GRIP Nº4 - English Version by GRIP - Paintball Magazine

N.ยบ 04 November 2012

Disney PARIS

Millennium

Ryan Greenspan interview

Carolina Diego miss grip

Emboscada Diamond Conflict scenario

DAM review

16-40 Millennium

14-15

Profile

162-167

MagFed

66-73

Interview Assala

index 06–07 Team 9 Editorial

10–11 Highlight Decisive Moment

12–13 News

16–40 Millennium

52–63 TOP 5

42–44

66–73 Interview

Disney - Paris

Rules Domingos Leitão

46–47

Tactics João Anjos

14–15 Profile

48–50

Cyril Job

Nuno Lourenço

index

Drills

Assala

74–85 Gallery Millennium Series 2012

86–103 Interview

Ryan Greenspan

148-161

104-109

Emboscada Diamond Conflict

CPS

86-103

Interview

Ryan Greenspan

10-133 114-123

Miss GRIP - Carolina Diego

150-153 Review - DAM

104–109 Champions Paintball Series

138-143 Scenario

110–112

144-49 Scenario

Girl Paintballer

MagFed

Hailey Adrienne

Troca Tintas

114-123 Miss GRIP

150-53 Review

124-37 Scenario

154-156 Review

Carolina Diego

Emboscada Diamond Conflict

DAM

GI Sportz Pods

158-160 Review E-FLEX

162-165 Review

JT SplatMaster

166-169 Backstage 170-171 Prizes 172 Thanks

index

RICARDO CAMPOS

RITA PEREIRA

PEDRO SIMÕES

Shooting with a camera

GRIP Magazine’s Art

GRIP Magazine’s

in a raging paintball

Director. She works as

photography editor.

match is his passion.

a professional graphic

He’s also an accredited

He’s a photographer and

designer.

photojournalist.

breathes paintball.

JOÃO ANJOS

ANDRÉ FARIA

He will be GRIP Maga-

The scenario man. If

zine’s resident teacher.

we’re talking about

Tactics, work methods e

camouflage, gun repli-

game mentality are his

cas and lots of fun, then

specialties.

that’s where he is.

team

GIL BELFORD With such a name he could only be a translator… or the owner of a waffle shop.

ZANE KJ MA If he is not sh is pulling som magic on the the Design m and genius to a unique guy

NUNO “OSSO LOURENÇO One of the to Portuguese p explains you train and imp performance

AÑASCO hooting, he me serious e computer. madmen ogether in y!

OS”

op players u how to mprove your e.

DANIEL TEIXEIRA GRIP Magazine’s kid. He’s responsible for all of the news from the “world of paint”.

HAILEY ADRIENNE The pretty face of paintball shows us the feminine side of our sport.

DUARTE GOMES The mechanic in charge. Very few understand paintball markers and accessories as well as he does.

RITA RISCADO Our «Irishwoman» translates and puts up with us and all our doubts. Without her, you simply wouldn’t understand us!

DOMINGOS LEITÃO Head Marshal at the Millennium and Portuguese League. He explains you the basic rules.

ANDRÉ GOMES One of the “kids” of the team. Dominates the English language. and helps us translate a few thousand words per issue.

team

Property of André Filipe Sobreira Garrido NIF: 227215290 Legal address: Rua General Taborda Nº3 - 1º 1070-137 Lisboa ERC Registration Nº 126231 Frequency: Quarterly

DIRECTOR André Garrido (mail@grippaintball.com) EDITOR André Garrido (mail@grippaintball.com) MARKETING AND ADVERTISEMENT Carla Peixoto (carla.peixoto@grippaintball.com) GRIP – Paintball Magazine or André Filipe Sobreira Garrido are not responsible for the content of the ads nor for the accuracy of the characteristics and features of the products and/or goods advertised. Their veracity and accordance with reality are fully and exclusively the responsibility of the advertisers and advertising agencies or companies.

IT IS STRICLY FORBIDEN TO COPY TEXTS AND IMAGES BY ALL MEANS advertising

editorial

editorial By André Garrido Director GRIP

nce again, the death of one «general» made all the community cry the loss of another young player. We’ll always remember his words in the Paintugal’s Report. You can be reunited with all «our» friends that already left us! We have reached the end of the season with a feeling of accomplishment. This magazine’s adventure began appreciably more than six months ago and we managed to create an international reference magazine that provides quality and excellence in writing and photography, something many said to be impossible these days. In this new issue of GRIP, we dispel rumours and doubts spread about Dynasty, through the words of Ryan Greenspan. We were also able to get to know Loïc Delestre, the leader of the only team from Gabon on European soil. Do you want to know who the best players in Europe are? We wanted that too! We spent eleven hours stuck in a studio photographing the one all players want, the new Miss GRIP. It was a lot worse to spend three days under the most serious storm Millennium has ever seen to bring you the story from the Mickey’s land. In the scenario section, we will bring to your attention the new style of Milsim game – the MagFed. You can also read the story of Paintugal’s event, one of the Big Game Alliance’s European games. At the end of the year, new products will come out: we did not want to stop testing what’s new around, from the new E-Flex to the most wanted JT SplatMaster. Also, do not miss DYE’s new sweetheart, the already famous DAM, the first scenario gun from this brand. Now our well-deserved holidays are coming, but please continue to visit our site for more news and prizes. We’ll see you in 2013 when the next season starts!

highlight

Photo: PhotoPaintball

Decisive MOMENT It’s amazing how an animal can transmit so many feelings in just one look. We’ll never be sure of what was going on in the mind of this little Jack Russell Terrier while he was watching a game with its owner. One thing is certain, this look, in one of the most decisive moments of the day, showed how he was already bitten by the paintball bug. Like Cartier Bresson said: «The decisive moment aligned up in the head, in the eye and in the heart!»

highlight

New style of competition clothing Some brands such as Dye and Empire are designing a new style of competition clothing which is 33% lighter, much thinner and with a minimal amount of padding, as most players already use this under their clothes. The big advantage of this is the increase of agility for players, leading to a possible

performance increase.

Vapor distributed by GI Sportz

The paintball marker Vapor, produced by Machine, will have GI Sportz as their official distributor. Because of this, Vapor will be made available worldwide with the hopes of increasing their sales. We should remind you that Vapor is one of the markers that have had its sales increase at an exponential rate.

World Paintball Championship The European Federation of Paintball, in collaboration with the other world federations, is planning the first World Paintball Championship in 2013. The organisation expects the participation of over 32 countries and GRIP knows that this event will occur in Milan, Italy.According to new rumours, this event will be part of the Millennium circuit that will take place in the following locations: St. Tropez, Bitburg, Milan, London and Paris.

news

JT Prime Goggles JT is back at it, this time with a new pair of goggles. The JT Prime Goggles is a mask created primarily for new players, yet it can be used by others. Some of its characteristics are its 180º vision as well as its anti-fog treatment used on the lens.

Ladies Paintball Tournament

GoPro Hero 3 The Ladies Paintball Tournament 2013 already has a fixed date. The organisation expects around 20 teams from all around the world to participate, with teams from Russia, France, United Kingdom and Malaysia already confirmed. The event will occur between 7 and 10 March in Moscow.

The GoPro Hero 3 has been released and is available in three versions: black, silver and white. In the black version, the camera will have Wi-Fi integration, will be 30% smaller, 25% lighter than and twice as powerful as the other models. The brand expects an adhesion from paintball players, as it is the leader of this type of equipment for the paintball market.

Art Chaos clean Europe Art Chaos won the last event in Paris, after one of the most exciting games of the season against Ramstein Instinct which made the Russian team go into extra-time. After winning the Champions Paintball Series, they’re now crowned Millennium Series’ Champions.

news

Cyril Job F

ew people know that the nickname of Iconâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s captain is his real surname. Cyril Job has a great enviable record that he has won with Tonton, Icon and like many of the top European players, with his national team. His big fight has been maintaining the green team as one of the best European teams for the last 7 years. Although this is a huge accomplishment, Job says that for

profile

him the best moments as a player were to be present in the first X-Ball game played in Pittsburgh in the year 2002, to be on the finals in NPPL at Huntington Beach in 2003 and the two finals that Icon achieved in CPL at Millennium. Since he is not afraid of putting his hands on work, he accepted the challenge to coach the Female French team, the same that won the European titles in the last two years.

NICKNAME Job

DATE OF BIRTH 16/03/1972

PROFESSION Computer Science Engineer

STARTED PLAYING IN 1991

PLAYING FOR Marseille Icon

INTERNATIONAL EVENTS Millennium Series, CPS, WTS (Regional League in Paris) and LNP (French Pro League)

EVENTS THAT HE’S WON AND WITH WHITCH TEAMS With Icon: Bitburg Millennium event in 2006 in the old Div.1, 1 Euro Div.1 Championship, WTS series in 2008/2009 and French Championship in 2012. With Tonton: 2 Pro Euro Championships, the Super 7 French Series and the French Cup.

BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT By far to have been able to maintain ICON alive for 7 years now.

Text: André Garrido Photos: PhotoPaintball

profile

Disne PARIS

millennium

ey In the stage where everything was at stake, Paris was literally flooded. Many surprises, many victories, lots of rain and many festivities. Know everything that happened at Disney. Text: AndrĂŠ Garrido Photos: PhotoPaintball

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Paris is known as the city of light and gold, and that is how the Millennium’s organization sees this event. The event held in Disney’s car park is undoubtedly one of the most important events in the world, not only for its commercial side, where all the companies fight for a space and to show themselves, but also because it’s the true Mecca of European paintball. As much as we think, we cannot imagine a better location in Europe, we might even venture to say in the world, to hold a paintball tournament.

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According to the World Tourism Organization, Paris is the city with the most tourists in the world. And really, what place would have more media, with better access and perks than the most visited amusement park in Europe? What is certain is that this mixture is golden for paintball’s development. The opportunity to assert this tournament is such that there is some exaggeration. The main demonstration of this is the self-titling of the event as World Cup, even though it’s not true. The closest that Millennium has to a

World Cup is the Nations’ Cup, and with the advantage of buses that freely even then it would be pure misleading transport all hotels’ guests to the advertising. This event, even Disney Village. From the bus stop with the Nations’ Cup for to the event’s door, it’s a walk people under-19 years, is of less than 10 minutes. This far from a world event. caused some confusion Disney So the question is to many people, who is the true raised: Why do events wondered why continue to Mecca of such as this, the Orlando maintain one of the access European one and the Malaysia gates closed, when that paintball. one insist on proclaiming would make the path shorter themselves something they and more direct. are not? This year the event had 44 Millennium’s policy in having teams that were purposely in Paris to accommodation very close to the play. This figure means a 17% increase location of the event is put in place, over the remaining events’ average.

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In addition to these teams, there were in return for money, they were giving enthusiasts and relatives of many advantage to the wealthiest teams, players that went to Paris to see the usually supported by the big brands. best players in the world and to enjoy What is certain is that there were still the proximity of the amusement park. a few hours unreserved, and even for Against this perfect setting, where a team with little money, dividing the paintball is mixed with fun and media training with other teams, it runs about exposure, only a bit of luck was missed 20€ per player, which is not a fortune with the choice of the weekend. If last for those who already spent so much on year there were more than 30ºC, this travelling, accommodation and other year it seemed that the devil had risen expenses. to earth to do some shopping in the The fields were arranged in a clever Disney Village. Despite all bad way, giving more importance to weather warnings, no one the fields of the first three Such was prepared for what divisions, while there were was the was felt during those three more fields in an rain it seemed days. adjacent space. For the the devil had Thursday, many of us first time, there was a field raised to earth stared at the sky looking for each division, due to to shop at the for some hope in the the large number of entries. Disney few rays of sunshine that Also for the first time a field village. appeared. Like the weather, was assembled for the «new» this day was calm, with some game style – Formula 5 – in order to teams studying the fields and visiting test this domain of the game. the more than 20 existing booths. The field’s layout allowed an One of the most talked about issues aggressive game. As in previous events, at international level was the fact that the game was played through the Nexus had booked five hours of training Doritos, leaving the new snake as the just for them, the equivalent of 2000€ typical crossing point. It was interesting reversing to the organization. In reality to see how some top players changed these training were a DYE back up for their game position, passing the snake all its teams. to the Doritos, and leveraging their This policy of renting the fields skills in a more helpful way for the on Thursday was a winning bet by team. The field allowed for progress to Millennium. Ironically a few years ago, be made through the middle of the field the organisation was severely criticized with some ease. for this initiative. Some thought that, As always, Friday was the day

