up front?
- Thread starter SkaBoss
- Start date
How far?
My rule of thumb for playing cold is "How far do you think you can run in 3-5 seconds?" If you think you can make the 50 in 5 seconds, dude, go for it.
-Tyger
My rule of thumb for playing cold is "How far do you think you can run in 3-5 seconds?" If you think you can make the 50 in 5 seconds, dude, go for it.
-Tyger
there are a few variables:
You must first assess:
1. How fast can your front players run?
2. What does the layout of the field suggest? More important than how far they run is where the most advantageous bunkers are, that is, which bunkers they can take which give them the best position to shoot and/or would be most important to keep out of the opposition's control. The most useful bunkers may not always be the glamourous down field runs that only Olympic sprinters can reach.
3. Can the bunkers be approached safely? Obviously you don't want your fronts running straight on a path that can be too easily sweetspotted, or their run is for nothing and to your loss rather than gain.
4. How well can your back players cover? The better they are at accurately and usefully (shooting the right people/places at the appropriate time) lay paint then the more your front players can take risks and get further up the field and/or into more critical bunkers.
5. How aggressive is the other team? You tailor your play to a certain extent to work against the strengths and weaknesses of your opponents: have your fronts form up in such a way as to either lure in overly aggressive teams and cut them to pieces as they shift around too much and overexpose themselves, minimize risk against sharp shooting teams that like to sweetspot too much for comfort, or bulldoze teams that may be intimidated by swift assault.
Practice not only your runs and your bunker play, but your field walking, decision making, and planning. Skill alone does not make success.
You must first assess:
1. How fast can your front players run?
2. What does the layout of the field suggest? More important than how far they run is where the most advantageous bunkers are, that is, which bunkers they can take which give them the best position to shoot and/or would be most important to keep out of the opposition's control. The most useful bunkers may not always be the glamourous down field runs that only Olympic sprinters can reach.
3. Can the bunkers be approached safely? Obviously you don't want your fronts running straight on a path that can be too easily sweetspotted, or their run is for nothing and to your loss rather than gain.
4. How well can your back players cover? The better they are at accurately and usefully (shooting the right people/places at the appropriate time) lay paint then the more your front players can take risks and get further up the field and/or into more critical bunkers.
5. How aggressive is the other team? You tailor your play to a certain extent to work against the strengths and weaknesses of your opponents: have your fronts form up in such a way as to either lure in overly aggressive teams and cut them to pieces as they shift around too much and overexpose themselves, minimize risk against sharp shooting teams that like to sweetspot too much for comfort, or bulldoze teams that may be intimidated by swift assault.
Practice not only your runs and your bunker play, but your field walking, decision making, and planning. Skill alone does not make success.
Eric Felix wrote a good article about walkin' the fields as a front guy, a while back. He went on about walking the exact path you're going to be running in the game. Look to see all the huge openings you'll have to run through, trying to make sure you don't get sweet-potted, and just plain seein' who has shots on you on your run. Tyger there also wrote one I remember about his three to five second rule. Like he said, depending on the size of the field, of course, you have to factor in paintball flight time and human reaction time. It does take a bit for the paint to arrive, but if your opponents are good, they'll sweet-spot well ahead of you causing you to have to run through the rain. The human reaction time really doesn't count much off the break, the sweet-spotters basically turn and shoot down their firing lane while you're still running. I agree with Tyger, on a regular five man sized field, you should have about that much time to get behind something before they line up on you, so it ultimately depends on your guys' speed. By the way, to clarify, Tygers human reaction time thing I was referring to was more for making a move after you had already made your primary. I don't think he included that in a breakout situation. Didja' Tyger? I'm going to quit talking for you now, Buddy, I'm going to bed! Good night all 
(yawn).
(yawn).
Clarifications
As for the break, I've seen guys who can make it to the 50 on the break, even with all the shooting going on. It's a matter of knowing your surface, knowing your limits, knowing the people behind you, knowing their limits, all that.
However, food for thought, at Skyball this year the PUMP PLAYERS had people reching the 50 EVERY GAME. Barely any supporting fire, just people who could hustle. And, in at least 3 of those games, we took our shre of guys, thank you large. Enough NOT to finish last.
-Tyger
Not really, but in a breakout situation I also assume a few things are happening as well. Like your back players are doing suppressive fire at the same time. I also assume that the front player is doing other stuff, like bobbing and weaving.
As for the break, I've seen guys who can make it to the 50 on the break, even with all the shooting going on. It's a matter of knowing your surface, knowing your limits, knowing the people behind you, knowing their limits, all that.
However, food for thought, at Skyball this year the PUMP PLAYERS had people reching the 50 EVERY GAME. Barely any supporting fire, just people who could hustle. And, in at least 3 of those games, we took our shre of guys, thank you large. Enough NOT to finish last.
-Tyger
Thank you for straightening that out Tyger. I slowly realized last night that I was blending different things you had written, and was hoping you would fix it for me. Thank you .
.
No problem. You can get bombed with information and it kinda chunks in your head. That's cool, as long as you can ut it together in the field.
-Tyg
-Tyg
Ive always thought the front runners would move together? Pick a point and all try and get to it (along a line of course).
i wouldnt know cos my front line experience has been little cos im a fat git.
i wouldnt know cos my front line experience has been little cos im a fat git.