Antony Leadbetter
Antony Leadbetter, commonly known as Ledz, is a British former professional paintball player, team founder and paintball industry entrepreneur. He is best known for establishing the Banzai Bandits tournament team and co-founding Planet Eclipse, the Manchester-based paintball equipment manufacturer, with Julian Carr.[1][2]
Leadbetter competed internationally with Banzai Bandits, London Nexus and the Great Britain national team. He subsequently became involved in team coaching, equipment development and paintball media production.[1][3]
In 2024, he was inducted into the Iconic Paintball Hall of Icons.[4]
Playing career
[edit]Banzai Bandits
[edit]Leadbetter began playing paintball in 1986 after being introduced to the sport by a friend.
He initially participated in recreational games at a paintball site in Worsley, Greater Manchester, using Splatmaster markers.
Alongside friends including Chris Morden, Colin Egan, Dave Frost and Steve Horan, he established a playing group that subsequently became Banzai Bandits.[1]
The team developed from recreational woodland paintball into organised tournament competition, becoming one of the established British teams of the 1990s.
At the 1993 Mayhem Masters, held at Holmbush in southern England, Banzai Bandits finished third behind UK Predators and Nam Wrecking Crew.
The documented team included Leadbetter, Julian Carr, Jack Wood and several other Manchester-based players.[5]
In 1997, Banzai Bandits won the Hyperball Championships in Birmingham.
The team defeated established American and British opposition during the tournament, including Bad Company and Shockwave, before defeating Shades of Grey in the final.
Leadbetter later identified the victory as an important milestone in the team's transition from woodland competition to artificial-bunker tournament paintball.[1]
Banzai subsequently competed internationally, including in the National Professional Paintball League (NPPL) and Millennium Series.
At the 2001 Millennium Series Joy Masters in Stockholm, Sweden, contemporary WARPIG reporting identified Leadbetter competing with a customised Eclipse Impulse marker.[6]
Nexus and Great Britain
[edit]Leadbetter later joined London Nexus, competing professionally in European and international tournaments.
He also represented Great Britain in the inaugural international Nations Cup competition.[4]
At Nexus, Leadbetter was involved in testing and competing with equipment developed by Planet Eclipse, including the Eclipse EBlade Autococker.
In a 2017 company retrospective, he described his experience captaining Nexus and using prototype Eclipse Ego markers during the team's transition away from electronic Autocockers.[7]
Planet Eclipse
[edit]Establishment
[edit]In 1991, Leadbetter and fellow Banzai Bandits player Julian Carr became involved in the Manchester paintball retail business that developed into Planet Eclipse.
The business initially specialised in selling imported paintball equipment and customised components.
Leadbetter and Carr's experience as tournament players influenced the company's focus on developing equipment for competitive use.[2]
Jack Wood, another Banzai Bandits player, joined the business during its early development and subsequently became closely associated with the design of Eclipse paintball markers.
The company's early custom products included modified Autocockers, Automags, Sterlings, Spyders, Shockers, Impulses and Angels.[7]
Equipment development
[edit]Leadbetter was involved in the commercial development of Planet Eclipse during its transition from a paintball retail and customisation business into an international marker manufacturer.
A significant milestone was the introduction of the Eclipse EBlade electronic trigger system for the Autococker around 2002.
The EBlade project involved engineering work by Jack Wood and electronics development by Steve "Flash" Monks, another former Banzai Bandits player.[7]
Leadbetter subsequently participated in testing the company's first complete electronic marker, the Eclipse Ego, with Nexus.
His role included gathering feedback from professional players and helping the company respond to the demands of tournament competition.
Planet Eclipse introduced the Ego in 2005 and subsequently expanded its marker range to include the Geo, Etek, Etha and Gtek families.[2][7]
Business leadership
[edit]Leadbetter remained a co-owner and senior figure within Planet Eclipse following its international expansion.
In a June 2010 interview published on the company's official blog, he identified his occupation as co-owner of Planet Eclipse.[8]
In January 2021, Paintball Sports published an interview identifying Leadbetter as the head of Planet Eclipse and documenting the company's history and equipment development.[9]
He has also been associated with the company's European business operations.
The legal disclosure for PE-Paintball.de GmbH identifies Leadbetter, Julian Carr and Dennis Ullrich as managing directors of the German company.[10]
Coaching and later competition
[edit]Following his main professional playing career, Leadbetter continued participating in paintball through recreational and tournament teams.
