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Upgrading your markerI've noticed, over the course of several months, that perhaps one of the most frequently asked questions is what to get for your new marker. Be it that new barrel, a particular sight, or any number of other general add-ons it seems that many people do not quite know where to begin when it comes to upgrading their marker. As such I've tried to put together this short guide on this subject. Equipment vs. the Shooter "A great player with a poor marker will, 100% of the time, outshoot a poor player with a great marker." Too often players get the idea that the only thing keeping them from becoming even better is that new barrel kit or a composite bolt. Nothing could be further from the truth. No amount of technology will improve or make up for skill. So then the question becomes why upgrade, right? Wrong. It isn't a matter of why, but when. You see, when you bought your first marker, the ability of that marker to hit your target was far greater than your ability as a shooter to hit your target. Your skill had to improve to meet the ability of your marker. So for instance, why buy a barrel that is "more accurate" if you can't get your shot within 5' of your target to begin with? Why get an Halo-B if you can't shoot 5 BPS now? If you are really dedicated to improving your skills, try playing with a Pump or Pistol sometimes. It really makes you think about how you are going to shoot when all you have is one chance before you have to find cover again. As your skills improve, you'll better be able to tell what upgrades help your play and which ones don't. Once you have the skill, you'll see that there are items that will give you a slight edge over the other guy. Yo' man, what's your style? After you've come into your own skill wise (and understand that you NEVER have mastered paintball...you only get better and better) you will begin to understand what your style is. Style is more than how you play, but what you play as well. Speedball players will naturally have different styles than woodsball players. Not that elements of each can't be found in the other, but in general they are different types of play. If you find yourself playing more of one type than the other, this may dictate your upgrading decisions. Your individual style comes in how you play what you play. For instance, in speedball you have Frontmen, Middle guys, and Backmen. Even so, you can break that down further into front guys that like to run/slide/crawl and are very quick to others that move from spot to spot using just cover fire at a methodical pace. Once you have an idea of how you play, purchase equipment that suits your style. For instance, if you are a front man and are snap shooting all the time, why have a set up that pumps out 30+ BPS? Look instead for a hopper that gives a small front profile, lightweight gear, and a marker that is easy to maneuver with. A Woodsball player that sneaks around a lot may look for a non-motorized hopper so that it won't give away his position or a longer barrel that will let him push it through brush and still take the shot. Backmen may opt for a shorter barrel to conserve their propellant since they may fire hundreds of rounds per game. Non-essentials Anyone who has seen my MilSim set up may look at me funny when I mention this. This basically means that you only want to get things for your outfit that you absolutely will need. For instance, why get a drop forward if you run remote? Why buy a sight if you are the type that snap shoots? Why buy a ghillie suit if you play speedball? You get the idea. For me, I have a number of items on my marker that most find useless yet I have a use for them all. My Bipod is there for when I'm prone in the woods. Far easier to lay there for a long time when the weight of the marker is supported by the bipod. This comes in handy when I'm using my scope to scout for my team, as is my style, and this is also why I have a 5 watt radio (most are only .5-2 watts) so that I can radio information back to base no matter where I am. If I need to take a shot, the barrel extension helps disperse the sound making it harder for my opponents to tell where the shot came from. The red dot mounted to the side of my scope is great for close in work or aiming at mid to short ranges. The R.I.S. rail allows me to have both the extension and the bipod on the marker at the same time. A Palmer regulator helps ensure that each shot is as constant as the last putting more of my paintballs on target the first time. The sling is there to help reduce fatigue. Lastly, the tactical vest I have carries a hydration pouch, my radio, and anything else I may need during scenario play...the type of play I do most often. For me, a long barrel, a super fast hopper, anti-chop eye, 800 rounds of paint, electronic trigger, drop forward, HPA, and many other "standard" upgrades are really Non-Essentials though for many other players they would be essentials. Goals and your Budget While I wish money was no object, it is. So where do you put it when it comes to your marker? First, you have to have a goal. What is it that you are trying to achieve with all these upgrades? Consistency? Speed? Maneuverability? Weight reduction? Reliability? Stealthfulness? Once you pick your overall goal (or goals), you then need to research and see what upgrades will achieve that goal. After that, you identify which ones will make a big difference and which ones will only make minor improvements. Lastly, you see what you have to spend and set up a plan on how, when, and how much you will upgrade your marker. For me, I worked on things to make the marker as consistent as possible. Sights, regulator, paintball selection, and most importantly target practice. Yep, target practice. Even now I'll spend an hour just practicing hitting targets from different ranges and under different circumstances. First I tried different ball types to find one that matched up with my marker the best. So far, Chronic has been my choice but I keep looking for even better. After that, I hit the range and fired a ton of paint. Just getting use to the feel of my marker, how it shot, where it shot, and how to keep the balls on target. After that came the sight so I could aim and then the regulator to increase the consistency of the shot. For me, that was the most important thing and I spent money on achieving that goal. Conclusion Well, I hope this helps all of you out there looking to put your hard earned money into your markers. With some work, some basic understanding, and a lot of practice, you can have a marker that does EXACTLY what you expect of it without wasting money on upgrades that just don't help you get to where you want to be.
Good luck and remember, it is all about having fun!
- Robotech
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