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Halo Tactical Strategy Guide—CTF

Poocho

Foreword:

      This is war. We have enemies. We have goals. We have team members. We have casualties. We have fun. If we want to have the most fun, we will probably want to win. I have taken the time to compose a brief strategy guide that describes some of my visions for Halo Capture The Flag missions. These ideas work on paper. The difficulty is in transforming these theoretical possibilities into actual fact. You are my teammates. Let’s get to work.

Teams:

      If we want to succeed, we need to delegate responsibilities. We need to decide what each of us will do. If we all go our own separate ways, our team will be in utter chaos. That’s why having separate teams will help outwit the enemy. The following are my ideas for the best occupational teams we should use:

      A Team—Offense: This team’s primary objective is to invade enemy territory and capture the flag. A members should stay focused on their primary goal and protect the flag-bearer at all costs. We cannot win if we do not score.

      B Team—Backup: This team provides backup/cover/distractions for the other teams. B members should remain heavily armed and should always be ready to improvise. We all need someone to rely on. This team also serves as a scouting team. B members should act to supply secret information on enemy actions, field status, etc. Communication is key.

      C Team—Defense: This team has the all-important assignment of protecting our flag. C members should always be alert and ready for anything. The enemy cannot win if they do not score.

Physical Organization:

      Once we get more than 8 players in the game, our team will likely be separated onto different Xbox consoles.[1] It will be very difficult to communicate between our team members on the other console and those on ours. Therefore we need to individually group our members between the two consoles in the most efficient way. Basically, we want our groups to be self-reliant. Here are some factors to consider in our grouping:

      Teams—We want to try to put our team members together in a group with the other members of their sub-team (see above section on Teams). This will enable them to see what the other members of their team are doing, and they will be able to coordinate their actions more effectively. Whichever team is put in it’s own group should try to be self-sufficient.

      Communication—If the two consoles are in locations that makes communication between our two groups difficult—either physically, or because the other team might hear—we need to assign our groups accordingly. Members of one group should not have to be able to talk to the other group if it could betray our plans to the other team.

      Spies—If a group from our team shares a TV with a group from the other team, spying can be either our downfall or our triumph. The enemy can see whatever is on the screens of our group on the same TV. For this problem to be minimized, our group should see as little as possible of inside information about our plans. Things we would not want our group to see could be one of our teams on a secret mission (i.e. B Team distracts the enemy, while A Team sneaks up to base) or the status of our base (how many, where, and how people are guarding it). However, our group should be able to take advantage of whatever information is leaked by the enemy’s group.

      Skill Level—Each member of our team has a different skill level and a different set of skills. Perhaps we should have the most experienced players split up—one on each group—so we can have good leadership in each groups. Or we could compact our biggest strengths together by keeping them in the same group. This should also be considered when assigning teams.

CTF Plans for Side Winder:

      As soon as the game starts, we need a plan and backup plans. We need to be organized. If we all go off with our own ideas, we leave everything up to the enemy. If we coordinate and strike in ways unforeseen by the opponent, we can confuse and frustrate them. If we have no plan, they can do the same to us. Also, you will more likely than not have to modify and combine these strategies to fit your specific circumstances. When your circumstances change, switch to using (and modifying) the strategies of the appropriate plan.
      Note that these tactics were designed with the Sidewinder map in mind, but they can be converted fairly easily to fit Blood Gulch and possibly other maps. Also, these plans are most applicable to when we have all vehicles, five or more people on our team, but are designed for six. Team member designations (A1, A2, B1, B2, etc.) describe the letter of the team the player is a member of and the number they are assigned on the team.
      The following are a few general plans that can be customized to our liking:

      Plan A - The Flood: The only way we can capture the flag is by overtaking whoever is guarding it. One of the best ways to do this is to overwhelm the defenders. There is strength in numbers. If we throw everything we’ve got at them, we’ll have the best chance of meeting our goal. A Team will be large and fast. B Team will serve mainly as a distraction for A Team. C1 will be the only one guarding the flag.[2] Follow these instructions to be the most successful. Note that there can be many variations to each idea.

