The Complete Newbie Guide

The Complete
Newbie Guide
By: MMMerc

Introduction To TechPB

Hey there friend! Welcome to TechPB! If you want to just skip to all the buying part go ahead scroll down a little, but if this your first time in TechPB then let me help you out a little bit so you can feel a little more comfortable here.

First off, read the rules: http://www.techpb.co...p?showforum=524

Things not to do (That aren't on the rules):

1. Don't Be a Jerk, (You be one and people remember it, this a community of tight knit and friendly people)
2. Dont be afraid to ask.
3. Dont Be someone else (Dont be a pretender, it's not hard to recognize, just be honest about yourself and how you feel).
4. Don't be Ignorant (Don't argue over something you don't know about or ignore facts that have been presented).
5. Do not, under any circumstances, insult another person, or use any racial or sexual slurs.
6. Don't Spam, anybody about anything. Opinion on spams are very different so take a respectful tone when messaging other members.

Here at Tech PB, we pride ourselves on being a safe and friendly community, when you come here you should understand our goal is to make the sport of paintball a better place for everybody to enjoy. We try to be friendly, so when someone approaches you in a insulting manner, dont be afraid to contact our Moderators, who are REAL people, that make this place so great.

Thank you! Now enjoy the Guide!
- MMMerc

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First things first when purchasing your first setup:
DO NOT BUY A GUN FIRST

Reason being is simple, there are more important things to spend that money on in paintball then a gun right away. "What?" you may ask, here I'll show you...

The Mask

Reason:
The mask is the most important purchase you can make. Good masks offer protection and do not limit the player with fogging or any other hindrances allowing you to play to the best of your ability. I suggest you do your own research on them and it is extremely important you try each one on BEFORE you buy. If the mask doesn't fit well then you have just wasted your money.

Masks I Suggest:

Dye I4
Retail Price: 100-130$
-Quick Pro's: Small, Light, Will not fog.
-Quick Con's: Price, Not good in rain, Small and may not fit every one, will chop a ball if it hits in the mouth area and cause splattering in you mouth region.

PBReview Link: http://www.pbreview....s/reviews/5949/

V Force Profiler
Retail Price: 60$
-Quick Pro's: Good Coverage, won't fog, good ventalation, price.
-Quick Con's: Wont cause many bounces, it is a larger mask.
Good for glasses!

PBReview Link: http://www.pbreview....s/reviews/2255/

Sly Profit
Retail Price: 89-100$
-Quick Pro's: Great lining, comfortable, small, Dual Straps.
-Quick Con's: May not fit everybody, Scalp exposed, ventilation.

PBReview Link: http://www.pbreview....s/reviews/6339/
My Review Link: http://www.techpb.co...1

Empire Events
Retail Price: 100$
-Quick Pro's: Comfy, small, good ventilation.
-Quick Con's: Vents make you sound very loud to yourself, may not fit everybody.
Good For Glasses!

PBReview Link: http://www.pbreview....s/reviews/4080/

V Force Grillz
Retail Price: 90-100$
-Quick Pro's: Good Venting, rubber bottom, roomy.
-Quick Con's: May be a little loose, a bigger mask, (lens probelms?)
Good For Glasses!

PBReview link: http://www.pbreview....rod=4949&page=2

Proflex's / E-Flexes
Retail price: 60-100$
-Quick Pro's: Great venting, customization, roomy, protects well.
-Quick Con's: Bouncing issues, Face splatter, large masks, ear protection is iffy.
Good For Glasses!
PBReview: http://www.pbreview....s/reviews/1456/

Conclusion of Masks:
These are not the only masks out there, there are alot of other good ones, but alot of it is preference and finding what you want out of a mask. These are not the only Pro's and Con's either for these masks, thats why i listed fuller reviews under them. Make sure to get a good mask and one that feels comfy and does not fog may the best choice for you.

If you want to see more info on some masks, see the great write up by hebiki here:
http://www.techpb.co...howtopic=155323
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Tanks

First off,

If you have CO2, switch to HPA
Also
Never put Oil or Grease into your fill nipple

Reason:
HPA (High Pressure Air) Will not fluctuate as much, keeping your shots better grouped and regulated, therefor: Increase your accuracy by means of consistency.