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everything began and Saturday the day the bad weather once again, thus any misstep could mean the bane of any making these the wettest finals ever. team. On the first day, the weather was Regardless, the stands were populated, favourable, only raining for brief with the audience using moments throughout the day, cloaks, ponchos, umbrellas, There but on Saturday the story makeshift tents and any was a 17% was completely different. protection they could find increase It rained almost all day to see the games. in teams and very heavily. In This extreme weather in relation the afternoon, it was makes us think about to the other common for fields to be the conditions offered events. completely waterlogged as by Millennium to the if there was a pool. Sunday professionals on the field. was more bearable, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s If on one hand the media are the exact word. It rained a little during there briefly and when they wish or the morning, but the afternoon brought need to, the same cannot be said of

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the refereeing team. In a sport that lives off the difficult decisions of these professionals, it’s almost offensive to think that the event’s organization provides masks that can get blurred with mist or that does not replace wet equipment at the end of each day; it seems this would be the minimum required. Some commented that the weather experience on Saturday should have forced a cancellation of the event. This seems unreasonable, because as long as

all safety rules are maintained, there is no reason to postpone an event, even more, the last stage of an international event. At the competitive level everything was open-ended, especially in the higher divisions. In CPL, it was expected that Dynasty would ensure passage to the final, to win the only championship they were able to win; at the same time everyone expected Art Chaos in a fighting tuned disposition. In SPL, the Polar Bears’ debacle, right on the first

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a waste of money to travel to Paris and match, alongside the Dogs D’Amour’s lose games simply because one did not setback, in London, meant that these read the rules? teams had to fight face to face against The teams that showcased a very strong Vision. themselves throughout the In Division 3, due to the event, in this division, high number of teams, ten Nexus were London Tigers 3, groups of six teams each booked responsible for ending were created. The fight five hours GFY Evolution 2’s winning was enormous, especially of training streak, Meteour Auvers, in a division where games in the main Furious Sneek and GFY were disputed at two field. Evolution’s first team. points. During the first group Meteor ended up losing phase, we have to highlight to Tigers 3, in the same phase the Paris team – GFY Evolution 2 – as Furious who won 2:0 against GFY which did not lose a single point. Evolution. Of the 60 teams present, many had In the final, Tigers faced Furious, a very weak game, some even showing with the victory going to the British ignorance regarding the rules. Isn’t it

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team. GFY Evolution came in third. In division 2 the fight was hard In a division where presence in all between the teams Aggression, the events grants you a good Scorpions, NPP and Relentless. In place in the general table, a league you played for four you also need to know how points, the only team on this There are to keep yourselves in the list that still got a fright was no reasons top places to be amongst Aggression, which lost their to postpone the first. Despite the second game of the group an event early defeat, leaving stage against Extreme if safety them in 11th place in Neapolis. All other teams rules are the Paris event, GFY finished their groups in first maintained. Evolution 2 ended up being place. For NPPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s misfortune, this divisionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s champions. The they lost against Aggression in second place went to GFY Evolution the last 16 round, which left them and in third place came Maxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Family completely out of the challenge for first Frankfurt 2. place. Relentless had the same result,

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losing against a very strong Stockholm Ignition, which had already achieved a first place finish in St. Tropez. In the next stage, Aggression lost against Elite, which were capable of coping with any team, having contested the fourth place. With this defeat, Aggression secured the fifth place, scoring enough points to celebrate the championship. Either way Scorpions Milano wanted to show they were not to be trifled with and fought point after point until the final. In the final they faced Incredi Knights Bamble that only managed to score the honour point. Summarizing, Aggression were

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division 3â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s champions, while Scorpions and NPP took second and third place respectively. In division 1 there are always two teams who offer to referee in return for maximum points. In Paris, this task fell on Ferox and Wildfire, which ensured 100 points in the classification table, although it served them little good, as they were already at the bottom of the table. Also in this division all was at stake, with the aggravating very aggressive fight among Collision - that had the merit of being first without having done any refereeing-, the ML Kings and the

RMG. These three teams have been on their third consecutive supremacy, the the top since the first event. third consecutive, having only lost For the fight to continue one single game throughout alight, all teams that the whole season. Thus the Isn’t it were first place in their Turkish team was crowned a waste groups reached the finals champion, while the of money to without ever flinching. Czech Republic’s team lose games RMG unsuccessfully finished second. because they fought for third place Comparing this don’t read against Gold Coast that division to SPL is like the rules? managed to achieve third comparing David to Goliath. place overall. Despite not Competition and rivalry are altering the order of the standings, huge in SPL. At this level, there is no the final was a relentless match, with longer room for error and many teams Izmir and Ml Kings facing off. Izmir are able to cope with the CPL’s teams. won the final once again, showing Just like in all other divisions,

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everything was still at stake in SPL, this already won the championship and time between Vision, Polar Bears and celebrated plenty on the field, but Dogs D’Amour. Vision, despite being in they still wanted to show why they first place, weren’t the favourites. The are considered the best in the SPL. French team remained in first due to Unfortunately for them they caught the other two teams’ misfortune; they some in-form Polar Bears that won were careless in previous events and their third consecutive first place, thus that affected their final score. Besides ensuring second place overall. It is still Polar Bears won the last two events, interesting to note how the best team on which meant any Vision’s stumble the field in three consecutive events lost would be fatal. And that stumble would a championship due to a single defeat happen right in the first game, by losing in the first event. But as in all sports, 2:3 against Drammen Solid. Luckily consistency is the making of winners. for them, this wasn’t enough to stop Dogs did what they had to by them from finishing in first place beating Silent Moscow and thereby in their group. In the case of achieving third place in the the Greeks - Dogs D’Amour – event and overall. they won all three matches In the top league, In a group without great difficulty. there were two distinct too easy The Russians lost their competitions: the fight for Dynasty, second game, which for first place, between the unthinkable was also not enough to Dynasty and Art Chaos, happened. prevent them from finishing and the fight for the in first place. In the last 16, remaining table places. The the only team to experience difference of these two teams’ some difficulties was Polar Bears by games to the rest is abysmal, to the winning 4:2 against the Cosilium Dei. point that the fourth place obtained by Both Vision and Dogs won their matches Art Chaos in Bitburg came as a complete 4:0, as if simply strolling through the surprise to everyone. park. The victories endlessly continued, The Dynasty, having a bad year in until two of these three teams had to the U.S., arrived with a NPPL victory face each other. The luck of being left gained the previous weekend that rose out fell on Vision that won 4:2 against their morale high. Could this be the Silent Moscow. In a great clash, Polar necessary victory for the Dragons in Bears left the Greeks behind with some blue to return to the glow of previous ease, beating them by 4:1. years? They brought the same base as By the time of the final, Vision had in the first Millennium’s event but

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Still fighting for less prominent despite having gained a second place places were Tonton, Instinct or even Spa finish, they revealed lack of dynamics and Syndicate. Among them, Tonton had and of team play. more advantage, especially after Art Chaos demonstrated the London victory. quietness and preparedness. In the group stage, The times we spoke with The the great surprise was them, it seemed they conditions Heat, which has literally knew that, in spite of the offered lost every single game storm, in spite of being to referees throughout the year. In behind in the standings were Paris, not only did they and in spite of the insufficient. win, but they won well, complicated opponent, that against teams such as Nexus victory would be theirs. This and Instinct. The fact that they feeling was at times strange, were in Damageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s group that once again because Dynasty only needed to pass didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t appear at the Millennium gave the group stage to ensure a victory at them an extra push to stay in first place the Millennium.

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in the group. In this group Instinct came second, leaving Nexus devastated for being in third place. In group C, Tonton did their job winning all three games with some ease, with Icon getting second place, having only lost their game against Tonton. In this group, we still have to highlight Benfica that lost all three games in a shameful way, being last overall and relegated to the next lower division. In group B, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not must to highlight. Art Chaos guaranteed first place and Syndicate second. However, the team that cause the most headaches to its opponents was Disruption that fought until the buzzer

rang in all games, winning 3:2 against Carnage and losing the next two games 4:5 and 3:4, against the German and Russian teams. Group A was the most commented group. In a group too easy for a super team such as Dynasty, the unthinkable happened. The north-Americans began by losing the first group game against Breakout 4:5, followed by another defeat against Outrage by 2:5, which automatically prevented them from moving to the next phase. By then, the blue team knew they had jeopardized their first place overall, for Art Chaos only needed to reach the final to become European tri-champions. The

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mood in the pits was indescribable, the way they spoke and the looks on their faces said it all. The team that had accustomed us to luxury performances has had a dark year and not even in the event they ought to win, were they capable of coming out on top. In addition to this, other things didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help them, like the bad weather. Also a very dubious refereeing led Dynasty players to invade the field, in the game against Outrage. They were literally outraged, at the end of the game, shouting for Jaba to clarify what was happening. Having a reason or not, the Dynasty

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players sore loser attitude is well known and in several occasions this situation has been witnessed in other events. Merit to Outrage and Breakout for their passage to the next phase. The refereeing was a very difficult task due to the weather and, as mentioned above, to the insufficient conditions offered by the organization. However, there were many serious errors made, such as eliminating players without shot and overly exaggerated penalizations. The best example of the latter was the penalty given to the Benfica player, whom, being the

for some shouting between the player target of two adversaries, had no and some referees. Not only can’t the room to move, eventually getting shot referees manifest themselves this way, in the pot while loading; due to the but also they are required to be more excess of shot lines on him, the player insightful and to study the entire game couldn’t even drop the pot to place situation. They cannot apply such his hand on his head. One of harsh penalties that eliminate the referees had signalled an entire team without the elimination several possessing full awareness of times, an attitude the Disney is what one is doing. player was affirmatively not a World In the quarter-finals, accepting. However, the Cup, unlike the best game was moment he drops the some might between Syndicate and pot, he’s given a 3:1 for say. Tonton. The French team trying to hide the shot needed to ensure the best that was on the pot. The possible place, to enjoy Dynasty’s situation worsened, because stumble and to surpass them overall. at the end of the match, one of Unlike in London, where they had a the referees high-fived the other for perfect performance, Tonton could giving a 3:1, which was reason enough

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many teams capable of competing not beat the German team, with the head-to-head against the Russians, and result being 5:3. The disappointment that’s exactly what happened. Instinct of the players was immense after this pulled their strings and showed Art match, for they knew what was at Chaos that if they wanted to win, they stake. would have to work for it. The game In the remaining matches, all the was long, beneath heavy rain that did favourites moved to the next stage, i.e. not give a break to anyone present. It Art Chaos, Instinct and Breakout. was one of the most fantastic matches In the semi-final, Instinct were we’ve witnessed this year. There were lucky to play Syndicate, which were constant movement through Doritos, not strong enough to win the match. through the centre, through the This was better than expected for snake; either on one side or the other. Instinct that remained in the fight for Describing the match in these pages third place. This match’s result stood would be a frustrated and mediocre at 4:2. In other games, Art Chaos attempt to portrait what needed to win against Breakout happened on that field. The Spa to become European The result prevails: 4:3 to Art champions, which they referees Chaos. achieved quite easily, have to be The show was over, winning by 5:1. more insightful with the Russian team The final’s matches and study the thanking the fans very were ecstatic. The fight whole game quickly, in order to be for third place positioned situation. able to dry themselves and Syndicate against Breakout celebrate in a more private and the fight was immensely manner. hard. The heavy rain did not help, We’ve already said that calling this but nobody wanted to lose. It wasn´t event World Cup confuses us and the only a matter of scoring and ranking closest there is to a world championship position, but also a matter of pride and is the Nations Cup for young people up showing that losing was not an option. to 19 years. However, we think this Cup Unfortunately for Breakout, they failed is essential for the growth of paintball, to win, losing by 4:5. in order to bring more and better young Art Chaos was already tri-champion players to the sport. when Instinct entered the field to This competition is no different dispute their first CPL final. Nobody from the Nations Cup held in London, expected what would happen in the except for the fact that only very following minutes. There aren’t that

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young players took the field. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s funny to see kids still with rosy cheeks, trying to be their teamsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; warriors and to demonstrate that their nation is the best. For obvious reasons, there were fewer under-19 teams than main teams, for there are far less players who meet the minimum age requirements. Altogether, there were ten teams: Russia, Greece, France, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway, Belgium, Austria, Germany and Holland. As in London, there was a qualifying round, in which Switzerland faced

