This article is for all those who come to PaintSplat and end up shooting all their friends without even thinking about the flag! Here’s a few tips and tricks to bear in mind next time you’re on the field.

1. Move! When the ref blows the whistle, get to cover! And don’t waste time shooting people on your way!
2. Keep your team spread out! It makes it far harder for your opposition to move around your flank and take out half your team.
3. Travel in pairs if you can. It makes moving much easier when your partner is covering you.
4. Move down the sides of the course instead of the middle; it gives you a much better angle when trying to take people out.
5. Fire heavily at the opposition (and make sure your as many of your teammates do too) when moving for the flag. It’s a huge advantage if the opposing team is unaware of who has the flag and where that person is once it has been removed.
6. When you capture the flag, only run towards the base as fast as possible (although don’t keep to a straight line) if there are only a few opponents left.
7. If there’s a huge opposition left when you capture the flag, make sure your teammates cover your run back to base – or pass the flag to one of them!
8. Decide what to do in case the opposition reaches the flag first. If it’s a small course a center third of your team should fire on the enemy positions while the other two thirds charge down the flanks. If it’s a large course then it’s likely that a team member located on the flanks of the field can snipe the runner if they make a break for it.
9. Break cover and start shooting if an opponent has the flag and is running towards their base. Better the loss of half of your team than the loss of the game.
10. If you find yourself cornered, launch yourself quickly and unexpectedly from cover to cover, firing as you go. This will hopefully shock the opposition and still give you a winning chance.
11. Make sure your team has the whole field covered. If you get flanked, you’ve given the game away.
12. If you’re being covered, it may be better to move without checking where the opposition is. This will make it more difficult for the opponent to guess your location.
13. Communicate! If your team is works together to coordinate their movements then a win will be secured. Hand signals are best – as it can get difficult to hear in the heat of a game.
14. Never give up, even if you’re the last remaining member of your team you can still win. Stealthy movements and sniping can still win you the game.
15. Firing when you move just slows you down. Don’t make it easy for the opposition and get to cover quickly!
16. Remember, you can also win by elimination. If the flag is too well defended, concentrate on taking out the team!
17. When playing against new players, be bold. They are often scared to come out and fire. Use this to your advantage to get around them.
18. Don’t just move for movement’s sake. You’ll end up far from your teammates or shot down.
19. Think before going it alone – Running and shooting on your own is going to get you shot in the first minutes of the game!
20. Don’t be scared of getting hit! Keep moving – a shot will only hurt for a few seconds!