Throwing Smoke - the Ultimate Gimmick, or actually Useful?

[Meleager7]

So , big game coming up in 3 weeks (Wasaga Beach, Ontario ) , and I was thinking of splurging on some smoke grenades for the first time. My gut feeling tells me they are the ultimate paintball gimmick, and don't offer much advantage other than the pretty smoke display! But I'd assume some players actually have found a use for smoke, so have any of you guys ever used smoke successfully in a big game, and how was it useful to you?

[autococker04]

Last time I played, for the first time ever, someone used it on me and it worked.

I had crawled way up on a woods field and was in some brush, the guy knew I was in the area but not where I was exactly so he just threw it in my area. I couldn’t see a thing and by the time the smoke cleared they had moved a few people past me and I got shot in the back.

[wunderbarsafari]

I’ve used smoke for marking and screening in the army. Never used it for paintball, but I sorely wished I had some the year I played Castle Conquest at EMR. Crossing the mostly open ground to attack a fortified position head on with no screen was miserable and useless. I quit early and hit the food truck. That said, I would research what smoke is allowed/available. My guess is that these “sport smoke” devices are not as effective or productive as a proper M18 smoke grenade.

[Ecapnation]

It's great for tight quarter games like EMR castle games....

Otherwise useless other then for causing random brush fires

[BrickHaus]

If used right they work. But ive tossed plenty of smokes that didnt provide enough coverage to use,or the wind shifted making em useless.



We get marine grade smokes at our local, and they burn a loooong time. Those baddies are worrh the money. Small smokes like EG and sport smokes are hit or miss.

[NONOBLITUS]

Totally worth it. ION the smoke just adds such a crazy amount of cover to push and makes the environment so much fun as well.

[ChuckLove]

I had to take a few hours off to recover from inhalation on the beach.

[Chuck E Ducky]

The Purple boogers!

[Jonnydread]

If used right they work. But ive tossed plenty of smokes that didnt provide enough coverage to use,or the wind shifted making em useless.

This is my experience as well. I don't care for them cause I've been in situations where people have used them on me in an enclosed area and it made it hard to breathe and that's not really what paintball is all about to me. That said I have been able to rush people through the smoke, so they can be useful in the proper situation.

[Meleager7]

Yeah, something similar happened to me a couple summers ago at a big game. A couple other guys and me were dug deep in some thick brush along the tape line. The other team was stuck out more in the open, and they couldn’t really get past us , nor flank around us due to the boundary. The other team were getting so frustrated they were dumping hopper after hopper into our position, but nothing was getting through , all their paint was either breaking up in the branches, or sailing clear over our heads. Then they finally threw smokes into the woods, and tried to smoke us out! I have to tell you it almost worked! it was a pretty funny moment !

[punkncat]

Not to say you didn't check...I didn't, but make sure they are allowed, and particularly if it's been dry there. One thing I have found smoke to be really good at doing, is starting a fire.

I cannot say I have ever used or seen it used to (much) effect other than marking or getting attention of players across a field. I have experienced getting overshot like a mofo because the people blind firing into it had no idea they were lighting me up that way....

All said, I think it is fun and adds another level to a good scenario or woodsball game.

[Meleager7]

Yep, all good, we can buy Enola Gaye Grenades from them for the game....

[glaman5266]

If the person using it knows what they’re doing (checks wind direction, etc.) and you use a quality grenade (or two if they’re iffy/cheap) they definitely can be useful. It also depends on the situation and field layout.

I don’t advise this, as it’s hard on the lungs, but you can also use them for flushing out bunkers. I’ve seen people follow the tank & when they get to a bunker with a bunch of people in it drop a smoke in it. Again, I don’t advise it, but I can say that it definitely works, lol. Still definitely better/safer to use a rocket launcher.

[morpheus]

Smoke grenades can be highly effective when used properly. They can conceal your movements, distract the enemy, and mark an area for support when in communication with command or other units. I would say grab a couple and stick them in your vest you will not regret it. I can't tell you how many times I have ran out on the field with just smokes to help conceal the advance of an assault. They can be a big force multiplier

[Toestr]

You'll need to throw at least 2 regular size Enola Gaye smoke grenades for an effective screen.

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[Trbo323]

Useful

Especially for big games. When used right they can prevent the other team from seeing your movements. When your have a dozen barrels pointed towards you, one second of hesitation because they can't see your initial movement can easily make the difference between making that next bunker and not

A few tips

1) don't get the super small ones, they just don't put off enough smoke. They are made to be cheap

2) dark colors are better, the lighter ones you can sometimes still see through. Purple is your friend

3) don't cover your own shooting lane. Smoke is best for moving, but if you need to shoot while moving be sure to throw the smoke somewhere where it will block sight lines to you but still allow you to shoot a particular line or bunker

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[ford]

Hate to be that guy, but I HATE smoke in paintball games.

1. Rarely does the thrower actually get it where they want it to go
2. It usually lands next to me, their teammate and gasses me out for 3-5 minutes
3. I used to volunteer fire fight so I have to point out they can be a fire hazard
4. See 1 and 2

[flyweightnate]

I've seen fields that, to mitigate the fire risk, make you give them to a ref who will place them for you. Not the worst idea.

Maybe grab a GVS Elipse P100 to wear if you're planning to be around a lot of smoke. I use mine for woodworking and painting, and it's very effective at filtering oily particulate without making it hard to breathe. I could probably run a mile in mine.

[DocsMachine]

I threw one once during a winter game. Landed in soft snow, so the end result was a small hole through which about a cigarette's worth of smoke trickled out.

Not the worst five bucks I ever spent, but close to it.

Doc.