Anzio As part of Grognardcon

Grognardcon is a special Pre-con consisting of an amalgam of eight of the old classic hex-style wargames under the watchful eye of GM Bruno Sinigaglio: Afrika Korps, Anzio, Bulge ’81,Gettysburg, Panzerblitz, Panzergruppe Guderian, the Russian Campaign and Waterloo. All eight 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 finalists to advance to Single Elimination play at the end of the week. Each event will be turned over to its own GM on Tuesday for resolution in the normal manner—the only difference is that participation in Grognardcon gives you three additional days to qualify with preliminary games in the events of your choice. Play at Grognardcon is free to all Tribune level members and subject to an additional fee for all others.

1. WBC FREE FORM FORMAT. This Tournament uses a Swiss Elimination format for the preliminary rounds followed by a Single Elimination format for the four players with the best performances during the Swiss segment. Entrants may play multiple games during the preliminary Swiss segment during either the PRECON segment which begins during the PRECON on Sunday, 29 July 2007, the regular WBC segment which runs from Tuesday through Friday, or both. Best performances will be determined as described below in paragraph 7.

2. SCHEDULE. The schedule consists of three segments, GROGNARD PRECON Swiss, CON Swiss and CON Playoffs (Semifinals and Final).
a. GROGNARD PRECON SWISS. The PRECON Swiss Segment consists of three daily heats: Saturday 1400, Sunday 0900, Monday 0900 and Tuesday 0900. The PRECON Swiss Segment continues through Tuesday, 1900 hours, 31 July 2007, whereupon the CON Swiss Segment begins. Essentially, the PRECON Swiss Segment simply continues unabated into WBC.
b. CON SWISS. The CON Swiss Segment consists of four daily heats: Tuesday 1900, Wednesday 0900, Thursday 0900 and Friday 0900. The Swiss Segment ends on Friday at 1500 hours, at which time the four players with the best performances during the Swiss Segments will advance into the Single Elimination Playoffs.
c. CON Playoffs. All games played during the Swiss Segment, which includes the PRECON Swiss and the CON Swiss, will be used to determine the four top players. The two-round playoffs begin Friday with the Semifinals at 1700 hours.

3. SUMMARY OF NEW CHANGES FOR THIS YEAR—NONE. The game scenarios to be played are essentially unchanged (See paragraphs 20 and 21). However, there are reinforcement changes: If the Germans place Taranto city in their ZOC, on the next Allied turn the US 1st Infantry Division becomes available—starting in Sicily. If the Germans place a hex entirely south of the dotted line from N74 to S72 in their ZOC, on the next Allied turn the US 9th Infantry Division becomes available—starting in Sicily.

4. WBC FREE FORM FORMAT
This Tournament uses a Swiss Elimination format for the preliminary rounds followed by a Single Elimination format for the four players with the best performances during the Swiss segment. Entrants may play multiple games during the Swiss segment. Best performances will be determined as described below in paragraph 7.

5. SWISS SEGMENT—PRECON AND CON
Each entrant may enter as many or few of the rounds as he wishes and the results will be used in determining who advances to the finals. The GM or his assistant(s) will determine match pairings for each round. Self-determined pairings will not be permitted. You must be present at the kiosk at the start of any round you wish to join. Once you receive your match pairing for a round, you have until midnight to complete the game (exception: Friday games must be completed by 3:00 PM). Games must start no later than six hours before the deadline each day. Unit movement during the Swiss will be timed if one player in a match requests—150 minutes per player. Players may not touch pieces while their opponent’s time is running. Combat will not be timed. Time-Clocks will be monitored by the GM.

6. FINALS SEGMENT
Four players from the Swiss segment will play in the two-round single-elimination finals. The semi-final round will begin at 5:00 PM Friday. All entrants who wish to play in the finals segment should be present for the announcement of rank and pairings. Failure to be present for the start of the finals segment (5:00 PM Friday) will be considered dropping out of the tournament. The Final game will begin at 10:00 AM Saturday. All unit movement during the playoffs will be timed without exception ­ 150 minutes per player. Players may not touch pieces while their opponent’s time is running. Combat will not be timed. Time-Clocks will be monitored by the GM.