Putting Oil or Grease into the fill nipple of a HPA tank will seriously damage your tank as air is pushed into it, causing the probability of exploding and injuring you.

Next:

Tanks are a little easier to choose fortunately, again I encourage you to do research on each one. No brand is better than one another tank wise, but may have a better regulator attached to the tank. Ninja and Guerrilla probably have some of the best regulators however there are more than that out there.

Tanks have all kinds of different sizes, You can tell by these numbers: 68/4500
These numbers: Are the tanks Size in cubic inches
These numbers: Are the tanks Internal air pressure.

The bigger the size = More Air it holds / Heavier it weighs
The more pressure = Also more shots it gets

There are different sizes, the usual one's being: 45, 47, 48, 68, 60, 72, 90

-The smaller ones allow a much closer hold of the gun and are better for smaller players or players who hold the gun extremely close or for pump players.
-The standard size, 68, is probably the best size for most players and allows it to be used as a nice stock as well.
-The larges size, the 90's, are almost too huge to put on the back of your gun, and are mainly used for Larger players, it is used by many others as great scenario tank to wear on your back.

Aluminium Or Carbon Fiber?

Aluminium ("Steely's") tanks are sort of a budget restraint option, I would never encourage you to buy one first off, cheap ones are not exactly reliable (just had both of mine leak in the same day forcing me to stop playing till i buy new ones) and they may be the majority of the weight of your gun.

Carbon tanks are basically a investment, you buy it and you can use it for 15 years with the only limiting factor being you have to get them tested and Re-Hydro'd every 5 years then dispose of them at the end of their 15 year lifetime. They are significantly lighter then their steel counter parts.
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Hoppers

Hoppers are a great investment since they will last a lifetime if maintained, will interchange between any gun, and will let your gun run to the best of it's abilities.

You don't have to go out right away and spend 200$ on a super hopper such as a Dye Rotor Or Z2, but they are super hoppers for a reason.
What makes a super hopper "Super"? Here are some things to look for when purchasing a hopper:

-Feed rate
-Soft paddles
-Color Recognition
-Ease of maintenance
-Size (Smaller profile)
-Weight
-Feed function (Constant feed / Sound activated)
-Battery life

Take all the things into account such as if your using a pump which does not require as many things as a semi's. There are tons of hoppers out there and you can find them used and cheap easily just to be sure to get one that will suit your needs and leaves room for a little extra.

Here is Mikes opinion and review on alot of different hoppers:

TechPB-Mike, on 02 January 2009 - 07:10 AM, said:

Viewloader Revolution - great entry level loader. You can use a hose clamp and attach these to the spyder stovepipe. These loaders also fit the classic markers that have tight feednecks, like autocockers. Very light, batteries last forever, great loader for autocockers, autococker pump guns, spyders, etc

Viewloader Eggy - I don't like this loader at all. It's extremely back heavy, and when diving or running with the loader, it's terrible off-balance construction causes this loader to fly off guns like a football. The flex prop works well, it feeds fast, but you need a VERY strong, clamping feedneck to use this loader or it's going to fly off your gun.

Viewloader Vlocity Jr (stock) - great loader, just barely fast enough for any style of field or tournament play. Very light, but the buzzing noise when it's on will drive you crazy. This loader EATS batteries. Holds alot of paint, and the lid opening is HUGE which is awesome for loading, but the battery consumption and buzzing is a major turnoff. Probably one of the largest lids / feed hole in paintball. You literally can stick your entire hand into the mouth of the Jr, which makes it impossible to spill paint when loading.

Viewloader Vlocity (stock) - I usually ran mine at setting #3. Very similar to the Vlocity Jr, except the lid is smaller and the angle is different, holds about 10 or 15 more paintballs, and the chip has 8 adjustable speeds. The funny thing is that I always set my Vlocity to run at the same setting the JR comes defaulted at, #3. Vlocities do tend to jam alot, and the "ghost problem" can rear it's head every now and then. If your velocity doesnt feed faster than 15BPS, you might have this issue. Viewloader doesn't recognize the problem, so you'll be stuck buying a new loader. Loader eats batteries, the buzzing noise is annoying, but it's light and small, works great for airball / speedball. I wouldnt take this loader into the woods

Viewloader Eye Force - not a bad loader, but it's expensive, heavy and odd shaped. Drive cone is very small, loader does tend to leave alot of gaps in the steams, and can jam alot. The anti jam works, but it'll cause a gap in the stream. It feels like a brick on your gun, because of the extremely wide ear end.

