Editing Expendables (New Zealand Paintball Team)

'''Expendables Feilding''', also known as '''Expendables''' or '''NZ Expendables''', is a competitive [[paintball]] team from [[Feilding]], New Zealand. The team has competed in New Zealand, Australia, Europe, Asia and the United States.[1][2][9][13][19][20]

Its achievements include the 2017 [[Millennium Series]] Semi-Professional championship, the 2018 [[Australian Super 7s]] Professional season championship and victory in Professional X-Ball at the 2018 [[NXL Europe]] Prague Open.[9][12][15]

The team has included members of [[San Diego Dynasty]] in its international rosters.[3][5]

== History ==

=== Early records ===

Expendables' PBLeagues profile records Feilding as its hometown and Run and Gun Feilding as its associated field. Its database registration is dated 2 January 2015; this is not a confirmed founding date.[1]

The team competed at Auckland tournaments during 2015 and subsequently maintained a competition programme in Australia and Europe.[1][2]

=== European fundraising ===

David and Diane Hopkins established the ''Expendables Europe Trip'' fundraising campaign on 17 April 2017. It described Expendables as a Feilding-based team competing in Australia and Europe and reported victories at the opening rounds of both series that year. Funds were sought for airfares and accommodation.[2]

== New Zealand competition ==

=== Auckland tournaments, 2015–2016 ===

Expendables finished third in Open X-Ball at the [[2015 Auckland Paintball Cup]], held on 7–8 March.[1]

The team returned for the [[2015 Asylum Paintball Cup]] on 26–27 September. Recorded preliminary results include a 3–2 victory over [[Phoenix Tahiti]] and a 2–2 draw with [[Hard2Overcome (Australian paintball team)|Hard2Overcome]]. A final placing has not been established from the recovered records.[6]

At the [[2016 Auckland Paintball Cup]] on 16–17 April, Expendables finished second in Division 2 X-Ball. It defeated Phoenix Tahiti 5–1 and [[ADHD (paintball team)|ADHD]] 4–3 before losing the final 4–2 to [[Disposal Unit (New Zealand paintball team)|Disposal Unit]].[7]

=== September 2016 registration ===

PBLeagues preserves an Expendables registration for an Asylum Paintball Cup listing dated 3–4 September 2016. The listing was inactive in the recovered database record. Registration alone does not establish that the event took place or that Expendables competed.[1][22]

=== New Zealand Race Series, 2023 ===

Expendables competed in the 2023 New Zealand Race Series. [[Ralph Tsing]] represented the team during the first two rounds before assembling a [[Phoenix Tahiti]] entry for the final round at [[Arena Paintball]] in October.[8]

According to Tsing's contemporary interview with Air Tahiti Nui, Expendables defeated Ballistics Unit 3–0 in the final and won the overall series championship.[8]

=== Arena series, 2026 ===

An Arena Paintball standings update dated 12 July 2026 recorded Expendables fourth after two rounds of the 2026 series with 303 points. [[Manawatu Titans]], [[Sydney SWAT]] and Cult occupied the first three positions.[21]

Expendables and Manawatu Titans appeared as separate entries in those standings.[21]

== Australian Super 7s ==

Expendables' recorded Australian Professional results include third overall in 2017, the championship in 2018 and second overall in 2019.[9]

{| class="wikitable"
! Season !! Recorded result
|-
| 2016 || Fourth-round entry; 40 ranking points
|-
| 2017 || 3rd overall; 106 points; won round one
|-
| 2018 || Champions; 112 points
|-
| 2019 || 2nd overall; 100 points
|-
| 2020 || Opening-round entry; 20 points
|-
| 2021 || Opening-round entry; 24 points
|}
Source: official Super 7s historical standings.[9]

The 2018 championship was secured ahead of Sydney SWAT on 110 points and Perth Crisis on 100. Expendables' four round totals were 30, 26, 28 and 28 points.[9]

The published 2020 and 2021 tables record points from only one round for Expendables.[9]

== European competition ==

=== Millennium Series, 2017 ===

Expendables competed in the 2017 Millennium Series Semi-Professional division with a multinational roster.[3]

The team won the Mediterranean Cup in France, the European Masters in Germany and the Campaign Cup in the United Kingdom.[3][4][10][11] Ryan Greenspan's account of the Campaign Cup described a 4–0 final victory and confirmed the team's third consecutive event win.[11]

Expendables Feilding finished first in the final Semi-Professional season standings, ahead of Cologne Hurricanes and Bad Boys Oss.[12]

