1987 NSG North American Championship: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 07:34, 31 October 2026

The 1987 NSG North American Championship, advertised as the 5th Annual Survival Game North American Championship, was a paintball tournament organised by National Survival Game in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, from 9 to 12 October 1987.[1][2]

Thirty-three 15-player teams from the United States and Canada entered. The Wild Geese of New Hampshire won the championship and US$20,000. Navarone–Apocalypse finished second, followed by Direct Hit of Ohio.[2]

Organisation

For 1987, National Survival Game replaced regional qualification with direct entry into a consolidated championship. Advertising promoted the event as “The Big Splat” and guaranteed each team at least three games.[1]

The advertised entry fee was US$1,300 per team, including 4,800 paintballs and 300 carbon-dioxide cartridges. A US$325 non-refundable deposit was required.[1]

The total prize fund was US$40,000, distributed among the first six teams.[2]

Equipment and format

Teams used stock .68-calibre paintball pistols powered by individual 12-gram carbon-dioxide cartridges. Barrels could not exceed 24 inches, and muzzle velocity could not exceed 290 feet per second.[2]

Teams were assigned to divisions by a blind draw. The contemporary report described four-team groups, with group winners advancing to subsequent stages. Results were determined by points earned during play.[2]

Four fields were used, and games were scheduled to last 45 minutes. Teams could inspect the fields before competition.[2]

Competition

Teams arrived before the opening games on Saturday, 10 October. Rain affected the first day, followed by cool conditions on Sunday. Nine teams remained in contention on Monday, when the championship concluded.[2]

The contemporary report stated that the three-day playing schedule was completed without delays.[2]

Results

Position	Team	Location reported	Prize
1	Wild Geese	New Hampshire	US$20,000
2	Navarone–Apocalypse	California	US$10,000
3	Direct Hit	Ohio	US$5,000
4	Landsharks	New York	US$2,500
5	Bushwackers	California	US$1,500
6	Bushwackers	Texas	US$1,000

Source: Front Line, November 1987.[2]

The fifth- and sixth-placed Bushwackers were separate teams identified with California and Texas respectively.[2]

A subsequent Action Pursuit Games profile independently confirmed the Wild Geese's championship victory. Team member Ed Derrickson described it as a collective achievement rather than the contribution of an individual most valuable player.[3]

