BillyMac Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 Hello My biggest enemy seems to be my stage planning. I only been competing a year but some stages are just plain intimidating to me. The smaller stages of course are easy , but give me a huge one with all kinda of angles and I'm Thoroughly confused. The more matches I go to will this be easier or do some of you have a mental check list ? Or any other tips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wav3rhythm Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 Always pick a simple plan that you can execute well. Here is what I do during walk through: 1. Figure out where all the targets are - don't forget a target. 2. Figure out where you have to go. 3. If you see a target from multiple shooting positions, always take the easy shot. 4. Figure out what order you want to shoot them in. 5. Run through the stage in your head 25 times before you step up to the line. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racnsoonr Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 Try to break it down in sections...clear a section and get to your next position while reloading on the go. Figure out your best general movement first, then section it off by roundcount and target availability Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hi-Power Jack Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 I have the same problem. I try to get there early, and spend as much time, alone, walking around behind the targets, to figure out how best to shoot them. Sometimes it takes me a half hour on one stage to figure it all out. One COF six years ago, I spent an hour, and still couldn't figure it out - targets visible only from certain locations, etc. Another, I thought I had it perfect - correct number of targets, and had it all scoped out. When I went to tape/paste - I found a target I didn't realize existed. Turns out I counted a single target as two, once from each of two different locations. A really huge help is that recently they're using netting for hard cover instead of things you can't see through. That really helps, a lot. Time and practice and experience are BIG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimitz Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 you must learn to visualize you stage plan prior to shooting . it's as important a skill tp learn as proper trigger control ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hankdiesel Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Match experience will help the most, but watch other more experienced shooters and see how they are breaking down and shooting a stage, choose a simple stage plan, if you watch most big name shooters they will shoot a stage strait up rather than try anything dangerous or tricky... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GunBugBit Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 I believe I'll get better at executing my plans for fancier stages as I get more experience. My brain works in such a way that coming up with a plan is the easier part; executing it exactly as I visualized it is more the challenge for me. Nerves and fatigue magnify the problem. The solution is simple: don't be nervous and don't be tired. I'll get right on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZinSC Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 1 - Make sure you know the correct round count. Don't ask your buddy, or squadmate, ask the CRO/RO, or consult the official WSB, not the one hanging on the stage, the one the CRO reads from ( if it's a major match ). There are times when the one hanging up doesn't match. 2 - Once you know the round count, find all the targets walking through the stage. Don't worry about reloads on first pass. 3 - While waiting in the conga line for your turn, watch the other shooters. See what their plans looks like. See where they are air gunning. At GA State last month i saw someone air gunning a spot and i thought "what's over there?" Turns out it was a target i hadn't seen. I was double counting a different one. 4 - Once you see where you're going to shoot all of the targets, start planning reloads. No standing reloads unless its unavoidable! 5 - Get your plan and stick to it. Visualize it when you're back waiting your turn. Walk through it a number of times. If you see somebody do something different and want to change your plan, make sure you have PLENTY of time to drill it into your head. Don't change a plan last minute, even if the new plan seems better. Not my quote, but it's relevant "better to execute a less than ideal plan flawlessly, than the perfect plan horribly"...or something like that. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 It'll get better with time. Know the round count and walk the stage to ensure you know where all the targets are (i'll walk behind the targets or well outside the shooting area to see everything at this point). Once I know they are all there and not hidden somewhere goofy, then go to the start position and see what you see. Most of the time you can knock out a few targets from the start position or close to it within a few steps. Then where is the next spot you can get to in order to shoot a couple? Small chunks at a time. Play to YOUR strengths. Can you shoot on the move well? if so, then try to work that in. If not, then figure out a way to get to a spot and shoot. Do you like moving to the left or the right better? some stages will give you options on where to start or if you start in the middle, you have to pick to move one way or the other. Once you THINK you know where all the targets are and where you will shoot, step out of the way and close your eyes. Visualize the stage in your mind and "watch" yourself moving to a certain part and shooting certain targets, moving somewhere else, etc. If you aren't sure where to go in your mind or you get lost, then go back to the actual stage and walk it again to burn in the plan. Before you shoot, you should be able to close your eyes and visualize every shot/movement/reload you will make and where. If you can go through it all in your mind then you won't have to hunt for targets on the clock. you just move and shoot. The more you do it the better you will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
