Paintball

[Bob Hubbard]

Well, yesterday I got introduced to paintball, and had a blast. So, now I'm looking for more information on how to play, what to buy, and such.

help!

:asian:

 

[deadhand31]

The perfect starter gun: A Tippman Model 98. It's a decent gun out of the box, and it's very easy to get upgrades for it. Almost all the people in my dojang use Tippman Model 98s, with an added expansion chamber to increase distance. You could also get a flatline barrell. This puts a back-spin on the ball, increasing accuracy.

In addition to the gun, you'll want to get an additional tank or 2. I'd reccomend getting some 20 oz tanks, or, if you can find one, a 32 oz. The 32 oz ones are hard to find, but if you can get it, it lasts for a long time.

There are a variety of masks you can get. There are a few things you want to make sure of when purchasing a mask:
1. Does it protect the temples?
2. Does it protect the ear?
3. Does it wrap completely around the head?
4. Is it fog resistant? (This IS important, they have a tendency to fog up in hot and cold weather)

Also, it's smart to get a good set of shooting gloves. Getting hit in the fingers hurts like all get out.

Finally, and this is very important if you're a guy... WEAR A CUP!!! The last thing a guy needs is to get hit in the gonzagas by a projectile going 300 feet a second (especially if you're opponent has automatic fire!!)

 

[Cthulhu]

I second, third, and fourth the suggestion on getting a cup. Having been shot in my...delicates...with a paintball, I can tell you that you do NOT want to experience that for yourself.

If you're playing on a field that rents markers, see if they have a couple of different models to choose from, so you can get a feel for the variety available. If possible, borrow a marker for the same reason.

The problem is, there are so many types of markers available, with so many options, it can be a bit overwhelming to find one for your first purchase (much like choosing an MA for the first time, eh?). I stopped paying attention when they started putting electronics in the friggin' things and hiking the prices up past $1000US.

I haven't played for a while, so I'm out of touch with the current paintball scene. There are several magazines out on the game (sport? nope), so they may be a good starting point for you.

Cthulhu

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Well, been doing a ton of research into it, and I think i've found the marker I want. Goggle systems seem to be either cheep, flimsy or expensive, and ehh.

Ear protections big on my list.

Have been trying to find places locally to play, or heck, just practice. Most of the local places so far seem to be 1 big room, with a few barriers. eh, dont sound like fun to me. I keep reading about these great fields, but of course, they aint in WNY. BAH!

Hmm....as an aside... those training daggers that leave the paint lines...would they work as a melee weapon for paint ball? :rofl:


For anyone interested in the subject, heres a few links to check out.

http://www.pbstar.com
http://www.warpig.com
http://www.paintballtimes.com


:asian:

 

[deadhand31]

if you can get close enough to use those daggers without being shot, then you don't NEED to get a gun!!!

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Oh, too true...

Something ya just don't hear on a paintball field.. "Fix Bayonetts!"

(imagining the looks on the other team....)

:rofl:

 

[Cthulhu]

Originally posted by deadhand31
if you can get close enough to use those daggers without being shot, then you don't NEED to get a gun!!!

My most satisfying moments in paintball were when I got two guys to surrender by sneaking up on them and scaring the bejeezus out of them from about 4 feet away (not at the same time). On one of those occasions, the person was the sole guard at the flag.

Note: if you ever get the drop on someone at close distance, please give them the option to surrender (just yell 'Surrender!'). A paintball hit at close range hurts. On bare skin, it hurts worse. Of course, if they don't surrender, light 'em up like a Christmas tree

Another reason to come to Florida, Kaith: we have a lot of outdoor fields down here. My favorite was in Tampa. They had over 70 acres of land, about a third of which was dedicated to paintball fields. They had about 4 fields for different purposes: a 'speedball' area, a field with two villages, complete with small huts, an urban area, and a general wooded area with random obstacles.

Cthulhu

 

[Kirk]

At an indoor paintball arena I was at, there was a referee in
a tower sitting dead center to the room. EVERYONE would
paid to participate was told, "if you shoot the ref, remember ...
he shoots back". That was all we were told. All of us had
rifles that required you to pump it once to load a new paintball
pelet into it. No one had a clue as to what the ref had. Well
after months and months of incessant playing (cha ching) our
curiosity (there were like 10 buddies all addicted) got the
best of us, and we all kicked in 20 bucks as a bounty to anyone
brave enough.

One guy answered the challenge, but tried to conceal where
the shot came from. DIDN'T WORK. This guy pulls out a
semiautomatic and WAILS on the dude! He was covered
from head to toe in yellow paint, and his eyes were watering!
He had monstrous welts all over his body, ROFL! He took it
in stride as he waved 200 bucks in our faces.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

:anic: OUCH! I dunno...$200 for a month of bruising....

Hmmm... Florida....Paintball....Warmth....Old People driving.

:tank: ok, Im ready.