[Phantom13]

So, you are new to the sport of paintball. Chances are you have many questions about markers, gear and how to get better. Check this FAQ to see if your questions are answered before you make a new thread on “Which gun is best?”

I’m new to the sport, what is a good gun?
This is perhaps the most frequently asked question in the New Players Forum. The answers in these threads are pretty much the same. But the real question to be asked is what do YOU want in a gun? Do you want speed? Reliability? Cost efficiency? Woodball or Speedball? I have compiled a list of cheap starter guns that fit into most of these categories.

Speed: I strongly recommend you do not get an electric marker for your first gun. Why? It is expensive, usually takes more maintenance and creates bad habits for new players. By spraying and praying you do not learn how to aim, look down the rail and play smart ball. But if you are set on an electric gun, I recommend the Spyder VS2 or a cheaper electronic spyder of any type. They're cheap, fairly fast, and you should be pretty happy with it.

Reliability: Almost everybody who knows what they are talking about usually says Tippmann. Tippmanns are ugly, slow, and not very spectacular, but they get the job done with little maintenance or attention. Plus they are very upgradeable; although it is better to save up for a better performing gun then to update a lower end one. So if you want reliability, go with the Tippmann 98C.

Cost Efficiency: If you do not have a money tree, go with a pump gun. It saves you money and after playing and getting used to a pump, you will rock with an electric. Pumps teach conservation, accuracy and force you to play smarter paintball. For this category, go with a Phantom. It will cost a lot at first, but pay for itself over time. A low-end base model phantom would get the job done.

Location: If you play woodball, speedball or both, do not choose a gun specifically for that location. It is best to get a good gun for both scenarios so that if you transition to either or, you will be ready and will not have to buy a new gun. For this, refer to the text above.

What is a good air source?
For new players the answer is obvious. Co2. It does not perform as nicely as HPA, but put an Anti-Siphon in it and it will do what it is supposed to do. HPA is overrated for markers like spyders and tippmans.

Should I upgrade my Spyder or get an_________
Get the __________, depending on what it is. It is pointless to dump money into a gun you are going to outgrow, but much more cost efficient to upgrade one you will grown into. I made the mistake by upgrading my Spyder; wasted my money and time, so learn from that and when you are ready, take the big step.

What drills can I do or how can I get better?
Play. Think about playing. Dream about playing. Play some more. The best and only way for a new player to get better, is for them to play. You gain game experience; learn what tactics work best, what equipment works best, etc. As soon as you get that new gun, play nonstop before you upgrade your gear. Experience is your only drill.

What is a good barrel upgrade?
A cheap productive barrel upgrade would be the CP or J&J ceramics barrel. Both barrels perform as good as their counterparts, for half the price. Use the money you save to go play, or buy paint.

What is a good hopper?
For new players, 12 volt Revolution. Even though it's slower, you'll love it because it's slow and steady, will not jam, and very rarely breaks down. If after using it, you feel it's slow, look for a halob, reloaderb, or velocity jr.

***Apparel is preference. Try the stuff on, ask to borrow friends, check out pros gear to get a better idea about what you want in your equipment***

Why do I know what is best? I have played for a long time and I have owned A TON of guns and if I did not own them, I shot them. What I preach is from experience, not from what I hear.

The most important thing a new player can do is play. I cannot stress that enough. Jerseys, packs and Angels do not get you past the newb stage, experience and knowledge does.

If you have any questions, or any FAQ’s you think should be added, please post them below.

[Pr0ph3t]

On the Nitro vs CO2 debate
-Nitro does NOT shoot faster than Co2, lots of new players seem to think this. Although when you get a nitro tank, be sure to chrono it just the same.
-For a casual player, Co2 will get the job done. There will be a point in your paintball career though, that you will need to switch to nitro if you want to go any farther.

Masks
The mask is your most important piece of equipment. It protects your valuable eyesight, and that's not something you wanna lose. Go out, and get the best mask you can. I'm not sayin go buy a Profiler for your first mask, but go out to your field or local shop, and try on different masks. Find one you like, and buy it, and a replacement lens or two. It'll cost a lot, but a comfortable mask is essential. You can't be wanting to tear your mask off in the middle of a game, and if you play woods or scenarios, you're gonna have your mask on for long periods of time.

