Navarone

Navarone, also known as Team Navarone and originally The Guns of Navarone, was an American tournament paintball team established during the mid-1980s. Led by Andy Greenwell, Navarone became one of the leading teams of the early competitive era and was among the first paintball teams to secure commercial sponsorship. [1][2]

The team was notable for its structured approach to training, designated player positions and coordinated tactics. Its competitive successes included major American championships in 1987 and 1990, achieved using pump-action paintball markers. [2][3]

History

Formation and early competition

Navarone was established by Andy Greenwell with Lucas Foster and Ricky Thom. Paintball historian John Amodea dates the team's origins to 1985, although another historical account places its formal organisation in March 1986. [1][3]

Originally called The Guns of Navarone, the team later adopted the shorter Navarone name and became known as Team Navarone following its sponsorship by JT Racing, subsequently JT USA. [3]

The team's founding objective was to win the National Survival Game (NSG) championship. Its members developed a written handbook detailing training requirements, tactics and expectations for players. [1][3]

In a 1994 interview published in Australian Paintballer, Greenwell recalled that Navarone began tournament competition in 1986. That year, the team qualified for the NSG National Championships through a series of regional competitions and finished ninth among eleven teams. [2]

Championship success (1987–1990)

Navarone became a leading American tournament team during the late 1980s.

In 1987, the team won the New York Air Pistol Open, one of the major American tournaments of the period. [3]

The team continued competing in national events using pump-action markers, primarily the Line SI Bushmaster. Greenwell recalled that Navarone retained its pump equipment even as competing teams began adopting semi-automatic markers. [2]

In 1990, Navarone won the Masters championship and its associated tournament series using pump-action markers. According to Greenwell, these victories came during a period when many opponents had already switched to semi-automatic equipment. [2]

Following the 1990 season, Greenwell and approximately sixteen other members departed the organisation. Navarone continued competing, although Greenwell later distinguished the subsequent roster from the original championship team. [2]

Later competition

The Navarone name continued to appear in American tournament paintball throughout the 1990s.

At the 1996 National Professional Paintball League (NPPL) World Cup in Orlando, Florida, Navarone competed in the amateur 10-man division and reached the semi-finals. [4]

In 1997, Navarone finished second in the amateur five-player division at the Great Western Series tournament in Portland, behind Marine Team Gold. [5]

The team also finished second in the amateur division at the 1997 Great Western Series Las Vegas tournament. [6]

Navarone returned to the winner's podium in May 2000, taking first place in the five-player competition at the NPPL Pittsburgh Open. Contemporary WARPIG coverage described the team as having been revived from an earlier period of paintball history. [7]

Playing style and training

Navarone was recognised for developing a systematic approach to competitive paintball at a time when organised team tactics were still developing.

According to John Amodea's historical research, the team used designated field positions, regular practice sessions, physical conditioning and organised scrimmages. [1]

Greenwell described the team's principal offensive system as a lazy W, in which coordinated fire and movement directed opposing players into predetermined areas of overlapping fire.

The system relied on specialised positions, including point players, guards, wingmen, squad leaders and rovers. [2]

In its original 15-player configuration, Navarone used coordinated groups of players on each side of the field to control movement and create openings for advances.

Greenwell emphasised teamwork, communication and familiarity between players rather than individual performance. [2]

Equipment and sponsorship

Navarone played an important role in the early development of paintball team sponsorship.

In 1986, the team secured a sponsorship arrangement with JT Racing, led by former motocross racer Marty Tripes. Paintball historians have identified the agreement as one of the earliest examples of a manufacturer-sponsored competitive paintball team. [1]

Other early sponsors included Line SI and Tiger Stripe camouflage. [2]

Navarone initially used modified Nelspot 007 markers before adopting early Line SI pump markers that developed into the Bushmaster.

Greenwell recalled that team members adapted components from their existing Nelspot markers for use in the new equipment, helping improve its performance. [2]

The team became associated with Line SI advertising, including the promotional campaign using the Guns of Navarone name. [3]

Navarone retained 12-gram CO2 cartridges and pump-action equipment throughout much of its original championship period. [2][3]

Notable members

Documented members of Navarone include:

Andy Greenwell – Founder, captain and tactical organiser.
Lucas Foster – Early founding member.
Ricky Thom – Early founding member.
John McLeod – Team member involved in the development of the experimental Equalizer paintball marker.

[1][2][8]

Selected tournament results

Year	Competition	Result
1986	NSG National Championships	9th place [2]
1987	New York Air Pistol Open	Champions [3]
1990	Masters Championship	Champions [2]
1990	Masters tournament series	Series champions [2]
1996	NPPL World Cup, Amateur 10-man	Semi-finalists [4]
1997	Great Western Series, Portland, Amateur 5-man	2nd place [5]
1997	Great Western Series, Las Vegas, Amateur	2nd place [6]
2000	NPPL Pittsburgh Open, 5-man	Champions [7]

Legacy

Navarone was one of the formative teams of American competitive paintball during the 1980s.

Its early sponsorship arrangements helped establish a model in which equipment manufacturers supported competitive teams in return for product testing, promotion and tournament visibility. [1][2]

The team's structured training methods and coordinated tactics also represented an important development in the professionalisation of competitive paintball. [1][3]

Navarone's 1990 championship success demonstrated that disciplined team play could remain competitive during the transition from pump-action to semi-automatic equipment. [2]

The team's early history has been preserved through magazine interviews, tournament records, period advertising and historical documentary work. [1][2][3]

References

External links