my00wrx1 Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 (edited) Some great advice here. Being able to visualise your stage plan is the key once you have it worked out. As for working out a plan, I struggle sometimes when there 2 or more options on how to shoot it and I cannot work out which is more efficient. Knowing the time it takes you to perform each task required can help you here but this may be a more advanced skill. The worst ones I find though are those where there a lot of targets visible from multiple positions combined with tight angles or small fields of view. If in doubt, keep it simple - as was pointed out before an average plan well executed is often better than a great plan poorly executed. Do not go to the starting position with your stage plan unfinished or thinking you can work out a tricky part or which way to go when you get there - that's a half arsed plan and likely to end in a half arsed result. You can train to become quicker at working it out by limiting the time you allow yourself to work out a stage plan in practice or small matches. I also often talk to my squad mates about how they or I am going to shoot it, just don't interupt them when they are obviously concentrating on working their stage plan out or are about to shoot. Edited September 18, 2015 by my00wrx1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkCO Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 A few tidbits for you... Shooting tired, nervous, hungry, anxious, all bad. Match maturity helps, just shoot more matches. There is something called the cognitive stack. You need to figure out how many items you can have in your stack and break the stage down to not exceed that number. Grouping targets helps cut the number. In that vein, simple plans have less items and if you violate the first paragraph, the number in your stack decreases. Sometimes it helps to talk to the stage designer and figure out their tendencies. If those are your weaknesses, then set up those basic skills in dry fire. When shooting local matches, what is your goal? I could not care less about local match placement and so I use them to push myself, try risky plans, find my speedometer setting for various arrays. Shooting safe in locals will bite you when you go to majors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAFO Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Along the lines of having your plan burned in, if Mr. Murphy comes along and screws your plan (you had to dump a mag due to a jam, had several failures to fire, or just needed unplanned makeup shots), get back on it as soon as you can. When things to bad at one position and you have to make a slide lock, flat-footed reload, continue to reload where you planned to. Even if that means dropping a mag with 6 or 8 rounds. The faster you get back to your plan, the better you can recover from those unexpected twists. And if you squad with a shooter in the same Division who is better than you, don't be afraid to ask some advice if there's a tricky section. Especially at locals, most people are quite willing to help out. I learned a lot by walking stages with A, M, & GM class shooters, both in and out of my Division. Just beware of the differences in mag capacity, which will govern where you reload. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bkreutz Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Keep it simple, as you get experience it will get easier then you can develop more intricate plans. Watching a GM shooter isn't always helpful if you're new to the game. They have skills that allow them to make shots that us mere mortals cannot make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHA-LEE Posted September 21, 2015 Share Posted September 21, 2015 Here is a link to a thread I started on "How to break down a stage".......... http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=204084&hl= Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmcfarland Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 I seem to be do pretty good until I see a more advanced shooter do it a different way than i imagined I would and poof my plan disappears. Very aggravating!! What is the best way to get around that or should I embrace the advanced shooters method? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bkreutz Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 I seem to be do pretty good until I see a more advanced shooter do it a different way than i imagined I would and poof my plan disappears. Very aggravating!! What is the best way to get around that or should I embrace the advanced shooters method? Shoot your original plan, every time I changed my plan after seeing another shooter doing something different, I screwed up the stage royally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmcfarland Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 Yep that happens to me quite often. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmcfarland Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 Here is a link to a thread I started on "How to break down a stage".......... http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=204084&hl= Great information, thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmcfarland Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 Here is a link to a thread I started on "How to break down a stage".......... http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=204084&hl= Great information, thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doellemite Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 I seem to be do pretty good until I see a more advanced shooter do it a different way than i imagined I would and poof my plan disappears. Very aggravating!! What is the best way to get around that or should I embrace the advanced shooters method? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doellemite Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 I seem to be do pretty good until I see a more advanced shooter do it a different way than i imagined I would and poof my plan disappears. Very aggravating!! What is the best way to get around that or should I embrace the advanced shooters method?I did this a lot too when I first started. Then I started getting to matches earlier and talking with the better shooters about their stage plans. When they broke down their stage plan, and gave reasons why they did certain things in their run, it gave me insight that I could use on that particular stage and other stages as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrewHewes81 Posted October 14, 2015 Share Posted October 14, 2015 I try to get there early enough and not rush my self to break it down. Once I find a good plan I stick to it. Shoot your game, but don't be afraid to adapt. Don't forget to count the targets in your breakdown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricG Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Also don't be afraid to ask more experience shooters after their walk through any questions or how will they go through the stage or certain parts of the stage. Watch others shooting the stage also will help you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4me2ply Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 I've gotten burned by the simple things one too many times like mentioned above, forgetting a target. I now count targets and compare to stage description so that I don't miss a target. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjb45 Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 There might not be a best order of things but the following should be done for each and every stage: Read the stage description Determine the number of shots Determine the number of targets Walk the stage and account for the shots and targets As a general rule there are no more than 8 shots per shooting area but be aware some stages have targets available from more than on spot. Determine your reload points/places Don't be afraid to ask questions Determine the number of targets at each shooting position Assess the difficulty of targets Develop a contingency plan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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