=== NXL Europe, 2018 ===

Expendables entered Professional X-Ball in NXL Europe during 2018. The original season standings record fifth overall with 533 points.[13]

{| class="wikitable"
! Event !! Dates !! Placing
|-
| Chartres Open, France || 13–15 April 2018 || 4th of 18
|-
| Prague Open, Czech Republic || 25–27 May 2018 || 1st of 18
|-
| Basildon-London Open, United Kingdom || 5–8 July 2018 || 9th of 18
|-
| Paris-Chantilly Open, France || 27–30 September 2018 || 15th of 18
|}
Sources: original season standings and tournament records.[5][13][14][16][17]

==== Prague Open victory ====

Expendables won the 2018 Prague Open Professional division, defeating [[Edmonton Impact]] 5–4 in the final.[5][15]

Its elimination-round victories included PPArena Pilsen, 6–3; Moscow Red Legion, 6–5; and Toulouse TonTons, 6–1.[5]

The registered players were:[5]

* Ivan Christison
* [[Ryan Greenspan]]
* [[Tyler Harmon]]
* Thomas Hopkins
* Matthew Kling
* [[Marcello Margott]]
* [[Yosh Rau]]
* [[Blake Yarber]]

Rusty Glaze was registered as staff.[5]

== San Diego Dynasty collaboration ==

Ryan Greenspan documented Expendables' recruitment of himself, Marcello Margott and Yosh Rau for its 2017 European campaign. He also described Blake Yarber's earlier coaching involvement with the team.[3]

Greenspan, Margott, Rau, Harmon and Yarber were all registered for Expendables at the 2018 Prague Open.[5]

The team's New Zealand personnel recorded during the 2018 European season included David Hopkins, Thomas Hopkins and Ivan Christison. Australian player Matthew Kling appeared in all four event registrations.[5][14][16][17]

Laura Bolam was registered as staff at Basildon-London and as a player at Paris-Chantilly. Rusty Glaze appeared as registered staff at Chartres, Prague and Basildon-London.[5][14][16][17]

These registrations describe individual event rosters rather than an unchanged season-long playing lineup.

== Asian competition ==

=== World Cup Asia, 2018 ===

Expendables finished second in the Professional division at the 2018 [[Paintball World Cup Asia]] in Langkawi, Malaysia, held on 7–9 December.[18][19]

Russian Legion won the division, with Expendables second, KTM X-Bow third and Datis fourth. The result was recorded in contemporary AXMedia coverage and a Planet Eclipse report published in January 2019.[18][19]

== United States competition ==

=== NXL World Cup, 2025 ===

Expendables finished second in Open 3v3 X-Ball at the 2025 [[National Xball League]] World Cup in Kissimmee, Florida.[20]

The team defeated BLK 3–2 in the semi-final before losing 3–0 to Wyldside Distortion in the final. Four teams entered the division.[20]

== Associated fields ==

The team's early PBLeagues profile listed Run and Gun Feilding as its field.[1]

Arena Paintball subsequently described itself as the home of Expendables. The venue hosts tournament paintball on Kimbolton Road in Feilding.[21]

== Selected results ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Year !! Competition !! Division !! Result
|-
| 2015 || [[2015 Auckland Paintball Cup]] || Open X-Ball || 3rd[1]
|-
| 2016 || [[2016 Auckland Paintball Cup]] || Division 2 X-Ball || 2nd[7]
|-
| 2017 || Australian Super 7s season || Professional || 3rd[9]
|-
| 2017 || Millennium Mediterranean Cup || Semi-Professional || 1st[4]
|-
| 2017 || Millennium European Masters || Semi-Professional || 1st[10]
|-
| 2017 || Millennium Campaign Cup || Semi-Professional || 1st[11]
|-
| 2017 || Millennium Series season || Semi-Professional || Champions[12]
|-
| 2018 || NXL Europe Prague Open || Professional X-Ball || 1st[5][15]
|-
| 2018 || NXL Europe season || Professional X-Ball || 5th[13]
|-
| 2018 || Australian Super 7s season || Professional || Champions[9]
|-
| 2018 || World Cup Asia || Professional || 2nd[18][19]
|-
| 2019 || Australian Super 7s season || Professional || 2nd[9]
|-
| 2023 || New Zealand Race Series final round || Race format || 1st[8]
|-
| 2023 || New Zealand Race Series season || Race format || Champions[8]
|-
| 2025 || NXL World Cup || Open 3v3 X-Ball || 2nd[20]
|}

