Paintball is a war game. Firepower and manpower do matter. Firepower is the ability of a paintball gun to inflict a lot of paint on your opponents and the ammunition it can carry. However firepower is useless in the wrong hands. It is still manpower that will win teams their games.
Manpower is the ability of a player not to only play harder but to also play smarter in the field. This article tackles about stealth and how it can win games for you.
Stealth is the ability to blend with your surroundings. Using different techniques to achieve this, stealth will usually indicate who the “newbie” is in a paintball environment.
Stealth is about moving the right way. When you have to make a quick dash, it is best to just stick to paths where there are no twigs. Twigs are the worst things to step on as they will snap, break, and make noise. It is recommended that you take your time (when you still have it) and move slowly when going through a cluttered area.
Stealth is best accomplished when using the proper equipment. Shoes and clothing will help tremendously in minimizing the sound you create when moving. Shoes with soft soles are recommended as they make less noise than army combat boots because they have a natural sound absorption property that helps limit the sounds made while stepping.
Soft clothing will also be an advantage as coarse fabrics will create a lot of noise when brushing against branches and the foliage. It is great for crawling quietly to go to a desired place with a minimal amount of noise created.
Other things must also fit snug or tightly on your body. This includes harnesses and holsters. You should also avoid putting anything in the leg area since walking and running will cause it to make noise - this includes your reloads and ammunition.
There are also several techniques such as using colors that match the foliage of the battlefield: this will hide you and makes you virtually unseen (when not moving) by your enemies.
When you have to move, it is recommended that you learn how to crawl the proper way (and with the ability to still fire when needed).
Stealth takes a lot of time to learn properly. Even experienced players will make mistakes and with these mistakes they learn how not to do it!