are STILL FIVE of them out there, this information can
  be very valuable in determining your next course of action.


Other subtle hints and techniques:
- how often do you find yourself shooting at an opponant behind a tree?
  get used to it, get BETTER at it.  The usual tactic is to trade bursts.
  Each player takes several shots at the other, and then hides as several
  shots are returned.  Sometimes you have them held behind the tree, and
  they seem to be baiting you to empty your hopper, sticking their head
  or gun out for a brief instant to make your trigger finger flinch.  Take
  advantage of this!  Anticipate their next appearance and location.
  Plink, plink, plink, PAUSE, plink!  (shwak)  It works.  Aim for their
  feet or shoulder.  Its suprising how often you can get lucky and nick
  a 1" target poking out from the side of a tree.
- Aim at anything promising, especially if you're close.  If you shoot at
  a guy and he pulls behind cover, except for his loader, TARGET IT.
  I even shoot at barrels if I'm close enough. (they can be hit!)
  If they don't move whatever it is you're shooting at, they either
  can't move, or don't realize they're exposed.  Continue to fire as
  long as you feel you have a fair chance of hitting them.  If nothing
  else, they will either not want to move (due to relentless incomming
  paint) or they will step out to run/fire and get shwacked.
- Even if you KNOW your friends know about the guy you're shooting at,
  REMIND THEM often.  It's easy to forget about your teammate's
  problems when you've got problems of your own.  Often a teammate will
  be plinking at a poor target when he could be helping you get an easy
  elimination.
- If you're behind cover and are taking incomming from both sides of the cover,
  you're behind the WRONG TREE.  Time to move.  Back is not always the
  answer -- try moving sideways.  When all else fails, give them something
  to worry about.  If you're in an unsalvagable situation and are
  certain you're about to be eliminated, FLANK THEM.  Sometimes you can
  catch them by suprise by bolting into the open and running circles
  around them.  If you can do it without being hit, you will spin them
  in circles and disorganize them.  They will very likely forget where
  the rest of your team is, and concetrate on "that nut over there";
  meanwhile, your team closes in.....
- You're out of ammo.  What now?  If you are about to be overrun, you can
  try two ideas: retreat while firing, (sure YOU know you're out of ammo,
  but the gun still SOUNDS like it's shooting paint, and can make them
  take cover about 90% of the time)  Second, I've seen people ELIMINATE
  opponants without paint.  How?  Simple -- hide and wait for them to run
  by.  Ask for a surrender.  Either you get shot at, (you were probably
  going to get out anyways) or maybe they surrender!  I've seen it happen
  MANY TIMES. (they really wanna cry when you meet at camp and tell them
  "Oh by the way, I was out of ammo...")  One more thing :: there's
  pleanty of ammo sitting on the ground, if you need it.  Pick up as many
  as you can, (remove any dirt by ribbing between both hands) and drop
  'em in your hopper.  Fire only if they charge you.  Find a teammate as
  fast as possible!
- You're the LAST MAN on your team.  You can still win!  In order to do so,
  you must stay on the move.  NEVER stop and get into a firefight.  They
  will flank you, and out you will go.  Take a few shots and then run like
  the wind.  Get out of their sight and take up conceilment.  Fire when
  discovered or when you see the whites of their eyes.  Run as soon as you
  have fired. (they will be diving for trees when they should be shooting
  back!)  Taking out even one opponant when it's 3 on 1 is a victory
  in my book.
- plink. *sploog*.  Great, a barrel burst; and you don't have a squeegee
  handy.  Don't panic.  If you have a removable barrel, quick pull it
  off.  Crack open the hopper and pull out a couple balls. (close hopper
  before you forget!!!)  Drop a ball in the barrel and blow it out the
  other end.  Repeat this with the other ball.  Put the barrel back on.
  Your accuracy will not be worth spit for a while, but at least it's
  back shooting.  If you don't own a squeegee, bring a plastic rod
  about 2' long with you, in addition to several paper towels, torn into
  four squares.  Do the ball trick if you have time, and then take a
  square and fold it in half twice to make a square again.  Push this
  through the barrel.  Turn it over and repeat if necessary.  Your barrel
  should be nice and clean.  If you've got porting holes, lotsa luck.
  Try bringing a tiny water container - maybe a small perfume bottle
  with its sprayer will work okay.
- backup ammo and air is always nice.  Get a 12g quickchange for your
  gun, and keep a 12g in it ready to rock.  Also keep a couple tubes of
  paint. (yes, TUBES, 10 shots ea)  If you need to use them, you'll
  probably shoot much more conservatively.  (counting the balls I expect)