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Holland and Greece faced Austria. The winning teams of this stage were Holland and Austria. In this way the four groups were defined, with two teams per group. Four winners came out of these groups that immediately clashed in the following stage. At this point, United Kingdom defeated Russia 3:0 and Austria continued their victorious path against France. It is indeed interesting how two top teams have kids whose abilities are far below the ones their elder peers. The fight for third place fell on these two nations and the French team won with a sizeable result

of 4:1. In the battle for gold, there team presses it again. Wins whoever were the United Kingdom and Austria has more time at the end. The game is and the British team did not give any a bit confusing and very aggressive, for opportunity to their opponent, the buzzer becomes a constant winning 4:0 and becoming a target and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s common to nation of young champions. see players being showered In this event, a new with paint. Regarding the The new field with a new style of format - Classic - field, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very closed, match was available and with plenty of room for was tested it was dubbed Classical players to hide, while in Paris. Division by Millennium. requiring large ball This division was no more consumption. Honestly, we than an experimental field do not foresee a great future based on Formula 5, where two for this new modality, but as teams face off with a buzzer located everyone knows, commercial pressures in the middle of the field. The team require certain commitments. The that presses the buzzer adds time to future soon will tell us. their own clock, until the opposing Regarding the level of these

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teams, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re composed of mostly old school players like Assala or old Tonton glories, who had three teams. The matches were distributed throughout Saturday and Sunday and in reality, not much importance was given to the winners. , it was simply another tournament for everyoneÂ´s enjoyment. The only spoiler was the great storm. However, for the record, the winners were Tonton Acyd. And another Millennium year has ended, this time with only four events. This number seems small and it clearly undermines the competitive level, but

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with the current economic crisis, it helps the players a lot. It seems that next year there will be another event, this time in Milan, where the first World Cup will be held, in the truest sense of the word. According to some rumours, alongside Milan, the St. Tropez and Bitburg events will be maintained and new locations will be sought to hold events in London and in Paris. Yet this event is hardly over and we already miss the smell of ink, the noise of the markers and the cries from the nets. Bring on 2013. â&#x20AC;˘

2013

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Copyright ©2013 DYE Precision, Inc. The stylized “dye” logo, the “sphere” logo, the “rotor logo”, and the the “i4” logo are either registered trademarks, trademarks, or design trademarks of DYE Precision, Inc. The ROTOR™ Loader is protected by U.S. Patent # 7,568,478 and U.S. Design Patent #D597,152, other U.S. and International Patents Pending. The i4 Goggle System is protected by U.S. Patent # 6,886,183 other U.S. and International Patents Pending

To ban or not to ban? By Domingos Leitão In this edition we’re going to talk about the strictest decision that a referee or an organiser can make in a game or tournament of paintball: expulsion! The large number of expulsions occurs within the four game lines. They are mostly the result of unsportsmanlike conducts, such as verbal or gestural offenses to the referee or the adversary; physical contact with the objective of starting a fight; re-entering the field; illegal markers, being the latter the most frequent; breaking basic safety rules, such as throwing your marker to the ground, or actions that endanger the physical integrity of others, I’m obviously talking about overshooting or malicious shooting. There are, however, other situations foreseen by the rules and regulations that may cause the banning of a player in an event, such as: − The refusal of handing the

paintball marker to a referee for inspection; − The registration in an event with fake identification; − The transportation of markers ready for shooting outside of the field without the appropriate barrel protection; − In 5man, leaving the deadbox without the referee’s permission. If it is frequently seen that players are walking around without a barrel

There are many rules that can

rules

get a player kicked out. protection on their markers, even if by simple distraction, they’re immediately told to take the appropriate safety measures and after that, they rarely refuse a marker check when a referee requests it. The identification question is very sensitive. If, on one hand, to this day I have never seen anyone getting banned

from a tournament for providing false identification, it is probable that, in a tournament with hundreds of players, this situation might occur. It is not up

to the referee to control the playerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s registration and the evidence provided, that is the organiserâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role. If this occurs and no one checks it, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have a

rules

situation of adulteration of the sport’s veracity within the field. The referee’s job is only to verify if the evidence provided conforms to the game that will occur on the field. Another issue that we deem important is that, differing from tournament to tournament, there are a limited number of people that can make the decision of banning a player from it. Regarding the referees, only the head referee has that power or can be part of the committee or group to provide their input on the expulsion. The other referees can, including in

rules

other issues, provide the head referee with any necessary information so that a justification for the expulsion exists. To make this theme less dramatic, we were analysing the data available on this matter and we verified that the number of bans is decreasing each year, which reveals a growing level of maturity in the players as well as a development of social skills, such as mutual respect between referees, event organisers, businesses and spectators, keeping in mind that expulsions gives a negative image that isn’t desired in paintball.•

Definitions part 2 By João Anjos In the last edition we reached the conclusion that teams’ strategies or tactics are divided into two types: defensive and offensive. As I mostly explored the offensive part in the last edition, I’m going to finish off with a few defensive drills. These tactics are based on a more controlled and slower type of paintball, with strong firing lanes that stop the advancement of the opposition. The «attacks» made by defensive teams are only made after a team gets two or three kills and normally the players are prepared to hold their position for various minutes, with various pods, until they get those kills.

each other. The objective of this drill is to train your body position behind a bunker and, above all, to remain effective at eliminating players. This also allows players to acquire the capability of changing obstacle sides under pressure and remaining in game, without being eliminated. Drill 2 – 2 vs. 4. Two players are only defending, remaining behind the same bunker from the beginning to the

Defensive tactics are based

on a controlled and slow game

Exercises for defensive strategies: Drill 1 – Get three bunkers and lay them out in a triangular shape, with 10/15 meters between them. There are three players on each bunker, playing

tactics

with strong firing lanes. end of the drill. The drill has a time limit of two minutes. The four players that are attacking can only use a full loader and, if eliminated, will go back and restart from the central bunker as fast as possible. The defending players have a full loader and must carry as

many pods as they can, each pod only containing ten to fifteen balls. This makes these players load as many times as possible during the drill as they try to remain active. Drill 3 – Three-man breakout. Many teams choose to have a heavy breakout, where, in the beginning, three players are shooting from the back centre bunker, which means it’s a tight fit for all of them. The three players must remain in that bunker during the breakout and must carry as many pods as possible to make their positioning crucial. The opposing five, in their breakout, must leave no one on the back centre, choosing different bunkers but always firing towards the other back centre. This drill has a maximum duration of fifteen seconds. By the end of it, one of the three defending players must have moved to a different bunker. Choose a bunker that isn’t easy to play, such as a small temple or a tall cake. If this is your preferred type of game, practice it a lot, as you can be as equally successful as an offensive team, or even better. Good training and good luck! •

tactics táctica

Snapshooting By Nuno Lourenço Snapshooting is the core of paintball; we can play paintball without running, without breakouts, with no bunkerings, with one hand only, but we can’t play without snapshooting; it is impossible. It is through snapshooting that you see the difference between a good player and a great one. It is the technical, individual aspect that makes the most difference inside the pitch; a good snapshooting can make a side of the pitch go from dominated to dominating. But let’s take a step at a time; for the more inexperienced, snapshooting is the act of being behind an obstacle «glued to it» and ,in an instant, show the marker and the body the least possible, shoot in the opponent’s direction and go back in to protect yourself. There are two forms of snap: the lateral, which is the most used, and the vertical, used only with lower obstacles or in the snake. Regarding the lateral, there are two schools, let’s name them

this way; one is more old school and the other is Russian. Although the later was mentioned the first time by Max from Joy Division, the school is Russian and there’s where he learned. Basically the difference is on the way our body moves to do the shoot. While in the older snap the movement is more lateral and this makes you show only a bit of the arm, the marker, half the loader and a bit of the head,

A good snapshooting can make a side of the pitch go from dominated to dominating.

drills

with the Russian snap the movement is oblique, meaning you don´t show the arm, but there´s more head and loader visible. In my opinion, there’s no better or worse, it all depends on what your body is used to. As an example, there are two big players with great snaps in different schools; Lang used the old

school style and Kirill obviously used the Russian one. There’s only one situation where I think it’s more beneficial to use the oblique snap, which is when we are on the snake doing a lateral snap; balance is much harder to keep when you’re kneeling, so the best really is to place an elbow on the floor and use the Russian snap; it’s less tiring for the kidneys and you’re lower and protected from the cross shooting. Exercises to practice snapshooting: Drill 1: The first and more obvious exercise is to place a target around 10 metres away and practice the snap. It’s convenient to swap hands and the place from where we come out, lower, upper,

middle, so we don’t get repetition vices. Contrarily to the breakout, the snaps are always different, so the muscular memory is not as important. Drill 2: Another very good exercise with good results is to place two targets 10 metres away, one on each side of the obstacle and to shoot four times, then one on the line and the other when turning the obstacle, swap hands and repeat on the side, always varying the height from where the obstacle comes. To make this exercise more complicated, you can place two or three shooting areas, identical to the one described above and, at the end of the four shoots, you move to the second shooting area, doing a running and gunning to one of the targets.

drills

Drill 3: Concerning the general snap, the last exercise is to do a snap against a teammate, as if it was a real game situation. When I say real situation, it’s not only to have in mind that they’ll both shoot, but also they’ll have to glue themselves to the obstacle as if they were playing, so they don’t get shot on the battlepack. When doing snap, you shouldn’t retract immediately; the aim is to control the opponent or at least to win position and superiority. So if you shoot and retract straight way, like in the previous exercises, you lose the advantage that you could win with a good shoot, therefore shoot and stay there to make sure you win the position. Drill 4: A very particular snap is the snap in the snake. Whoever is in the snake loses a bit of notion of the field

drills

and location of opponents, on the contrary of the rest of the players than can look to the side. In the snake you can only see the floor and the colour of the obstacle. Thus what needs to be trained is how quickly you get up and shoot, quick response to a voice that tells you to shoot obstacle X or Y and, of course, aiming. The best way is to distribute at least four cones, two on the side of the doritos, one in the middle and one on the line, and to have someone calling out and varying the obstacles so that the player in the snake is efficient in the way he places himself to shoot. A good exercise would be to ask to shoot on the line and on the 50 on the other side of the field, so that right away he is shooting in the distribution. Enjoy your training! •

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We asked all the captains of every team in CPL div ision in Millennium to vote for the best players of 2012. The pick was easy! The difference between these players and the rest is enormous! Photos: PhotoPaintbal l

top 5

Ryan an p s n e e Gr r Dynasty, o f t e g 30 years old r o f o ar t is was a ye h t h g u est players o b h e lt h A t f o e on span is still n e e r G ver backs e n n a y d R n a d e us . Calm, foc ld r o w t lose first e o h n t o T in d n e the ought until f e h , n w o d e. pean Leagu o r u E e h t place in

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l e x A n i d u Ga 19 years old deadly. He d n a t s a f , , small He’s young ision, went iv d d ir h t ying in n in started pla ys for Tonto la p w o n d ion an US. He took e h through Vis t in n io for Red Leg is Europe and London and in e c la p t s s to fir that will » s the Tonton id k « e h t f oubt one o without a d year. be big next

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l i a h Mik v e z a Kny g 30 years old absolute kin e h t is e H . ian tank layers that p w A real Russ e f e r a e s os and ther Three time . v e of the Dorit z a y n K t s attles again os and PSP a h have won b C t r A h it hampion w European C at. Houston He h it w n io p Cham say more? o t d e e n e Do w

top 5

n i t n a t Kons v o r o d Fe e second h t d 27 years old e r e h t a g of paintball and outside e id s The prince in , le y st er ne can join a huge pow d n a place. No o y la p f o , , technique yer envious la p y of the field n a s e k a ation that m the of improvis e is one of h z e v a y n K les v. Like hampion tit c n like Fedoro a e p o r u E s for three h Houston it w responsible le it t n io PSP champ and for the Heat. top 5

r d n a s k e l A v o k i n d r e B he seen until t 24 years old t ’ n is v o ik n ator, Berd game from e h t d A real pred il u b o st t. He begin n e en m o m l a t fa explode wh l il w d n a the field ed the back of at have vot h t s e n o e h ects it. T knows the im h t no-one exp s in a g sa : «Who play rt id a s im h r o f hout him, A it W » ! im h n beating es Europea im t e difficulty of e r h t en n’t have be ld u o w d Legion. s e o R a r h o C f s y la p In the US he . s n io p m a h C 62

top 5

Assala is the team with the oldest players in Millennium, but they have the heart of a sixteen year old boy with a huge will to party! Meet Loic Delestre, the man leading the Gabonese team. Text: AndrĂŠ Garrido Photos: PhotoPaintball

GRIP: Where does the name Assala come from? Loic: Assala is the name of our rainforest elephant. It is shorter and lighter than the bush elephant from Kenya. It is also more vicious because it lives hidden in its environment: so it is very dangerous. GRIP: You come from Africa. What makes you come to Europe to play paintball? Loic: Most of the players in our team were born in Europe and live in Gabon. During the holidays we usually came back to Europe and we discovered paintball in France in 1994. In 1995 we performed in our first event at the Camp Master event near Paris and

interview

then our passion never ended. After four years of different events, we discovered the Millenium Series and met its wonderful staff. It was the beginning of an epic story! GRIP: Coming to Europe from Africa is kind of expensive. Do you have any

Assala type of support? Loic: YYouâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re right, especially with flights which are the most expensive in the world. We have a lot of support in our country, being the main ones Sobraga (brewery), NGP (real estate), Davum (import-export) and twelve more. Lufthanza is our international

support and in the paintball family we are supported by Planet Eclipse, DXS and MAXs. For our non-European events, we are usually invited and this is very noticeable for our club. GRIP: It seems that your team has probably the best sponsors for a

interview

non-professional team. Can you give any advice for other teams to get better sponsors? Loic: First it is have a strong marketing strategy and invite your future sponsors to play. To see a team playing is insufficient, they need to feel the fields. In principle, ÂŤnormalÂť guys always want to know and to play more. Second is to show them that you really play and want to go to events so their name

interview

would be shown. Third is to advertise properly. You are on the events and in your club to play, but never forget you can do it because they help you. After this, your sponsor needs to feel there is a spirit in your team, he has to see himself in your team. GRIP: Your team is what we can say a true family. You have very young players and probably some of the

players. But they play good and team captains who take on our young players appreciate their pugnacity as much as their spirit. We would like to get better results but we are now thirty years older than our opponents... our brain allows us not to be at the bottom of the ranking and sometimes we are well ranked : Assala never dies.