[Pr0ph3t]

What upgrades can I do to ___________
This also is a popular thread in the NP forum. Most of the subforums have stickys on upgrades for your gun. Also, don't ask questions about your specific marker in this forum, there are more dedicated (and probably smarter) people in the subforums that cuold help you with your problems.

Barrels...again
A CP 1-piece and J&J Ceramic barrels are also both good starter barrels. The CP 1-piece is a very good barrel, and the J&J cleans itself after chops.

If I get a 18"+ barrel, will my accuracy be better?
No. Accuracy is determined by the fit the balls have to the barrel. Ever wondered how barrel kits work? Well, you take and replace the back end with a different bore size, to match your paint, and you have an accurate barrel. Hell, your stock barrel can be accurate as long as you match the paint to the bore.

I'm gonna be an uber leet sniper
No, you're not. Sniping in paintball isn't realistic, at least, not in the sense you'er probably thinking of. You're thinking of Hollywood sniping aren'tcha? Ain't gonna happen. First off, paintballs aren't accurate. Secondly, all paintball guns have the same range (except for the flatline system.) so you ain't gnona be pickin people off from hundreds of yards away. Read Alpha's post if you can find it on sniping, it seems informative.

[Phantom13]

Does it hurt?
Alot of new players worry about the first time they get shot. It does sting a little, but the adrenaline rush is so great, you will hardly feel it. Once you get hit a few times, you will get used to thee sting and welts.

Movement In paintball, it is very important to move. New players seem to think hiding is an effective stradegy, when in reality, it is not. Keep moving and you will be a much more effective baller.

[sNoW PIrAnHa]

ACE- stands for anti chop eyes, they go in the chamber of a marker and detect paintballs.
AGD- stands for Air Gun Designs. Makers of the automag.
anti-syphon tube A tube that goes in the Co2 tank that is curved upwards as to only pick up the Gaseous Co2 at the top of the tank.
Airball- A type of speedball played with inflatable bunkers, its used in almost every tournament.
Angel- A very popular type of high end gun made by WDP
ASA- Means air source adapter, its the place where you screw your tank into and is often connected to your gun with a drop forward
Autococker- A very popular gun that is now going out of style. It is one of the only closed bolt guns on the market. It is a pump gun with pneumatics on it to automatically cock it. This gun is made by WGP.
Agg- new word in paintball thats a kind of style that includes tailfeathers, folded proflexes, unimounts et.. Also means pimp or cool.

Back player-Players who usually stay back, they shoot a lot of paint and their job is to cover lanes and keep opponents in their bunkers, and to communicate positions to the rest of their team.
barrel- The length of the gun the ball is propelled through beyond the chamber, these are often interchangeable and some people buy kits to size their paint for best accuracy.
Barrel condom/cover- A cover that slips over the last few inches of the barrel to block paintballs incase of accidental misfire.
Barrel plug- An object you insert into the barrel to block accidental misfires.
Battle swab- A popular type of squeegee, which is about 16 inches in length and folds in half and looks like a fuzzy stick.
BKO- an electropneumatic gun made by Indian Creek Designs that uses a 2 way solenoid instead of a 4 way found on bushmasters
Blind shooting- To stick your gun out without looking and to shoot without looking.
blowback- Extra air that escapes up the feedneck and pushes balls into the hopper.
board The electronics board inside a paintball gun which controls the solenoid action.
Bonus balling- Shooting a player who is already out.
bounce (1)- When a paintball hits you and fails to break
bounce (2)- A flaw on electropneumatic guns that makes it shoot more than actually pulled on the trigger
BPS- This means balls per second, its used to measure the Rate of fire on paintball guns.
break, off the/on the- the start of the game when everyone runs to their primary positions.
bunker(N)- An object you hide behind that provides cover for you and prevents paintballs from hitting you
Bunker(v)- When a player runs up to an opposing player's bunker and shoots him at close range. This move requires lots of skill and practice to do right
Bushmaster Also known as bushys these are relatively cheap electropneumatic markers made by Indian Creek Designs (ICD).

