The Dilemma

I've been facing a dilemma of late, which most of you have probably known before. Which marker do I use on a given day of play? On one hand, I have the Phantom, light, small, elegant. I used this almost exclusively last year, so I really got to know how it shoots. It's stock class, which both provides a bit of a challenge and makes it impossible for someone to get heated because “that kid overshot me”. I just love how that one feels.

On the other hand, there's the Mini, by far the most innovative marker to have come out in a while. The Mini shoots plenty of paint if I get in a bind, is also small and light, and is so easy to operate and maintain. Don't call me a tourney player, but there is just something nice about being able to put that much paint out. When I put a stock and an Apex tip on it, it shoots downright beautifully. Slap on a Dagger vest with a few full pods of paint, and I feel like I can really make more of an impact for my team than I would playing pump.

(David "Torch" McClannahan at BlackCat's "24" Scenario, Fort Ord, CA)

Problem is, neither marker is as idealized as I would make them. The phantom tends to make me a wanted man on the field (“get the pump guy, he must be good”), and with paint getting smaller every time I play, is prone to rollouts. That's a quick way to the deadbox. The Mini combined with my rather aggressive play style have caused me to be labeled as a tourney player on occasion, and after playing pump for so long, having a hopper and tank can really irritate me some days.

It'd be easy to say, well, Ian, use the Phantom for fun, and the Mini when you are competing. But that doesn't quite fit. Oftentimes the Mini is just as fun to use, and the Phantom makes me think outside the box in a way that will help my team out more. I never think of just walking through a firefight to pull a flag if I'm shooting the Mini.

I suppose that's the reason this is a dilemma, because I don't have a neat and clean solution. Until I do, I'll just have to take both to the field, and decide as I go. Oh well. At least this way, I'll always have a backup marker.

Lo's next game: Korea 2022 at the US Air Force Academy, April 12 in Colorado Springs, CO. Marker unknown.