The Breakout: Part 3/3

By Graham Arnold
Part 3/3

Executing the Breakout

“Shoot-shoot-shoot, kill-kill-kill, win-win-win”. The Ironmen had it right with their pre-game chant. If you are not shooting your paintball gun you cannot eliminate you opponent. Seems obvious enough, but many teams do not follow this principle. They often have only a few players laning and the rest running. Every player should be shooting off the break. This is where all those hours of running and gunning drills bear fruit. Becoming proficient at running and gunning can raise your breakout to a whole new level. It is simple probability. More people shooting off the break = more paintballs in the air. More paintballs in the air = an increased chance of eliminating opponents. More opponents eliminated = a greater chance at victory. The point of paintball is to win…right? Another result of shooting off the break is containing your opponent. Even if you don’t eliminate your opponent you can force him/her to improvise in order to escape the rain of paint bearing down on them. This dominance can trap your opponent in the middle of the field, leaving them in a dire situation. There are no downsides to shooting off the break. If you are able to safely make your positions why not run and shoot? If you cannot make the position while running and shooting then practice, practice, practice. Running with your gun down should be a last resort. Limit these instances as much as possible! Use your guns to control the breakout, and ultimately control the game.
With sideline coaching in the RaceTo format, lining up in a nondescript formation is also a necessity to achieve maximum confusion of your opponents. Line up the same way every time. Even while executing a snake run, line up as if you are going to run and shoot. This may be awkward at first, trust me, but with practice it will become more natural and fluid. Angle Fragoza of Dynasty, one of the most prolific snake players in paintball, is a prime example of this technique. Watch his breakouts and you can this technique in action. This simple change in breakout execution can give you a must needed edge over your opponents.

Conclusion

It is critical that the importance of the breakout is understood. Whether you are investing thousands of dollars into playing a national event, or are just playing in a local tournament, nobody wants their investment to go down the drain in a matter of seconds. A properly planned and executed breakout will increase chances of victory significantly. Consistent “victory” in the first eight seconds of the game can directly translate into victory on a larger scale, in the form of championships and glory. Plan your breakout, practice your breakout, execute your breakout, and win. It as simple as that.