| How important is the front middleman? Or | | | | with one stone"? Here is what you can do. |
| better yet, how effective can he be? In the | | | | First set yourself on the bunker in the |
| years that I have played paintball I have | | | | center of the bunker. Position yourself so |
| played all the positions on the field. The | | | | that you could shoot off either side but you |
| Middle Front is the most exciting. Many times | | | | still are out of the fire lines. Basically |
| the job of the middleman is to sprint to the | | | | set yourself just inside of the two angles |
| flag station off the break and pull that | | | | that the balls are coming from. What you do |
| flag. Often times if he succeeds, then his | | | | now is snap shoot with the Right Tape for 5 |
| job has been done. There is only one flag | | | | seconds. Then switch to the Left Tape for 5 |
| pull in each game! | | | | seconds. Then repeat until you out shoot one |
| | | | of them. Do you see what you are doing at |
| One trick we have learned to help keep our | | | | this point? |
| middleman alive as he breaks for the flag is | | | | |
| this: When the back players are breaking they | | | | You are keeping 2 of their players busy at |
| have the opportunity to see where the other | | | | the same time. They both think you are only |
| team is breaking to, and one code we use to | | | | shooting at them. Which means when you are |
| warn the middleman (lets call him the Flag | | | | snap shooting with the Right Tape, the Left |
| Runner since he is breaking for the flag) is | | | | Tape is waiting on you to come back out and |
| "FLAG, FLAG, FLAG!" When a player from our | | | | vice versa. Hence, "Killing two birds with |
| team yells "FLAG, FLAG, FLAG!" that lets the | | | | one stone". This will free up one or maybe |
| Flag Runner know that he is going to have | | | | two of your teammates to move. Just be |
| company a player from the other team is | | | | careful- remember that when you switch that |
| breaking for the flag too. With this | | | | player is waiting on you. You might even |
| information our runner can decide what | | | | catch him off guard if he got impatient and |
| measures he needs to take to protect him-self | | | | started to shoot at another one or your |
| from this threat. Often the other team's Flag | | | | teammates! |
| Runner doesn't even know that our Flag Runner | | | | |
| is there, which gives him the advantage. When | | | | "Warning" do not get tunnel vision while |
| the other player is worrying about getting | | | | playing in the Center. That is the best way |
| the pull he is not expecting a barrel to pop | | | | to get bunkered! I remember one five man game |
| over and paint him! | | | | we lost. The count was three us against four |
| | | | them. We had a player in midfield center |
| So, you made it and possess the "flag". You | | | | position. We had a player in our Back Left |
| have done what was expected of you. Now what? | | | | and we had a player in our Back Center. Our |
| Likely, if you don't find yourself in the | | | | Back Left player couldn't see a thing on the |
| dead box shortly after you pull the flag, you | | | | Left Tape so he was pounding the Right Tape. |
| find yourself bombarded with paintballs. | | | | Our Back Center was worried about their Back |
| Don't panic! Remember you did your job. Now | | | | Right and Back Center. Our Mid Center man was |
| it's time to get tight and communicate. Ask | | | | posted up on their Right Mid Tape. Can you |
| or listen for the locations of the opponents. | | | | guess what happened? An opponent made his way |
| It wouldn't hurt to just sit there for a few | | | | up the left tape and bunkered our Mid Center |
| seconds to let the opponent find some one | | | | and Back Center Players, Leaving three on |
| else to shoot at. Don't think of moving at | | | | one. Game Over! |
| this point. A lateral move would be unwise. | | | | |
| Actually, you are as far up the field as you | | | | If only one of our center players had |
| can go until a push is possible. | | | | resisted the "Tunnel Vision" that posting up |
| | | | on someone creates, (posting up is very |
| Let's sit back and look at your situation. | | | | effective as long as you are not in the hole |
| You are as far up front as you can be and you | | | | or you know that the whole field is covered) |
| are in the middle. You are the opponent's | | | | if our Back Left player had thought to |
| biggest threat right now and you haven't even | | | | communicate that he had the Right Tape and |
| pulled the trigger. Chances are you are | | | | some one needed to cover the Left Tape, the |
| getting it from both sides. Shots from their | | | | bunkering would not have happened. |
| Right Tape, Shots From the Left Tape. Most | | | | |
| likely it's not their Backmen, they are too | | | | The moral to the story is that a Center |
| worried about your team members on the right | | | | player can support and free up his/ her team |
| and left tape! | | | | member very effectively as long as they work |
| | | | off of both sides. |
| Ever hear of the saying "killing two birds | | | | |