Constant Air (CA) Development from old 12 grams which made it so you could use bulk Co2 tanks.
Cap The maximum cycles per second a board can do
Chop When the bolt chops a paintball in half because the trigger is pulled before a paintball is completely in the breech
Chronograph (chrono) Device that measures the velocity of a paintball in FPS.
Co2 A gas used to propel paintballs, commonly used on lower end guns and is very cheap.
cocker short for autococker, look above
compressed air A type of air used for high end guns that cannot accept Co2 it is compressed to 3,000 or 4,500 psi inside the tank.
Cyborg A very good high end gun made by macdev

Dead man walk A frowned upon technique of acting like you are out and walking away then suddenly shooting the opposition or getting into a bunker
debounce A setting on boards to limit bounce
detent Something that stops the ball from rolling out the barrel
dome Head and goggle area.
dorito An airball bunker in the shape of a 3 sided pyramid, usually at one of the snakes
dwell the time the valve is held open, this is adjustable on electronic markers.

egg/evoNickname for viewloader evlution II
electro A gun that is shot using an electric microswitch.
extra loveInnocent phrase for bonus balling
eye A system that detects paint in the loader or gun.

Fanning A way to shoot the gun, that involves tensing up your trigger arm and sticking your middle finger on the trigger and vibrating your arm back and forth. Although impressively fast, it makes the gun wobble around and makes aiming impossible.
FPSFeet per second, measurement of velocity which is used for chronoing your paintballs.

gogged When you are shot in the goggles
Goggles You wear these over your head to protect your eyes
grill Refers to the vent in masks which aid in breathing. It tastes bad if you get shot here.
guppy Pod, or tube.

HALO An extremely fast hopper that is somewhat pricey
harness A belt that goes aroudn your waist and stores pods
hopper This attatches to the feedneck and stores paintballs. There are also electronic versions for high end guns that feed paintballs very fast.
HPA see compressed air
HPR this stands for high pressure regulator, also known as the inline regulator these control the input pressure from the tank to the gun.
hyperball A form of speedball uses corrugated plastic tubes for bunkers.

inline reg see HPR
intimidator A high end gun that shoots very fast and is made by bob long they're very fast and used by many pro teams. These seem to be another fad.
impulse a mid end electropneumatic gun made by smart parts

lane(n)An open area in a field which will likely require movement through, as in a space between two key bunkers
lane(v)To have someone run into your paintballs as you are shooting the lane they are running
LCD Liquid Crystal Display, they have these on digital clocks watches and other things and are usually used as a display to count shots fired or to give your BPS
LED light emitting diode, these are used as displays in place of LCDs.
LPR The regulator that regulates the pressure for the ram

Matrix a very fast high end gun, these can be very inefficient with out a bolt kit. They operate at a very low PSI and used to be made by gen e but are now made by dye.
mugging When to players shoot it out close, usually a bunker move gone bad.
Millenium A popular tournament series in Europe

Nitrogen see compressed air
Nitrous This has nothing to do with paintball, this is laughing gas and also oxydizer to make cars go faster.

O-ring Plastic rings that seal the bolt and other parts of the gun and prevent leaks
oil Stuff you put on your gun to help the orings and regulator function properly, only use paintball oil.
on/off These are usually on ASAs and they turn the air flow on or off.
operating pressure The pressure at which the paintball gun operates

Pack see harness
paint check What you tell the ref to do if you think you've hit an opposing player
playing on When a player keeps on shooting after ab obvious hit
pod A plastic container with a hopper like lid that holds paintballs for reloading during a game. These are often stored in a harness.
Post To break cover and stay in the open waiting for a certain target to appear.
piranha A good entry level gun with many different makes.
PSI Pounds per square inch, a unit used to measure pressure.

Rate of fire (ROF) The speed at which the paintballs are fired
rake(v) A special way to pull the trigger using only one finger and moving it over the bump (if its a double trigger)
reg Short for regulator, see HPR
revvy A hopper by viewloader the first electro hopper that spins balls over the feedneck and then lets them drop. Called the viewloader revolution this hopper started electro hoppers.