Halo B - Halo B's work great for about 80 to 100 cases and then they are done. The motor will burn out after 80+ cases. The loaders function like they should, they are battery effecient, extremely fast, but my biggest gripes are the LED light not staying on (blinks every 5 or 7 seconds, hard to tell if it's on or not), and it's "antijam function" is to simply blink like a christmas tree, forcing you to clear the jam, AND shut the loader off and turn it back on. But they function perfectly.

Halo B V35 - same as the Halo B, but with an 6 speed adjustable board. I usually ran mine at setting #3, which is about what the stock Halo B runs at in terms of speed

Reloader B - Reloader B is better than the Halo B, simply because it doesn't require you to power cycle the loader when a jam occurs. Extremely fast, at setting 2 with fresh batteries, or setting 3 (max speed), the loaders can "run away", when the mic on the board hears its own motor spinning, and confusing it for the gun shooting. I prefer the Reloader B over the Halo B, simply because Reloaders dont require you to shut them off when a jam occurs. Reloader B's also have battery saving technology, so after 10 or 15 minutes of use, the loader shuts off. This can be decieving because the game starts, you shoot 10 or 15 balls in the air, then your gun stops shooting! So if you have alot of time between games, power cycle your loader. Also, when walking with your loader on, the jiggling of paintballs will cause the loader to try to spin. So make sure you are turning your loader off after each game or you'll eat batteries

Reloader B2 - very similar to the B, just with some other adjustment settings. If you get a B2, always keep the manual in your gearbag. They are a pain in the ass to program, and if the mic isn't set properly, it may not hear the gun shooting and you'll have to change the mic setting

Reloader - like the Revolution but sound activated and uses a magnetic lid. I personally like the Revolution better

Hardcorps Torque - George Spurlock is the person who invented the Pulse, and then invented the Torque. Not a bad loader, but with the recent price drops on the Halo B & Reloader B, these loaders are overpriced. At $70 I'd skip it, $40 to $50, I'd consider it. Speedfeeds aren't available, customer service is patchy (George Spurlock is just one person). It's a good budget speedball loader, but I'd take a Halo B or Reloader B over it at the same price point. Loader does jam sometimes, and eats batteries like crazy, but it's got a great, simple design. These loaders are extremely fast with fresh batteries, and will max out any gun

Draxxus Pulse - Skip it. When they first came out, it was a good loader at the time. Now, it's too heavy, too big, and since Draxxus is no longer offering any replacement parts or warranty on these loaders, I'd skip them. They are fast, but they are heavy and the feednecks snap like crazy. Also, I've taken shots into the drivetray tabs on the side and put paintballs right through the tabs into the drive unit. These are good loaders, but since you can't get replacement parts for them, or get them repaired anymore by Draxxus, I would skip it. If you can find these loader for $50 or less I'd consider purchasing one, but I personally recommend skipping this loader if you are a frequent player.

Pinokio - still my favorite loader on the market. The drive system is simple. The loader never jams, it's very battery efficient, uses a bullet proof feed system, and the "always on" LED and instant on power button is awesome. I also like the "low battery" LED indicator, when the battery starts to die, the loader will go from green to red. This loader is rediculously light, as light as a Vlocity, and holds 270 paintballs, 400 with the nose. This added capacity has allowed me to make moves on the field I wouldn't have been able to make with other loaders. You buy the pinokio for two reasons, bulletproof consistent feeding and capacity. It's not the fastest loader on the market for "backyard experimental 50bps video making", but for REAL paintball playing on the field, keeps up with any gun on the market, and works great. Still my personal loader of choice, its so simple I love it. It's got a high, swept back design, making it very easy to hide behind bunkers when you tilt your gun. For me personally and my playing style, the Pinokio is still my loader of choice.

