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]

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.

References

“Pioneering the Sport of Paintball: The History of PMI”, Paintball History, Daniel Bacci, 31 January 2023.
“Action Pursuit Games Premiere Issues, Fall 1987”, Paintball History, Daniel Bacci, 26 June 2013.
Paintball Magazines and Publications from Around the World, World Paintball Library, revised 8 December 2011.
“Workers’ Romp: Playing War in the Woods Paints Morale a New Shade”, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 1994.
“Apprise Media Acquires Y-Visionary”, Writers Write, 14 October 2005.
“Listline E-Newsletter”, Chief Marketer, 27 October 2005.
Action Pursuit Games 2013 Media Kit, Beckett Media, 2013.
“Curious Paintguns”, Steve Patrella, WARPIG.
“Bob Gurnsey and Paintball Creator’s Memorabilia”, Paintball History, Daniel Bacci, 13 February 2015.
“Action Pursuit Games Magazine Archive”, Old Paintball Magazines.

External links