      Team A: Members of the A Team (A1, A2, and A3) all start out running to your positions and weapons. A1 runs outside and gets in the driver seat of the warthog. A2 and A3 run upstairs. Each one should grab only one shotgun. Be careful not to run over the other shotguns and pick up their ammo.
      If there is an A4, he should through the tunnel, heading for the enemy’s base, until he stops at their “T” for further the rest of the team. Make sure you grab the power-ups on the way there. A2 should run through the teleporter and swap his other weapon (not his shotgun) for the rocket launcher.
      A3 has 2 options: he can run through the series of teleporters to the rocket launcher on the enemy’s side, or he can jump out the front (remember to crouch-land) and get in the gunner seat of the warthog.
      A1 drives the warthog to pick up A2 and possibly A3, and heads around the edge for the enemy base. Try and locate the ghost. If they see any enemy, they should leave them to Team B and move on.
      Stop the warthog directly in front of the enemy base and get out. A1 should head towards base entrance closest to the tunnels and wait for A4 if there is one. A2 and A3 should go to the opposite side. All As should wait for reinforcements coming from the B Team, if there are any.
      A2 and A3 (if he has one) fire a rocket or two at defenders and switch for their shotguns. All others rush in. Shoot everyone on the way in. Someone grab the flag. All others cover for him. Anyone who dies should only stay to fight if our base is already being attacked. Otherwise, get to the other base as quickly as possible.
      Flag-bearer grabs either a warthog or the ghost—preferably the ghost if it’s nearby—and rushes home. Don’t stop to fight. At least one A should grab a sniper rifle and guard the high middle tunnel. Some one else should steal the ghost if it is still there. All other As run out and take whatever vehicle you can. Unless you have the flag, ALL As should remain in this area.
      Try to recapture the flag whenever it is sent back to the enemy base. When this is attempted, try to either reassemble the A Team and invade the base, or whoever has the ghost can simply drive into the base—running over all enemies along the way—grab the flag, and rush it back home. Possibly bring someone else to provide cover when you get out of the ghost. Everyone else should temporarily join B Team.

      Team B: The B Team will serve mainly as reinforcement for Team A. To start out, B1 gets in the tank parked outside and waits for B2, who will run upstairs and grab a sniper rifle before getting in a front side seat of the tank. If there is a third member, he can get in the other front side seat. Now they drive the tank around the corner towards the enemy base while B2 snipes from his seat.
      Engage any enemy you see, but absolutely DO NOT shoot to kill; you don’t want them to respawn back in their base for the A Team to have to deal with. Play with them for a while to distract them from our invasion of their base, then either let them move on to our base (make sure you tell the C Team who’s coming), or kill them once our A Team gets the flag. B2 (and B3, if there is one) may either stay with B1 and snipe, or get off the tank and run towards the base to join Team A. Make sure you keep the enemy occupied as Team A works their magic. If you somehow let anyone slip past you, make sure you let C1 know who’s coming and what weapon(s) they’re using.

      Team C: There will only be one player on the C Team (C1). C1 has but one objective, but he must do it on his own: you have to guard our flag from the enemy. Right from the start, run outside and grab the closest ghost. Drive it inside and sit in it behind the flag ready for any visitors. Make sure you don’t hit any of our guys on your way in.
      Stay alert, watch your motion detector, and listen from hints from the other teams. When the enemies come, you don’t want them to surprise you with a rocket launcher. Shower any unwanted visitors with plasma to slow them down, but try to take out as many as you can with your ghost. You are our only defense--you must not fail.

      Plan B - The Covenant: Plan B is used whenever it is necessary to be balanced. This plan calls for Teams A, B, and C. The same strategies as described in Plan A can be used, but they must be spread out more. Each team should have two members. Team A will have less members than before and will have to be more fast and efficient. Teams B and C will have more members than before. B Team will remain outside for the entire game, but will be necessary to support both A and C Teams. C Team will now have more support, receive more warning, and will be able to take out enemies from afar. Players should be more ready to improvise and to switch teams whenever necessary. This is much less risky than Plan A, but it will probably take longer.[3] Here is the specific layout of the plan:

      Team A: A1 and A2 run upstairs and grab only one shotgun each. Be careful not to run over all the ammo. Then they both get in a warthog and rush over to the other base, leaving any opposition to the B Team. Try to find the ghost(s) parked nearby. When they arrive at the front of the base, A1 runs to the left entrance of the base while A2 runs towards the right.
      When they are ready to attack, A Team throws a grenade or two in first. Once it detonates, they can rush in, taking out any who oppose. Someone get the flag. At all costs, protect the back of whoever gets the flag. On the way out, both members should try to get in a ghost and speed back home. The flag bearer should get the nearest one (if there are two).
      After scoring, A Team should continue to coordinate their attacks. Once you have all the ghosts, have A Team take two ghosts or a ghost and a Warthog and head to the other base. One ghost can go right in, running everyone over, and steal the flag. Jump back in the ghost and you’ll have a quick getaway. The second ghost can provide cover, or the warthog can give you a ride if a ghost is stolen. Keep trying.