Sear The piece of metal that, when pushed, releases the hammer.
shootdown When shooting at very high rates of fire the pressure does not recharge fast enough thus lowering the velocity for each shot
snake A long airball bunker that goes along one tape, which you usually have to crawl through to have adequit cover.
snap shoot To come out of cover very fast and fire only a few balls while staying tight then snap back in.
Solenoid A bunch of small valves that control the movement of the ram.
squeegee Things you use to clean your barrel during a game
sweet spot To predict which way a person of the other team is going to go off the break and to lane them.

Taco A bunker that is shaped like a taco
Tape The sides of the field, left side=left tape
Timmy nick name for intimidator. See intimidator.
Trigger the thing you pull to fire a paintball
trix/trixie See matrix

Unimount an ASA system made by check it that puts the ASA right under the grip.

walking A way to fire your paintball gun alternating between your fore finger and middle finger.
Wipe Once a player is hit they wipe the hit off, this is very looked down upon in rec ball.
Woodsball Paintball played in the woods

x-ball A new format of paintball involving multiple games in an hour and theres only a few minutes in between each game, very fast paced and adrenaline pumping.

Z grip originally invented by AGD these are backwards .45 frames, and are supposed to be pretty comfortable.

Any suggestions please tell me.

[SpYdErGuY7080]

i salute you sir

Revvy
Snake
x-ball
noobie
woodsball
spyder
Trix/matrix
Dye
Empire
Kingman
Timmy/Intimidator
Bob Long


gj snow

my bad

[Zeruel]

What are the types of games in Paintball?

There are two main types of paintball. They are Woodsball and Speedball. I will explain Speedball first.

Speedball:Speedball is a fast, adrenalin filled game. Nearly all tounaments are played in some form of speedball. There are 3 different types of
Speedball:Speedball, Hyperball, and Sup' Airball.

Speedball: Speedball is played with inflatable bunkers, there are two main way to get points, one is to eliminate players on the ohter team. The other is to capture the other teams flag. There is a flag at both ends of the field. The point is to get the other teams flag back to your side without getting hit. You also get points for eliminating the other team, but not as many.

Hyperball: Hyper ball is played using Industrial Tubes. These are tall and black, wiht ridges. Hyperball is played the same as speedball.

Sup' Airball: Sup' Airball uses inflatable bunkers like speedball, though they are slightly different. In sup' airball instead of having a flag at both ends there is one flag in the middle. The point of the game is to get the flag back to your side. You can also get points for eliminating the other team, though you get more for the flag capture.


Woodsball: There are two main types of woodsball: Woodsball, and scenario paintball.

Woodsball: This is probably the most commonly played paintball game. In the beginning this was the only type. Woodsball is played in the woods, and are usually not arganized fields, like most speedball is played on. Generally in woodsball the point is to simply eliminate the other team.

Scenario/Big game: This is nearly always played at an organized field, and, as it's name suggests, is generally a reinactment of a battle from WW2/Vietnam etc. There are usually over 100 people at these games. These games can include cities, forts, and can cover many acres of land. Scenario games can also be reinactments from movies etc. Big games sometimes are not really based on anything, though big games and scenarios are objective based.

There is some more info on types of games.

[Alpha]

My gun won't recock and when I shoot it farts!! Hizelpizzle!
You are out of CO2, or your marker needs an O-ring replaced somewhere. Pull out an exploded diagram of your marker from your manuel, and take your mrker completely apart. Visually inspect all O-rings and check to see if any are broken, or have a line of white around it. The white means it was frozen by CO2.

What should I get for an upgrade?For anythign that costed under $300 bucks, don't get anythign that won't work in another marker. Get a barrel, HPA, foregrip/Regulator/Xpansion chamber, new hopper, etc. Don't worry too much abotu stuff like RTs for tippmanns and whatnot. Make your gun comfortable to you, but don't go so overboard that you put $400 into your marker and spent 700 total. I mean, you can just get a 400 dollar gun and have it come way better then that stock.

