The 1996 National Professional Paintball League World Cup

5 Man Competetion

Twelve Divisions - 8 Teams per Division
Total Scores, and placing from preliminary rounds:

All Americans - 350 6th Place
Slam - 87
Arch Angels - 103
Chameleons - 65
Jax Warriors Amateur - 252
Scorpions - 229
Team Swatt 2 - 169

Division 2
Jax Warriors - 360 1st Place
Fe Dragons - 144
Camp Tigers - 244
Carpe Diem - 245
Iron Maidens - 35
Rush - 130
Team Swatt - 219
Shadow - 62

Division 3
Predators - 360 2nd Place
Florida Fear - 252
Shock Force 2 - 244
Canadian Express - 97
Head Hunters - 80
Redskins - 59
Team Spectrum - 84
Zero Boys - 240

Division 4
Avalanche 1 - 350 6th Place
Pitfiends - 60
Point Blank - 146
Bushapes - 141
Headbangers - 206
Rawhead - 0
Team Quickdeath - 154
Vulcans - 345 7th Place

Division 5
NWC 2 - 360 3rd Place
Renegades - 187
Grad - 106
Bad Moon Rising - 134
Guns of Paradise - 207
Posse - 43
Team Blank - 113
Untouchables - 264

Division 6
Aftershock - 344 8th Place
Secret Agents - 255
Street Fighter 1 - 102
Bad Karma 2 - 74
Good Fellas - 155
Picati - 73
Team Animals - 249
Tubarao - 193

Division 7
NWC 1 - 293
NVP - 317
Headbangers 1 - 101
Bad Karma 1 - 92
The Firm (UK) - 141
Pirates - 252
Street Fighters 2 - 153
Tribe - 131

Division 8
Avalanche 2 - 350 4th Place
Badgers  - 193
Cross Hares - 126
Bad Habit - 170
The Firm (AUS) - 87
Personal Vendetta 2 - 266
Stingers - 202
Top Heavy - 137

Division 9
Magnum 1 - 49
Venom - 103
Fatal Company - 242
Badgers 2 - 183
Fighters - 271
Mercenaries 2 - 145
South Florida Vipers - 233
Ton Ton 2 - 222

Division 10
Magnum 2 - 200
Hounds - 196
Farside - 279
Annihilators - 33
Events in Motion - 12
Marshall Law 2 - 203
SOB's - 242
Ton Ton 1 - 188

Division 11
Wolverines - 296
Fusion - 238
Black Diamonds - 49
Adrenaline 2 - 135
Demolition - 196
Marshall Law 1 - 22
Shock Force 1 - 230
Vengence 2 - 262

Division 12
Personal Vendetta 1 - 255
Lockout - 261
Indy Sewer Rats - 24
Adrenaline 1 - 307
Check Yourself - 78
Lunatic Red - 72
Shades of Grey - 252
Vengence 1 - 207

Totals After the First Day of Play for 5 Man

Amateur Semi Finals

Division 1
NVP - 132
Vengence 2 - 15
Pirates - 77
Fatal Company - 88

Division 2
Adrenaline 1 - 75
Lockout - 180
Shades of Grey - 56
SOB's - 46

Division 3
Farside - 175
Personal Vendetta 1 - (-20)
Team Animal - 85
Fusion - 26

Division 4
Fighters - 180
Secret Agents - 76
Carpe Diem - 69
Florida Vipers - 18

Division 5
Personal Vendetta 2 - 116
Florida Fear - 170
Camp Tigers - 75
Shock Force 1 - 2

Division 6
Untouchables - 76
Jax Warriors - 180
Shock Force - 21
Zero Boys - 110

Professional Semi Finals

Division 1
Jax Warriors - 126 3rd Place
NWC 2 - 59
Alla's - 180 1st Place
Vulcans - 31

Division 2
Predators - 35
Avalance 2 - 180 2nd Place
Avalanche 1 - 122 4th Place
Aftershock - 15

It's Hot!

