Editing Lucky 15s (section)

== History ==

=== Formation in 2008 ===

Lucky 15s was founded in 2008 by British paintball player [[Ainsley Baddeley]].[1]

The team originated from a group of friends who regularly played recreational woodland paintball.

According to the team's official history, Baddeley placed a £6 Lucky 15 accumulator bet at the Cheltenham horse races, selecting four horses across four races.

All four selections won, producing winnings of approximately £3,500.

Baddeley used the money to purchase matching paintball equipment for the group.

The team adopted the name '''Lucky 15s''' in reference to the winning bet.

Its horse emblem and green colours were also inspired by the wager, with the green representing the colours of the final winning horse.[1]

In a 2019 interview, Baddeley recalled the winnings as approximately €4,000 from a €7 bet and identified Planet Eclipse Ego 5 markers among the equipment purchased.[3]

The differing figures reflect retrospective accounts of the same event rather than evidence of separate wagers.

=== Early tournament competition ===

Following its formation, Lucky 15s began competing in British tournament paintball events.

The team subsequently entered European competition through the [[Millennium Series]].

Its early years were characterised by gradual development and limited sponsorship.

In August 2011, [[Planet Eclipse]] published an article describing Lucky 15s as a developing British team led by Ainsley Baddeley.

The article praised the team's commitment and progression through the competitive divisions despite having relatively little financial support.[5]

The team continued developing its playing standard through regular practice and tournament participation.

=== 2010 A-Ball European Championship ===

In July 2010, players from Lucky 15s participated in the European A-Ball Championship at National Paintball Fields in Birmingham.

The team competed under the name '''Uber 15s''', combining Lucky 15s players with German players Ulf Mueller and Joern Windler.

The combined team won the championship.[6]

Documented Lucky 15s participants included Ainsley Baddeley, Dan Campbell and Luke Paxton.

The competition was played using the A-Ball format on an artificial-turf field.

The result is an early documented tournament achievement involving members of the Lucky 15s organisation, although the championship was won under the combined Uber 15s name rather than by the regular Lucky 15s tournament squad.

=== Development through the Millennium Series ===

Lucky 15s progressed through the European divisional structure during the 2010s.

The team's official history records victories in Division 2, Division 1 and semi-professional competition.[1]

These achievements contributed to its progression toward the highest level of European tournament paintball.

The organisation's development coincided with the growth of the CPPS league in the United Kingdom.

Baddeley and fellow player '''Dylan Owen''' purchased the existing CPPS tournament series around 2012 and invested in the development of its Staffordshire venue.[3]

Following the acquisition, both men stopped playing competitively.

Baddeley continued to own and manage Lucky 15s while concentrating on coaching, player development and tournament administration.

=== Domestic development ===

During the 2010s, Lucky 15s became an established competitor in the CPPS Elite Division.

In his 2019 interview, Baddeley recalled that the team initially struggled against leading British teams such as London Nexus, London Tigers and Birmingham Disruption.

He described a period of approximately four years during which Lucky 15s developed into a leading Elite Division team.[3]

The team's success was supported by a structured training programme and the recruitment of younger players.

By 2019, Baddeley reported that the first and second Lucky 15s squads occupied the top two positions in the CPPS Elite Division.

=== Promotion to professional competition ===

Lucky 15s earned promotion from the semi-professional division of NXL Europe following the 2018 season.[3]

However, the team did not immediately take up its professional place.

According to Baddeley, changes in the team's sponsorship arrangements and the cost of competing in NXL Europe influenced the decision.

The organisation instead accepted an opportunity to compete in Germany's [[Deutsche Paintball Liga]].

Baddeley described the German competition as an opportunity to gain experience against high-level teams while reducing travel and tournament costs.

The arrangement also allowed the organisation to integrate developing players from its second squad into higher-level competition.

=== Deutsche Paintball Liga, 2019 ===

Lucky 15s competed in Germany's DPL Bundesliga during the 2019 season.

In his August 2019 interview, Baddeley reported that the team had completed three events in the German championship.

One of its notable results was a 4–2 victory over Belgian professional team [[Breakout Spa]].[3]

The team viewed the German league as a developmental step toward professional European competition.

The decision also reflected the financial challenges faced by self-funded tournament teams.

=== NXL Europe professional debut ===

Lucky 15s subsequently qualified for a professional position in NXL Europe.

The team's own announcement dated 11 February 2022 confirmed that it had accepted an invitation to compete in the professional division for the 2022 season.[7]

The announcement explained that the team's professional entry had been delayed after its earlier qualification, partly because of the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lucky 15s made its NXL Europe professional debut at the 2022 German event.[8]

The team subsequently competed at the British Invitational and European Championships.

Its first professional season included two podium finishes, according to the team's official website.[2]

=== NXL World Cup ===

Lucky 15s extended its international competition programme to the United States.

The team's official website records that it received an invitation to compete in the professional division of the NXL World Cup in Orlando in 2022.[2]

The team also participated in the 2023 World Cup.

An official National Xball League report of the 2023 event identified Lucky 15s as a leading British team.

The team finished its preliminary group with a 3–1 record, defeating Diesel, Uprising and LVL.[9]

The result placed Lucky 15s at the top of its preliminary group and demonstrated its ability to compete against established American professional teams.

=== Continued European competition ===

Lucky 15s continued competing in the professional division of NXL Europe during the 2020s.

Its PBLeagues tournament record documents participation in European and American professional events, including the NXL World Cup and European Championships.[10]

At the 2025 NXL European Championships in Dreux, France, Lucky 15s Staffordshire finished third in the professional division.[11]

The team remained active in 2026, participating in the Czech Cup and British Invitational.

Its registered tournament history provides a continuing record of professional competition.[10]