1. Always, Always do what your Team Captain tells you to do. Beginners should not shout and direct the activities of other team members.

The same is true in life. There may be an opportunity to do a post analysis, but in the midst of a project, etc, listen to the manager.

2. Be Honest. The game will have a referee, but if you have a visible paint splat, raise your hand and go to the sideline. If you can't see a splat on your helmet or backside, ask the ref for a paint check. Keep your head in the game, and do not quit until the ref declares you dead.

The character of paintball is similar to golf. One is expected to call penalties on ones self and to play by the rules. Just like in life, you need to stay in the game until they tell you that you are dead!

3. Do Not, once again, Do Not remove your face protection while on the field. Paintballs fly at over 250 feet per second and do not match up well with eyeballs.

In the family, the office, or the game, one should always make sure they have protection!

4. Make sure you treat all players as equals. Do not hesitate to shoot the females.

Finally, a place where women are treated as equals! LOL!

5. Do not wear white, even if you are on the White Team. The barriers on the playing field are blue, green, red, and black. White will make you stand out and get killed. On top of that, the person who does your laundry will not appreciate the paint splats.

In life, folks need to choose when they think it is best to "stand out" and we need to think about when we should be mindful of those who clean up after us!

Follow the Leader. Be Honest. Use Protection. Treat others as Equals. Be careful about standing out. Be careful about calling others out.

Cardinal Rules of Paintball, or Life Lessons. What do you think?

Great Deals When Buying Paintball Gear at eBay Auctions

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It used to be that buying a marker as a beginner was simple If you were a beginner, you got yourself a basic gas blowback gun like a Tippmann or something. If you were feeling fancy, you might have sprung for something like an Autococker. This can still work, but the technology of recent years has changed many things. High end, high rate of fire electronic guns are now coming down in price. Back in the old days, a fast electronic gun like an WDP Angel would have cost you dearly. Today, you can get many fast, high performance markers that let you dive right into the world of electropneumatics.

However, just because you have the power doesn't mean you should use it. Basic blow back style paintball guns are very reliable, and a snap to repair if they happen to break. Not so with the cheaper electro-pnuematics. Also, to really get the most out of an electric marker, you'll need to get some sort of compressed air system. Air tanks are more expensive than the basic CO2 tanks blowbacks often use.

Really, it all depends on your style. If you're doing a lot of woodsball/scenario type games, symplicity and reliability are paramount. However, if you're playing speedball games, having a nice, fast marker can be invaluable. You need to understand your playing style so you can make the right decision. No single marker is right for everyone, but with the proper research, you can find something that works for you. Now, stop reading and start playing some paintball!