«Assala is the name of a rainforest elephant from Gabon.» oldest players in Millennium. Is this family feeling more important than better results? Loic: Our first team is a mature team! The average age is fifty years old. We have young players but we can›t keep them because they usually finish their studies in Europe. So they play during 2 or 3 years with us and then we lose them. You›re right: the family feeling is essential. All Assala players stay Assala

GRIP: Other great well known characteristic Assala has is the spirit to party. It seems that every occasion is proper to put the wigs on, drinks some shots and scream for Dynasty team. Do you think this is the best way to live paintball? Loic: You know, we are a family but in the paintball world there are other families which we are happy to come and play with on the events. We met a lot of good friends during these past twenty years; when we began, we took real pleasure to be on the event, then the other teams saw that and shared it. After it became our «trade mark». We are not pro players and we don›t want to be; we are serious on the fields and after it is the party; it may not be the best way to live paintball, but I see at each event lots of teams and players sharing our way of life. Our advice could be: Fight, Fair-play, Fun. GRIP: You said that your team has an average age of fifty years old. Where do you see Assala in fifteen years,

interview

ÂŤYour sponsor needs to feel there is a spirit in your team, he has to see himself in your team.Âť 70

interview

with this difficulty to keep young players? Loic: Our oldest player, Patrice Regnier, used to say «these are our last twenty years to play paintball!». We will play as long as we can; we will try the new layout that Millennium staff will propose at the Disney Paris event; I think it will be more adapted to our condition. I don›t know where Assala will be in fifteen years but be sure the name Assala won›t disappear. GRIP: You said that Assala is invited to play in other events. Which ones? Loic: We were invited for the PSP 2009 and 2010 in Orlando, for WCA 2011 in Langkawi, Malaysia and this year for NPPL 2012 in Vegas. Next year we are tempted to go to Caracas, in Venezuela and then to Canada. GRIP: How is the level of paintball in Gabon and what are the conditions you have to train there? Loic: In Gabon, there is no shop, no federation and only two clubs. It is very difficult to train. We have our fields but around thirty to forty of our players are in Libreville and we have to manage that too. We train on the fields of our future events and we keep them set up until the event so we can rent them to other players. So there is no real level in Gabon but we try to do our best. We are in discussions to organize an international event by

using the CAN (African Nations Cup of football) infrastructures, but it is at the beginning. GRIP: How many times does Assala train and how do you train? Loic: We train every Saturday and sometimes on Sundays, because all our players have their jobs. A few times we can have training during the week at night. GRIP: What would you like to see happening in Gabon so that paintball can evolve? Loic: I dream of a big event, so the Gabonese people could discover this sport. You know paintball is not relayed in Gabon. There is no television show, no sport broadcast; only a few articles in the national daily paper «L›Union» and in some others magazines; people who came to see us and to play for one day think that paintball is only a fun game and they don›t imagine it could be a race sport. This is a dream, we are looking for such an event, but it will be difficult because of the flight and accommodation rates. GRIP: Since you have played in Millennium and in US, and since you are from a neutral country, what are the main differences between US events and Millennium? Loic: Now there are not real differences. 3 or 4 years ago, US

interview

refs were harder than Millennium refs; there were a lot of penalties, no discussion. But the Millennium ref staff improved this and now the European refs have become sometimes harder than the US ones. Concerning the organization of the events, it›s rather

the same: sizes of events look alike, perhaps there is more out-game in the European events. And in the US, the shop villages are bigger - sure it is due to the economic scenario. Also, having tested them, the pro-tech staffs are more helpful and pleasant in Europe.•

«We are serious on the fields and then... It’s party time!»

interview

entrevista

Photos: PhotoPaintball Design: Zane KJ Ma単asco

gallery

Ryan

Greenspan «I love what I do!»

interview

A very dark year for Dynasty ended with the loss of the European title in the final run. Ryan Greenspan spoke with GRIP about his career, bad results and lots of gossips. Text: André Garrido Photos: PhotoPaintball

GRIP: When someone asks you what is your occupation what do you answer? Ryan Greenspan: I always say paintball, but people never believe me, so I say that I test airplane seats for a living. Or if it is a customs’ official, he would never believe me and it would be a hassle, so I always tell customs that I am a consultant. GRIP: Let’s be honest; you are one of the most successful paintball players in the World... With that being said: Is it possible to make a career in

interview

paintball and being economical stable without thinking too much about the future? Ryan: There are only a handful of players in the World who can do that, and I am one of them. It is very difficult at times and you really have to be able to deal with traveling and be comfortable with different cultures. That is the toughest part about this profession. GRIP: Matty Marshall said that for you «staying in one place more than two weeks is mentally impossible». Do you think that it is this kind of hyperactivity that makes you a true winner? Ryan: (laughs) I have never thought about it that way. I just know that there are so many opportunities to travel and see the world and I hate to miss out on reaching out to my fanbase across the world. I have a lot to teach and players out there have a lot to learn and if I am not on the road, not only am I not promoting the sport, but I am also not making a living.

where I have been with the world. I love telling stories because those will last forever. A lot of the stuff I do, I actually don’t totally enjoy, but someone out there will enjoy the story that comes out of it. I also really like a challenge and I want to do almost everything at least once. If someone out there was interested in climbing Kilimanjaro, or scuba diving, or anything I do, I would love to share the experience with them! I like to make

«Leaving NPPL next year?»

«That has yet to be decided.»

GRIP: Your love for travelling is very well known. You have been to Kilimanjaro recently and you made a video that was a big success among the paintball community. Why have you released this video from a private travel? Ryan: I like to share what I do and

interview

myself available to all of my fans and friends equally, so if someone has a question about traveling or anything, I like to try to give them info. GRIP: From all the travels you have made what was the most special moment you have lived? Ryan: Being on the top of Africa was definitely up there with the special things I’ve done. I have also dived with Great White Sharks and that was amazing. But it is tough to say what was the most special, because I honestly try to enjoy what I have been able to achieve. Doing what I love with some of my best friends is a pretty special thing as well. GRIP: Can we say that the clinics you

do around the world are a way to feed this addiction for travelling and adventure? Ryan: Yes, that is partially true. I have been fortunate enough to go to some amazing places just to teach a clinic. But it is also a great way to reach out to a fanbase that regularly only sees us on the internet and in magazines. So I

try to go on as many promotional events and trips as possible. GRIP: You talk much about the fans. Many Dynasty players have this speech about the fans, especially in Europe. What is the importance of these fans to all of you? Ryan: Well, the fans are what keep

interview

the team going. If no one liked us, then we would be nowhere. I especially reach out to the fans because I play for them really. I get lots of emails with support when we do well and when we don’t do well. We have had an especially rough season this year, but I have still gotten a lot of support from the fans telling myself and the team to keep our heads up and get back out there! It is a great feeling to have people rooting for you when you win and when you lose.

interview

GRIP: Do you fell that fans are different in Europe comparing to the United States? Ryan: Fans and players in Europe are a bit more intense, I think it is just the fan culture in Europe. You guys go crazy for your football teams and I love that intensity you bring. The fans in America are great as well; we have a lot more of them in the US than Europe that is for sure! GRIP: Going back a «little» in your life history, you won five Ford Mustangs

in the mythical Spyder Cup. Was that the moment you knew you would be a professional paintball player? Ryan: Right about then was the turning point. It was actually when my mother decided it was alright to pursue playing paintball professionally. She has been my major supporter, so I clearly had to make sure it was alright with her! GRIP: That was my next question. How was it to tell your parents that you wanted to be a professional player of a sport that ten years ago everybody considered a hobby? Ryan: Well, people still consider it a hobby. And, with that being said, I want to point out that it is extremely difficult to make a living playing paintball. So if you decide to go forward with the Pro Paintball life, please make sure you have a backup plan. I suggest going to college. I convinced my mother by going to school and doing both things! GRIP: That’s a good advice... What is your backup plan? Ryan: I did go to school and studied International Business, so I have some of that going for me as long as I can remember. I am also part owner of the Dynasty franchise, so the team will be going strong long after I retire my jersey. GRIP: Just out of curiosity, where are those cars now?

Ryan: Yosh just sold the last one, which was my silver Mustang and that was the end of the history right there. So, someone in San Diego is driving around a piece of paintball history and he probably doesn’t even know it! GRIP: Was this sale a way to support financially the team? Ryan: No, no that was his car. We keep all of our earning. The team is run on sponsorship. GRIP: You said that people still consider paintball a hobby. Don’t you

«It costs over $100,000 to run Dynasty.» think paintball should evolve to a more serious sport than being just a weekend sport? Ryan: I would love for that to happen. It is difficult because the lifestyle isn’t as accepted as it is in surfing, skateboarding, etc. So until that happens, the dollars won’t be as big. It is also tough because all of the TV deals that are out there are difficult to promote. I think that Paintball Access is doing a terrific job with the PSP Webcast. As soon as that goes more mainstreamly, I think a lot can start to change. Everyone who has seen that really likes what they see.

interview

GRIP: Don’t you think that paintball is a very difficult game to explain to people who are not acquainted with the sport? Even players sometimes don’t understand why they are receiving penalties... Could this be the difficulty to promote our sport? Ryan: Penalties are difficult to explain, but if you watch the webcast from the PSP, Matty Marshall does a great job explaining things. The main problem with paintball being filmed is that there isn’t only one focal point. So it is easy to miss a key move. With other sports, there is a ball or something to focus the attention on. GRIP: In 2010 you were nominated Ambassador for the Sport. What does this meant to you after 10 years of career? Ryan: It was a great honour and I really appreciate everything from the Australian paintball community. That is where the award came from. I have been down there several times and I always have a great time. GRIP: Do you fell somehow special in this sport? Ryan: I have been around the sport for a long time and I like to think that I have done a lot for it. Do I feel special? Not really, I think I owe it to the sport to be positive and help people. If you are good at something, why not help people with that? Like I said earlier, I like to share

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with people, so therefore, I do that. GRIP: On the Dynasty website you consider yourself your own paintball idol. In other interviews you say, in a direct and straightforward way, that you have played phenomenally in a certain event. You consider yourself one of the best but that it was luck. Aren’t you afraid of being considered too cocky? Ryan: That may have come out wrong. It is tough to find a paintball idol

said, we also really didn’t have internet coverage or direct access to the players or events like there is now. So it was difficult to follow or even to look up to players back then. I don’t think of myself as the best player, or even that great to be honest, but we always just pushed ourselves and relied heavily on ourselves. Maybe I just didn’t want to write all of that down in my «Paintball Idol» section so I just said myself as a bit of a joke. GRIP: You are one of the owners of the brand Dynasty. What responsibilities does this bring to you? Ryan: For me, I run all the accounting and I help with any media obligations and interviews, such as this one. I also help to moderate our Facebook page. We have a manager who deals with the negotiation of our contracts, and I put as much input into those as I can.

when you have been in the sport for so long. I have a great deal of respect for players out there who have been playing for a long time and who have been grinding. But there really weren’t too many players out there who were mentors to us when we were younger. Everyone just wanted to beat us or shrug us off. For me, Yosh and Alex, we really just played with each other and made ourselves better. I never idolized any specific player. And with that being

GRIP: One of the most difficult subjects to talk about is always money. In Dynasty’s case, we are talking about a lot of money. How much is your team worth? Ryan: Our team’s financials have gone through a lot with the economic downturn. But the team’s valuation is difficult to pinpoint. We have a rough idea of what we are worth, but I cannot say exactly. I know that it costs over $100,000 to run a professional team, and we have our great sponsors to

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thank for that help! GRIP: That money pays everything such as travels, accommodation, fees, food? Ryan: Exactly! GRIP: Your results in the last year were atypical. On Dynasty’s website you say you didn’t know what the worst moment of your career is. Do you think you can consider this year the worst moment? Ryan: Not entirely; everything will pass and I never think something is the worst in my career. I like to think optimistically and know that things get better. We have had tough times in our careers and we have moved past those!