Proph3t mentioned my little sniper thing.. I've just thrown a ton of info togethor mostly for the playerwho came into paintball wanting the best equipment so they can shoot farther and more accurately..

http://home.comcast.net/~jaketakeoko/sniping.htm

[sNoW PIrAnHa]

Originally Posted by Zeruel

What are the types of games in Paintball?

There are two main types of paintball. They are Woodsball and Speedball. I will explain Speedball first.

Speedball:Speedball is a fast, adrenalin filled game. Nearly all tounaments are played in some form of speedball. There are 3 different types of
Speedball:Speedball, Hyperball, and Sup' Airball.

Speedball: Speedball is played with inflatable bunkers, there are two main way to get points, one is to eliminate players on the ohter team. The other is to capture the other teams flag. There is a flag at both ends of the field. The point is to get the other teams flag back to your side without getting hit. You also get points for eliminating the other team, but not as many.

Hyperball: Hyper ball is played using Industrial Tubes. These are tall and black, wiht ridges. Hyperball is played the same as speedball.

Sup' Airball: Sup' Airball uses inflatable bunkers like speedball, though they are slightly different. In sup' airball instead of having a flag at both ends there is one flag in the middle. The point of the game is to get the flag back to your side. You can also get points for eliminating the other team, though you get more for the flag capture.


Woodsball: There are two main types of woodsball: Woodsball, and scenario paintball.

Woodsball: This is probably the most commonly played paintball game. In the beginning this was the only type. Woodsball is played in the woods, and are usually not arganized fields, like most speedball is played on. Generally in woodsball the point is to simply eliminate the other team.

Scenario/Big game: This is nearly always played at an organized field, and, as it's name suggests, is generally a reinactment of a battle from WW2/Vietnam etc. There are usually over 100 people at these games. These games can include cities, forts, and can cover many acres of land. Scenario games can also be reinactments from movies etc. Big games sometimes are not really based on anything, though big games and scenarios are objective based.

There is some more info on types of games.

Sorry but speedball isn't just air bunkers. Thats airball. And you can play CTF or centerflag in any of them. Speedball is just a small field, about half a football field, with many bunkers and is very fast paced. Sup' airball isn't a form of speedball sup' airball is a company that makes air bunkers. Speedball can have any kind of bunkers, air, wood, plastic, pallet, junk, its all used. Airball is just speedball with air bunkers.

[Mezzo]

So, you finally went out and played a few rounds of paintball, and now your like "w00t this is teh rox0r!!!". Before you go out buying your first gun and equipment, please read this.

Buy a gun meant for your level!
Ha ha, its funny, kids going out after one game and buying timmys and angels. Most likely, going out and buying a $1000 plus setup isn't wise as a newbie. You wont know half of the stuff on your gun and screw it up somehow which would just be $$$ down the trash.

Marker:

Gats priced from $50-$250 are generally the largest selling group in the sport, why? Because of the increasing number of people joining the sport.

Now lets take a look at some of the options, the popular companies in this range are kingman, pmi, tippmann, dragun, brass eagle, and aci. There are also countless other guns like syndicate, jt, mokal fokus, and various others. All companies make great products so choosing one should be easy.

spyder: just about any part is available for these guns, they are within themselves simplicity. It seems as though electros are all the rage these days so you may want to look into the best bang for your buck and get an esprit. (same can be said about piranhas, dragun, and aci)

Mechanical:
-Victor II: $50
-Rodeo: $115
-Xtra: $75
-TL-X: $87

Electronic:
-Imagine: $115
-Pilot: $180
-E99: $135
-Electra: $129
-Fenix: $222

Piranha:

Mechanical
-Black Maxx: $48
-R6: $65
-GTI: $98
-SRT: $129

Electronic:
-Eforce R6: $100
-Eforce GTI: $125
-Eforce SRT: $150
-Eforce EXT: $180
-Eforce Evo: $248
-Eforce Pro E: $269

Dragun:

Electronic:
-Dragunfire Compact: $70-$100
-TES: $180
-The ONE: $240

Mechanical:
-Dragunfly: $170

ACI:

-Sinister: $99-$140
-Felon: $150
-Double Agent: $190
-F4 XP: $200
-Assassin: $230

Syndicate:

Paradox Electronic: $130
MF Electronic: $160
Misfit: $210

Mokal Fokus:

Mechanical:
-Mokal Fokus 2 Semi: $120

Electronic:
-Mokal Fokus EVX: $170


tippmann: ha ha, legends upon themselves, tippmanns are like tanks, they are newb proof so this is also a nice choice. Also you have endless upgrade possibilities, and they are low mantinence. I reccommend the 98 custom.

-98 Custom: $140
-A5: $230
-Pro Carbine: $145

brass eagle: I reccommend you stay away from their products, though some may like to argue with that statement, you'd be better off with a spyder or tippmann.

-Raptor Xtreme: $80
-Striker: $43
-Afterburner: $100
-Orion: $60
-Maxis: $100-170

Loaders:

There are various loaders for sale and I wouldn't go out and buy a empire reloader b for your spyder or tippmann.

Viewloader: Viewloader created the first agitated loader, the revolution, at which was a legend on its untill the need for 20+bps feed rate was needed. In all honesty, I would not reccommend an agitated loader for a newb, I doubt many spray 20+bps a game so a normal spring loader will do. If you insist on getting an agitated loader don't even bother with a quantum or some other cheap loader, go straight for the revvy, it is good bang for your buck and reliable. You can find revvy's for around $40-50

I wont even bother mentioning other loaders, for the price of them you can get a starter gun.

Air Systems:

I reccommend that all newbs start out with c02, it is a little less hasseling than compressed air. I reccommend a 20oz tank with anti-siphon. Now c02 will not perform as good as compressed air but anti-syphon will upgrade your performance. And take a look at most guns in that price range, they come stock with exspansion chambers, not regulators. Tanks basically range at around $20 or cheaper, unless you get anti-siphon which is about $40 and on/off $30.

Goggles:

Get a decent pair of goggles, don't go buy an invision or profiler because the pros do. I reccommend the nvader, nvx, skul, spectra, guardian, xray, shield, armor.

-nvader/nforcer: $20-$35
-nvx: $40
-skul: $23
-spectra: $30-$35
-guardian: $20
-xray: $25
-shield: $40
-armor: $20

Note:

Also note this, don't go out and buy a jersey and pants and whatever. Paintball specific apparel wont improve your playing skill. Also don't rush to buy a harness, I doubt many newbs even use whats in their hopper every round. Though cleats will help you with traction, I have on many ocassion slipped because my savier skate shoes had no traction.

Ha ha, hope this saved you a bit of time and $$$, have fun shopping.

[lastonestanding]

To start it, you are equal to everyone of use, vetren or pro, woodsballer or speedballer, the only difference is experience. but here are some first timer tips.

there is no TL; DR version of this, you have to want to learn to read this.

1.)Right off the bat dont go to your field and say to the guy behind the desk' I'm new how do I screw in the tank', do some research, it will save you a whole lot of himuliation. Ask questions. In this section there are no stupid questions. Just make sure to ask some one who is respectable and trustworthy.

2.)Find out what things are and how they work. That doesnt mean go find a list of parts on a 2k2 Angel LCD fly and study it, thats absolutly useless. find a break down of a spyder and look at it just to visually see what the parts look like. I don't think your local field will appreciate you taking apart their guns and then forgeting how to put them back together so just stick to diagrams for now.

3.) Find a buddy to go who is new, dont ask the local tourney player if you can tag along sometime to plan, cause frankly, you will only get wasted time after time and no one likes loosing. The buddy at choice should be some one you know well and can shoot with out him/her gettng mad. The biggest and most important thing doing this is to stay open to all knowledge and take it in with a grain of salt cause that guy wearing the DYE jersey could be a noob like you but with a fat wallet.