      Team B: B1 should get in the tank right away and start moving towards the teleporter on the opposite side to pick up B2. B2 should head upstairs and grab a shotgun after there has been sufficient time for one to respawn. Once he gets the shotgun, he should then run through the series of teleporters, picking up all the rocket launcher ammo along the way. B1 should drive to the bottom of the ramp leading up to the enemy teleporter, and pick up B2. Then he should drop him off at the center ramps leading up to the upper pass.
      Now let’s get to work. B1 drives around in middle-ground, firing at any opposition, distracting the enemy from the A Team’s attack, and stops any enemies from attacking our base. This will be B1’s responsibilities for the remainder of the game. If he dies and loses the tank, it’s his responsibility to get it back and resume his mission. If B2 takes the tank, then it’s his turn to guard the upper pass.
      B2 runs to the top, where he readies his rocket launcher. B2’s responsibilities will be guarding the center pass and supporting B1. Be ready to take the tank if B1 is ever killed, watch for snipers, and steal the power-ups if you get a chance. Since B2 will have a good view of the playing field most of the time, he’ll need to let all others know who’s coming and going. He has to let the C Team know if someone gets by him in the tunnels or if a vehicle gets past B1’s shells and his own rockets.
      B Team should support the flag bearer at all costs, but watch your fire. If you can’t hit the enemy who’s following our flag bearer without killing the flag bearer, don’t shoot. If the flag bearer dies, whoever is closest has the responsibility of picking up the flag. If B1 controls the ground and B2 controls the upper pass, then we’ll have a good defense, we’ll always know what’s coming, the enemy will remain on the defense, and we’ll always know the best way to get where we want to go. Watch those teleporters.

      Team C: C1 first needs to run outside and get the ghost. Then he needs to carefully bring it back in behind the flag without killing any of our guys. As soon as he’s set up, he just has to be able to use the classic bumper action defense that always works so well. C2 has to immediately run upstairs and grab a sniper rifle. He should start to take a sniping position in the upper widow while he waits for a shotgun to reappear.
      C Team should always listen for the other teams’ warnings of oncoming danger, and they should remain alert for any surprise attacks. C2 should always be ready to jump down and help C1 out. If C Team stays alert, defense should be easy. C1 will find it easy to take out any enemies on foot if they stay in the lower corridor, and they’ll find a surprise waiting for them upstairs. C2 can also pick off anyone from a distance who drives in a straight line or sits still for too long, and he can always lend a hand to C1 if he gets killed or is faced with another ghost/Warthog.

      If everyone remembers to improvise as a team, every team will have adequate support and will be able to accomplish their goals.

      Plan C—The Humans: Plan C is the exact opposite of Plan A. Defense is paramount. Team A has only one member, unless the situation allows for taking an extra team member from Team C (In that case, Plan B may be the better strategy). Team B will have 2 members, but will mainly serve as an extension of Team C, covering more of the middle ground near the base. Team C will have 3 members who will stay inside or very close by the base. All should be ready to fall back and protect our flag. This is the most conservative plan. It will mean slower action, but it will be much safer. Plan C is best used when the other team is winning by a large margin.[4] Since this plan is best used when our team is already losing by a wide margin, the instructions will start out brief and general so teams can fall into place from wherever they are.

      Team A: A1 is the only member of the A Team. He should start by grabbing a shotgun and getting in a ghost that C1 doesn’t need. A1 should then drive the ghost into the side tunnel, grab the power ups, and find a position inside where you can quickly rush into the enemy base. When he gets the chance, he should rush in (over anyone in the way), take the flag, and take whatever path is safest to get back (tunnel, open ground, or if necessary the teleporters). He should keep trying and possibly use the rocket launcher to get back the ghost if he loses it.

