Editing Fusion (New Zealand Paintball Team)

'''Fusion''' was a New Zealand tournament [[paintball]] team documented in national and regional competition from 2000 to 2007. It reached the Second Division final at the 2000 [[New Zealand Paintball Nationals]], finished third in Division Two at the 2001 Nationals, won the 2004 Hawke's Bay Triples and finished third at the 2007 National Championships.[1][2][5][7]

Contemporary reports associated Fusion with players from Gisborne and Auckland. These descriptions document the composition of particular squads rather than establishing a permanent home base.[5][7]

== History ==

=== 2000 season ===

Fusion competed at the [[2000 New Zealand Paintball Nationals]], held at Actions Paintball in Swanson on 21–22 October. The contemporary report described Fusion as a newcomer but did not provide a formation date.[1]

Fusion recorded 545 preliminary points in Division Two and advanced to the divisional final. It finished fourth in the division, behind Tag n' Release, Phoenix and Solidaire. The published report does not provide Fusion's final-round score.[1]

A separate contemporary Phoenix account describes preliminary and final games against Fusion. It confirms Fusion's participation in the Division Two final but does not establish a different final placing.[8]

=== 2001 season ===

Fusion reached the Division Two final at the [[2001 New Zealand Paintball Nationals]]. It finished third with 120 final-round points, behind Tag and Training on 180 and Damn Natives on 130, and ahead of Damage on 117.[2]

Bob Andrews of Fusion received the first day's player award at the tournament.[2]

A team-contact discussion from November 2001 listed Carl, without a surname, as Fusion's contact. The discussion does not establish whether he was formally the team captain.[3]

=== 2002 Hawke's Bay Triples ===

Fusion competed at the Hawke's Bay Triples at Stoney Creek Ranch, Hastings, on 2–3 February 2002. Seventeen teams entered the three-player centre-flag competition.[4]

Fusion finished ninth in the preliminary standings with 900 points. The surviving report does not record the team advancing to the final.[4]

=== 2004 Hawke's Bay Triples ===

Fusion won the 2004 Hawke's Bay Triples. The contemporary report described its squad as including players from Gisborne and Auckland.[5]

The team finished second in the preliminary standings with 830 points, behind Phantom Blue on 1,050, before winning the final.[5]

The report contains an internal naming conflict. Its narrative calls Fusion's final opponent '''Menace Blue''', while the formal results section records '''Phantom Blue''' as runner-up. The published results section is followed for the placing, while both source labels are preserved.[5]

Separate entries named Phantom Red and Phantom Menace also competed at the event. The conflicting final-opponent name should therefore not be silently corrected without an original score sheet or further contemporary evidence.

=== 2007 National Championships ===

Fusion competed at the National Championships held at Actions Paintball in Swanson on 20–21 October 2007. A contemporary participant described Fusion as returning from Gisborne.[6][7]

Fusion completed the preliminary stage in second place and advanced to the semifinals. Muppets Inc defeated Fusion by two games to one in the semifinal. Fusion then defeated Intense two games to one in the third-place match.[7]

The participant report recorded the leading order as Menace first, Muppets Inc second, Fusion third and Intense fourth. A subsequent post used the name KillaMuppets for the runner-up; that variation does not affect Fusion's recorded third place.[7]

A post signed “Tim (Fusion)” documents Tim's association with the team. The discussion also refers to Maria in connection with Fusion but does not provide surnames, formal roles or a complete roster.[7]

== Team identity ==

The Fusion entries documented in New Zealand between 2000 and 2007 are the same team. The records show it competing at national tournaments in Auckland and regional events in Hawke's Bay, with later sources associating players with Gisborne and Auckland.[1][2][4][5][7]

The available sources do not establish a precise founding date, uninterrupted annual competition, a formal relocation or a dissolution date. The description of Fusion as a newcomer at the 2000 Nationals records only how the contemporary report characterised the team at that event.[1]

PBLeagues records for overseas teams using the name Fusion are not part of this New Zealand team's history.

== Documented people ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Published name
! Documented involvement
! Evidence limit
|-
| Bob Andrews
| Fusion player who received the first day's player award at the 2001 Nationals
| The report does not provide a complete Fusion roster.[2]
|-
| Carl
| Listed as Fusion's team contact in November 2001
| Surname and formal role were not supplied.[3]
|-
| Tim
| Signed a 2007 National Championships post as “Tim (Fusion)”
| Surname and complete period of membership were not supplied.[7]
|-
| Maria
| Mentioned in connection with Fusion following the 2007 National Championships
| Surname and exact role were not supplied.[7]
|}

These mentions do not constitute a complete roster for any season or tournament.

== Recorded tournament results ==

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Date
! Tournament
! Classification
! Recorded result
|-
| 21–22 October 2000
| [[2000 New Zealand Paintball Nationals]]
| Division Two
| 4th in Division Two; 545 preliminary points
|-
| 2001
| [[2001 New Zealand Paintball Nationals]]
| Division Two
| 3rd; 120 final-round points
|-
| 2–3 February 2002
| Hawke's Bay Triples
| Preliminary competition
| 9th; 900 points
|-
| February 2004
| Hawke's Bay Triples
| Overall
| 1st; 830 preliminary points
|-
| 20–21 October 2007
| National Championships
| Overall
| 3rd; defeated Intense 2–1 in the third-place match
|}

Preliminary and final-round points are identified separately and should not be compared as equivalent tournament totals.

== See also ==

* [[Paintball in New Zealand]]
* [[New Zealand Paintball Nationals]]
* [[Phantom (New Zealand Paintball Team)]]
* [[Menace]]

== References ==

# [https://web.archive.org/web/20020613133336/http://www.paintball.co.nz/nats00.htm Rob Maddox, ''The 2000 Two Day NZ Nationals Tournament'']. Paintball.co.nz. Archived 13 June 2002.
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20020806192513/http://www.paintball.co.nz/nats01.htm Rob Maddox, ''The 2001 Two Day NZ Nationals Tournament'']. Paintball.co.nz. Archived 6 August 2002.
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20020102013147/http://pub73.ezboard.com:80/fnzpaintballfrm2.showMessage?topicID=101.topic ''Team Captain Contact Details'']. NZ Paintball Message Forum, November 2001. Archived 2 January 2002.
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20021025162718/http://www.paintball.co.nz/hb3man2002.htm Dazz Marshall, ''Hawkes Bay 3-Man 2002'']. Paintball.co.nz.
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20051218194442/http://www.paintball.co.nz/articles/2004/hb2004.htm Peter Mumby, ''The Hawkes Bay Triples 2004'']. Paintball.co.nz, February 2004.
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20081018194641/http://www.paintball.net.nz/archive/index.php/t-574.html Kyn Jackson, ''National Champs Labour Weekend 2007'']. NZ P8NT forum, including the event announcement and discussion.
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20081018194641/http://www.paintball.net.nz/archive/index.php/t-574.html MikeE and other participants, 2007 National Championships results discussion]. NZ P8NT forum, 20–29 October 2007.
# [https://web.archive.org/web/20011020080141fw_/http://www.blacksun.co.nz/phoenix/news.htm Phoenix contemporary account of the 2000 New Zealand Paintball Nationals]. Archived 20 October 2001.

[[Category:New Zealand paintball teams]]
[[Category:New Zealand paintball history]]
[[Category:Paintball in Gisborne]]
[[Category:Paintball in Auckland]]