Dye Rotor - absolutely the most advanced loader to ever hit the market. Sleek, sexy, tiny, very well put together and EXTREMELY fast, brutally fast, the Rotor is the choice for people who like speed, and like small loaders. If you like small loaders, or you are looking for an extremely fast loader for "backyard experimental 50bps video making", get the rotor. Its quiet, battery efficient, the lid doesnt require any break in period, tool-less dissasembly, this loader is so advanced it's practically alien technology. The rotor is 4 ounces heavier than the vlocity. For players seeking a small profile loader, get this. The drive assembly is so advanced, expect 1 jam per 10 cases, easily cleared by just yanking the trigger. This is my second favorite loader on the market right now. This is a great step up from people who own vlocities

Magna - like the Reloader B, but with a swooped back shell and magnet clutch drive. You buy the magna for the shell design, not for much else. It's fast, works great, but the magnet clutch is overrated. The added capacity from the stock Reloader B is a huge plus.

Prophecy - UPDATE- After recieving a couple Prophecies to test out, it's basically a Reloader B2 with Magna internals, and a tooless dissasembly. Feeds fast, works great, but honestly I think I'd use a Reloader B w/ Anti Jam Freeway and get the same performance as the Prophecy. If you have one, and you love it, cool.

Viewloader Quantum - junk, throw it away

Viewloader Force - any sort of "always on" loader is garbage, keep saving your money and get the good stuff

Spyder Fasta - good loader, shares alot of the same drive components with the pinokio

Tippmann SSL-200 - good loader for the SPPL woodsball tournaments, odd lid angle.

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Gear

Gear is also an important part of a beginner's first purchases into paintball for like a mask, they allow you to play to the best of your ability. There are all kinds of different gear options out there, but if your going to purchase any, i suggest you go in this order to save yourself trouble:

1. A Pod Pack + pods
2. Knee Pads
3. Slider Shorts
4. Paintball pants
5. Gloves
6. Arm pads
7. Jersey
8. Cleats (For those who play mainly speed ball)

Before Ordering ANY Pads, Read this Amazing Sizing Chart By BlckNinja:

http://www.techpb.co...howtopic=169498

A Pod Pack is listed as number one for a reason, while providing no safety features the ability to "Reload" Mid game is priceless. Suggest you do your homework on them extensively since alot of manufactures have their reputations and pro's and con's and there are different kinds to look at (Magnetic/Velcro/Looped). NXe is a great choice for beginner players.
You can tell how many Pods one holds by these numbers: 3+2+#
These are the Main Pod's, and are the fastest to access and use while playing
These are the "Extra" Pods, they are there in usually rubber straps facing up and harder to access.

Head bands and beanies are great as well and do a good job of bouncing scalp shots so consider that with your purchases as well.

Knee Pads are a extremely important purchase to make since out on the field you never know what you might land your knees on. Thankfully, knee pads today are very standardized and high quality, while Mike (TechPB's Founder)recommends Dye Core knee pads, any ones that feel comfortable and stay in place will do.

Pants are the same way fortunately, and they are all pretty great, but i suggest you do a lot of research on them and read what people say about them. Pants can be expensive, so you want to be sure you get a good pair that will meet your needs, look for these things out of pants:

- Ventilation
- Knee and crotch padding
- Squeegee pockets
- Comfy fit
- Durability

Here is Mike's Full Padding Show If you need some more help on deciding on padding:

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Gun Care, Caddy's, & Maintenance

I can't state enough the importance of taking care of your gun with regular maintenance here are just some of the reasons:

- A clean gun and barrel means clean shots (meaning it's shooting the best it can)
- A well maintained gun will last longer and not break down as often
- Taking care of it can significantly increase re-sale value

Just huge the difference a single drop of a busted paintball's oil can change your gun's accuracy.

Gun Maintenance:

To take the best care of your gun you'll need to purchase some things and need to know how to disassemble it and lube/oil it. Let me walk you through the steps I take to clean my gun:

1. I set up a clean area using a short fiber towel (such as a beach towel, longer fibers may stick to gun parts causing problems) or mat on a flat surface.

2. I clean the barrel, first running a squeegee through it (Dont use a yank squeegee on a apex, can damage it), then polishing it off with a swab, then (as most players stop there) I run inside of it under some warm water put a towel on the exit end and lean it up against a wall for a few hours so it can clean itself out. Then i start to clean the gun.