References

National Survival Game advertisement, “The Big Splat: The 5th Annual Survival Game North American Championship”, Front Line, September 1987.
“The 5th Annual Survival Game North American Championship”, Front Line, November 1987, p. 25.
Debra L. M. Byrd, “Wild Geese”, Action Pursuit Games, February 1988, pp. 16–17 and 72.Add United States tournament, American decade and results categories; standardise the year category and verify dates, equipment rules and prize placements against contemporary reports.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-The '''1987 NSG North American Championship''', officially the '''5th Annual Survival Game North American Championship''', was a major American [[paintball tournament]] organised by [[National Survival Game]] in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 9 to 12 October 1987.[1][2]
+The '''1987 NSG North American Championship''', advertised as the '''5th Annual Survival Game North American Championship''', was a [[paintball]] tournament organised by [[National Survival Game]] in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, from 9 to 12 October 1987.[1][2]
-Thirty-three fifteen-player teams from the United States and Canada entered the tournament. The [[Wild Geese (paintball team)|Wild Geese]] of New Hampshire won the championship and its US$20,000 first prize. [[Navarone|Navarone–Apocalypse]] finished second, followed by Direct Hit of Ohio.[2]
+Thirty-three 15-player teams from the United States and Canada entered. The [[Wild Geese (paintball team)|Wild Geese]] of New Hampshire won the championship and US$20,000. [[Navarone|Navarone–Apocalypse]] finished second, followed by Direct Hit of Ohio.[2]
-The total prize fund was US$40,000, distributed among the first six teams. ''Front Line'' described it at the time as the largest cash prize awarded for an airgun game.[2]
+== Organisation ==
-{| class="wikitable"
+For 1987, National Survival Game replaced regional qualification with direct entry into a consolidated championship. Advertising promoted the event as “The Big Splat” and guaranteed each team at least three games.[1]
-|+ 1987 NSG North American Championship
-|-
-! Dates
-| 9–12 October 1987
-|-
-! Location
-| Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
-|-
-! Organiser
-| [[National Survival Game]]
-|-
-! Edition
-| Fifth
-|-
-! Teams
-| 33
-|-
-! Team size
-| 15 players
-|-
-! Format
-| Stock-pistol, divisional competition
-|-
-! Champion
-| Wild Geese
-|-
-! Runner-up
-| Navarone–Apocalypse
-|-
-! Prize fund
-| US$40,000
-|}
-== Background ==
-The event was the fifth edition of National Survival Game's North American championship.
-For 1987, NSG replaced its previous regional qualification system with a single consolidated tournament. Contemporary advertising promoted the competition as “The Big Splat” and stated that teams could enter directly without first winning a regional event.[1]
-The advertised entry fee was US$1,300 per team, of which US$325 was required as a non-refundable deposit. The entry package included 4,800 paintballs and 300 12-gram carbon-dioxide cartridges. Every team was guaranteed a minimum of three games.[1]
-Thirty-three teams ultimately entered. Competitors began arriving several days before play, and all participating teams had reached the venue by Friday evening.[2]
-== Equipment rules ==
-The championship was open to fifteen-player teams using stock .68-calibre paintball pistols powered by individual 12-gram carbon-dioxide cartridges.[1][2]
+The advertised entry fee was US$1,300 per team, including 4,800 paintballs and 300 carbon-dioxide cartridges. A US$325 non-refundable deposit was required.[1]
-Tournament equipment restrictions included:
+The total prize fund was US$40,000, distributed among the first six teams.[2]
-* Maximum barrel length of 24 inches
+== Equipment and format ==
-* Maximum muzzle velocity of 290 feet per second
-* Use of .68-calibre pistols
-* Use of 12-gram carbon-dioxide cartridges
-The restriction to 12-gram cartridges excluded constant-air systems from championship play.
+Teams used stock .68-calibre paintball pistols powered by individual 12-gram carbon-dioxide cartridges. Barrels could not exceed 24 inches, and muzzle velocity could not exceed 290 feet per second.[2]
-== Tournament format ==
+Teams were assigned to divisions by a blind draw. The contemporary report described four-team groups, with group winners advancing to subsequent stages. Results were determined by points earned during play.[2]
-Teams were assigned to divisions through a blind draw. Four teams were placed in each division, with the division winners advancing into new four-team groups. This process continued until the final round.[2]
+Four fields were used, and games were scheduled to last 45 minutes. Teams could inspect the fields before competition.[2]
-Games lasted a maximum of 45 minutes. Placings were determined through points earned during play rather than solely through flag captures or match wins.[2]
+== Competition ==
-Four playing fields were used. Teams were allowed to inspect the fields before competition began.[2]
+Teams arrived before the opening games on Saturday, 10 October. Rain affected the first day, followed by cool conditions on Sunday. Nine teams remained in contention on Monday, when the championship concluded.[2]
-== Tournament progression ==
+The contemporary report stated that the three-day playing schedule was completed without delays.[2]