      Team B: B1 needs to get in the tank and guard the middle ground near our home base. Stay close to the base and don’t let anyone pass. If anyone gets past you, tell the rest. Blow up anything in sight. You have to kill any offense from the enemy before they get to the C Team. If you die, you can jump right back in the tank when you respawn, since it should still be close to the base. If you get a chance, provide long-range support for A1 with your tank.
      B2 should grab a rocket launcher and a shotgun. Guard the upper pass from any offenders with your shotgun, and you can also support B1 with your rocket launcher. If you can’t stop any enemies and they get past you, make sure you let B1 and the C Team know what happened. If you get a chance, provide long-range support for A1 with your rockets.

      Team C: This is where you al can really shine. As always, the plan starts with C1 getting a ghost and parking behind the flag. He should sit tight at the back of the base, ready to ram anyone foolish enough to come in on foot. Be ready to strafe if a rocket comes your way or call for help if another vehicle comes in. Don’t daydream. If anyone gets by the rest of our defense, you’ll have quite a fight to keep them from getting you as well.
      C2 needs to grab a sniper rifle and watch through the opening in the top of the base for enemies coming at long range. Check the teleporters and watch for warthogs moving in a straight line. Listen for the heads up from the B Team and also from C3. When you get a chance, grab a shotgun, and be ready to jump down and help C1 if things get messy. Be ready for the enemy flag bearer to head for the teleporter. If an enemy takes our flag and want to get away through the teleporter, be ready for him upstairs. If you want to be sneaky, try going through the teleporter before the enemy flag bearer sees you. Stand behind the teleporter and wait for him to come through. You can try to melee him from the back or just take him out on the chase.
      C3 should grab a shotgun and get in the remaining ghost, if he can get one. Drive your ghost around the area near the base. Check both sides of the large mound near the base to stop anyone coming on foot from the tunnels, teleporters, and/or vehicles. Keep patrolling.

      Improvise. Everyone be ready to try a new technique. Once things even out, switch to one of the other plans.

CTF Plans for Blood Gulch:

      Here I’ll describe the 3 main CTF plans for Blood Gulch. Each plan is basically the same technique as is used in Side Winder, but I’ll describe them more in detail as they are adapted to Blood Gulch. Since I think you already have the basic understanding of what I’m trying to say, the format of this section will be briefer than the previous plans. I’ll basically just assign the teams to their best locations.

      Plan A—The Flood: Plan A involves throwing everything we’ve got at the enemy. Team A will be the biggest with 3 members, although Team B with its 2 members will provide support for the A Team for most of the game. Team C will be composed of only C1 guarding the flag.[5]

      Team A: A1 and A2 will use shotguns while A3 will use whatever he prefers (perhaps a plasma rifle). All three will get in the warthog drive over to the enemy base, and rush in. Take out any opposition first, and then one of you grab the flag while the others cover your back. Take the warthog back if you can. Otherwise, notify the B Team that you’re coming through the teleporter, and then do so; they should be ready to provide safe transport back to the base and/or take out any enemies that decide to follow our flag bearer. Keep this up until we are victorious.
      One option for when one or two of our A Team still survive after we steal the flag and are clear of enemies following us is for one of the survivors to stay behind waiting for the next assault. This one can take a sniper rifle from the top of the enemy base and stealthily move to post along the canyon walls (try to post on one of the side paths or on top of the hill behind the red base). Wait until we come again before you take out any snipers on top of the base so you don’t give away your position and allow them time to respawn.

      Team B: B1 should take the tank as usual, while B2 should pilot the nearby ghost and pick up the rocket launcher. They should then stay near the A Team to provide support at the enemy base. Patrol the area near their base, and don’t let anyone get past you. Distract any enemies near their base from noticing our warthog loaded with our assault team. They’re more likely to be worried over a large Scorpion tank laying siege on their base than they will be about the warthog sneaking in behind the base—especially if they’re too distracted to even notice them.
      Someone, probably B2, should stay back near the teleporter to stop anyone trying to sneak by the both of you. Also be ready to help out our flag bearer if he decides to come through—take out anyone on his back or be prepared to give him a lift.
      Communicate. Tell each other what you’re facing and whether you’ll need a hand. Tell the A Team what the status is of the enemy base. Let C1 know if anyone slipped past you—it happens. You are our eyes. Don’t disappoint us.

