I just sold all my old markers and upgraded to my new stuff. I've got an 06 Ego right now, but have a Hybrid Shocker on order. We're sponsored/employed by our local field, so the discounts and free play time are awesome.
As for advice, I'll keep it simple. Don't worry what kind of markers your team has. The new Ions are aweomse markers that I'd recommend to anyone. Second, communication is key in speedball. If you stop talking, you start losing. Have your back guys memorize where the opposite team is, and relay the message to your front guys. Pool your paint together. If you want to win, your back players NEED to be laying down paint. It's not fair to let them pay for a case a game worth of paint, while the front guys barely break 2 pods.