I wanted to take a few minutes to rant on a common forum topic: cheating. Every time I play there are one or two people who are clearly cheating and one or two people who seem consumed with a deep suspicion that everyone else is cheating. I'm undecided on which is worse. Most accusations of cheating on the field are usually misconceptions on the part of the shooter. Here are some pointers on dealing with cheaters and playing smart without breaking the rules.

Why do people cheat?

This is quite obvious, we have been taught through years of competition in life and other sports to break the rules in order to come out ahead. Speedball players seem to be even more prone to cheating because they only call themselves out if the hit is obvious or in site of a referee during a competition. Not to say that speedball players are cheaters; just that old habits die hard.

Why do people get accused of cheating?

Most accusations of cheating are hard to prove on the field. A ball breaking on a branch or other obstacle can create the false perception of a break. Sometimes a player feels that after hammering a bunkered player’s position with 200 rounds that something must have hit home. You also have players with gear or clothing that might prevent the player from feeling or seeing the hit. Of course there are steps that can be taken to prevent or reduce cheating or the perception of cheating.

How to deal with a cheater?

All cheaters are innocent until proven guilty. Give the other guy the benefit of the doubt. If you're certain that another player is cheating call a paint check on them or talk to a ref between games. In most cases you didn't do a good enough job; glancing hits and limbs are tempting for a wiper. Focus on hitting the other player center mass if possible and try for 2-3 breaks. Communicate with the other player by calling out to check themselves or their equipment. If you get shot out do a casual paint check on the other player if possible. I don't recommend threatening, insulting, over shooting, or accusing other players that you feel are cheating. Make them a primary target for the next game and remember that you're there to have fun.

How do I prevent others from accusing me of cheating?

Accusations or suspicion are almost unavoidable. Not cheating is a good start. If you do need to wipe off splatter or rub-off from a bunker try to be discrete. Communicate with your opponent by calling out bounces. Call a paint check on yourself if needed but more on this later. Have a buddy look you over between games. This can help you identify areas where you're not feeling hits and prevent you from getting called on an old hit in the next game. Chat with the other players between games to establish a little trust.

Pages: 1 2

I'm working on some site changes over the next few weeks to convert my marker\project pictures to Coppermine. Here are some cool links:
 
Paintball Shots Per Tank calculator
http://www.scubatoys.com/paintball/paintballshots.asp
 
World Statistics Clock
http://www.poodwaddle.com/worldclock.swf
 

I managed to spend a little time in the basement this past week. Between playing conductor for my son's Thomas the Train set I realize that at least 80% of my markers need some maintenance or repair. For the sake of my marriage and personal sanity I'll not say how many markers are currently on the wall of shame. Anyway, it dawned on me that I need a way to inventory and track my markers to keep track of repairs, cleaning, and other information. I provided links below to the inventory sheet that I came up with and an example. I may do something similar for my masks to track frequency of use, replacement lenses on hand, etc. Maybe this will come in handy if anyone else has problems keeping tabs on their markers. Microsoft Word required. Enjoy!
 
Marker Inventory Sheet Example
 
Marker Inventory Sheet Template