      Team C: C1 needs to stay alert as usual. Once Team A has left, grab a shotgun when it respawns. Post on top with the sniper rifle and fill up on grenades. Listen for what’s coming from the other teams, but don’t get distracted by their screens for too long. Watch all around you for enemies that may have sneaked past the B Team. Snipe anyone you can before they get too close, then quickly switch to a shotgun.
      If they decide to come up and pay you a visit, greet them with hot, fresh out-of-the-chamber shots, and invite them to come again. If they decide to enter through the bottom, throw a grenade or two through the hole before you see them take the flag. There isn’t a good chance that the grenade will kill them, but it will probably damage or frighten them. As soon as the grenade explodes jump down and give them the usual warm welcome with your shotgun.
      Try to kill the flag bearer if you can; but watch out for his buddies covering his back. It doesn’t do much good to kill the flag bearer, have one of the others kill you, and then they recapture the flag. Try to kill everyone who’s a threat before you pursue the flag. Let the B Team know if they drive away in a vehicle or run through the teleporter. If it is the latter, you may be able to catch him . . . if you’re still alive.

      Plan B—The Covenant: Plan B emphasizes balance. We need to score to win, but we can’t afford to let the enemy score on us. Each team will have two players to cover all bases. Teams A and C will have to change their tactics slightly, and Team B will have to spend more time guarding our base.[6]

      Team A: Both members should grab shotguns and jump in the warthog. Head over as quickly as possible. If we act quickly, we’ll get the jump on our opponents. Try to come in from the right side; that way if the enemy’s offensive team leaves in their warthog—which is parked on their right side of the base—they may not notice you and decide to come back and take you out. Park close to one of the doors so you can get back in without running out in the open too far, but make sure you don’t park so close that you can’t get in without jumping over or running around.
      Both A1 and A2 run in at the same time. Either both run in through one of the bottom doors, or jump through the top. Pick the top if there is no one up there, or if you would rather take out anyone up there first. If you go that way, each pick up a couple of grenades and stand at opposite sides of the hole. Throw a grenade through the top to the opposite side of the base interior. Jump in and take out any survivors. If you decide to go in through the bottom, go in at the same time. One of you go to the right, the other to the left. Watch for grenades. Shotgun any defenders at close range.
      One of you gets the flag and run for the warthog (or the teleporter if the warthog isn’t there or you won’t be able to drive it out safely. In that case, notify the B Team that you’re coming through so they can cover you/give you a ride back). Either way, if you both survive cover the back of the flag-bearer. Get back to base and try again.

      Team B: You know the drill from Plan A. B1 get in the tank. B2 take the ghost and grab a rocket launcher. Provide cover for Team A. Stop anyone from having to meet our C Team. Check the ramps that lead up to the side paths. Stay close to the teleporters; be ready to help out our A Team members if they come through, and stop any enemies from sneaking through them. You will be our busiest team, running from side to side and covering everyone’s back. Keep your eyes and ears open at all times.

      Team C: You should have enough guys to adequately guard our flag. C1 wait for a shotgun to respawn and grab one. Pick a corner inside the base where you can see the flag, but are able to duck for cover if a grenade comes your way. Watch your motion tracker and listen to C2 to tell when and where an enemy’s coming. Don’t get distracted by the other screens.
      C2 grab a sniper rifle and the grenades. Keep your eyes open towards the open field, but check every once in a while for anyone coming from the sides. Tell C1 what’s happening. If the enemies infiltrate the base, jump down and help out C1. If he dies before you get a chance to jump, throw a grenade and then jump (wait for it to explode). If the flag is captured, stay on top. Train your sniper crosshairs on the place where his head will be when he gets in his vehicle, but be ready for him to try the teleporter. Track his head as far as you can if he gets away. As soon as it looks like you won’t be able to get him, let B Team know what to look for. Communicate.

      Plan C—The Humans: With everyone but the one member of A Team practically working on the defensive, this is our most desperate plan and should only be used when we are losing by a dangerously wide margin and our flag is being taken repeatedly. The primary goal is to protect our flag while slowly scoring to shorten the margin. As was alluded to above A Team has only A1, B Team has two members, and C Team now has 3 members.[7]

      Team A: A1 will need to be self-sufficient to be of the most help. Your job is to stealthily sneak into the enemy base and return with the flag. The others will be too busy to help you much, except for telling you when there is a large offensive group away from their base. Use whatever tactics you can to get to the base. Sneak around the sides. Run across the field on foot. Drive up to the base and quickly dispatch of everyone on top and inside. Use the sniper rifle. Use the rocket launcher. Use grenades. Don’t forget that shotgun (how could you?).
      Try switching tactics every now and then. For a while, come at the base from the front with a warthog—jumping, swerving, and making lots of noise. After they come to expect you to do the same thing, you’ve been doing for a while, switch to stealthily sneaking around the sides. Sneak up behind them and snipe everyone, then use the teleporter to get out of there. Do whatever it takes. Hopefully most at their base will concentrate on laying siege to our heavily guarded flag.

