Since you are into Paintball, did you see the episode of "How It's Made" where they went to the paintball factory to show,  how they were made?

If there were that many babes when i was playing i probably wouldn't have quit. I was into it for a while but that money now goes to festool and other tools. We had a killer team and we'd travel around and blast it. Only played one big game and that was 300 vs 300. I had nightmares, it was too real!

Nice, it's fun to see a few other "ballers" out there! I'm definitely no pro, but REALLY enjoy getting out there! Last season I participated in two Giant Big Games at Splat Tag in Wisconsin, I think turnout was 600 in the Spring and 800 in the Fall? The guys I play with use 2-way radios with the in-ear head sets for the Big Games, so even when you're walking back to the re-spawn station you can listen to the radio chatter of what's going on.

The Giant Big Games are a blast!! In addition to the rush of playing 300 vs 300 or more, there also include many "special" units, such as Terminators, "Helicopters", Medics, Tanks, LAW rockets, and oodles of other goodies! The Terminators are fun, before the game begins the refs distribute mannequin parts around the field. If your army can find all of the Terminator parts (arms, legs, torso, etc...) you can purchase a Terminator, which means someone puts on a long sleeve t-shirt with a small white box on the front and rear of the shirt. This player is invincible unless struck in the small boxes. The player cannot run. So, basically, you send out the Terminator to clear a enemy stronghold or punch a hole in their lines. This player gets LIT UP, because although you need to hit the small targets to eliminate the Terminator, that doesn't stop you from shooting him up to slow him down!

I found this

VIDEO

with footage from the Spring 2011 Giant Big Game (you can see some of my team mates at 1:06), and here are some photos from the Fall Giant Big Game. For that day our responsibility was securing this octagonal structure and the areas surrounding it. That's me on the tower! 

This coming May we are planning on participating in Living Legends 5 in Chicago, which looks like a BLAST!! Here's another video, with snippets of Living Legends at 1:14, 1:39, 2:13, 2:34, and 3:30.

NPPL Chicago 2011 at CPX

jmbfestool, I hear ya on the potential for ever-escalating marker prices!! I am currently using a Etek3 LT, it's a $500 marker so mid-range as far as price goes, but it'll still throw paint at 13bps which is more than enough for me!! 

duburban, what part of the country did you play in? How long has it been since you last played?

Any favorite paintball stories?

Best,
Tom