Here I sit in the 100% humidity sweltering. Did I mention that I'm a pansy in heat? ;) The vendor tent hasn't hit it's full swing despite the 5 man teams fighting it out for dominance. So far, we're here, US Amateur Sports, Olympic Paintball Sports, Venom, Bad Boys Toys, DYE, Unique Sporting, Air Gun Designs, BOA, Indian Springs, JT, Anola Gaye Pyro, Combat Vision, Battle Boy USA, Warrior Sports Gear, Palmers Pursuit Shop, Renegade Action Equipment, Smart Parts, RCI, Air America, MF2 Design, Pro-Team Products, ZAP Paintball, RP Scherer, Brass Eagle, and Paintball World (the field hosting the event) even set up a booth renting goggles and selling commemorative shirts.
As of yet, I haven't seen alot of the fields, but I'm looking forward to heading out there later with the camera to get some good pictures for those of you that couldn't attend.

AGD Unveils Automag RT

Today, at 3:00 p.m. Air Gun Designs, manufacturers of the .68 Automag, unveiled the Automag RT, the next generation of the mag. In a press conference complete with slide presentation and laser pointer, Air Gun Designs' Tom Kaye explained what went in to the 2.5 man year development of the RT. AGD developed a test automag, which was loaded with sensors connected to computers. The data taken from subjecting this mag to various conditions was used to determine what areas of design could be most improved. In refill timing tests it was learned that there is a limit to houw fast the Automag's air chamber can recharge through the regulator, so the RT sends full pressure gas straight into the air chamber, then cuts it off with a regulating piston when operating pressure is acheived. This allows the RT air chamber to recharge in only 23 milliseconds (43 times a second). The next area improved for speed is the trigger. Up until now, Kaye explained, there have only been two types of triggers, straight mechanical (most paintguns) and electronic (the Shocker, and other electropneumatics). Through computer data testing, AGD discovered that while a person can pull a trigger quickly, and release a trigger quickly, there is always a lag time between the pull and release. To combat this, they developed the reactive trigger (hence the name RT). The reactive trigger usees gas pressure to double the return pressure on the trigger once the marker has started its firing cycle. This acts to push the trigger finger back, along with the trigger. Running only on compressed air or nitrogen, the RT can not use CO2, due to different expansion characteristics, and temperature problems. While the fastest technician at AGD, Jeff Streiber, has been able to fire the RT at 9 shots a second, with an electronic trigger pulling test device and forced feed system (which Kaye declined to describe), AGD has fired paint through the RT at a rate of 26 balls per second. One of the surprising features of the new 'mag is a series of gas output ports near the rear of the grip frame. Kaye announced that these are to allow for "future gas powered accessories". With no description of the feed system used for testing, and the accesssory ports in the design, many people have speculated that an air powered positive feed system may be in the works.
Unlike many products that are announced, and not released for many months, the RT is ready today, in fact, Automag RT's serial numbered 41 through 100 were made available for sale here at the World Cup. Number 41 was purchased by Bob Pitts (pictured here with Tom Kaye) of Team Annihilators less than 10 minutes after the press conference. Of course that trigger and air flow are not the only improvements in the RT, the trigger sear now has carbide inserts that will not wear, the gas system is fed through a foregrip and the grip frame rail eliminating the need for external hoses (through an external gas line is included, supplying gas to the accessory ports). As happy news to current Automag owners, the same barrels will work on the RT, though the stock RT barrel includes a muzzle brake, and dual nubbins. Kaye explained that the second nubbin was because many people had trouble adjusting a single nubbin. For now the suggested retail price of the RT is $850, and the dealer pricing is "slightly above that of the Minimag", so it is reasonable to expect to see the RT for less on dealer's shelves. There are still some problems in the RT design, Kaye admits, as during field use, the velocity may fluctuate as much as 15 fps, however htis is something being worked on at AGD, and as with past Automag models, they will support upgrading the early RT owners as these bugs get ironed out. Be sure to check back soon for our expanded post tournament coverage for pictures ofthe new Automag RT.

US Amateur Sports shows the Viper-AV

US Amateur Sports demonstrated the Viper-AV prototype, a modified Viper-M1 paintball gun featuring onboard video camera, power supply, and wireless transmission system for use in paintball event coverage and scenario games. Bill Mills demonstrated the use of the AV with a color LCD display which allowed use of the video components as a sight. This high tech "sight of the future" brought out quite a chuckle from ADCo president Al DaPoli who was proudly showing ADCo's latest product (look for more information on this in WARPIG's expanded post-tournament coverage). With the addition of an infra-red flood lamp, the Viper-AV becomes night vision capable, and turned the heads of Wayne and Jackie Dollack. Rumors have been surfacing that this marker, and its owner may make an appearance at an upcoming 24 hour scenario game.