Why Leapfrog?

Paintball is a game of movement. Almost anyone can shoot an opponent that's out in the open, but the trick is to out-maneuver your opponent so that you have that shot and your opponent does not. Leapfrogging is a basic team movement where two or more players take turns advancing while always being covered by another member of their team.



Decide What Direction To Go
Leapfrogging is a team maneuver, so before you begin, you must decide as a team where you are going. Establish an end goal and a rough outline of where you are going. If everyone is familiar with the field, it is advantageous to mention specific landmarks that you will use.

Establish Position

Moving in the direction of the end goal, the first player to move will head to some form of cover such as a tree, rock, bunker, or ravine. He will place himself behind his cover in such a way that he can view the field ahead of him and can see a location for the next player to move to. Now, as the "frog", his responsibility is to keep on eye on the field and then direct the next player where to go.

The Leap

After the first player has established a safe position, he will motion to the second player to come and will indicate where the second player is to go. The second player will then run to the next piece of cover and will conceal himself as quickly as possible. Often, while players are leaping they will come under fire; their responsibility is to quickly take cover, not to return fire. The first player should return fire and try to force the opposing player to duck down and stop firing. Once the player has established himself behind his cover, he becomes the "frog" and will direct the first player where to leap.

Repeat the Process


After the second player has taken position, he then acts as the frog and directs the first player where to go. The process is repeated until the end destination is reached or until enemy fire forces a halt or a retreat.

Things to Keep In Mind
Choosing Directions
When the frog is deciding which direction to send his teammate, he must keep in mind three things: where opposing players are located, what cover the leaper is going to find, and where the end goal is. Ideally, the frog should send his teammate in a direction where he will be open to opposing fire for as little time as possible while still going as directly as possible towards the end goal.

Size of Leaps
Stay close but not too close. An ideal leap will place players 15-30 feet apart so they can still communicate easily, but not so close that they will get pinned down together.

Retreat
While it would be nice to leapfrog away from a bad situation, it usually is not possible. If it comes to the point where there is no chance of successfully holding your position, it usually makes more sense to retreat at the same time while keeping at least 10 feet between retreating players. Trying to leapfrog away from heavy fire will usually result in the frog being pinned down with no chance of escape.