Ryan: That has yet to be decided. The team has to come up with a more efficient plan to focus on events. We are the only team who plays in all three leagues and we have been very good at balancing things for the past ten plus years. So at the moment, we feel we may be spread a bit thin. No team competes like us and sometimes I think that hurts our performance. GRIP: That hurts your performance? You won PSP, NPPL and you were in second in Millennium last year...

«Fans and players in Europe

GRIP: In the last month there were a lot of rumours concerning Dynasty. Can you confirm some of them? The strangest is that Dynasty will end at the end of this season... Ryan: Not a chance. People like to speculate and make up rumours. It is like we are in a small tabloid here. Just because we haven’t won every event or every series there is in the world, people think it’s the end of the team. We did win the PSP series last year. I promise that we have some gas left in the tank. GRIP: Another one: Leaving NPPL next year?

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are a bit more intense. You guys go crazy! » Ryan: Well, it is tough to focus and really keep the practices going. And we are the only team that does that! I forgot that we won both US series last year. You see how tough it is! My memory is even going bad! (laughs) GRIP: Last rumour: And how about Lang is giving up Dynasty again? Ryan: Not that I have heard of... He just has a lot to focus on with life and his business. As far as I know he is still coming to the final events! GRIP: It seems that after he left to IronMen and even after he returned to

Dynasty things didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t become the same way they were in the past. Before you always talked about Alex, Yosh and Ollie and now most of the times it is just Alex and Yosh. Any hard fellings from the past? Ryan: Not at all. Like I said, things pass and everything will eventually come back to normal. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think it was a problem at all. Alex and Yosh are my business partners as well, so a lot of the team matters go through them as well.

GRIP: Since we are talking about leaving Dynasty; Mike Hinman, your coach, considered one of the best coaches in paintball history, quited Dynasty. Do you think that he is one of the reasons for your recent bad results? Ryan: It is tough to say. Like I said before, our focus may have been a bit strained with our heavy schedule. We wish Mike the best with his new team. I think we have a more positive vibe

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on the team and we are ready to turn things around with our new coach, Rusty. GRIP: Mike is known for saying what goes on his mind in front of everyone. Was this a problem in a superstar team like Dynasty? Ryan: I think we delt well with it. We are a tough bunch of players to coach; you can ask any of our previous coaches. GRIP: He goes to coach IronMen at the World Cup. Don’t you hold grudges of him because he is already in other team in such an important event? Ryan: He was never under any sort of contract, so he is free to do whatever he likes. It is a bit tough to swallow that he had been in talks with the Ironmen while he was coaching us. That is a bit of a conflict of interest, but I have no real hard feelings. He is also trying to recruit some of our players to the Ironmen, but whatever, that’s sports right? I am sure that when we play each other he is going to really want to win.

«It is tough that Mike Hinman had been talking to Ironmen while he was coaching us.»

GRIP: Which players did he want to steal from you? Ryan: Just the younger guys. I guess he doesn’t want me to play! (laughs) GRIP: Meanwhile you have already hired Rusty Glaze for the spot. Did you notice a very different style in NPPL

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with Rusty? Ryan: Yes! Rusty was much calmer and was able to read our flaws and to deal with our problems a little easier than Mike had in the past. GRIP: What do you expect of him in the

future? Ryan: Rusty has a lot of knowledge of the sport and he is going to be a good coach. I am eager to see what he has to say and how he handles us. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect the coach to win the games, just to be ready to call plays and players. Also to have good clock management. GRIP: Do you have a coach in Europe? Ryan: No, we just make it up as we go along. A lot of the other American players help us out in Europe; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all good fun.

GRIP: You and your team have won 3 triple crowns, 7 NPPL titles in a row, more than 50 events, you alone have won more than 100 events. You are and will be, at least in the next ten years, the best paintball team the world has seen. What drives you to continue? Ryan: That is a tough question. I just really like to do well and win. Seeing all my teammates happy when we win is a pretty great feeling. It is also amazing to be on a team that has such a big impact on our sport.

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GRIP: What title is missing? Ryan: Hmmm, good question. I don’t think anything is missing really. It has been a great ride and I am just thankful for everything that has come from paintball. All the rest is just a bonus! Maybe when there is a hall of fame, the team and I can be included in. GRIP: I remember Dynasty playing in 2003 and you looked like the gods of paintball. An entire tournament stoped to see you playing. Currently this kind of attention has decreased but what made you so superior at the time, compared to any other team? Ryan: We were just luckily ahead of the

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curve. We had innovated in the sport and we rewrote tournament paintball back then. We were there from the turning point of paintball, when it moved from the woods to airball. GRIP: Ok... But there were many other teams in your position... Were you the only ones who «knew» how to play that game?! Ryan: I think at the time we were the only young team out there and we had something new to bring to the table. Now every team is a young team and we are the old guys now. GRIP: When you started playing

professionally, did you ever think your team would have this dimension? Ryan: Not at all. We were just out there having a good time and we were luckily really good at what we did. GRIP: As everyone knows you play with gear given by your sponsors. Do you really believe that you are playing with the best gear or most of times what counts is the business behind? Ryan: On the professional level you have to play with the best gear and I do trully believe that we endorse some of the best products out there. Everyone in this industry is very competitive and innovative and I like that we are on the forefront of that part of the industry!

Back then it was also a part of our sponsorship deal. GRIP: Many north-american teams, like the Phillys, XSV and Damage, come to Europe and end up quitting. Dynasty, besides continuing at Millennium, is the team with most European titles. What is the secret for success in the old continent? Ryan: I think it is the same as everywhere else; just keep it positive and try hard to win. GRIP: You come with a joint team that doesn’t train on the fields before the events and even tough you win.

«I don’t know if we have the budget to afford Fedorov.»

GRIP: Dynasty was champions three years in a row from 2002 to 2004 in Millennium. In 2005 you abandoned this event, returning only in 2008. Why did you leave Millennium? Ryan: It was very expensive for us to play and we wanted to focus on the US circuit. We had also come off of a tremendous win streak over there so we wanted to take a break from European travel. Some of the guys were getting tired of constantly flying. GRIP: And why the return in 2008? Ryan: Just coming back to expand the brand and reach out to our fan base.

Dynasty/Impact has better results than Dynasty. Isn’t this success strange? Ryan: The Impact guys are good and we are lucky to have them help us out! GRIP: But this is a team sport! You have been saying along the years that paintball in USA is way better than in Europe, due to the poll of players and because there are no language barriers. Is this the case when a bunch of very good Northamerican players come to Europe and teach all the other teams how to play paintball?

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Ryan: Not entirely. We are just out there having fun and the fact that we don’t practice on the field may make things a bit tougher for us in the long run. We aren’t here to teach anyone anything when we are playing. I think that us joining forces just shows that going back to the essence of having fun really prevails at the end of the day. GRIP: But do you still think that Northamerican teams are better than the European? Ryan: Yes, absolutely. The level of play and the exposure that the US players get is a lot higher. Therefore players can excel much faster in US. GRIP: But Art Chaos won this year, placing you in second place… and Damage had that story of quiting from Millennium after being in the middle of the table! Ryan: Yeah, but on the same page, look at what Europeans have ever won in the US? Anything? I’m not saying that European players are bad, just the level of play and competition in the US has always been higher. GRIP: But how do you explain that the World Champions come to Europe... and have awfull results? Ryan: Unlucky? Bad event? I can’t say for sure, but the statistics don’t lie. GRIP: For us Europeans there is one

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thing that doesn’t make any sense. Can you explain how does one team win the overall PSP, as you did last year, and the champions of the world are the ones who won just one leg of that event? Ryan: Yeah, I don’t really get it either. They just say it’s the world cup and

was the first time they have won an event, right? That is a long time playing to win only one event. GRIP: Your great rivals in Europe are Art Chaos. In a certain article you said they have a silly name and Fedorov thanks your team at the podium whenever you loose against them. This seems to surpass the healthy rivalry… Ryan: It is a great respect we have for each other. He is a really good player and we have been playing against each other for a long time. The name of the team has nothing to do with the players on the team. It was just funny to me. Those eastern European teams have interesting team names. GRIP: He is probably the best European player. Didn’t you ever invite him to play with Dynasty? Ryan: He always had a team to play for, so we have never invited him, no. Plus I don’t know if we have the budget to afford him!

if you win that, you are the world champion... I have no insight into the minds of the promoters and how they work that out! GRIP: Do teams like Tonton surprise you for their first place at London? Ryan: Yeah, they sure do. I think that

GRIP: After finally winning one event in US, you lost the most important event of the year for your team. What happened? Ryan: We were not prepared for the event in Paris. We also received a lot of penalties in the first two matches that we did not expect. Our problem is that we have no time to focus on the

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Millennium Series, therefore it is not our most important series to play in. It is very difficult dealing with all that travel and hoping to play well right off the plane. GRIP: What is the feeling of being in first almost all year and loose the title on the last event? Ryan: It is what it is, and not a really big deal. I just feel like we let down the other half of our team, the Impact guys. I wish we had a fairer and even event and I feel like we didn’t. GRIP: One of the biggest differences in Europe is the buzzer instead of the flag. Which method do you prefer? Ryan: I like the buzzer actually. Although it makes it easier for a team to win a one on one just by touching the buzzer at the end. GRIP: Another difference is the race-to-5 instead of race-to-7. Which one do you consider more attractive to the players, audience and the sport? Ryan: I think race to seven; that way people get to watch more paintball. It is also easier for a team to come back and points aren’t as important in a race to seven. •

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Champions Paintball Series A new tournament emerged in Italy and, out of nowhere, it captured everyone’s attention. Top teams, excellent conditions and appealing prices. GRIP tells you all about the biggest Millennium «rival». Text: André Garrido Photos: Hybrid Foto

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The Champions Paintball Series League is around the 400€. With (CPS), besides having a pompous subscription prices, by themselves, name, is probably the fastest growing already appealing, another beneficial international tournament in terms of fact is that the cities where the games fame in recent years. unfold are generally served by low-cost After the end of the Centurio and airlines. Grand Tour, there has never been a Although there are two leagues, tournament to rival with the Millennium this year there was only one field Series. Not only is it an alternative in assembled. However, due to the strong terms of service provision, but mainly in growth expected, it is hoped to have geographical location. two fields assembled in 2013, taking While the Millennium is concerned into account that 70 teams will be with a very strong commercial market, present in the city of Milan. moving to the great European capitals, Throughout this year, more than CPS has moved, in this first year, 50 teams participated in total, to dream locations for any with an average of 27 tourist. Thus combining teams per event. A major It’s an not only the desire to attraction of this event alternative play in an international is the opportunity to in terms of paintball event, but also service provision play against big names the desire to visit cities in paintball, as is the but mainly as a that everyone wants to case of Art Chaos, Tonton, geographical know. Poison Ivy, Scorpion Milano location. CPS consists of four and the «home» team Empire distinct events, following Venice. the Millennium rules, having been Another difference relates to the held in Venice, Vienna, Padua and fact that the roster is not locked, Milan. Despite three of the cities giving freedom to the team to register being Italian, Jaroslav Ziugzda, the different players from event to event. organizer, refuses to say that this is This is a sign that the event is taking an Italian tournament with one little its first steps and obviously cannot leg in Austria, rather stating that it require the teams to commit to dates is a recent international tournament and events. seeking expansion. Besides the field layout being that of A major advantage over Millennium the Millennium, the bunkers are exactly is the subscription price that starts the same. Another luxury detail is the at 350€ for League One, while Super turf styled carpet, allowing gameplay at

