The Inside Out Game

The Inside Out game is the default strategy of most defensively oriented teams. It can also be a very effective tactic for any team. Conceptually the Inside Out game is a low risk, lane control, rotation denial strategy that follows up the initial breakout with staged bumps to secondaries accompanied by moves from further inside--out. For example, (using the PSP NJ layout) the widest player OTB on the pitside takes the MT. Two players remain at Home. When the MT player makes his next rotation--to the pin, the corner or the MD feeding the snake--one of the Home players fills the spot in the MT. (And if the gameplan dictates or circumstances allow when that player moves the remaining Home player may also fill the MT.) In this way the movement risk is lowered and the key lanes maintained. There are of course also various options that can be played out from the Inside Out formation like delayed breaks to the corners, etc. but those alter the risk involved. So one aspect of the Inside Out game is about player positioning and sequential and matching rotations to work players into outside positions. The other standard characteristic of the Inside Out game is the basic shooting lanes, which are also typically inside out, as the goal is to deny the opponent wide positions OTB and an Inside Out breakout permits 5 guns up laning. (And, if one or more opponent is eliminated OTB the Inside Out configuration can easily transition into offense with attacks up the center that cut down angles & distances in order to keep remaining opponents contained. It is in the transitions, and the time it takes a team to react, that you can see whether a team is defensive or offensive in their orientation. (And in the pro game every team will opt for the offensive transition but one of the distinctions between pro teams is how quickly and universally a team will effect the transition.) The object of the Inside Out game is to limit risk, control wide rotations by the opponent, get eliminations OTB & take early control of the field with the intention of progressively building on that foundation to get wide and/or work upfield and consolidate the initial advantage with superior angles as the mid-game transitions into the end game.

Okay, but what can you to do counter a team playing Inside Out? Or, what are the risks of playing Inside Out?

There are 3 basic counters to the Inside Out game; get wide, mirror the breakout or press a strong center attack. Inside Out's effectiveness is typically a direct corallary to how effectively it keeps an opponent from getting wide. Once the opponent is wide Inside Out becomes a disadvantage as it cedes all the best angles to the wide players who in turn play to contain and fix the positions of the team playing Inside Out. (This still devolves into gunfights initially but wide guns also make it easier for the opposition to push the wires too.) If the Inside Out team gives up the wires too easily it's time to switch tactics. A mirrored breakout ought to be self-explanatory. (If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.) And the strong center attack hits the Inside Out team where they are weakest as the basic strategy is to stay inside and shoot wide. A center attack is relatively easy to execute--or at least move players into position--and then its effectiveness depends on the element of surprise and the boldness of the attackers. Of the counter options getting wide is best--if it can be accomplished.

Conversely the risks of playing Inside Out are ineffective lanes OTB, ie; letting your opponent get wide early, being unprepared for a center attack and weak gunfighting skills and/or edge control. No tactic or strategy can overcome poor individual play and inferior skills. Playing Inside Out is a good option to have available but no single strategy is always going to be a winner.

Next time; Kaos Theory: How & Why Pure Offense Works. (Yes, I know I spelled "kaos" wrong.)

2011 NCPA Championship Layout

I expect this weekend's competitors to enjoy playing this layout as it delivers all the virtues of "traditional" xball style play. This time around VFTD will focus on diversifying your breakouts and finding creative ways of responding to your opponents OTB.

Beginning with the (orange) OTB lanes from Home it appears at first glance that lots of potentially effective options exist. On the D-wire they do not and it may be worse depending on the relative position(s) of the 40 Can & the Pin closest to the A given that the best OTB lane for denying the corner or the wire has only a narrow window between the Pin and the Can. The other wide lane controls the bump to the 40 SD. The interior lanes are less useful unless your opponent is consistently trying to camp in one of the (green) zones and contest the Home shooter or a mirror opponent. And focusing on the wide lane OTB concedes the first MD and the upfield MT. Complicating the Home laning decision is the spacing between D1 (wire MD) & the corner Temple. (See blue rectangle.) The upfield distance between the 2 bunkers forces the Home shooter to choose an elevation aimed at shooting either a corner runner or a D1 runner but not both. The result offers enough options on the D-wire breakout to keep the laners guessing; the majority will try to contain movement wide and most of the breakouts on the D-wire will play short early.

The snake side lanes OTB are more numerous than the D-wire but present a similar choice. The best basic lane goes between the MT & the Brick and between the (same) MT & the corner TCK. This lane is also dependent on the placement of midfield bunkers. It is a higher value lane (See blue oval) because the MT & TCK are more closely related allowing a laner to shoot either a corner runner or a Snake or Brick runner with a well placed lane. The (blue) arrow indicates an alternate running lane to the Brick/Snake that will help "widen" the gap and potentially force the lane shooter to make a lane choice. (To enhance the width [distance] of the runners gap have corner runners run deep on the baseline as it forces a more severe elevation change from the laner and will increase the chances for all your snake side runners.)

