Clay

**Clay** is a terrain available in *Windjammers* and *Windjammers 2*.

## Overview

This is a large lot with standard width. The net is wider than in classic pitches and accommodates two bumpers in the center of the pitch. The presence of the two bumpers greatly influences the way of playing.

The strategy to be adopted is different from conventional terrain. Less useful shots on normal terrain become effective weapons if they come into contact with a bumper. This terrain is considered random by some players, including many low-level players. However, bumper behavior is not random. Although some shots are hard to predict before the rebound occurs, most do become predictable over time. These shots can be learned, recognized and can therefore be anticipated.

## Bumper behavior

Bumpers behave in three different ways depending on how the disc is colliding.

To simplify, the bumper is a rectangle whose width is vertical and the length horizontal.

### Centre

If the disc hits right in the center of the bumper (along its length), the trajectory will be modified in the same way as when the disc bounces off a wall. During the collision, the Y axis of the trajectory is reversed. If the shot has effect, the trajectory becomes the tangent of the moment of the collision, always with the Y axis reversed.

### Square sign

If the disc hits the center of the edge of the bumper (ie the center of its width), the disc is knocked into the opponent's court, just in front of the net. A target appears for the opposing player to pick it up. As the disc is only knocked a few moments before it hits the ground, the player will very rarely have time to load a super.

Since it presents no difficulty for the adversary, or even favors the latter, it is preferable to avoid this scenario. The player can make an offset reception to get into a better position where they won't be forced to send the disc into that part of the bumper.

### edge end

If the disc hits the ends of the bumper edge (the width end), the disc is deflected in the same direction as the affected end. For example, a straight shot hitting the end of the bumper from above then becomes an upward diagonal.

This is the most difficult behavior to predict and is therefore the one that should be most often sought by the player.

It is also possible, especially on Concrete, to touch the end of the edge facing the opponent for an even more surprising result [gif] .

## Strategies

### Offensive

#### Preferable placement

Unlike other lands, being at the net is not the ideal situation for any character.

At net, bumpers prevent shooting anywhere other than in front of the character. The opponent can then close the angle by placing himself at the net, preventing any effective shot. If the player is forced by a toss to find himself in this position, it is still possible for him to achieve a perfect staggered reception, a difficult command to perform but which may surprise the opponent who will have to readjust his position to follow the player and thus stop his shot. Since the trajectory of the disc can change during its travel, the game from the baseline no longer suffers from the offensive disadvantages of other classic courts.

The perfect toss allows the player to choose the ideal position to achieve the desired effect and thus hit the bumper in a very precise way.

#### Straight deviated

One of the most effective shots regardless of the character played is the straight shot deflected by a bumper.

After a toss, getting slightly below or below a bumper and shooting straight results in an unpredictable diagonal.

#### Randomisatron

The randomisatron is a term used for a precise shot which after passing between the two bumpers has several variants.

The particularity of this shot is that all the characters share it, and that it is disconcertingly easy to achieve, even for a beginner.

To make this shot, just stay on the baseline. When the player is about to recover a shot placing him up or down the field, he will just have to dash until he is stuck (or almost) with the edge of the field, then make a shot ↓ or ↑ directly against the wall to which it is glued. Costa and Biaggi being wider than the other characters, it will be necessary to stand a little behind the baseline.

The different possible variants can be known by the seasoned adversary, but anticipating which variant will be carried out remains very complicated.

#### Super Spin

Bumper bounce super spins are difficult to use.

In most cases, they will hit the center of the bumper edge, nullifying the shot. If they manage to collide in any other way without colliding directly with the edge, the chances of surprising the opponent will be quite high, the variations being very numerous.

A particularly effective but easy to perform super spin nevertheless exists, it is the (↙)←↖ or (↖)←↙ . Most of the time, the super spin will hit the bumper once before going straight into the cages. If performed at the back of the course, it will continue straight ahead of the character performing it, driving into the cages any opponent not preparing to receive it. If carried out closer to the center of the field, it will go in one of the corners of the cages, always difficult to recover.

#### Without bumper

Most effective shots on non-bumper terrain are just as effective, if not more so.

Stubbornly playing the bumpers can be counterproductive, while alternating attacks exhaust the opponent. Also, it is possible to play on the ambiguity of brushing the bumpers. Performing a ↗ shot between the two bumpers without touching them can be tricky and quick enough to score.

### Defense

#### defensive placement

It is always possible to be at the bottom of the course if the opponent is there.

If the adversary is more advanced, it is particularly easier to close the angle while approaching than on another ground, even easier than Beach. You have to be sure to close the angle correctly, and make sure that the widest angle of the opponent's shot is well trapped by the bumpers.

Some players will prefer to stay at the net even if the opponent is in their nets, to cancel the effect of the bumpers. This strategy is difficult to apply while the aggressive potential is reduced, so the profitability of this strategy is questionable, although it is still viable.

#### Be patient

The too impulsive or panicked player will have a lot of trouble on this ground.

You have to react after having carefully analyzed the trajectory of the disc so as not to take a counter-foot. The disc no longer has any ambiguity after having passed the bumpers, it is often necessary to wait and observe before choosing its defensive option. With time and experience, the trajectories become recognizable and the random factor of the defense is reduced. All shots remain stoppable in reaction.

#### Play for time

When the advantage in point allows it, it is always possible to play the clock.

Where the strategy of classic courts consists of making a long lob, on Clay the short lob allows the player to block the opponent at the net, right in the center of the field or in one of the corners. Then, by closing the angle at the net, all of the opponent's offensive options will be blocked. If the timing and positioning are systematically perfect, only a perfect staggered reception can unlock the game.