Source: http://www.a5og.net/
I. Introduction
This guide is written for those new to paintball, new to the A-5, or those needing help with trouble shooting or picking a new upgrade for their already pimped out A-5. I can not guarantee that all the information contained within this document is correct, nor can I accept responsible for any negative experiences you have with anything you have read about in this document. I will however take some credit for the good onesJ. This is a compilation of many different articles and content contributed by nice people from all around the world. It is my hope and intent that it is constantly evolving and becoming better. If you feel anything in this document is incorrect, or would like to add something of your own, feel free to PM me using this forums PM system, or e-mail me (Under Links). I have tried to be as unbiased as possible, but there are simply some products that I like more than others. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I have writing it.
-Jacob
(Marmaduke)
II. Paintball in General
a. What is Paintball?
Paintball is essentially, a grown up game of tag. You use air powered Paintball Markers (guns) to mark your opponent. There are many different forms of paintball each very different than the other. Types of play include Speedball, played in an arena setting consisting of teams ranging from 3-10 players; Woodsball, which is played in the woods, and Scenario play which can have over 3,000 players on the field at a time running missions following a Scenario, or storyline. I will go into detail about the following types below. However, a common misconception is that there is only one way to play the game. There are many different game types just like you’d see in a video game such as Halo.
i. What are the Different Kinds of Paintball?
1. Woodsball
Woodsball is played just like it sounds, in the woods. In Woodsball, is usually played “outlaw” style which means it is played on someone’s property; not an actual Paintball field. There is nothing wrong with playing outlaw as long as you follow simple safety rules listed in section VII. It is Woodsball that the general newbie plays first. Woodsball games are generally slower than the other game types and lead to a lot more sneaking than any other game type. A Woodsball field can be the size of an Acre or 100 Acres. Just give out maps if the field is too big, we don’t want people getting lost.
2. Speedball
Speedball is a lot like NASCAR; a lot of fast movement, flashy jerseys/cars with a ton of advertisement, but with nothing really happening except at the breakout and end. At least, that is how a lot of people tend to look at it. Speedball is the commercialized form of Paintball. It is played on a small field (about the size of a Hockey Arena) with teams ranging from 3-5-7-10 people. It was created as a way for paintball to get out to the public by being broadcasted on the TV. It’s kind of hard to follow teams of 20 guys around on a 30 acre field so Speedball gives people the ability to follow the action making it a spectator sport. Games are fast and the usual objective is to hang the center flag on your opponent’s dead box. Time limits are usually around 10 minutes. Points are scored for eliminations, being the first team to pull the flag, and for actually hanging the flag. Penalties are given if a player is caught wiping, playing on, shooting hot, etc. If it is a timed game, then players will get a timed penalty much like in Hockey, if it is a match game, then there is usually a 1 for 1 or 3 for 1 penalty called where the ref, depending on the penalty will pull so many players from the team of the player receiving the penalty. There are three major Speedball leagues: the NPPL, PSP, and X-Ball. In Europe, there is the Millennium Series. All are very similar but follow slightly different rules. There are also different names for the types of bunkers on a playing field. Hyperball is played using giant sewage pipes as bunkers while Airball is played using blow up bunkers. There are many different names for the shapes of these bunkers. All of them can be found in the Glossary.
3. Scenario
Scenario is a mix between Woodsball and Speedball. It combines many aspects of the two as well as throwing in a storyline for players to follow. Scenario games offer epic battles of thousands of people fighting over a point on the field much like Speedball but it also offers sneakier players a chance to set up ambushes and stalk opposing players through the woods. These events usually draw a ton of players with anywhere from 100-3000+ players on the field at a time. Scenario games may last anywhere from 6-48 hours in length with night play. A common misconception about Scenario play is that it is all mil-sim. This is simply not true. While some storylines follow a military-like scenario, a lot have absolutely nothing to do with the military at all. There are FedEx vs. UPS games as well as Santa vs. The Grinch. Scenario games offer many opportunities for players to take missions such as defending a point on the field or seducing girls from the local brothel (I’ve done that). It also allows the more creative and theatrical players a chance to role-play. Taking on the disguise of a Russian spy or Black Market tradesman for a weekend can be loads of fun. I also feel the need to mention the upcoming SPPL (Scenario Paintball Players League) run by Special Ops Paintball. The SPPL offers Scenario Teams the chance to test themselves against other teams in a scenario setting and format.