Crossfire
- an art in itself, working as a team your try to open up "lanes of fire"
  through which you can threaten multiple targets, or control a large
  area of the battle site.
- Generally speaking, most inexperienced players are not good a
  exploiting the diagonal shots in a game.  If they're beind a tree,
  they concern themselves with who is on the other side of the tree,
  not who is in front and to the sides of the tree. (this is where they
  usually get hit from, too)
- The best ways to deal with crossfire are to move, or to let your
  teammates know you have a "small problem" and get them to impress
  some control on one of your attackers.  Moving is usually better,
  because right now they are controlling *you*.  If you need help to
  keep yourself in the game, then they are controlling *both* of you.
- making crossfire usually involves some form of flanking.  Two diagonal
  shots make for excellent crossfire, but one diagonal and one straight
  will also work to your advantage.  Let your teammates know you have
  someone in sight that may have an exposed side, and see if you can pull
  a teammate to that side to set up the crossfire.  Once in position,
  just shoot at what you see.  Many times you can distract an opponant
  if you both fire bursts at the side edges of their cover, and then while
  you are firing a burst, run up on them.  Many players keep their heads
  down or are looking for a way out or some help when being fired on by
  more than one person. (even more so when fired at from two sides like
  this)  They may not be ready for your charge, and you may very well run
  around the corner and either see "bug eyes" and a surrender, or their
  back or side. (easy elimination)  You might even be lucky enough to
  catch them as they are retreating! (drill 'em in the back)

Here is a good example of crossfire used in a speedball field:

 ---------------------------       --------------------------- 
!                           !     !    *       *            * !
!  --                  ---  !     !  -- *       *        ---* !
!                           !     !      *       *          * !
!      oo    \_/            !     !      oo*   \_/*         * !
!                           !     !         *      *        * !
!   --              __      !     !   --     *      * __    * !
!         o           !__   !     !         o *      *  !__ * !
!                           !     !            *      *     * !
!     ------                !     !     ------  *      *    * !
!     o F  o            o   !     !     o F  o   *      * o * !
!     ------                !     !     ------    *      *  * !
!                      __   !     !                *     __ * !
!         o         __!     !     !         o       * __!  #* !
!   --                      !     !   --              #     * !
!             _             !     !    #        _           * !
!      oo    / \            !     !      oo    / \          * !
!                           !     !               #         * !
!  --                  ---  !     !  --                  ---* !
!                           !     ! #                       # !
 ---------------------------       --------------------------- 
the field... F is flag,             the right three control the far right
o are barrels (no good)             lane and the left diagonal

 ---------------------------       --------------------------- 
! *             *      *    !     ! *  *       *  *      *  * !
! *--           *     *---  !     ! *-- *       * *     *---* !
! *             *    *      !     ! *    *    4  **    *    * !
! *    oo    \_/*   *       !     ! *    oo*   \_/*   *     * !
! *             *  *        !     ! *  1    *     ** *      * !
! * --          * * __      !     ! * --     *    * * __5 6 * !
! *       o     **    !__   !     ! *       o *   ** *  !__ * !
! *             *           !     ! *   2   3  *  *   *     * !
! *   ------  * *           !     ! *   ------  ***    *    * !
! *   o F  o *  *       o   !     ! *   o F  o * **     * o * !
! *   ------*   *           !     ! *   ------*   *      *  * !
! *        *    *      __   !     ! *        *    **     __ * !
! *      *o     *   __!     !     ! *      *o     * * __!   * !
! * -- *        *           !     ! * -- *        *         * !
! *  #        _ *           !     ! *           _ *         * !
! *    oo    / \*           !     ! *    oo    / \*         * !
! *             #           !     ! *                       * !
! *--                  ---  !     ! *--                  ---* !
! #                         !     !                           !
 ---------------------------       --------------------------- 
and the left three control the     leaving the enemy positions
left lane and the right diag.      like this. 5,6 are useless,
                                   1,2,4 have ok position, and 
                                   3 is iffy.

now as you can see, the lower team will probably be able to control
their opponants better than if they had tried this:

 ---------------------------       --------------------------- 
! *         *      *      * !     !    #                #     !
!  --       *      *   ---* !     !  -- *              * ---  !
!**         *      *     ** !     !       *       #   *       !
!*     oo   *\_/   *     ** !     !      oo *  \_/*     #     !
! *         *      *     ** !     !     #     *   *  **       !
! **--      *      *__   ** !     !   -- *      * *  *__      !
! *       o *      *  !__** !     !        *o     **    !__   !
! **        *      *     ** !     !          #    * *         !
! * * ------*      *     ** !     !     ------*  **   *       !
! * * o F  o*      *    o** !     !     o F  o  ***     * o   !
! *  *------*      *     ** !     !     ------ * **       *   !
! *  *      *      *   __** !     !          *  * *      __ * !
! *   *   o *      *__!  #* !     !         o     * * __!  # *!
! * --*     *      #      * !     !   --  *    *  *  %        !
! *   #     * _           * !     !     %       _ *   *       !
! *    oo   */ \          * !     !    * oo   */ \*     *     !
! *         #             * !     !  *        #   *       *   !
! *--                  ---* !     !* --      *    *      ---* !
! #                       # !     ! #        *    *         # !
 ---------------------------       --------------------------- 
this is an attempt without         here is where the opponants will likely
crossfire                          go to.  (% will fry first)



please note that crossfire is not merely the art of shooting diagonally,
but rather the combination of two players shooting diagonally (from different
sides) at the same target.  In effect, the cover that the target is behind
"gets smaller" as it is unable to protect from the front AND left diagonal
AND right diagonal at the same time.