Note the third shooter stacked at Home. I suspect many teams will fail to consistently try to suppress the Home shooters OTB and if that is the case there is no reason not to periodically keep an extra gun Home. This shooter can create numerical mismatches and/or double up on lanes by standing back behind the Home T in a stacked position. (Teams can make the mistake of getting those "extra" shooters trapped on occasion and the key to keeping them alive and effective is to focus on a specific lane and target. Once an opponent has moved thru the targeted lane it's time to get out of the Home bunker.)

Another opportunity OTB exists for teams (& players) who can execute it effectively and that is the guns up hesitation or delay using 'dead zones' or spots you know are blocked to other angles. OTB your primary concern is the Home shooter. The green & purple rectangles indicate general areas a player will be able to use. The idea is twofold. In one situation a player steps off the board and is looking to edge the Home shooter before making his/her primary move. In the second situation the delay is aimed at finding alternative lanes or gaps or zones through which the player might engage and eliminate and opponent on the move. If you can find a spot protected from the Home shooter that gives you an unobstructed lane on a corner runner for example. (It is also possible to use delay point like the ones diagrammed to shoot crossfield lanes but entails extra risk for the shooter.) The delay or hesitation also allows a player options in determining his/her follow up movement. If for example, the delay allows a player to shoot the opponents wide runner that may leave a different, better position immediately available to take as the follow up primary.

Finally the two colored rectangles up the middle of the field indicate there is potential value in playing the A or the CK (xbox) before it. On the D-wire it's possible to use an interior running lane to attempt an aggressive primary or X-side/xbox primary. Not as effective in terms of open lanes and clear angles most teams will play the D-wire as their weakside (2 players that way and three to the snake side) that an early elimination can be exploited.

Campaign Cup '09 OTB

Assume the usual disclaimer and also assume that any lane suggested may, if appropriate, be more accurately observed as a zone and shouldn't be viewed as limited to the simple line used to demonstrate approximate location.

A--lanes represent a snake side home shooter and offer three distinct options though the widest, A, is most easily accomplished tight up on the home bunker. A1 is the most utilitarian of the options and should be considered the primary snake side lane. Any set of clearly defined lanes however offer the possibility of a shooter putting up two clean lanes of fire. (DO NOT try two lane shooting unless you are already a very good laner to begin with. Even then it must be practiced and evaluated honestly. I only mention it because it is possible to shoot two lanes to effect but it is a rare skill I do not often recommend. More on this with the B lanes.)

B--D-side home shooter also has 3 clearly defined lanes available and the spacing of those lanes is far more conducive to two lane shooting otb. Here's how it works (if you were to try it.) On the horn sweep the gun up into lane B just long enough to see a handful of paintballs on your lane--at about this time the first runner will be moving thru that lane or just past it--at which time you sweep your gun into the next lane. You will often choose this next lane by the position of the first runner; deep or tight. Deep is a likely corner runner while closer to the bunkers suggests a more upfield primary. The obstacles in two lane shooting is you have to put up two effective lanes of paint in very short order. Too little time committed to the first one and it's pointless but too much time committed means no chance of getting multiple balls through the wide lane in advance of the runner. If you can do it it will be particularly useful on the D-side of this field.

All the remaining positions expose the shooter to some additional risk except G. And all the remaining positions can be accomplished running & gunning. That stated, each position can, on average, be more effectively shot as a hesitation or dead zone lane.

C--is "hiding" from a home shooter and actual position will depend on physical placement of the actual bunkers as the degree of cover is minimal. The wide lane offers only marginal help in controlling the snake as it will only be available in the seconds immediately preceding the breakout. The inner lane, C1, offers some unique options however. It may be used as a change-up from a wide runner or as a trailing gun or even off the delay. The object is lane paint into the pin zone and then hesitate using your pin to block the opponent's home. You can now edge home off his lane (A1). Keep in mind an uncontested corner runner will be able to quickly wrap.

D--like C there is some risk from the home shooter if you aren't careful. The virtue of D is that it offers an excellent crossfield shot along with an equally excellent lane inside the the D-side doritos that can be used after showing the opposition a wide runner stance prior to the breakout.

E--is a variant on D that assumes the opponent will stop at the can (or MT) shooting wide. The object here is to be able to turn in on the opponent's edge and catch the player off guard.

F--is either an R&G or a delay as it is otherwise too exposed. As a delay (assuming a corner opponent) it offers the option of edging the home shooter using the MT. The only alternative is if a player were R&G'ing the corner but held up due to an obvious wide lane being shot from home. In this case the player must first lane the outer edges of the can and MT and then quickly try and edge home of the lane or reverse direction.

G--offers a terrific crossfield lane on a snake runner but also offers a reasonably solid position from which to contain snake movement and activity given that the pin placement allows the player some freedom of movement.

As always if there is a specific question about any of this don't hesitate to post it up in comments. Otherwise I'll be following this post up with another on the Campaign layout discussing tactical options and the field imbalances you might be able to take advantage of.