== See also ==

* [[Arena Paintball]]
* [[Manawatu Titans]]
* [[San Diego Dynasty]]
* [[Paintball in New Zealand]]
* [[Millennium Series]]
* [[NXL Europe]]
* [[Australian Super 7s]]

== References ==

# [https://pbleagues.com/team/uBhjWTkMvslWprl3 PBLeagues: Expendables — team profile and tournament history].
# [https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/expendables4europe Expendables Europe Trip]. Givealittle, campaign organised by David and Diane Hopkins, 17 April–10 September 2017.
# [https://www.ryangreenspan.com/whirlwind399bc4a4 A Whirlwind Adventure]. Ryan Greenspan, 16 June 2017.
# [https://paintballruinedmylife.com/category/events/tournaments/millennium/ Edmonton Impact Win Mediterranean Cup; Results]. ''Paintball Ruined My Life'', 26 March 2017.
# [https://pbleagues.com/team/roster/fLUGa2sqQVFB2tQd PBLeagues: Expendables at the 2018 Prague Open — registered roster and match results].
# [https://pbleagues.com/team/roster/YxoxbFSZHuI2KNmm PBLeagues: Expendables at Asylum Paintball Cup 2015 — match records].
# [https://pbleagues.com/team/roster/nJjuEd8dG89ftZuL PBLeagues: Expendables at Auckland Paintball Cup 2016 — match records].
# [https://pf.airtahitinui.com/actualites/ambassador/paintball-ralph-tsing-enchaine-les-bons-resultats Paintball : Ralph Tsing enchaine les bons résultats]. Air Tahiti Nui, 31 October 2023.
# [https://super7spaintball.com/results/ Australian Super 7s: historical results]. Official organiser's archive.
# [https://www.marcellomargott.com/a-month-of-paintball-dynasty-team-usa-expendables A Month of Paintball: Dynasty, Team USA, Expendables]. Marcello Margott, 7 July 2017.
# [https://www.ryangreenspan.com/hat-trick4f9b1170 Hat Trick]. Ryan Greenspan, 10 July 2017.
# [https://millennium-series.epbf.info/ Millennium Series: official historical rankings]. 2017 Semi-Professional standings.
# [https://pbleagues.com/scores/L403/seasonrankings2018.html PBLeagues: original NXL Europe 2018 season rankings].
# [https://pbleagues.com/team/roster/jZ3SaR4xvtY732iM PBLeagues: Expendables at Chartres Open 2018 — registered roster and match records].
# [https://paintball.fi/kimmo-kainulainen/uutiset/1120/expendables-prahan-nxl-turnauksen-voittoon-2018 Expendables Prahan NXL-turnauksen voittoon 2018]. Kimmo Kainulainen, ''Paintball.fi'', 27 May 2018.
# [https://pbleagues.com/team/roster/g1mMt9axRiSShJrI PBLeagues: Expendables at Basildon-London Open 2018 — registered roster and match records].
# [https://pbleagues.com/team/roster/UZo88a5F4jXOyWgR PBLeagues: Expendables at Paris-Chantilly Open 2018 — registered roster and match records].
# [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4a_-5h3Hn4 Paintball World Cup Asia 2018 – Langkawi]. AXMedia / Bob Tahar, 16 December 2018.
# [https://eclipsehq.blogspot.com/2019/01/wca-2018.html WCA 2018]. Planet Eclipse HQ Blog, 13 January 2019.
# [https://pbleagues.com/event/8928 PBLeagues: NXL World Cup 2025 — tournament results].
# [https://www.findglocal.com/NZ/Feilding/102027051785091/Arena-Paintball Arena Paintball — venue information and “Series points after round 2” update, 12 July 2026]. Organiser's social media material reproduced by FindGlocal.
# [https://pbleagues.com/event/4589/info PBLeagues: Asylum Paintball Cup 2016 — event listing]. Recovered as an inactive listing; registration is not confirmation of participation. Accessed 25 October 2026.

== External links ==

* [https://www.facebook.com/expendablesnz/ Expendables Paintball on Facebook]
* [https://pbleagues.com/team/uBhjWTkMvslWprl3 Expendables — PBLeagues profile]
* [https://www.arenapaintball.co.nz/ Arena Paintball]
* [https://super7spaintball.com/results/ Australian Super 7s historical results]

[[Category:Paintball teams]]
[[Category:New Zealand paintball teams]]
[[Category:Paintball in Manawatū-Whanganui]]
[[Category:2010s in New Zealand paintball]]
[[Category:2020s in New Zealand paintball]]