



Thank God the MS did not choose such a layout for M500 - it would have been a disaster



D side is near to impossible to push early, with the D side can just rolling his gun in the gap outside the SD all game (15 pods/Dave Bains kind of bunker)..... with one exception (covered below).



It compounds the trouble, that D2 is close to impossible to make OTB with any regularity, because back centre, inside D and Can, can all shoot it OTB.



The exception to not being able to push D side early, is if you make the corner - the most important bunker on the field.... I'll cover it in detail later.



Another thing about this layout is, that it actually has an inside line you can push (if the opponents are not in the D corner)... from the W to the 60 inside D, is an easy bump if you time it right.... Can is looking outside and back centre has a very small gap to shoot that run, and you can play the outside of that bunker all day, as long as nobody is outside SD.



Now, with the corner maya in play, it all changes. - You can't play that inside move, because you can't play the outside of the D.... He doesn't even have to guard the move, he can play outside, and once you make your move, he wraps and you are dead.



The corner has other virtues:



- it looks like you can bounce into the D side Can (SDs are usually pumped up hard, because they are small bunkers), and open up the field on that side.



- it's possible to bump straight to D2, or even the first warrio, if you do a curved run towards D2, and cut and dive into the first warrio.



- It's the only bunker that can keep the opponents from being in your D2 fast, once they get into the warrios.



As said - the most important bunker on the field.... and I expect to see a lot of teams sending their fastest D fronts, on a run for the corner often.



Teams will have to dedicate minimum 2 guns D side OTB, to prevent that corner run - and if the opponents counter that with sending another runner to D2, so he can dive under the long lanes, they will need to dedicate a 3rd gun to shooting the short lane (you will see some fast shifting around in the base, when the opponents line up 2 fast fronts on the D side )



Key to the D side, is denying them the corner.



Snake side is easy to push, until you get to S3 - and then you are stuck. because both S side Can and Maya can completely murder the gap to the 50 or past it, without anyone with an angle to stop them dominating the snake front..... and an inside move is not really an option either, because it's in the same gap.



You don't really have any obvious kills from S3, so yeah, time for 1 on 1 gunfighting, to see which team wins S side.



Expect teams to field their best gunfighters snake side - not necessarily their fastest runners.... it's a Fedorov kind of snake.... mano a mano, best technical skills win.



The W doesn't have a lot of obvious kills over the top on this layout.... it's not as effective as the first 2 events in that sense.... there is a sneaky shot on the S corner for tall players, if the S corner is playing tall and loose.... but that is pretty much it, unless people play really untight.



All in all, I think it is a very defensive layout, and as said up top, I expect a lot of drawn out points.



- Rules question.... in the current NXL rulebook, does it say an elimination is a direct hit - or does it actually allow for bounce shots? - I know the refs don't know 9 out of 10 times it happens on field - but I'd like to know if it is actually a valid elimination, according to the rules? - It used to not be in Xball.



- Technical note, for the Ds on this layout, it will be very important how inflated they are... if it is sunny and they are over-inflated, you can play half way under a D, and make the inside Ds a lot more survivable (while making the SDs a lot more bouncy ). Very heavy back line on this one, expect long points when the good teams play.Thank God the MS did not choose such a layout for M500 - it would have been a disasterD side is near to impossible to push early, with the D side can just rolling his gun in the gap outside the SD all game (15 pods/Dave Bains kind of bunker)..... with one exception (covered below).It compounds the trouble, that D2 is close to impossible to make OTB with any regularity, because back centre, inside D and Can, can all shoot it OTB.The exception to not being able to push D side early, is if you make the corner - the most important bunker on the field.... I'll cover it in detail later.Another thing about this layout is, that it actually has an inside line you can push (if the opponents are not in the D corner)... from the W to the 60 inside D, is an easy bump if you time it right.... Can is looking outside and back centre has a very small gap to shoot that run, and you can play the outside of that bunker all day, as long as nobody is outside SD.Now, with the corner maya in play, it all changes. - You can't play that inside move, because you can't play the outside of the D.... He doesn't even have to guard the move, he can play outside, and once you make your move, he wraps and you are dead.The corner has other virtues:- it looks like you can bounce into the D side Can (SDs are usually pumped up hard, because they are small bunkers), and open up the field on that side.- it's possible to bump straight to D2, or even the first warrio, if you do a curved run towards D2, and cut and dive into the first warrio.- It's the only bunker that can keep the opponents from being in your D2 fast, once they get into the warrios.As said - the most important bunker on the field.... and I expect to see a lot of teams sending their fastest D fronts, on a run for the corner often.Teams will have to dedicate minimum 2 guns D side OTB, to prevent that corner run - and if the opponents counter that with sending another runner to D2, so he can dive under the long lanes, they will need to dedicate a 3rd gun to shooting the short lane (you will see some fast shifting around in the base, when the opponents line up 2 fast fronts on the D sideKey to the D side, is denying them the corner.Snake side is easy to push, until you get to S3 - and then you are stuck. because both S side Can and Maya can completely murder the gap to the 50 or past it, without anyone with an angle to stop them dominating the snake front..... and an inside move is not really an option either, because it's in the same gap.You don't really have any obvious kills from S3, so yeah, time for 1 on 1 gunfighting, to see which team wins S side.Expect teams to field their best gunfighters snake side - not necessarily their fastest runners.... it's a Fedorov kind of snake.... mano a mano, best technical skills win.The W doesn't have a lot of obvious kills over the top on this layout.... it's not as effective as the first 2 events in that sense.... there is a sneaky shot on the S corner for tall players, if the S corner is playing tall and loose.... but that is pretty much it, unless people play really untight.All in all, I think it is a very defensive layout, and as said up top, I expect a lot of drawn out points.- Rules question.... in the current NXL rulebook, does it say an elimination is a direct hit - or does it actually allow for bounce shots? - I know the refs don't know 9 out of 10 times it happens on field - but I'd like to know if it is actually a valid elimination, according to the rules? - It used to not be in Xball.- Technical note, for the Ds on this layout, it will be very important how inflated they are... if it is sunny and they are over-inflated, you can play half way under a D, and make the inside Ds a lot more survivable (while making the SDs a lot more bouncy).

I'm brilliant!....... and modest (We miss you Paul) Self-proclaimed Yoda of paintball Voice of reason....... or I am high (on life?) __________________ Last edited by Nick Brockdorff : 06-09-2016 at 07:35 AM .