      Team B: Don’t let anyone near our base. It is quite fun to send a fully loaded warthog of enemies flying with your tank shells or rockets. Run over or mow down any survivors. Check the incoming teleporters. Don’t neglect to keep an eye on the side passages. Don’t ever sit still. If you have to, retreat to behind our base and take out any pursuers from there.
      If they get into the base, wait for them to get out; there are two of you, and only two ways out of the interior of the base. B1 aim your cannon at the opening and send the enemy flag bearer flying before he knows what hits him (make sure you don’t kill anyone on the C Team following him with your splash damage). B2 sit next to the opening ready to ram anyone trying to get through. Stay still or they could see you waiting in ambush on their motion detector. If you can’t catch them just as they make their exit from the base, take them out before they get in a vehicle.
      Don’t let them get away. Make your shots count, as a warthog can easily outrun a tank. If they run through the teleporter, meet them there. Hopefully they won’t have a buddy waiting for them there to pick them up. If that is the case, I guess you’ll have a bigger target. Don’t let them get away!

      Team C: There are 3 of you; you can handle this. C1 and C2 grab shotguns. C1 should pick a cozy little corner of the interior to lie in wait. Hopefully you won’t have to worry about grenades as you have the rest of your team guarding the top. Try to take out anyone that gets in the base before you pursue the enemy flag bearer; it doesn’t do much good to kill the flag bearer if the guy you didn’t kill kills you and recaptures the flag. Besides, if they leave the base, they’ll have the B Team to deal with; and the teleporter should be guarded.
      C2 grab a pistol to complement your shotgun and post on top. Wear down anyone coming towards the base with long-range pistol fire. Watch all around—C3 can’t see everything. Be ready for enemies to swarm the top—don’t let them grenade your buddy and drop in uninvited. If the enemies get close to the base, be ready at a moment’s notice to jump down and help out C1. If they get the flag, stay on top. Take out anyone coming for the teleporter, or aim for their vehicle if they don’t come upstairs.
      C3 is on sniper duty. Take cover and watch for enemy heads. Don’t shoot unless you think you can hit them; if you miss, they’ll make themselves even harder to hit. Don’t let them get to the base. If they get the flag, aim for where their head will be when they get back in their vehicle. Follow their vehicle as long as you can. Hopefully if the enemy flag bearer tries to get in the teleporter C2 will stop him, but you may need to switch weapons and lend a hand. Don’t let them get away.

Conclusion:

      The ideas outlined in this brief strategy guide are only guidelines. They can and should be molded to fit your specific needs at the time. You’ll have to improvise and combine certain ideas from each plan to come up with the best solution for your specific circumstances. Remember, these ideas may seem brilliant on paper, but anything and everything can and will go wrong on the battlefield. It’s our job to prevent them from happening. If we carefully organize teams and groups, and if we always have a well-thought-out plan, then we can maximize our enjoyment in the Wonderful World of Halo. I’ll see you in the game!

1 - Note: from here on, members of our team that are separated onto another console will be referred to as a group.

2 - For 5 players, remove 1 player from B Team. For 4 or 3 players, remove 1 or 2 from A Team. For 7 players, add one to the A Team. For 8 players, add 1 more to either the A or B Team.

3 - For 5, 4, or 3 players, remove one player from each team; but always keep at least one player on a team. For 7 or 8 players, add a player to any team you prefer; but try not to add two players to the same team.

4 - For 5 players, remove 1 player from the B Team. For 4 or 3, remove one or two from the C Team. For 7 players, add one to the C Team. For 8 players, add 1 more to either the B or C Team.

5 - For 5 players, remove one player from the B Team. For 4 or 3, remove one or two players from the A Team. For 7 players, add one to the A Team. For 8 players, add one more to either the A or B Team.

6 - For 5, 4, or 3 players, remove one player from each team; but always keep at least one player on a team. For 7 or 8 players, add a player to any team you prefer; but try not to add two players to the same team.

7 - For 5 players, remove 1 player from the B Team. For 4 or 3, remove one or two from the C Team. For 7 players, add one to the C Team. For 8 players, add 1 more to either the B or C Team.

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