Macdev Factory

Ok so we’ve done the good (and there was plenty). Now it’s time to visit the other end of the table and talk about the not so good - wait no, some of it is just straight up BAD

Droogs Frankfurt am MAIN Paintball
Relegated. Again. 3rd time in 4 seasons (avoided in 2023 thanks to their only ever Pro Sunday appearance) while we respect the rule that relegated teams get first dibs on any pro spots that open up in the offseason, we think it’s time to either bin that rule, or make a ‘Droogs clause’ - as this is simply not a pro outfit. They never even won a semi pro event (best finish 3rd at the UK event 2017, which is NOT the year they got promoted purchased a pro spot)

They’ve had a high roster turnover trying to build a squad to compete survive, and we can appreciate how hard that is to find any consistency. But time for someone else to try now. Please.

FiveStar Paintball
Had their blushes saved thanks to there always being one worse team than them the last few seasons. Although they were on the cusp of being really dangerous in mid 2024 when they had the (then US Semi Pro ranked) Seadogs guys on their roster, but the Seadogs run to a Pro spot in the US spoiled that avenue for the team to grow.

How many more seasons do the Spanish core have left in them? Is there another up-and-coming US Semi Pro team they can integrate for an instant boost in 2026?

Gladiatori Unicusano
These guys have seen a steady decline in recent seasons. 2022: 3rd, 2023: 9th, 2024: 10th and now 18th in 2025. Does the team have finance, grit, squad depth and all the other resources to turn it around? We’re not so sure.

Coach Slava has an amazing paintball brain and helps develop young talent. If their model going forward is to be more of a breeding ground for developing players before the top teams come along and pick them, then that’s their prerogative, but that’s what Semi Pro is for, right?

Outrage Valence
Feels like these guys are going through a bit of a reset period. A couple of their more senior players have retired (from the Pro squad at least, they will continue to be around the organisation) and that should allow some younger guys more game time. They’ve never really looked like being in Droogs / FiveStar territory this year, but equally those are the only calibre of teams they seem to beat too.

If this truly is the bottom of the curve, and those guys are willing to put the work in to climb the table, then they have a good base to build from. Certainly they don’t want another season of the same though.

Section Annecy
These guys showed some real grit in Dreux and almost escaped their prelim bracket with a 2-2 return - one bad blowout on the point spread did for them and that was that. Even as far back as Portugal we saw positive signs - watching them shoot 2 players OTB against Breakout almost every point and then lose a series of 5on3 and 4on3 scenarios was frustrating at the time, but it seems they (eventually) learnt a thing or two out of that.

A bit like Outrage, if this is their base to go forward from, great. Promising signs, positive intent and forward momentum. But next year must yield tangibly better results

AŁA Warsaw
Honestly ALA could be higher up the table - they are ‘in’ a lot of games, but constantly find themselves 0-2 at the end of Friday. Saturdays tend to improve, but rarely enough to offset the setback they create for themselves.

Maybe better preparation is needed? Some other external factor rather than players or tactics? We know these guys play A LOT so it’s not a question of effort. But they need to fix that… something.. before they consign themselves to another season like this.

Ballistics
Feels a little cruel to put these guys in this slot (but we’re going by league position and we’re not changing the format), the first goal for any newly promoted team is ‘don’t get relegated’ - and they did not. In fact they even played on Sunday once this year, so respect to them for raising their level.

Ballistics have certainly settled them selves right amongst a very competitive mid-pack of the division, and no one takes them lightly. What gains they can make over the winter, we’re not sure - they don’t have the biggest budget, but picking up Grayson Gladstone was a shrewd piece of business. Next year will be about extracting the maximum from their resources. Again.

Will all of these teams make it to the start line in 2026? Our spidey sense says at least one other team (besides Droogs) won’t make the start line in 2026…