Editing Action Pursuit Games

'''Action Pursuit Games''' ('''APG''') was an American paintball magazine established by CFW Enterprises in 1987. It was one of the earliest nationally distributed publications devoted principally to paintball and documented the sport’s equipment, playing techniques, tournaments, businesses, fields and participants for more than 25 years.[1][2]

The magazine carried the ISSN 0893-9489. It was initially published monthly, later appearing bi-monthly and then quarterly. APG was still being published in 2013, although its final confirmed issue has not been established.[3]

== History ==

=== Establishment ===

The premiere edition of ''Action Pursuit Games'' was published as volume 1, number 1 in autumn 1987. It was produced by CFW Enterprises from Burbank, California, with Russell Maynard as editor and Dave Cater as associate editor.[1][2]

The first issue combined equipment, tactical and recreational coverage. Features discussed developments in paintball markers, firing techniques, camouflage clothing and introductory advice for new players. Regular sections included industry news, new products, playing fields and technical advice.[2] Although predominantly concerned with paintball, the premiere issue also contained a feature on laser tag.[2]

Advertisements from [[Pursuit Marketing Inc.]] and [[Tippmann]] appeared in the first issue. PMI promoted its Pursuit Pistol, while Tippmann advertised an early version of the [[Tippmann SMG-60]].[1]

The magazine was published monthly by 1988. Surviving mastheads show that the monthly schedule continued through the first half of the 1990s.[2]

=== Editorial development ===

[[Randy Kamiya]] was editor by June 1991 and remained in the position through at least June 1994. Dave Cater served as associate editor, while Jessica J. Sparks was initially credited as field editor.[2]

During Kamiya’s editorship, APG published technical features, tournament reports, interviews, readers’ correspondence and directories of fields and paintball businesses. In June 1994, the ''Los Angeles Times'' identified Kamiya as the magazine’s editor and reported an international circulation of approximately 80,000 copies.[4]

By August 1995, Jessica J. Sparks had become editor, with Cater continuing as associate editor.[2]

{| class="wikitable"
! Period documented
! Editor
! Supporting record
|-
| Autumn 1987
| Russell Maynard
| Premiere-issue masthead
|-
| 1991–1994
| [[Randy Kamiya]]
| Surviving issue mastheads and contemporary press coverage
|-
| 1995
| Jessica J. Sparks
| August and October 1995 mastheads
|-
| 2013
| Doug Jeffrey
| Official advertising media kit
|}

These dates record confirmed appearances in the available sources and do not necessarily represent the exact beginning or end of each editor’s tenure.

=== Ownership changes ===

CFW Enterprises remained the publisher during the magazine’s early period. Apprise Media acquired CFW Enterprises in August 2005 as part of its expansion into specialist enthusiast publishing.[5]

An October 2005 publishing-industry report recorded an APG subscription list of 13,470. This represented subscribers rather than the magazine’s complete newsstand circulation.[6] The title subsequently operated within the Action Pursuit Group and became associated with Beckett Media.

=== Later publication ===

A 2011 bibliographic guide described APG as a full-colour glossy magazine and recorded a change from monthly to bi-monthly publication during 2011.[3]

The official 2013 media kit described APG as a quarterly, full-colour newsstand magazine. Doug Jeffrey was identified as editor, working with Karen Wilhelmsen. Distribution was reported in the United States, Canada, England and Mexico.[7]

The media kit scheduled editions for April and July 2013, a 2014 buyer’s guide and a January 2014 issue.[7] These dates were an advertising schedule and do not, by themselves, confirm that every planned edition was published. The date and number of the magazine’s final issue remain unverified.

== Editorial coverage ==

=== Equipment and technical material ===

APG published reviews, technical explanations and advertisements covering markers, barrels, air systems, loaders, protective equipment, clothing and accessories.

Its publication run coincided with substantial changes in paintball technology. Early issues covered pump-action and mechanically operated markers, while subsequent editions documented semi-automatic and electronic equipment.

The magazine also covered experimental and unusual designs. Steve Patrella’s article “Curious Paintguns”, later republished with permission by [[WARPIG]], examined several unconventional historical markers.[8]

=== Tournament paintball ===

The magazine reported on local, regional and national tournaments, publishing event reports, photographs, results and interviews with players and team representatives.

