Should Pumps be encouraged?

[Tom Tom]

As paintball grows as a sport and more kids get into the game they are coming into a game that is more driven to faster, harder, quicker play.

This is fine, I have no complaints there. It gets the younger generation interested quickly into the game and they enjoy the day of rec-ball and in a few cases gets them towards teams and playing in tourneys.

Now the thing I learned when i first played at the tender age of 13 was I could do a day of paintball on 200 balls.

Pump, It was stealth and tactics and learning how to get somewhere you could eliminate 3 or 4 people before they knew where you were.

Now adays you can fire fast enough not to worry about being seen by anyone.

Should there be more pumps back on sites so that people learn a bit more skill of the game than trigger happy GI Joes in the woods.

Any other thoughts?

 

[Jones the Paint Magnet]

Hi Tom Tom

Expect you'll get a lot of positive replies on the pump topic from people such as Micah and Tyger - I love pumps and grew up with same sore of grounding inpaintball as yourself, sounds like.

I think it's a great way to improve skill: teaches the primary-yet-often-overlooked skill of aiming, as opposed to walking your shots in, although if you end up mugging someone on slam fire there isn't that much difference between pumps and autos. Training with something that doesn't compensate for your deficiencies (i.e. spray 'n' pray) forces you to improve your game - when I teach people to fence I always insist on them using the "french" handles instead of "pistol" grips. It's harder work and hurts your hand more to get control, but their point control is always much better than someone who has always used a pistol grip for an easier ride. Guess that goes for most sports.

Time was you could compete with the odd semi or two on the punter days where there was a mix of punter pump rentals and walk-ons, although now the fields tend to be a bit smaller, I'm not sure how much you could get away with facing a largely semi-crowd. I'm bringing my phantom along to the first Bulls Wood walk-on and finding out

As for tourney play, well if you had a pump only tourney, then I expect you'd see some excellent play, but if it was pumps vs electros, then you'd have your work cut out. On a small field, volume of fire is going to have the edge, but if you could pull off a win, what better way to establish your credentials as a paintball God?

 

[Buddha 3]

Well, I'd say no, in the same way that semis/electroes shouldn't be encouraged.
On avarage, pumps (the markers, not the shoes ) appeal to a different crowd than semis do (particularly the electroes). Both of these crowds have their place in paintball, and both are not above the other. People will make their own choices, as long as they are aware that the options are there. People who pick up a semi as their first marker, and who are in to the recball scene, might stumble across a pump happening and get really interested. Good chance they'll buy a pump too, given the fact that you can get a pump for almost nothing.
To me 'encouraging' in this sense means steering people's choices, gently coercing them to head down a certain path. Just let them make their own minds up. Just make people aware of the fact that there is another scene around, besides the Angel toting trigger happy crowd (I am guilty as charged!).
It would be a shame if pumps would dissappear, but I don't see it happening. I used to work in a paintball store, and there's loads of people that pick up pumps as their starter marker, just because it's a (relatively) cheap way into paintball.

One thing though. The fact that us electro boys shoot so much paint, is a bonus to the entire paintball crowd. Simply put, the more paint is used, the cheaper it'll get over a period of time. So next time you see a spoiled kid with an oversized wallet and an electro painting the forest (and hitting f*ck all), walk up to him and thank him....

 

[Jones the Paint Magnet]

Fair point. Never a bad thing to have a range of options to choose from.

It would be nice if there were more pump events to choose from - perhaps if there were then us pump owners would be less evangelical However, as things stand pumps are still a minority and a whole generation of 'ballers are coming along who have known nothing but semis, and instantly dismiss pumps as outdated. But I acknowledge the point about falling into a "counter-snobbery" mode of thinking. Sounds like a prime motivation to try and organize something with a friendly site . . .

As for paint expenditure, any money I save on paint will gladly go on a round for electro players I meet and have a good day's play with down the pub. Fair trade?

 

[Buddha 3]

Fair trade!

