Breakout 101

 

Paintball is a sport that is really about the finesse of your movements. The breakout can be one of the hardest parts of the game because it can make or break your game plan. Having a good break out really means that you have taken advantage of all the "key" bunkers on the field right at the sound of the first buzzer, ideally making it there as a living player. Let us start with what a "key" bunker really is? Paintball is a game of angles; it is much easier to shoot a player from an angle than an in a straight line. If you are not 100% sure how to identify a key bunker, then be sure to read my article "Reading the field for dummies" where I help construct a field and help point out positions of importance. After planning where your players are going to go its time to figure out who plays what style and then send them to that zone of the field. Let us break down the play styles and what will work best for your break-out. A Back will be closest to the start gate and are also the backbone of a competitive paintball team. these guys are the firepower and voice of the team. A back players main goal is to unload pods and pods of paint right at the start of the game and be the voice of where the opposing teams’ players go or what the k/d count is. A typical breakout for a back player is them choosing a lane they think the opposing players are going to run through. easy right? well a good back player also keeps an eye on where the opposing team goes and relays that info to the rest of his team. back players have the luxury of keeping their head up right at the beginning of a game. Back players also tend to be some of the slower running players, so they typically do not cover a lot of ground off the break opting for the closest corners or the back-center bunkers while dropping pods of paint. The next level of player is the mid or insert player. An insert player is typically the balanced guy, not super-fast but not awfully slow. A back player will also be weighed down with pods, like a ton of pods. An insert player is used in two ways, they can help shoot off the break and add an extra lane of paint for opposing team to run through while moving past the back bunkers or they can put their heads down and take extra ground to get a better position for covering the front players. Mid players are the middle ground of communication from the back players to the front players. A mid player plays between the front most player and the rear most player, the name insert player is because if a front player is eliminated near them, they become the front player, but this also works in reverse, so if the back player is eliminated the mid insert player becomes the back player. Mid players must be aware of what is going on around them so they can be effective when they make it to their initial bunker. Insert players also have a huge responsibility to communicate between the front and back players, relaying as much info as possible. Mid players should have enough paint to cover their front, but not to much that they get weighed down. Next are the heroes of the field, the front player. Not everyone can be a front player on the start, but anyone can become a front player once the game is on. A front player is the most advanced player on the field, these guys try to get to the 50 (center of the field) asap! A front player will have limited visibility because they are concentrating on running to their position more than they are about shooting back (initially). Front players are typically aggressive and in some way’s expendable. a front player must know what lane they are running through, figure out where the other team is going to be shooting and trying to avoid all the paint coming their way. You will see front players try all sorts of different things to avoid the incoming paint, they will jump, slide, put a hand up in front of their mask, or cover their loaders to add a softer surface to the hard parts for a chance of a bounce. Front players are under the most stress at the start of a game because of the amount of ground they must take, but it is also one of the most rewarding positions for eliminating people. Front players do not need many pods, in all honesty they are not expected to survive the match. Some things to keep in mind: 1: Always get on the field as soon as possible, and line up however feels comfortable to you do not worry if the other team has people calling out your position that’s a strategy for another day 2: keep your head up as much as possible, paintballs are visible, and you can see if your about to run through a stream of paint and to your death. 3: Its ok to feel nervous before a match, part of paintball is a mental game just know your job and do it.

Stay frosty and have fun!