Later coverage included competitions connected with the [[National Professional Paintball League]], [[Paintball Sports Promotions]] and other tournament organisations. Tournament reporting appeared alongside technical and recreational material rather than replacing the magazine’s broader coverage.

=== Recreational and scenario paintball ===

Recreational paintball remained an important part of the magazine. Articles addressed woodland tactics, scenario games, safety, equipment maintenance, introductory playing advice and commercial field operation.

The 2013 media kit identified recreational paintball, speedball, scenario play, woodsball and military simulation among the magazine’s areas of coverage.[7]

APG also carried field and retailer directories. These listings, together with contemporary advertising, preserve information about paintball venues, manufacturers and businesses that may not appear in other surviving records.

== Historical interviews ==

APG published interviews with figures involved in paintball’s early development. One example was Randy Kamiya’s interview with [[Bob Gurnsey]], which appeared across the September and October 1992 issues.[9]

Gurnsey discussed the first organised paintball game in 1981 and the development of the [[National Survival Game]]. The surviving interview is a valuable first-person account, although retrospective recollections require comparison with contemporary documentation.

== Archives and historical value ==

The magazine’s long publication run provides a contemporary record of changes in paintball equipment, terminology, commercial activity and competition from the late 1980s into the 2010s.

Digitised issues and cover collections are maintained by independent archival projects including Old Paintball Magazines and [[Bacci Paintball]].[2][10] Surviving issues are particularly useful for researching former teams, tournaments, fields, retailers and equipment manufacturers.

== See also ==

* [[Paintball magazines]]
* [[Paintball history]]
* [[Randy Kamiya]]
* [[WARPIG]]
* [[Bacci Paintball]]
* [[National Professional Paintball League]]
* [[Paintball Sports Promotions]]

== References ==

# [https://paintballhistory.com/pioneering-the-sport-of-paintball-the-history-of-pmi-with-jeff-perlmutter/ “Pioneering the Sport of Paintball: The History of PMI”], ''Paintball History'', Daniel Bacci, 31 January 2023.
# [https://paintballhistory.com/action-pursuit-games-premiere-issues-fall-1987/ “Action Pursuit Games Premiere Issues, Fall 1987”], ''Paintball History'', Daniel Bacci, 26 June 2013.
# [https://www.worldpaintballlibrary.com/COMPLETE%20WHOLE%20Revised%20Guide%20DEC%208%202011%20Latest.pdf ''Paintball Magazines and Publications from Around the World''], World Paintball Library, revised 8 December 2011.
# [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-06-26-fi-8925-story.html “Workers’ Romp: Playing War in the Woods Paints Morale a New Shade”], ''Los Angeles Times'', 26 June 1994.
# [https://www.writerswrite.com/apprise-media-acquires-y-visionary-10142005188 “Apprise Media Acquires Y-Visionary”], ''Writers Write'', 14 October 2005.
# [https://www.chiefmarketer.com/listline-e-newsletter-102705/ “Listline E-Newsletter”], ''Chief Marketer'', 27 October 2005.
# [https://www.beckettmedia.com/mediakitpdf/apg2013.pdf ''Action Pursuit Games 2013 Media Kit''], Beckett Media, 2013.
# [https://www.warpig.com/paintball/articles/funkyguns.shtml “Curious Paintguns”], Steve Patrella, ''WARPIG''.
# [https://paintballhistory.com/bob-gurnsey-paintball-creators-memorabilia/ “Bob Gurnsey and Paintball Creator’s Memorabilia”], ''Paintball History'', Daniel Bacci, 13 February 2015.
# [https://oldpaintballmagazines.smugmug.com/Action-Pursuit-Games “Action Pursuit Games Magazine Archive”], Old Paintball Magazines.

== External links ==

* [https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.actionpursuitgames.com/ Archived Action Pursuit Games website]
* [https://oldpaintballmagazines.smugmug.com/Action-Pursuit-Games Digitised historical issues and covers]
* [https://paintballhistory.com/action-pursuit-games-premiere-issues-fall-1987/ Premiere issue at Paintball History]

[[Category:Paintball magazines]]
[[Category:American magazines]]
[[Category:Paintball media]]
[[Category:Paintball history]]
[[Category:Paintball in the United States]]
[[Category:Magazines established in 1987]]