-The first games were played on Saturday in cold and rainy conditions. Some teams had been eliminated by the end of the opening day.[2]
-The rain stopped on Sunday, although conditions remained cool. Division and round-robin play continued throughout the day.[2]
-Nine teams remained in contention on Monday. The weather had cleared by the time the final rounds were played, and the championship concluded that evening.[2]
-The tournament report stated that the three-day playing schedule was completed without delays despite the rain during the opening round.[2]
-== Championship result ==
-The Wild Geese of New Hampshire won the tournament and were named North American champions. The team received US$20,000, representing half of the total prize fund.[2]
-A profile published in ''Action Pursuit Games'' shortly after the tournament described the Wild Geese as a team associated with Windham, New Hampshire, which trained at Canobie Survival Game. The team was organised into three five-player groups known as the Tigers, Swings and Tailgunners, with additional alternate players.[3]
-Wild Geese member Ed Derrickson credited the championship to the team as a whole rather than an individual most valuable player.[3]
-Navarone's Apocalypse squad finished second and received US$10,000. Direct Hit of Ohio placed third.[2]
 == Results ==
@@ Line 95: / Line 30: @@
 ! Position
 ! Team
-! Location
+! Location reported
 ! Prize
 |-
 | 1
-| '''Wild Geese'''
+| [[Wild Geese (paintball team)|Wild Geese]]
 | New Hampshire
 | US$20,000
@@ Line 129: / Line 64: @@
 |}
-Two separate teams using the Bushwackers name, one from California and one from Texas, occupied fifth and sixth place respectively.[2]
+Source: ''Front Line'', November 1987.[2]
-A later ''Action Pursuit Games'' profile recorded that the California Bushmasters finished second in their preliminary division and fifteenth overall.[4]
-== Contemporary response ==
-The championship's points-based format produced mixed reactions among players more accustomed to tournaments centred upon flag captures.
-Members of the California Bushmasters described the event as a learning experience. Some preferred flag-centred competition, while others believed successful teams needed to adapt to both points systems and different equipment classifications.[4]
-The tournament nevertheless attracted teams from across the United States and Canada and offered one of the largest prize funds then available in competitive paintball.[2]
-== Historical significance ==
-The 1987 championship documented several developments in tournament paintball during the late 1980s:
-* Replacement of regional qualification with direct entry into a consolidated national event
+The fifth- and sixth-placed Bushwackers were separate teams identified with California and Texas respectively.[2]
-* Participation by 33 teams from the United States and Canada
-* Use of formal equipment, velocity and barrel-length restrictions
-* Division-based advancement determined through a points system
-* A US$40,000 prize fund
-* Competition between established regional teams in a standardised fifteen-player format
-The result was an important early championship for the Wild Geese. It also added a second major 1987 placing for Navarone–Apocalypse, which had finished fifth at the [[1987 International Air Pistol Open]] earlier in the year.[2][3]
+A subsequent ''Action Pursuit Games'' profile independently confirmed the Wild Geese's championship victory. Team member Ed Derrickson described it as a collective achievement rather than the contribution of an individual most valuable player.[3]
 == See also ==
@@ Line 160: / Line 76: @@
 * [[Navarone]]
 * [[1987 International Air Pistol Open]]
-* [[History of paintball]]
-* [[Paintball in the United States]]
 == References ==
-# ''Front Line'', September 1987, National Survival Game advertisement for the fifth annual North American Championship. [https://oldpaintballmagazines.smugmug.com/Front-Line Front Line magazine archive].
+# National Survival Game advertisement, “The Big Splat: The 5th Annual Survival Game North American Championship”, ''[[Front Line (paintball magazine)|Front Line]]'', September 1987.
-# ''Front Line'', November 1987, “The 5th Annual Survival Game North American Championship”, p. 25. [https://oldpaintballmagazines.smugmug.com/Front-Line Front Line magazine archive].
+# “The 5th Annual Survival Game North American Championship”, ''Front Line'', November 1987, p. 25.
-# Debra L. M. Byrd, “Wild Geese”, ''Action Pursuit Games'', February 1988, pp. 16–17 and 72. [https://oldpaintballmagazines.smugmug.com/Action-Pursuit-Games Action Pursuit Games archive].
+# Debra L. M. Byrd, “Wild Geese”, ''[[Action Pursuit Games]]'', February 1988, pp. 16–17 and 72.
-# “Bushmasters”, ''Action Pursuit Games'', February 1988, p. 16. [https://oldpaintballmagazines.smugmug.com/Action-Pursuit-Games Action Pursuit Games archive].
-[[Category:Paintball tournaments]]
+[[Category:Paintball tournaments in the United States]]
-[[Category:Paintball in 1987]]
 [[Category:Paintball in Pennsylvania]]
-[[Category:1987 in Pennsylvania]]
+[[Category:1980s in American paintball]]
+[[Category:Paintball tournament results]]
 [[Category:National Survival Game]]
+[[Category:1987 in paintball]]Add United States tournament, American decade and results categories; standardise the year category and verify dates, equipment rules and prize placements against contemporary reports.

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