4.)I'm guess you want to know the first steps to do when you get to the field. The absolute first step to do is to get the waiver, every field owner has a waiver to sign its just their way of not being held responsible for your actions/stupidity. the next is to get a mask, forget the gun at this point in time, get to know your mask, it will always be your best friend. Don't be afraid to wear it off the field, helps you get comfortable to the feal. I personally still wear my mask around the house, most of the time to see how a different hat feals or a beanie or a bandana. The next thing is to listen to the safety instructure, all good fields have a briefing session. This is the most critical part of the whole thing but if you get there late and miss it, as before, don't be afraid to ask questions. the next is the gun, they will show you how to screw the tank in, loader you hopper, straight forward. Another thing i want to emphasize on this is the barrel plug, you may be off the field and wearing your goggles but the guy next to you isn't and he doesnt want to be one eye short cause you forgot to put a barrel plug. When you are on the field, respect the 15-20 foot rule, dont shoot anyone from that close. Most of the other stuff you will pick up later

5.)Think about it after you are done, after the rush is gone. Ponder this one thought "did I really enjoy this? Did it make me happy or did I walk away with more welts then smiles?". I said think about it, don't make a decision, cause making a decision is thinking that you have judged your level of intrest already. Go one more time, even if the first time sucked, just try a different field if you have a possibility to. Not all fields are created equally or with everyone in mind, if you don't like it then i guess its just not for you, but don't let the intrest die with your dislike, do a little research, get some more information.

6.) Always play safe and have fun. Paintball is about getting away from stress of life and having an enjoyable time.



These guys got shot and they had a great time and they are noobs. Don't let fear intimidate you, go play!

[allstarunited]

Good post. Here are a few other things new players should do/keep in mind so that everyone has a better experience:

7) After you do your research, play your first game, and get your first marker, keep in mind that you are still new.
No, that doesn't mean you're stupid and fail at life, or that you have to pretend to be dumber than a stick, but it does mean you still don't know everything there is to know. I've observed one of the largest causes of fights between newbies and vets to be new players that pretend to know everything. This usually leads to trash talking, which reflects poorly on everyone's reputation. It's ok to share your new-found knowledge, but keep a respectful attitude and an open mind. Veteran players should do the same.

8) Contrary to popular belief, people with military backgrounds are not automatically masters of paintball.
In fact, with the exception of some scenario/woods games, paintball fields are a poor area to try and apply military tactics.

9) The general public at paintball fields have no idea what they are talking about (see tip #7).
Don't believe everything you hear at fields, and be selective who you discuss gear or tactics with. Consider playing at the field a few times before going to someone for advice, giving you the opportunity to find out who the regulars are. For example: I overheard one (obviously new) player telling another that a Silver Bullet is better than an Angel, and that Tippmann was making a gasoline-powered hopper.

10) Respect everyone's gear.
Sure, it may be tempting to crack on the one kid using a Spyder TL+ when everyone else has cockers, but put yourself in his shoes for a second. It's possible that he only plays three times a year and has no need for a more expensive gun. Or, maybe the gun he's using fits his needs well enough that he has no reason to upgrade. After all, according to Doc Nickel, "The best gun is whatever gun you're using at the time the question is asked".


Cheers. Enjoy the game, and have as much fun as possible.

-allstar

[Phantom13]

In just three easy steps, you can be on your way to playing tournements, and maybe even more.

1) Play whenever you can. It may be expensive to those of you who cannot afford it, but playing in real games is essentially the only way you can improve. Don't worry about buying new gear until you are confident in you abilities with your current gear.

2) Study. Watch tapes whenever you can, listen and learn from more experience players. If you can stay open to other's comments, and if you watch tapes,tournments,etc you will gain a vast knowledge of the game. It would also help to understand the rules, scoring and other aspects of the game.

3) Instead of buying new guns or gear, use that money to play. When I first started with a tippmann pro crabine, I worried about others calling me new frequntly,and I bought an autococker before I had even played a few games. PLay with your current eqipment as much as you can, get comforatable and upgrade when you feel you are ready for a new gun.

Hopefully some of this will help you new players and maybe you will use it. I cannot stress it enough that playing is the MOST important thing you can do. An experience player with a Spyder will beat a New layer with an Alias anyday, anytime anywhere.