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the highest level. The whole posture of the event’s organization is one of humility and provision of an excellent event with the top teams, serving as preparation for the Millennium. To further help the teams, this event uses the same system of groups and finals as the great European event. Another attraction of every event is, as always, the prizes offered to the teams. Taking into account the low-cost tournament that is presented to us, the prizes are humble but interesting. In the first division, the winning team receives a 500€ voucher offered by DYE, while in the second division winners are offered

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Safer Tanks and T-shirts. This year’s biggest winners were Art Chaos, thereby accumulating the two great European titles – Millennium and CPS. In second place were ML Kings and in third were Outrage. In the second division the gold went to Italian Idols, the silver to ACT and bronze to Scorpion Milano. In the second division it is noted that consistency bears fruits, although the same cannot be said in SPL, where Art Chaos and Outrage only participated in three events. It is also noteworthy the great number of sponsors present in this event, totalling 14, including big names like DYE, G.I. Sportz, Planet Eclipse, HK

Army, Draxxus, among others. a family tournament, and obviously it Slava, as he is known to friends, said flees from the typical local or national the CPS is far from the paintball tournaments. This way we think it will politics and is only interested have a bright future and it will in the sport and the be a milestone in paintball’s athletes, wanting them European history, where Next to have the best possible with a fair price and top year it is conditions. Further conditions, it allows expecting noting that one of his players to meet new teams to receive great prides is to enable and new game styles. about smaller teams to face Upcoming season’s 70 teams. large international superlocations will be released teams, which otherwise within two weeks, with dates would never be possible. remaining on standby until the This is undoubtedly a major Millennium dates are disclosed. So if tournament in the standards to which you’re interested do no forget to pay we are all accustomed. It is not just attention to tournament’s updates.•

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celtic banshees By Hailey Adrienne It seems that 2012 has become a record breaking year in terms of female participation in competitive paintball, not only in one specific region, but globally in communities around the world. Teams like Poison Ivy, making a splash on both sides of the Pacific, Fat Lady Charms, and the resurrection of team Destiny. Joining the ranks is Celtic Banshees (CB), hailing from the UK. CB is comprised of 9 female players, competing in the Millennium series in Europe. This has been CBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first year in the Millennium series and it has proven to be somewhat of a struggle, as the girls finished 44th out of 48 teams at the event hosted in Germany. Charlotte Simms is one of the talented ladies that have been with the team since its conception. Simms has been involved in the paintball scene in the UK for most of her life,

as her father has been avidly involved in the paintball community for more than 24 years. Though being exposed to the sport for many years, Simms has only stepped foot on the field for the first time about 4 years ago. Her initial addiction to the sport was directly related to the overwhelming amount of anxiousness, nervousness and excitement she felt before and during every game. Those feelings soon grew exponentially into a travelling career,

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have to argue that I believe

anything a man can do, a woman can do just as good if not better.

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competing all over of Europe. Over the course of her paintball career, she has played on both allfemale teams, as well as in teams where she was the only female. Simms feels that there is not that much of a difference playing in either situation,

and expressed that, as long as you have a solid group of people with the same passion and same goals, there should be nothing to hold them back. As most avid paintball enthusiasts already know, paintball can be a very physically demanding task, especially for those wanting to bring home titles and trophies. Simms shared with us how she keeps in shape both on and off the field: «I try to do a lot of fitness training, so I go to the Gym and work with a personal trainer twice a week, where we work on my strength and agility and general fitness. When it comes down to training, I do a lot of break out drills, and running and

gunning. As a team we have various methods of training we work on. We have also been training with Robbo (Pete Robinson) and Twizz (Mark Dale); they both have huge amounts of experience in paintball and have been around the sport for years so we appreciate their input and help.» Staying physically fit is just one of the things not only females should be worried about, but also participants in general. Simms went on to say that she feels skills are not gauged by gender, but more on an individual basis: «But I’d have to argue that I believe anything a man can do, a woman can do just as good if not

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better. A female may have to work harder at it but she can if she wants. In my personal opinion, I find diving harder whereas men seem to find it easy. But I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a personal thing; I may find diving hard but I know some other girls that find it easy, but they struggle with something else. Âť To sum up, Simms pointed out the only way for paintball to become more female friendly is to have women who are willing to compete at a national level and to become role models for other ladies who may still find the sport a bit daunting.â&#x20AC;˘

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Paintball Goggles: DYE Trenchcoat: Gluen Necklace: H&M Bra: Primark Belt: H&M Underpants: Primark

Photos: Carlos Rodrigues Model: Carolina Diego Styling: Filipa Leal Makeup & Hair: SĂlvia Ferreira Thanks: DYE, AndrĂŠ Faria, Rui Pereira, Emboscada

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Paintball Gun: DYE Scarf: Caramelo Bodice: Benetton Bracelets: Filipa Lealâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal collection Bangles: H&M Belts: Primark Shorts: Wesc Ankle boots: Only2Me

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Elbow Pads: DYE Knee Pads: Dye Scarf: Filipa Lealâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal collection Necklace: Pull & Bear Shirt: Cheyenne Belts: Primark Ring and bracelets: Filipa Lealâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal collection Underpants: Primark

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Paintball Vest: DYE Paintball Gun: Dye Vest: Gluen Necklace: Filipa Leal’s personal collection Bra: Primark Skirt: Cheyenne Belt: Filipa Leal’s personal collection Bangles: Filipa Leal’s personal collection Bracelets: Mango

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Paintball Vest: DYE Earring: H&M Shirt: Onara Bra: Primark Belts and Bracelets: Filipa Lealâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal collection Underpants: Primark

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Elbow Pads: DYE Goggles and Gun: DYE Helmet: C.E.P. Cardigan: Fracomina Necklace: H&M Belt: H&M Underpants: Primark Tights: Calzedonia Boots: Myst

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Goggles: DYE Paintball Gun: DYE Blazer: Sucre et Sel Bra: Primark Bracelets: Filipa Lealâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal collection Shorts: Designed by Filipa Leal

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Pants: DYE Paintball Gun: DYE Helmet: C.E.P. Necklace: Primark Bracelets: Filipa Leal’s personal collection Black Bracelet: Primark Gloves: Filipa Leal’s personal collection Belts: Filipa Leal’s personal collection

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EMBOSCADA

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Diam

mond Conflict

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GRIP went to Proença-a-Nova, to congratulate Paintugal for its eighth anniversary. This organisation, as always, greeted the crowd with a great event. Text: André Faria Photos: Photopaintball

The more than 500 participants of this event were able to enjoy two full days of action. The first day was filled with the game «Portugal Versus Rest of the World», extra activities, a commercial space worthy of a great event, free technical support and some secondary tournaments. In these tournaments, we can highlight the Tippman TPX Challenge and the Tippman Sniper Challenge, which counted with the participation of several players, whom in the end were presented with awards from the sponsoring brand. It is also worth noting the Close Quarters Battle (CQB) Workshop, being the first tournament of its kind in Portugal, which attracted many players and teams. During these two activities, urban combat techniques were emphasized. This year’s trophy was won by the SARTIM team.

The first day ended with a confrontation between the teams’ generals involved in the Sunday’s game. The winner would choose the starting point in next day’s game. The Paintugal party was not only happening on the field, but also in the centre of the quiet village, mainly through the concerts of Soul Brothers Empire and of a guest DJ. As nothing was left to chance, the players could either sleep in the village’s

Portugal Vs. Rest of the World took place. Portugal came out crying!

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pavilion or choose from a varied hotel offers in the village and its surroundings. The event’s second day focused on the four hour main game, and the conviviality of teams and players from many different parts of the country and abroad. There was also the draw of 3000€ worth of prizes and honourable mentions to participants.

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Portugal Versus... This game’s theme was based on the French invasions and the struggle of the population from Proença-a-Nova, and the consequent Portuguese sovereignty over its territory, in 1807. The points of interest on the ground had the names of the forts used in battles of that era: Alvito, Fróia and Catraia. Napoleon’s armies were commanded by General «Bolazos» of Spain, and on the Portuguese side there was General «Alex». On one side, we had 50 foreign players and as many others on the Portuguese side. The game was played throughout an hour and there was an overwhelming pressure from the non-Portuguese faction, which dominated practically the whole game. According to some players, the fact that half of the Portuguese team failed to appear on the field, only

Two days of games, 500

participants, 56 teams, concerts and more than 3000€ in prizes.

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helped the disaster. It was undoubtedly an excellent opportunity to understand the field to be used the following day, to test material and to implement some tactics prepared for Sunday’s game.

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Diamond Conflict Players from the 56 teams present, coming from northern to southern Portugal, Spain, England, Scotland, Holland, Poland and Finland, were transported to a scenario of civil war and diamond trafficking in Sierra Leone. The Revolutionary United Front (F.R.U.) was renewed with foreign help, and wanted to take control of areas that had formerly belonged to them, while wanting to dominate the capital resulting from the sale of diamonds. The government of Sierra Leone had managed to halt the civil war for power in diamonds rich zone, but found itself overtaken by technology acquired by F.R.U. through the smugglers’ money, it managed to invest in Sierra Leone Army (ESL) thus becoming a worthy opponent. In this field, beyond the purposely built villages – Kailahun and Freetown – a refugee camp full of tents and civilian characters were assembled,

mixing with Doctors Without Borders, represented by young actors and actresses of the Theatre Company Montes da Senhora. Even more props were placed in the field, such as ten diamonds and an electronic time bomb. The characters of a war reporter and a smuggler, who would negotiate the purchase of diamonds, made the whole scenario even

Actors walked on the ground

simulating civilian characters.

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more realistic. The game took place in a land with approximately 16 hectares, with a valley crossing all the grounded and diversified bush, «seasoned» by the constructions of Scouts Group 157 of the National Scouts Body. After four hours of combats in various areas of interest, the ESL’s domination over Freetown and the Aerodrome became clear. This dominance was not

affected by the change of the entry of the teams in the middle of the game. In addition to completing the mission of destroying the Antenna with the placement of the time bomb, the F.R.U. scored additional points with the sale of diamonds in the villages they possessed throughout the game. Regarding the playersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; eliminations, counted in the fixed and mobile hospitals, a difference, albeit symbolic, was noted, with more F.R.U. elements eliminated than those of the E.S.L. side. One of the elements that aided E.S.L. in conquering dominance on the scoreboard was the sale of six diamonds to the smuggler and also the fact

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that they did not dominate Freetown, virtually the entire game. They had the advantage of dominating the Aerodrome since inception too. As it is Paintugal’s prerogative, security was one of the key elements, with hundreds of radar controls, done to all the players entering the field and also randomly carried out within the field. This is a praiseworthy attitude, especially when in other European games it is done in a much smaller scale. In addition to this work, the 27 referees on the field, a number that broke the record of any event, yielded the player a unique and fairer

experience, one of the clear goals of this event’s organization. The spirit lived throughout this eighth anniversary of the Paintugal Association was unique. Upon asking

Scouts helped to build small

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shelters for the game. questions on location, it was unanimous that it had been one of the country’s best events. The shopping area was worthy of a great event, with the support of 35 entities, such as several brands like Tippman, DYE and Planet Eclipse, local shops such as Emboscada,

SCOREBOARD

Goals

Watches Eliminations Total

E.S.L. 2800

3316

463

6579

F.R.U. 750

919

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Swell, Estratego, Raia Aventura and other partners such as GoPro, Skyfuncenter, AJN and Lojas Caleiro. It should also be noted the unusual presence of many female players in this type of sport, with one of the teams – The Vipers – consisting only of women. It is undoubtedly an asset to our sport. For all those who had purchased the event’s t-shirts, there was also a grand raffle with prizes valued at more than 3000€. •

On the past 25th of October we received the tragic news of José Martins’ death. He was an E.S.L. General, also known as «Zef» and he died of a heart attack at the age of 27. A shock wave has swept the Portuguese Paintball community. «Zef» was Humble, dedicated, cheerful, energetic and of an extraordinary level of generosity to anyone he met. Portuguese paintball has become poorer with the disappearance of such an icon, and we must publicly present our condolences to his friends and family. As he used to say in his festive spirit: «WHAT CAN WE DRINK HERE?» «Zef», We’ll see you soon! scenario

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General F.R.U. Paulo Rocha This year, it was complicated to plan a strategy, or rather, until Saturday at the end of the general duel, we both had to have two strategies for the game as the chances of starting on one side or the other were identical. As for me, after defeating my opponent in the duel, I managed to keep the entrance that seemed better – the northern entry. Four teams were created, two smaller ones, whose purpose would be to conquer and maintain the Paiol and the Aerodrome and two larger teams, whose goal was to conquer the mine, Kailahun and the Radio Antenna. Upon achieving this, I would have a «wedge» with my troops, whom would easily help each other, would give me points in the paiol and the aerodrome and still complete my 90 minutes goal – to detonate the radio antenna. It

