3 to 5 man transition

[gimp]

Well, I usually play 3 on 3, but now I'm on a 5 man team. I'm not used to it at all. Any tips? I've learned pretty well so far, but I want to hear what people have to say. Pretend I've never played 5 man before in my life.

[slayer]

hey gimp, I was up at first prize this saturday night with the Union paintball "club". When and where do you guys play?

[prikkaboo]

to elaborate on his question, could people also give tips on three man as well as five? i live on one island of hawaii, where paintball is reallly a small thing, and the tourneys are just like messing around, but we're starting to play in off island tournies. next year we'll be playing in a five man and three man so i was wondering if you guys could give some pointers and ideas as to tactics and the like.

[gimp]

I played at first prize on sunday, with the RPI paintball club. We'll have to play there some time.

[TrevorSkoal]

gimp
From my personal experience playing three's and fives I have found that in five you can go for a little more right off the break and set up moves during the games that you can't with just three people. Such as sending a guy into the "50" off the break or bunkering a player out of a cherry bunker early in the game. The reason I say that in five man games you can take more risks is that if you lose one player it is not nearly as bad as it would be in a three man game. The lanes can still be covered as long as you get everyone zoned up right. My advice would be to see where you fit into your team ie front middle back tape hold player ...... and then focus on the individual goals for the position in realation to what the rest of the team is doing as well. For instance on the five man team I play for I play a "float" position. Depending on the field I will most likely sweet spot off the break and walk myself to a bunker or run into a back bunker quickly and post up on a cherry bunker. After that I make sure the communication is up and make sure that I get all of our teams guns zoned up correctly depending upon where the other team is. From that position I will make the calls to move people and float into the middle or front on a tape line. I hope this helps.

Johnny Mo PFB

[jas142]

I've got the exact opposite, i'm transitioning down to a 3 man so we can keep better organized, cut costs, and all attend practices. Any suggestions for playing 3 man novice?

[TrevorSkoal]

I hope I am helping out in fact if anyone disagrees with me I would love to hear their opinions.

How I play 3 man ball is very simple. The way I usually play three man ball starts with a read of the field. I will find the one position that my team needs to have to win games, ex a crack pipe on the fifty of a hyperball field. We then figure out the best way to get our front man into it, whether it's sending him in off the break (safely) or putting him into a transition bunker that we can move him from easily. The way we go about doing this is by making sure that the other two players are gun up off the break and most likely trying to shoot the people trying to shoot him. Provided we get that player in safely we (the two back players) will try and spread out to the tapes getting only as far up the field as we can be but still able to cover the important lanes ( basically not up front getting slammed on.) We zone up to protect the front player and communicate to him about where the other players are and where they are shooting from in the bunkers and which way they are looking. As soon as we get one dink both of us back players will try to move up in unison and spread across the field to heat it up and open up more angles. Kepping guns and communication up usually three guns can beat up on two guns as long as you play it smart. Which usually ends up with the opposing teams back player getting bunkered. Thats kind of more specific towards your speedball fields then I wanted to be but I thought I would share what has worked best for my team and I.

Johnny Mo PFB