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PSP Chicago 2013: The Layout
Aight, kids. Just a few observations--and not about how to play this layout. Instead something slightly more philosophical in nature. But first I would be remiss if I didn't mention the glaringly obvious that once again the PSP and MS [London event] are sharing nearly identical layouts given that there are some bunker variations and field dimension differences between the leagues. Is this Sup'Air's passive aggressive attempt (as has been suggested before) of creating a defacto World Standard in design or is everyone just out of ideas and feeling lazy lately? You decide.
So far 2013 is turning out to be the 'Where's Home' season as this will be the third tournament in a row without a back center prop. (Okay, MAO had a CK twenty feet up the centerline but still ..) You may recall there was much gnashing of teeth and wringing of hands after Cup last year as the capper to a season that trended toward slow play. And there was some (quasi-?) (semi-?) (pseudo-?) serious talk about what to do to pick up the game pace with Sup'Air posting some sample layouts with added props--whose impact was easily debunked--along with suggesting a return to the original 150 foot field length. And so on. Apparently someone also suggesting removing the Home bunker altogether and everybody raised their hand. (I didn't get that memo.)
Unfortunately the Chicago layout also carries over a number of issues that will help thwart the effort to speed up game play; like wire 50s that fail to deliver kills but are spaced to encourage bunker runs (with the likely result that players and teams that don't want to run their opponents down will resist pushing those 50s.) Also the midfield props may or may not prove effective lane blockers but they certainly complicate the effort to play across field except for the lanes we've become used to: the lanes teams are using to slow play.
Now I'ma surprise y'all a little bit--this field still has potential for some fast action, train-wreck paintball--not that I'm confident we'll see any you understand--but it's possible and this is where the PSP's dilemma really exists. It's possible but (almost) nobody is prepared to risk it and as long as teams win slow playing much of their matches and are constantly playing against the magic +/- 3 points (teams almost never overcome a 3 point deficit) and missing or making Sunday based on point differentials we are unlikely to see any significant moves towards fun, fast, aggressive styles of play.
PSP Chicago 2013: The Layout
Aight, kids. Just a few observations--and not about how to play this layout. Instead something slightly more philosophical in nature. But first I would be remiss if I didn't mention the glaringly obvious that once again the PSP and MS [London event] are sharing nearly identical layouts given that there are some bunker variations and field dimension differences between the leagues. Is this Sup'Air's passive aggressive attempt (as has been suggested before) of creating a defacto World Standard in design or is everyone just out of ideas and feeling lazy lately? You decide.
Unfortunately the Chicago layout also carries over a number of issues that will help thwart the effort to speed up game play; like wire 50s that fail to deliver kills but are spaced to encourage bunker runs (with the likely result that players and teams that don't want to run their opponents down will resist pushing those 50s.) Also the midfield props may or may not prove effective lane blockers but they certainly complicate the effort to play across field except for the lanes we've become used to: the lanes teams are using to slow play.
Now I'ma surprise y'all a little bit--this field still has potential for some fast action, train-wreck paintball--not that I'm confident we'll see any you understand--but it's possible and this is where the PSP's dilemma really exists. It's possible but (almost) nobody is prepared to risk it and as long as teams win slow playing much of their matches and are constantly playing against the magic +/- 3 points (teams almost never overcome a 3 point deficit) and missing or making Sunday based on point differentials we are unlikely to see any significant moves towards fun, fast, aggressive styles of play.