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went wrong, not the strategy, but the way it was handled. Perhaps it was my fault for not being able to demonstrate to the men I commanded that the first five minutes of the game must be played at a greater speed, to achieve the goals and to hold the best positions. This did not happen and the opposing team was faster achieving their more distant goals. From then on, it was an attempt to reverse the situations, bearing in mind what was happening at the moment, rather than the previously calculated targets. The second part of the game was trying to get to the smuggler who had been, since the beginning of the game, held by the opponent, preventing them from achieving their goals and conquering Freetown to score points with the diamonds we had in our possession.•

General E.S.L José Martins After examining the map and the objectives, we reached the conclusion that the fundamental point would be the Mine, due to its centrality and the points of the diamonds found at this location. Additionally, we had identified the area of greatest conflict, the corridor between the Aerodrome and the Mine, due to its proximity to the entrances. We decided we would split the faction into three squads, one would be in charge of the area between the aerodrome and the mine, a second team would be in charge of the area of the antenna and Kailahun and a third would be in the region of the mine, with each faction having 55 players each. At the West entrance, we would, as fast as possible, form a line from the aerodrome to the other end of the field in Kailahun, thus stopping the passage of the FRU to the southern side

of the terrain. In this way we would control the Refugees Camp and Freetown, as well as the Mine. The control of the Aerodrome, the Paiol e Kailahun was secondary. The important was to have the line. The mobile hospital would be placed near the mine and the English contingent in our team (BEF) was in charge of transporting the diamonds and the Doctors. At the start of the 2nd hour of the game, as we would enter from the north, the strategy was to retreat the Sumana line to serve as a buffer near the FR’s entrance. Komona would make a line near the Refugees Camp in order to not allow the FRU to pass through the Southwest area of the terrain and Stronge would conquer the Antenna and Kailahun in order to prevent re-entries of the FRU in the Kailahun hospital. •

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MAGFED The third type of Paintball

Paintball is taking a new direction in the recreational area. New markers are appearing with magazine-fed systems, providing a heightened sense of realism to the sport. Learn a bit of the history of this innovation here. Text: AndrĂŠ Faria

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For many years now there has been a niche of people in the market dedicated to creating gun replicas and they have been demanding solutions from the industry, to fulfil the requirements for scenario events, especially for the military simulation type of paintball (MILSIM). A wave of new markers, considered gun replicas, has flooded the paintball market and events and it has altered the way one plays paintball. Some of these markers and accessories have been appearing on the market made by the players, thus creating smaller businesses. Nowadays, brands focus on the

details and solutions that solve this new marketâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs. Proof of this is the surplus of solutions available in the near future, which players can readily obtain: -Conversion magfed kits from Tacamo, for markers from brands such as Tippmann, BT, Valken and US Army Markers. - Tiberius Arms: T4, T8, T9 - Dye: DAM - Milsig: K-Series, M-Series, Paradigm - Rap4: T68 - Kingman: MRX, MR5, Hammer 7 - Get Real: AT-4, AT-85, AT-416, AT-417 - Carmatech: SAR-12 - Tippmann: TiPX - Scarab Arms - TGR2

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We can state that in addition to the first stock class markers, the «feeding» of the paintball markers through magazines began in 1989, with a Tippmann model, the SMG-68. This model was fed through a plastic clip where paintballs were loaded through a lateral loader. In 1997, Get Real Paintball created the incredible ATS, capable of firing mechanically in full auto and magazine fed! The objective of this brand was to provide a realistic experience, not only aesthetically but also in their functioning compared to real weapons. The sport followed other oaths with the consolidation of the competition strand of paintball, and its economic base began to centre on the price of paintballs, leaving little space for magfed markers. In 2002, RAP4 began to produce a new type of markers, the R.A.M (Real Action Marker), destined for the military training market and MILSIM games. Even when using .43 calibre paintballs, these markers gained some notoriety and later the company began to introduce markers with .68 calibre paintballs. This company’s largest opponent is Milsig that, although they had many projects and did some research in previous years, only appeared in 2008. Currently Milsig produces some of the most resistant markers on the market. In 2007, Tiberius revolutionized the

market, not only with their magfed pistol – that was incredibly robust – but also with the launch in 2009 of their double function marker – the T9 – that worked as a pistol and as a rifle, based on the addition or removal of accessories. They even had the audacity to reinvent the paintball projectile, creating the Firststrike, which has a stabilising tail that allows for accurate shots up to 100m away. Up until today, pistols have won their space as backup markers, in the field or even in specific games that are pistol use only! Unlike tube fed markers, these are magfed with seven or eight paintballs, depending on the Tiberius or Tippmann

In a magfed game, the ball

usage is around 90% lower.

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model. We reach 2012, the year of magfed! Dye and Kingman launched new marker models, the use of Tacamo’s magfed conversion kit begins to spread and the previous gamble of manufacturers was confirmed; there is a demand for more realism in games. There are many promises for 2013, mostly based on the ability to fire Firststrike and normal paintballs at the same time, creating real paintball snipers. Another interesting piece of data regarding magfed games is that the

MRX

Spyder

MR5

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paintball usage is around 10% of what is normally consumed in a regular scenario game, reducing the total cost of playing paintball. A player’s infield experience is enhanced with the inherent realism that comes with loading markers through magazines, such as the paintballs’ limit and the rate of shots per second. The game has also changed; with less paintballs flying around, it has become more appealing for who wants to enter the sport and it becomes fairer to judge the technical capabilities of teams and players. The increase of military simulation

games throughout the world is notorious and we can state that if in the past paintball lost players to airsoft, nowadays this might be changing! Facing these new game changes,

The magfed system appeared out of the desire of paintball players to make games more realistic.

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different players’ functions on the field, increased reality of markers and scenarios, application of team tactics and minimum paintball consumption rates… are we seeing a third type of paintball emerging? •

Spyder

Hammer

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ÂŠ 2012 Copyright Planet Eclipse Ltd. Eclipse, the Estar Logo Device, Ego, Geo, Etek, Etha and EMC are all either design trademarks, registered trademarks or trademarks of Planet Eclipse Ltd. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

TROCA

You can find one of the oldest paintball fields in the Iberian Peninsula within one of Portugal’s most beautiful sceneries. We went there and were amazed! Texto:André AndréGarrido Faria Fotografia: ?????????? Text: Photos: Troca Tintas

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A TINTAS Playing paintball is a pleasure, be it for the adrenalin or for the feeling of winning a game against our friends. However there are situations where this pleasure can be increased by the quality of the location of the event and by small details that arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t attended to by someone that really cares about this sport. And we all know how easy it is to find ourselves on a field where quality is merely satisfactory and safety is sometimes disregarded, but that is not the case of Troca Tintas. Troca Tintas Park is the second oldest paintballing venue in Portugal, which gives it the experience of many years of activity, with an extra element of security added. This park is located in Azenhas do Mar, near Sintra, 30 minutes away from Lisbon, Portugal; we have to admit that even the journey there was beautiful as you go past beaches,

small villages and the mountains of the Portuguese coast. The path is so perfect that you just feel like pulling over and enjoying the view. In Troca Tintas nothing has been left to chance. In the entrance there is a small parking lot for clients to leave their vehicles. As soon as you step out of your car, you can see the

In Troca Tintas nothing has been left to chance. childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s treetop adventure course, another one of the many activities in this park. There is a total of 12 activities in the park (paintball, treetop courses, slide, wall scaling rappel, geocaching, treasure hunting, horse-riding, pedal karts, laser tag, traditional games and pedestrian routes) and there are other services like catering, park construction and domestic services.

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While the client is directed to the equipment rental zone, some paintball fields and the picnic tables can be seen. There are also some great bathrooms, with a quality that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expected in a place like this. One detail that stands out is the decoration of the location, similar to that of an African tribe. Everything is made out of wood, from the bathrooms to the tables. The large advantage of the rest area is the large shadowed place that is a blessing in days of extreme heat; players can find their way here to peacefully rest.

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In terms of land usage, the four hectares of land have been efficiently used. All paintball fields have safety nets in between them and all movements of the clients are made through these corridors that separate all the fields. The park is divided into two parts, on the left there are two treetop courses, one for children, and another for adults and one of the paintball fields â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Towers Field. The name is given due to the two towers located on each side of the field. On the right, there are three more paintball fields: the competition grade field with the rest are next to it;

followed by the Pine trees Field that contains a few Incan monuments. The last field is the House Field, where, as the name indicates, there is a scenario prepared house. If you want to have a better idea of the paintball field, a virtual visit is available in Troca Tinta’s website: http:// trocatintas.net/3dview/ This is the chosen paintballing spot for football players, actors or large companies that want to have an afternoon filled with adrenalin, right

next to one of the most beautiful coasts this country has to offer. It must be highlighted that the most

On location, we immediately notice the African tribe style decoration. recent offer is given on the first Sunday of every month, when you can go to Troca Tintas without waiting for a group; a pre-reservation will suffice. Beyond all the offers of the park, where you can have any child’s or adult’s dream party, in the middle of nature,

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CONTACTS Telephone: 21 425 31 00 Mobile: 96 212 58 09 E-mail: reservas@trocatintas.net GPS: 38.846418, -9.454744 Address: Rua da Bajada Comprida, Azenhas do Mar - Portugal

there is still the option of taking the party somewhere else, be it a home, garden, school or wherever the client wants. In this format, the amount of options is still large, with activities ranging from paintball to pedal karts. Regarding the prices, the paintballing event starts at 19â&#x201A;Ź with 100 balls for each player. The other activities have an average price of 15â&#x201A;Ź, an affordable price for such a high quality location. â&#x20AC;˘

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DAM We went crazy lurking from all corners of the marker and with each peek we became even more enthusiastic. But letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s take it one step at a time and begin with the visual. It was a good bet to elaborate the design from the beginning. It is based on the ideas of Dave Younbloodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own MilSim marker, somewhat parting with other brandsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; trend to base themselves on the design of real weapons. The design is unique and appealing, although with similarities with a weapon from the future. It is clear the time spent on this marker to make its use the most practical possible. Details like how to alter the shooting modes, switching

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from the magazine feed to the loader feed, removing the magazine, turning the marker on or off, were not left to chance. There are three buttons: on and off, operating the eyes and changing shooting modes. Regarding the change of shooting modes, it is extremely easy. There are three lights referring to the different shooting modes, which can be attributed to the different shooting options. As option we have: semi, three shoot burst, full auto and ramping psp; afterwards just press the button and select the mode we wish.

We love autumn! It’s the time when our newsroom is filled with toys. This time the new toy was, nothing more nothing less than the brand new DYE Assault Matrix (DAM). Text: Duarte Gomes Photos: DYE

There’s no need to turn off the marker or anything, it’s instant. Switching the magazine is done via a button a finger distance away. Again we see the attention to detail, because this feature is also handy for lefties, with buttons on both sides. The marker has the option to assemble a feedneck for anyone wanting to use a loader, but it’s brilliant to be

able to use both options in the game. Switching between both systems is as simple as sliding a lever, which rotates the Eye Pipe. The Eye Pipe is identical to the ones used in any DM, but the opening where the ball enters will rotate to the selected entry – magazine or feed. The ball detents are always aligned, thus avoiding the placement of unnecessary balls or the exit of a ball.