I do agree that pumps are definately getting 'snowed under' at the moment, and in order for people to be able to make a choice, they have to be aware that the options are there. So I wouldn't say that pumps need to be encouraged more, but rather they need to be promoted more (small, yet crucial difference).

 

[Tom Tom]

I agree,

I am also an electro-fan (as it were) and love playing a sup'air field but i do feel some kids today just don't realise the fun and skill it takes to play pump.

Awareness should be raised and i think on some days there should be an all pump day but I would hate to fall into the catagory of snobbery because I own an electro marker. I want to get my hands on a pump just to play a walk on day and see if you really can compete with the big boys toys.

Or at least play a group of customers who laugh at me for having a pump and then covering their little bottys with my paint

Has there ever been a pump game on sup'air? what was it like or what would it be like?

 

[Buddha 3]

I think the Skyball event does (did?) a pump Sup'Air thing.
Ask Tyger, he knows, and I believe he played it.....
So Tyger!

Tyger!

Tyger! We need you here man!

 

[Inferno]

The Good Old Days

Back while I was playing pump we played a sort of speedball format. We didn't do much walking around the woods, and didn't do much "sniping", but we did have to aim. We usually just split into two teams, yelled go, and ran at each other while using trees for cover. It was reaaaallllllly fast-paced, but you didn't bother putting up a wall of paint on the breakout(like we could have anyway ). It was fun, and we all learned to conserve our shots.

 

[Tyger]

You rang?

Never let it be said I don't listen for my name!

Yes, back in 2000 Skyball expiremented in a pump comp on the sup-auir course. Not just us nuts playing with pumps, ALL Pumps.

TIP 1, team I Was on, we had a ball! It was in the pump games I made the 'cool move of the night' Took out 3 guys in a run-up the field, bunkered 2 of 'em.

Pump on air fields is MUCH more spectator friendly, it opens up the fields to grand moves. The move I did on field 2, the 3 player run I mean, the spectators were all up in hte Skyball bar, cheering loudly. It's also a lot more dynamic, becasue you can see the players shooting.

Sounds dumb, but it was popular to watch. Oh, the refs barely got hit the pump games.

So why didn't it take off? Bad planning. They planned the pump games while other teamds whoi registered for pump were playing their NORMAL games! So teams like "Ground Zero", who I wanted to play, were slated t play a semi game AND a pump game back to back, and they couldn't make it from field to field in time.

And htey haven't run it since. But, know what? If Skyball had an all pump division, or someone like Tolouse did it or Mayhem or somehting big, THEY WILL get the draw for teams. Hell, I'll try to scrounge for it!!! And, I'm ready. Nitro on a centerfeed Phnatom. WOO HOO!

-Tyger

 

[Micah]

Well, I figured I better throw my $0.02 in here since I was mentioned and all ...

I tend to encourage people to play pump when ever they can, I've even been known to loan out my pump gun (as long as they have a shiny 'gun I can hold as colateral) but I don't think anything should be forced on anyone. I definatly think Pumps should be an avalible option. But if they're not around, no one's going to ever going to see, much less shoot one.

I remember what Got me into pump play, an article in one of those other mags ... yeah ... about the Earon Carter Buzzard. But I couldn't find one plus they start around $700 (a little steap for a 14 year old) but the first time I got to shoot one I fell in love. Then I got to shool a Phantom, it was in my price range and much lighter. I bought one 2 weeks later. Been playing pump ever since. But I had to play with it before I could know that I really would like it. Now I'm hooked.

I think when I get a little more pull (well ... any pull ...) I'm going to set up a free talon only game, 'guns, 12-grams and paint provided ... I know I can get atleast 2 people to show up ... it'll be so cool ... like kinda almost old school ... only different ...

Well I'm gonna tie this up now ... 1) so i don't turn in to a J-Lo type, and 2) cuz I feel like it ... If I've said what's been said before ... to bad, I'm a lazy american and I didn't bother to actually read thru the other posts ... I just skimmed them ...

Nothing in paintball shout be foreced apon another player. Not Pumps, not Supersemi's ... ok scratch that .. one thing should be forced apon players ... safety ... but that's it ...

-Micah