3. When I'm new to disassembling a certain gun i will look up on youtube Mike's Gun Review show, he disassembles the gun every show and walks you through it.

4. I watch it slowly and follow what he's doing and listen to his advice as he guides me to rebuild it again and lube it.

5. Repeat until learned.

Now what you'll need to do this:
-Lube/oil, which ever brand the manufacturer suggests,
-O-Ring Kit (to replace any broken O-rings, make sure they fit your gun before buying),
-Allen Keys (usually provided if bought new, if not just buy a Allen Key Multi Tool),
-A Squeegee (These are to initially get all the paint out of a barrel)
-A swab (These will polish the Barrel after you use the Squeegee),
-A sink or a glass of warm water,
-A mat or Towel and a flat surface,
-And Youtube

Mask Maintenance:

Mask Maintenance is crucial to paintball and is as important as gun cleaning, fortunately it is easier as well with the new masks as it's usually just a few steps that can be easily followed with a manual. If you buy used then there are plenty of manuals you could find online. All masks these days have standard tooless disassembly, so the only thing you really need is a micro fiber cloth to wipe them down with until you get home and work on them more.

Cleaning Soft Goods:

Make sure you read the Cleaning instructions of each product before cleaning it, other wise here is a great video from Mike of cleaning pants, pads, and soft goods.

Cleaning Hoppers and Pods

Cleaning Hoppers and Pod's ensures no dirt or gunk is fed into your gun.

Hoppers for me, are the most frustrating to clean and thats why i place importance on getting one that is easy to clean, other wise you'll be stuck doing it for a longer time then i thought was possible with something so small.

Hoppers:
I strongly suggest you take it apart, wipe the inside with some anti-bacterial wipes, then wipe that off with a micro fiber towel. Reason being is that water can damage the chip or batteries inside the hopper if your not careful.

Pods:
Pods are pretty simple, rinse them out in the sink and just dry them out and your good.

Caddies:
Are super helpful and i suggest every player buy one with a spout. They make filling up so much easier and stop paintballs from falling onto the ground.

For those who don't know what a caddy is, here's one, here is another type.

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Guns and Tips

The Truth About Barrels:

-No Barrels increase a gun's accuracy.
-More porting = Less efficiency + quieter shot
-No porting = More efficiency + louder shot
-Underbore = Better Efficiency + better consistency
-Overbore = Good consistency + bad efficiency
-Paint to Bore Match = Medium Consistency + Bad Efficiency
-The ideal lengths of a paintball barrel is between 12-16 inches for maximum efficiency

Gun's

Gun's are purely preference and if your comfortable with what you have, then don't worry about it. Buying a more expensive gun does not make you a better player, that comes with time and experience, not money. If you think your gun is limiting your growth as a player or are just itching for something new, then feel free to upgrade.

There are mainly two types of gun's, Spool Valves & Poppets, whats the difference and which should you choose?
Check out this absolutely amazing write up by M10R:
http://www.techpb.co...showtopic=37162

All gun's have the same accuracy including pumps, surprising I know, so the only thing your paying for are available features, such as:

-Lighter gun
-Higher fire rate
-Smoother shot
-Better efficiency
-Clamping Feedneck
-Better Boards
-Efficiency
-ASA Capability

And so on and so forth. While I recommend buying a used super gun, such as a Marq 6/7, it is ultimately up to YOU If your intent on buying new, research each, and compare what features are available on each one. You can check out this guide or check out Mike's Budget Baller 3.0 below:

Pro Tips

- Practice, practice, practice.
- Learn your gun, get a good feel of how it shoots and how to get the most out of it.
- You MUST learn how to be ambidextrous with your gun (shoot with both hands and sides).
- Know where your shooting, watch your gun's arch and learn to pinpoint every shot.
- Practice diving/sliding without your marker (can use a slip and slide) then when your more comfortable with it, try it with your marker (w/o tank or hopper or barrel).
- Learn to keep your gun level so you can aim and sight quickly.
- Learn how to snap shoot quickly.
- Count how long it takes for you to empty your hopper, so you know when to reload without looking.
- Learn how to tuck yourself in a bunker and minimize your profile
- Learn Team commands and signals
-Cleats can really help out in speedball, allowing better grip of the turf.
-When running to a bunker never look down, look across to see where and if paintballs are coming at you.
- For the quickest reload, turn you pods in your pack so that when you pull them out your thumb is placed on the lid, so no time is wasted fiddling with opening lids.
- Pro's do not tilt their guns, aligning the gun straight to you, actually minimizes your profile:

UV Halo, on 20 April 2012 - 02:33 PM, said:

In case anyone is still doubting, I took a couple pics to illustrate just what happens when you tilt your gun behind a vertical bunker (vice a dorito. The key thing is that if you are keeping your gun pointed at a specific target, your barrel becomes the axis around which you are rotating the gun.

In the following pics, the camera is positioned (as best I could) to be looking straight down the barrel, with a yellow reball in the breech. Because of the camera and barrel orientation, the pics depict what your target would see if you were pointing at them.

SP-1 with hopper and 68ci tank:
Vertical- Tank, feedneck and hopper are all partially visible.
Posted Image

Rotating the hopper in, while aiming at the same target, rotates the tank outward. Tank fully visible before the hopper and feedneck are fully concealed.
Posted Image

For more tips, I suggest you check out Mike's channel, or shortcut through with this link:
http://www.youtube.c...s&view=0&page=1

[Top Picks] Coming soon!!

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Pumps, Credits, and References

If your just getting into paintball, i suggest you stay away from pumps. Pumps require a completely different play style that will be difficult in Pump Vs. Semi situation without any paintball knowledge, so not really so friendly to newer players.

However it does save money on paint, so if your really thinking about it:

Here is a great Pump Guide from my buddy Empire91
http://www.techpb.co...1

Confused on some of my statistics? Want to get into the science of paintball? Check this out:
http://www.techpb.co...hp?showtopic=59
By The PunkWorks Team

Here is a Accuracy Reference: http://www.techpb.co...howtopic=152223
By one our members, CookyBiscuit, which is backed up by science.

Here is a good gun guide for beginners: http://www.techpb.co...howtopic=186428
By Wisco Baller

Here is a good Video collection of all of TechPB's videos: http://www.techpb.co...1
By my good friend Dak-Attack

Here is a Extensive review on some mid-range priced guns, including the Axe:
http://www.techpb.co...223&pid=2858466
By my buddy and great Moderator: Latsabb

Here is a great little beginner Guide for people starting out:
http://www.techpb.co...1
By TechPB's one and only: Lotus
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Credits:

Would Like to say thanks to all TechPB Members and Mods for the support in me making this, Specifically:

Hebiki: For the wonderful Epic Mask Showdown, providing a great resource to all new players.

M01R: For the most detailed Spool Vs Poppet Thread I've ever seen.

Myrkul: For telling Me about Mike's Hopper notes and even being so kind as PM'ing me a link.

WoodsBaller414: For the reminder of the 15 year life span of Carbon Tanks.

CookyBiscuit: For omnipotent self and his dedication to spreading the truth of accuracy.

WiscoBaller: For stepping up and making a super helpful Gun Guide for everybody.

Get.Lit.Up!: For letting letting me know some things that should be added like a Bau55.

Latsabb: For being awesome and moving this thread to the Newbie 101 Section.

Empire91: For being a great guy and writing a great thread for pump players.

Dak-Attack: For doing a absolutely outstanding job in his Video Collection Thread.

-ORaNGe-: For being awesome in general and making this thread the best it could be.

Lotus: For making a sweet little guide to help the new people into paintball.

PB=Life: For showing me how to make spoilers, and being super active.

CavenaughW: For telling me that Proflex's are good with glasses.

MadSnipes: For Pointing out some major mistakes and being super cool in general.

Mike/Willie: For making this great place to share all this info and love.

The Punkworks Team: For their extensive research into the science of paintball.

To All Mods: Thank you guy's/ girls so much for regulating this place, keeping us safe, and being the best mod's on any forum with your Hi-jinks and your Care. <3
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If you see any problems or things that should be changed or added feel free to PM me anytime.
Feel free to add it into your sig but please PM me if you add as a reference in another guide. Thank you all! Hope this helped.

2cnd Edition, By MMMerc

This post has been edited by MMMerc: 04 June 2012 - 09:47 PM

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