In 2005, he established Operation Sandbaggers, initially recruiting former Nexus players and other experienced competitors.
The team subsequently participated in British and international tournaments, including the CPPS and classic paintball competitions.
A 2021 profile published by the United Kingdom Paintball Sports Federation identified Leadbetter as the team's founder.[11]
In his 2010 Planet Eclipse interview, Leadbetter also identified himself as a coach of Firm, alongside his involvement with Operation Sandbaggers and his previous playing career with Nexus and Banzai Bandits.[8]
Paintball media
[edit]Leadbetter has been involved in paintball film and media production through Planet Eclipse.
The company's Eclipse TV project produced tournament coverage, interviews and documentary material concerning professional paintball.
Leadbetter was credited as a producer of Fifteen, a documentary directed by Dan Napoli about San Diego Dynasty and its 2015 professional tournament season.
The film was released on 28 December 2015.
Other credited producers included Ian Parsons, Alan Woods and Dan Napoli.[12]
Leadbetter has also appeared in interviews discussing British paintball history, tournament competition and equipment development.
Recognition
[edit]In 2024, Leadbetter was inducted into the Iconic Paintball Hall of Icons.
His official induction profile recognised his playing career with Banzai Bandits, Nexus and Great Britain, alongside his role in establishing Planet Eclipse.
The induction also highlighted his contributions to the growth of professional paintball in Britain and the development of modern tournament equipment.[4]
Selected career milestones
[edit]| Year | Milestone | Organisation |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Began playing paintball | Recreational paintball |
| 1991 | Established the business that developed into Planet Eclipse with Julian Carr | Planet Eclipse |
| 1993 | Mayhem Masters, third place | Banzai Bandits |
| 1997 | Hyperball Championships, first place | Banzai Bandits |
| 2001 | Documented Millennium Series participation | Banzai Bandits |
| 2005 | Established Operation Sandbaggers | Operation Sandbaggers |
| 2015 | Credited as a producer of Fifteen | Planet Eclipse |
| 2024 | Inducted into the Hall of Icons | Individual |
See also
[edit]- Banzai Bandits
- London Nexus
- Planet Eclipse
- Julian Carr
- Jack Wood
- Eclipse EBlade
- Eclipse Ego
- Operation Sandbaggers
- Millennium Series
- Iconic Paintball Hall of Icons
References
[edit]- Planet Eclipse, "#07 - Plastic Tubes and Attitudes", 27 July 2017. Interview with Leadbetter documenting Banzai Bandits' origins and the 1997 Hyperball championship.
- Planet Eclipse, "About Planet". Official history of the manufacturer's development from its Manchester retail origins.
- Paintball Media, "Antony 'Ledz' Leadbetter". Interview profile documenting his playing career with Banzai Bandits, Nexus and Operation Sandbaggers.
- Iconic Paintball, "Antony Leadbetter, 2024 Inductee", 6 March 2024. Official Hall of Icons biography.
- Planet Eclipse, "#02 - A Third in the Hand Is Worth More in Holmbush", 16 February 2017. Historical account of the 1993 Mayhem Masters.
- WARPIG, "Millennium Series Joy Masters 2001". Contemporary report identifying Leadbetter using an Eclipse Impulse.
- Planet Eclipse, "#06 - Let's Make Something Slow, Really, Really Fast", 13 July 2017. Company retrospective discussing Leadbetter, Nexus and the development of the EBlade and Ego.
- Planet Eclipse, "10 Things You Might Not Know About Me", 14 June 2010. Leadbetter's personal profile identifying his professional teams, coaching activities and Planet Eclipse ownership.
- Paintball Sports, "Inside Planet Eclipse", 18 January 2021. Interview with Antony Leadbetter concerning the manufacturer's history and operations.
- Paintball.shop, "Legal Disclosure". Company information identifying Leadbetter as a managing director of PE-Paintball.de GmbH.
- United Kingdom Paintball Sports Federation, "Team Spotlight: Operation Sandbaggers", 27 March 2021. Team history identifying Leadbetter as its founder in 2005.
- Hurrdat Sports, "Fifteen". Official documentary information identifying Leadbetter as a producer and giving the release date of 28 December 2015.