Grognardcon is an amalgam of the old classic hex-style wargames under the watchful eye of GM Bruno Sinigaglio: Afrika Korps, Bitterwoods, Panzerblitz, Russian Campaign, Squad leader, Waterloo, and Wooden Ships & Iron Men. All use the Free Format scheduling device which allows players to schedule preliminary games at their convenience. Play as many or as few preliminary games as you like but only your best three results in each game will determine the four players to advance to Single Elimination play.

1. FREE FORM FORMAT: Entrants may play multiple games in the Swiss segment. Best performances will be determined as described below in paragraph 7.

2. BITTER WOODS SCHEDULE:

• SWISS. The Swiss Segment consists of daily Swiss Rounds which will advance the 4 players with the best performances during the Swiss Rounds to the Single Elimination Semifinal and Final.
• Single Elimination Semifinal and Final. All games played during the Swiss Rounds will be used to determine the four best players. The two-round Single Elimination round will begin on Friday.

3. SCENARIOS: The 6-turn 16AM or 8-turn 16AM. If both players agree, they may choose the scenario. Otherwise, it will be determined randomly. For the 6-Turn Scenario only the Peiper Variant and the German Army Arty (37.1) are used. Rule 37.2 is not used.

4. SIDES: Players may agree on sides. If they do not agree the following methods will be used.

• A player with an AREA rating more than 999 points below his opponent has choice of sides.
• If the AREA ratings of the players are within 999 points, the GM will roll for sides.
• Shark Repellent – After the GM rolls for sides per (b) above, the lower rated player may contest the assignment and declare that he wishes to bid to play the other side. The lower rated player may bid to take the higher rated player's side using the following procedure:
  • If the lower rated player wants to take the Germans away from the higher rated player, he must state so and make a bid from 1 to 5, as follows:
    • Bid 1. Give the Americans an extra air unit on 17AM.
    • Bid 2. Give the Americans an extra air unit on 17AM and 17PM.
    • Bid 3. Infantry Regiment 4/8-22 and Arty 422 enter on 17AM at B, C or D.
    • Bid 4. Infantry Regiment 1/16 enters on 17AM automatically.
    • Bid 5. Options #3 and #4 combined.
  • If the lower rated player wants to take the Americans away from the higher rated player, he must state so and make a bid from 1 to 5, as follows:
    • Bid 1. Give the Germans an extra air unit on 17AM.
    • Bid 2. Give the Germans an extra air unit on 17AM and 17PM.
    • Bid 3. Fuhr Gd begins the game in Bitburg with the 7th Army.
    • Bid 4. The 15PG Division begins the game in Bitburg with the 7th Army.
    • Bid 5. Options #3 and #4 combined.
  • If the higher rated player has his side taken away, he may overbid the lower rated player to take it back. The increased bidding can continue until a bid of 5, which ends the bidding.

5. SEQUENCE OF PLAY: The printed sequence of play is to be utilized. The German Player must allocate reserves after the Allied Interdiction Phase.

6. FUEL DUMPS: Before the start of the game, the Allied Player must receive the location of the hidden fuel dumps from the GM.

7. PLAYER PERFORMANCE RATINGS:

• All game results and player ratings will be posted and updated as results are reported.
• Performance ratings will be based upon the best three games played by a participant.
• Games in excess of three will not add, nor detract from a player's performance rating.
• A player must play at least three games to advance to the Single Elimination Rounds.
• Performance ratings for a player will be obtained as follows:
  1. A player receives 10 points for each victory.
  2. A player receives 1 point for each loss.
  3. A player receives 2 points for each victory tallied by an opponent that he defeats. All the defeated opponent's games will qualify for the scoring of these points, but only the first game against a particular opponent will qualify for these bonus points.
• Bonus Point Examples: if player A defeats player B, then player A receives 2 points for all games won by Player B during the Swiss segment; however, if Player A and B play each other a second time, no bonus points will be awarded regardless of who wins.

8. PERFORMANCE RATING TIEBREAKERS:

• Head-to-head play is the first tiebreaker.
• Points scored VERSUS mutual opponents is the second tiebreaker.
• Points scored BY mutual opponents is the third tiebreaker.
• Points scored BY all defeated opponents is the fourth tiebreaker.
• Points scored BY all opponents is the fifth tiebreaker.

9. SCHEDULE.Entrants may play every day during the Swiss Rounds, if so desired. Entrants may play multiple games during the Swiss Rounda. Entrants may play each other more than once, but they cannot repeat sides. For example, Sam and Dave can play twice, if they switch sides.

10. OPPONENTS. The GM will determine match pairings for each Round. Present yourself at the kiosk during any Round you wish to join. If you wish to play more than one game in a day, the GM will attempt to arrange two games for players who want them this is subject to availability of opponents.

11. ADMIN. Each player will be given a Match Sheet, which will list the game, opponent and start time. When opponents are assigned, they must inform the GM when they will start their game and when they expect to finish. If the players cannot agree on a reasonable start time, they will be required to begin the game within one hour.

12. TRUANTS. If an assigned opponent does not appear for a mutually agreed upon start time, the GM will forfeit the game to a player who is waiting. The player who is waiting must alert the GM that a forfeit is imminent within 15-minutes of the start time listed on the Match Card. If the tardy opponent fails to appear, the game will be forfeited to the player who is waiting at 20-minutes past the start time on the Match Card. There is no deviation from this procedure; therefore, if a waiting player alerts the GM beyond the 15-minute alerting period - there will be no forfeit - instead, the game will be cancelled.

13. RESULTS. The results of completed games should be reported to the GM as soon as possible using the Match Card. If game results are not reported to the GM by the end of a Swiss round (2300 hours), both players will be credited with a loss. EXCEPTION - Any day other than Friday: The GM will permit players to continue past 2300 hours, but they must inform the GM beforehand that they expect to finish after the 2300 deadline.

14. ADJUDICATION. The GM (or assistant GM if the game involves the GM) MAY adjudicate any game at the end of the time limit for the round. If one player is moving at a significantly slower pace than the other, this will be considered.

15. WBC rules require submission of a Winner's Claim with the top six players listed in order (although there may be no prizes for some of these finishes for this event). At the end of the Swiss, players will be ranked in order from 1 to 6. The final 5th & 6th places will be determined from these standings.

16. The GM will submit the results for inclusion into AREA.

17. The four players with the best performance during the Swiss will advance to the Semifinal. The 1st place finisher will play the 4th place finisher, and the 2nd place finisher will play the 3rd place finisher. The GM will post the match assignments for the Semifinal. Players may begin a Semifinal before the scheduled time if both players agree.

18. If players qualifying for the Semifinal do not intend to participate, they should alert the GM, so that lower ranked finishers may be moved up to play in the Semifinal

19. If any of the four players qualifying for the Semifinal fail to appear at the Kiosk at the scheduled time for the Semifinal, they will be dropped from further participation. Players who finished lower than 4th in the Swiss Rounds may move into the Semifinal if they are present at the Kiosk at the time of the Semifinal, when higher rated no-shows are dropped.

20. The two winners of the Semifinal may mutually arrange to play their final game at a convenient time after the Semifinal, subject to approval by the GM. The final championship game must be completed by midnight, Saturday, at which time the results must be reported to the GM.

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