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Since the magazines are ready to be loaded with First Strike rounds, a player may load them with these projectiles, providing the disposal of high precision projectiles for that most important shot, and use the loader with traditional paintballs. Therefore you can alternate in accordance to the game’s necessities. The feedneck is installed with the greatest of ease: two screws and you’re done. The magazines consist of fairly robust plastics and are practical to disassemble for cleaning. They can be loaded with 20 balls each, but they are divided into ten balls on each side, requiring us to rotate the magazine every ten shots. The bolt used is identical to that of

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PROS

· Easy transition from mag feed to loader feed. · Customization · Easy to maintain

CONS

Price

Proto Reflex, without LPR. As it doesn’t have a macro line, they innovated a bit and in a practical way, the regulator was placed inside the Rear Cap. This regulator is the Hype 3, the same model used in all of the DYE and Proto brands. To control the pressure, a key is placed

in the Rear Cap’s extremity; the Rear Cap is equal to the one used on DM12. To remove the bolt manually, pull the Cap stuck to the magnet, in order to avoid it bouncing and making unnecessary noises. Maintenance is easy. Very little changes compared to other DYE systems, but we have to be careful, because everything is loosened in the same direction and when we removed the Bolt Assemble we can disassemble the regular and accidentally drop the rings. As the regulator was moved into the body’s interior, to give the marker a more real look, we now have the Bolt Assemble composed of three distinct parts: Cylinder, Top Hat and Rear Cap. The Rear Cap now has the regulator inside. All in one set. The bolt is disassembled the way

we have always been accustomed, but the regulator is disassembled without the use of any tools, simply by holding the Rear Cap and rotating the Back Cap. We must keep in mind that everything was planned for the non-use of tools and the tightening given with hand strength is enough to reopen it. The butt is the best! Retractable, with a storage compartment, it has a lid, in case we don’t want to use the butt to maintain its aesthetic aspect. If the marker is used as a loader feed, we can use the small magazine, which is a tool box, with o-rings, keys and screws. Very practical, these accessories can be stored in the butt, for this compartment has enough space. The shroud, which comes with the marker, can be divided into several parts and the various rails can be customized and assembled in different ways. All thought of in accordance to the taste and needs of everyone. To date, we have information that accessories will be launched in conjunction with the marker, although we do not have any specific reference about them. However we do know that magazines will not be missing. Regarding the price, it will be around €1000.•

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GI. SPORTZ PODS

In our team, we have always been curious to test GI Sportz’s new pods. Their resistance is constantly talked about, yet we find it bizarre how an object that has always been fragile suddenly became an urban myth of resistance. We spent many minutes laughing as we saw videos of people trying to break the pods: they’re kicked, thrown in the air, run over by cars and trucks and the

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last one was by far the best – shot with a shotgun. Since we don’t tend to stay put, we talked to GI Sportz that provided some pods for us to quench our thirst for destruction. As soon as they got here, our first instinct was similar to the one of a true caveman. «Let’s see if this can take a few hits on the table!» in a few second we were standing, throwing the pods as

Have you heard about the GI Sportz unbreakable pods? We have... and we tried them out. We even hit it with a concret sledgehammer!

Text: Duarte Gomes Photos: DR

hard as we could against the table. First test: Pod – 1, GRIP – 0. The next step was to throw it against the wall, with the hope that within a few hits we would be able to score. Bad news: Pod – 2, GRIP – 0. We then decided to really raise the bar and we got a sledgehammer with a cement end. We got a brand new pod and gave it a hit. We lost again… Pod – 3, GRIP – 0.

Completely incredulous and desperate, we gave it another similar hit. Finally we managed to score our first point. The bottom opened, making the pod unusable. Pod – 3, GRIP – 1. After being humiliated by a plastic object, we accepted the defeat. Firstly, it’s obvious that no player will walk around with a sledgehammer, yet we really had to test this pod’s limits. Many might ask what the hell this

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pod is anyway. It’s a normal 140 ball pod, available in black, blue, red and transparent. The big difference is that it’s made of polycarbonate, the same material used in the lenses of our goggles, sunglasses and CD’s, giving it this extraordinary resistance. In practical terms, the lids were made of the same material, making it more robust. When we tested the pod in a game, no lid snapped off, but a good hit or step on it might make it break on the connection between the pod and the lid.

The opening of this pod is easily accomplished, but it’s firm enough to not accidently open. In common pods, the opening wears down due to usage but again, due to the materials used, this pod’s opening will remain identical for much longer. It isn’t unbreakable, but it is definitely more long-lasting. It seems reasonable to us that a team or player should acquire these pods thinking about a way to save in the long term. •

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review review 156 © 2012 Copyright Planet Eclipse Ltd. Eclipse, the Estar Logo Device, Ego, Geo, Etek, Etha and EMC are all either design trademarks, registered trademarks or trademarks of Planet Eclipse Ltd. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

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E-Fle The most awaited goggles for the last years have finally arrived. Many tried to buy them from the sponsored players, others ran to the stores as soon as they came out. GRIP analysed it and tells you everything about the E-Flex.

Text: Duarte Gomes Photos: Kee Action Sports

There was once a goggle that beat all the others for many years. We are obviously talking about the JT Proflex. This goggle was on the face of all players, simply for three reasons: level of comfort, safety and because it had one hell of a style. Over time more goggles appeared, from different brands, and with better features than the famous Proflex. Usually the improvements were felt on the basis of comfort, the ease of changing the lens design and obviously the design. But one thing is certain; the Proflex still stands as one of the best goggles in our sport. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve heard that a new goggle from Empire may arise, based on our

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favourite, and we were anxious. When we started to see the first images of the E-Flex we thought the idea was so basic that it could only be excellent. Combining the better of two masks of the market was something that not only looked easy, but also a real success. And when we say that it is the combination of the better of two masks, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s literally placing the upper part of one with the bottom part of the other. The upper part is based on the E-Vents, with a very basic and very functional lens changing system. Just remove the brake, rotate the strap, pull the joint and this way we can

clean the lens or change to a new one in seconds. The lens is very wide and high, allowing for a good view field. Another great feature is the fact that the lens can simply lean to the goggleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s structure without any housing, crack or fissure where the ink may lodge after impact. However, we found the foams a bit too hard, perhaps because they were new. The ear protection is made of a more robust material, not creating

extra weight in the mask, while offering good comfort and necessary protection to the ears. The underside is based on the Proflex, which means copying the most extraordinary nozzle ever. This nozzle is characterized by its lightness and comfort, and at the same time itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

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PROS

made from malleable foam which reduces the probability of breaking after an impact. For those who don’t know or don’t remember, another feature of the Proflex was the ability to bend its nozzle (although with time it became illegal in the game),

providing players with a better breathing, better diction within this field and the already mentioned style. Hopefully the trend will continue and numerous nozzles and straps will be

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· Lightness · Strength · Ease in replacing the lens · Style CONS

· ·

Somewhat hard foams Overpriced

made in different colours and themes, thus continuing Proflex’s long standing tradition. E-Flex is an excellent mask and it will be a milestone in the history of paintball. However the price is somewhat out of context, somewhat exaggerated, for the product in question, much higher than the one practiced in Proflex and in E-vents.•

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jt Splat Master JT launched the new SplatMaster model to attrack younger players to the sport. Get to know the most wanted gift for this Christmas. Text: AndrĂŠ Garrido Photos: Kee Action Sports

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When we look at all the major sports and above all the famous sport stars, we notice that most players begin to play when theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re very young. Nowadays itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not rare to see six year olds that are being prepared to become professional athletes of any sport. This is the step that paintball is missing so that it stops being seen as a friendly weekend activity and becomes a respected competitive sport. To contradict this prejudice of paintball, JT has recently released

the JT Splatmaster. The SplatMaster is a product made for the younger audiences, specifically children over the age of nine. A pistol, a shotgun, targets, mask and paintballs can be separately acquired or through promotional packs. The first thing that we notice is the bright colours of the markers. We are somewhat reluctant to call it a marker, as the proper name is toy-gun. The pistol, small but robust, is blue and the shotgun is red. Because of this

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we can easily understand that they’re both toys, as they would have a very real look if they were painted black, for example. Another difference is the calibre used. In this case the 50 calibre is used, with paintballs which are much smaller than the ones we’re used to. It seems to us that this was an intelligent idea, as it gives it a lower cost of production and enhances the harmlessness of these young players. To test the new toys, we got a group of «children» between the ages of 9 and 40 and played some paintball. The first test was the loading of the toy-gun. Perhaps due to the size of the paintballs, the younger players found it easier to load either the shotgun or the pistol. In the case of the shotgun, you just have to pull the spring to the beginning of the barrel where there is a small dent to hold it in place; a

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maximum of 17 paintballs can be inserted into the toy-gun. In the pistol, the loading system is a bit more complicated as it is necessary to remove the clip from under the pistol’s butt, pull back the spring, hold it in place through the same locking mechanism and insert up to 8 paintballs. We started by using the targets that come in the toy-gun packages and we tried to see who would get a better score. After a few minutes, we were all shooting soda cans as we all needed a bigger challenge. Both the shotgun and the pistol have a remarkably accurate close-range shot, higher than some of the paintball markers available on the market. Obviously the shotgun has a

harder aim due to its shape, but it is definitely more entertaining as we feel like Al Capone. The next challenge was to see who the King of SplatMasters was by duelling each other. The toyguns behaved fantastically on field; there wasn’t a paintball broken and they’re extremely fun. The firing mode is pump style, without air or CO2, which in the shotgun’s case, is simple and intuitive. The pistol is a bit harder as the breech must be pulled backwards and then forwards for the next shot. One of our main concerns was the velocity of the shot and the displacement of the paintball, as it is a «weapon» for children. The amount of energy used is one Joule, which is around 120 feet per second. Regarding the displacement, we saw that a straight shot is achieved for 7 metres

and it begins to curve after that. The impact of the paintballs is softer than with the normal sized paintballs, but they still leave a recognizable mark. It’s not painless, but it’s nothing a nine year old can’t take, especially if they’re well protected. One thing that we found strange was the fact that the toy-guns don’t come with a mask, as it is necessary to buy it separately. What is even stranger is that the masks from this line of products only protect the eyes, making it a requirement to buy the bottom protection as a separate piece. During all of these tests we noticed that the paintballs are of high quality but, due to their size, they easily break when they hit the ground. To conclude, we think this is a great gamble for businesses to get new players and consumers. It’s the perfect «weapon» for a recreational field, where costs of paintballs and air are practically nothing and always guarantee a larger degree of safety for the younger ones. If you are undecided on what toy-gun to purchase, get the shotgun, as it is much more fun and easier to reload. •

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backstage They arrive, set up the tent, spend 3 days inside it, dissemble it and go away. No, we are not talking about a gipsy camp; we are talking about the Millenniumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Salesmen. Get to know one of the most discrete and important jobs in our sport.

1- How do you become a salesman in your company? 2 - If you had to create a slogan for your brand what would it be? 3- What are the advantages of your brand against others?

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JOERG HOEHLE Kee Action Sports

1 – I’ve been in Paintball for twenty years, I’ve worked for MAXs, JT Europe and ProCaps before and I’m finally working for the most professional company which is Kee Action Sports. I really enjoy working for the Empire brand. 2 – In one sentence? That’s very difficult! «We are the leading manufacturer in the world and we take paintball to the next level, trying to increase and bring new people to the sport, especially with the SplasMaster line! ». 3 – Quality, variety and our penetration in the market because we don’t just focus on a single product but on a whole variety. We are also leading suppliers for Wallmart in the US and we are present in the traditional market as well, like tournaments, trying to be leaders in every different kind of market.

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KONSTANTINOS PAPAPANAGIOTOU Anthrax

1 - Anthrax was my personal project that started about 3 years ago. Now, it has taken the form of a real, growing company and this is how I got to be here now! 2 - Well that would be «we do it better, we do it faster». (Laughs) 3 - Honestly I believe that what brought Anthrax here is the fast and efficient service we provide to the customers. We are always available through e-mail, Skype or phone and we answer everything in the shortest possible time. Our delivery times are the fastest in the market and the quality of our stuff speaks for itself, so you don’t need a lot more than that!

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JOSH MYERS HK Army

1 – It actually just kind of happened. I am not sure how many people know our full story but we started as just a paintball team. At first we would set up booths at major events to fund the team. As time went on, the team evolved into a brand and at that time we all had to take positions in the company to make it function. This was when we all decided which functions we would handle and luckily enough I had done this previously for another company. So it was an easy transition for me. Although when hiring new sales reps for HK Army we look for someone who is outgoing, organized and driven to succeed. 2 – «Ride with us or collide with us.... HHH! ». 3 – I think that we offer something different from most brands and that’s a lifestyle. We always try to promote the sport of paintball and our fans through videos and social media. We also get people involved through our Crash at the Coast clinics and Streetball events. This is where we can capture the paintball lifestyle, make videos about it and show the world what we do.

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prize

DYNASTY’S JERSEY

Do you want the jersey that everyone desires? It isn’t difficult, you just need to put up with our pictures on Instagram. HOW TO WIN Add us in your Instagram – grippaintball – and the winner will be raffled on the 25Th December.

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FREE ENTRANCE TROCA TINTAS

Do you want to play for free in one of the most ancient and better fields in the Iberian Peninsula? Grab your GRIP and work it out!

HOW TO WIN Print this page, pick ten friends, take them to Troca Tintas Park and you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pay for your pack. Simpler is impossible!

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Thanks Domingos Leit찾o Guilherme Pires Jo찾o Ramos Pedro Batista Ricardo Catarino Rui Pereira S처nia Fernandes

Thank you!

/GripPaintball

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