Playing the Game: HB '09

Hit the title link for an overview and two 3-D views of the field layout courtesy of the USPL.

Aight, here's how this is gonna work. (Assuming it works at all.) I'm gonna describe a breakout, with a couple of options, and explain how and why. (This breakout, btw, with some minor variations, was used by virtually all the pro teams one time or another. And if that wasn't enough this post includes a bonus feature!

At the sound of the horn (buzzer, whistle or croaky ref) 3 players focus on the d-side of the field. One player remains back center to shoot either over the inside MD at the stubby can or wide at a corner or temple runner off the break. Of the other two one goes low into the MD and the other either breaks for the corner, the temple or gun up into the stubby can. The stubby is focused on the center of the field zone and/or players filling the can and MT snake-side.
On the snake side a player either fills the corner or takes the snake off the break. The snake run can be to snake one, two or three. A home shooter lanes for a snake runner most of the time. The two remaining snake side players either double the can or fill the can and the MT. In either case the initial lanes allow the inside can player to zone the center of the field to the dorito wire while the outside can edge either doubles up on the snake or lanes for the corner and in either case can sweep paint back into the small dorito.
There are optional primaries on both sides of the field that, mixed with options on the timing for filling spots, offer enough variation to keep the opposition guessing and the plan flexible enough to vary from the conservative to the all out balls to the wall breakout.
This basic break allows a team to respond to the changing game by filtering players heavily into the snake or upfield through the center while simultaneously shifting d-side players either up or over as well.

Since you've patiently read the rest of this post here's your bonus feature–you did read the whole thing, didn't you? Playing the corner. (In 7-man the dorito wire corner is particularly under played.) The typical corner player is doing one of three things: working the inside of the field from the inside edge of the bunker, looking to make a bump upfield or suppress his/her mirror on the wire. (I know a handful of girls play serious paintball but does that really mean I have to write silly things like his/her?) While there is nothing wrong, and a few things right, about those choices they are too limited. Oftentimes the dorito corner does not have the same wire control demands the snake side does which frees the player up to operate like a gun turret. Ideally you want to wrap the prop most of time and constantly pound paint around the whole field. (Seriously, 9 or 10 pods worth in a standard 7 minute 7-man game.) With a bit of proper field-walking the corner player will invariably discover lots lanes and spots to shoot. And bringing that rain of paint to bear will confuse the opposition and help free up your teammates.