4. Stock Class/Pump
Stock Class or Pump Paintball is played with pump markers. These markers must be pumped after each shot to reset the hammer and load a paintball into the breech. A true Stock Class Paintball marker must run off of a 12 Gram power source, fire only one shot per trigger pull, and depending on loader orientation, may not exceed a 10-15 ball loader. A “Pump” paintball marker is just any marker that must be pumped before it must shoot. Some pump markers are equipped with an “auto-trigger” which is where if the player holds the trigger down, the marker will fire with each completed pump stroke. Stock Class play is generally played by those wanting hone their playing skills rather than their shooting skills. Contrary to popular belief, pump markers are NOT more accurate than semi markers. There is now a new league aimed at pump players called the OSC (Old School Challenge).
b. Safety
Safety is very important when playing paintball. With Paintball markers capable of firing over 30bps (balls per second), it is very important to never take off your mask on the playing field and to keep your marker on safety/off with a barrel condom on at all times. The speed limit for a paintball is 300fps. At speeds of 310fps (200mph), a paintball hitting you could break a finger. Tournaments set the limit at 300fps to give a little bit of a buffer. Most fields however, to keep the pain level down, and counter possible spikes in velocity keep have a maximum of 280fps-285fps. Often this is lowered down to 250fps during night play. People, ALWAYS keep your mask on while playing, even if your fogged up horribly, it’s not worth taking them off and risking losing your eyesight. Also, remember to put on a Barrel Condom and keep your marker on safety/off while not playing. I know I’ve already said it but I can’t stress this enough. Just a little FYI, Barrel Condoms are safer than Barrel Plugs as Barrel Condoms won’t shoot out of the barrel if an accidental discharge does happen. If possible, use a Barrel Condom.
c. Brief History
Paintball Markers were first used to mark things such as cattle by farmers, and trees by lumberjacks. The first game of Paintball was played by two friends and their companions who wanted to know who would do better in an intense setting, a woodsman or a city slicker. When first invented, it was called the National Survival Game. After struggling through a rough start in the 80’s, Paintball latched on and became popular throughout the 90’s. That is a brief history of paintball. Hey, I said brief.
d. FAQ
Q: Does it hurt?
A: Kind of, the worst places to get hit are in the hands, the neck and obviously, the groin. It can sometimes hurt to get hit in the head as well. At worst, if feels like being snapped by a rubber band.
Q: How do I become a Sniper?
A: You don’t. There is no such thing as a Sniper in Paintball.
Q: What upgrade should I buy first?
A: Most people would suggest a good barrel. For a Tippmann, I would agree as their stock barrels really are crap. For anything else, a good regulator (if the marker doesn’t come with one) or a compressed air tank will give you best increase in performance.
Q: Which marker is best for my type of play?
A: A paintball marker will work exactly the same in the woods as it would on a speedball field. There is no wonder marker for a specific style of play. Choose a marker that fits your liking. If you like markers that look like a gun, buy one of those. If you want a flashy, fast shooting electro, buy one of those.
Q: Will a double trigger help my mechanical marker?
A: Unless you have super fingers, NO. It is just too hard to walk a mechanical trigger. If you have an electro trigger, it’s a different story. The only thing you may want a double trigger on a mechanical for is the RT. Some people claim that it is easier to “sweet spot” the RT if you use a double trigger.
Q: Do longer barrels help with accuracy?
A: No. Depending on the marker, 12”-16” is going to give you optimum accuracy. My most accurate marker's barrel is only 10.5” long. Most of it has to deal with the material and quality of the barrel.