7. PLAYER PERFORMANCE RATINGS.
a. All game results and performance ratings will be posted and updated as results are reported.
b. Performance ratings will be based upon the best three games played by a participant.
c. Games in excess of three will not add, nor detract from a player’s performance rating.
d. Performance ratings for a player will be obtained as follows:
(1) A player receives 15 points for each 15-turn Basic Game victory.
(2) A player receives 5 points for each 6-turn Tournament Game victory.
(3) A player receives 1 point for loss.
(4) A player earns 3 points for each Basic Game victory tallied by an opponent that he defeats. A player earns 1 point for each Tournament Game victory tallied by an opponent that he defeats. All of a defeated opponents games will qualify for the scoring of these bonus points.

8. PERFORMANCE RATING TIEBREAKERS:
a. Head to head play is the 1st tiebreaker.
b. Points scored VERSUS mutual opponents is the 2nd tiebreaker.
c. Points scored BY mutual opponents is the 3rd tiebreaker.
d. Points scored BY all opponents is the 4th tiebreaker.

9. MULTIPLE GAMES
Entrants may play every day during the Swiss segment, if so desired. Entrants may play multiple games during the Swiss segment.

10. MATCH ASSIGNMENTS
The GM or his assistant(s) will determine match pairings for each round. Self-determined pairings will not be permitted. Present yourself at the kiosk for any round you wish to join. Once you receive your match pairing for a round, you have until midnight to complete the game (exception: Friday games must be completed by 3:00 PM). Games may start no later than six hours before the deadline each day. If you wish to play more than one game in a day, the GM will attempt to arrange two games for you—this is subject to availability of opponents.

11. ADMIN
Each player will be given a Match Card (3x5), 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. MISSING PARTICIPANT
If an assigned opponent does not show up 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 specified 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: On days 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. JUDGEMENT
The GM (or assistant GM if the game involves the GM) reserves the right to 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 taken into account in the adjudication.

15. ORDER OF FINISH
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. AREA RATINGS
The GM will submit the results of ALL games played for inclusion in the AREA ratings.

17. SINGLE ELIMINATION ROUNDS
The four players with the best performance during the Swiss will advance to a Single Elimination Semi-Final at 1800 on Friday. 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 semi-final by 1600, Friday.

18. FINALS MATCH POSTINGS
The GM will post the match assignments for the semi-finals by 1600, Friday. If players qualifying for the final round do not intend to participate, they should alert the GM early on Friday, so that lower ranked finishers may be moved up to play in the single elimination.

19. TRUANTS
If any of the four players qualifying for the Semi-Final fail to appear at the Kiosk by 1800, Friday, they will be dropped from further participation. Players who finished lower than 4th in the Swiss segment may move into the Single Elimination rounds, if they are present at the Kiosk on Friday at 1800, when higher rated no-shows are officially dropped.

20. THE 15-TURN BASIC GAME—ITALIA MAP
The new “Italia” maps will be given free of charge to participants in the tournament. These maps incorporate all Avalon Hill official terrain corrections, and are required for the tournament. The functional effect of their use is virtually unchanged, but is achieved by including the “toe and boot", not by elaborate rules compensating for their absence.
a. The Basic Game (all 4th Edition Standard Rules in Sections B & C)
b. Optional Initial Placement of German 1st Para Division (Rule F.10, last paragraph). . Initial German set-up NW of the line on the map is unchanged. 1Para may set up in X52 or Y48-54.
c. Rule C.5.G.4 is eliminated to correct an ambiguity.
d. Air Superiority (Rule D.2). This rule makes the more northerly invasion sites much more risky for the Allies Sept II. The limit of air cover from Sicily is shown on the map. This more realistic radius is unlikely to affect play as the change is not in an area where combat affected by air cover often occurs.
e. South End Entry Rules do not apply. The Germans will not be able to seal off the South End Entry hexes, because the Italia map includes all of the Italian Peninsula.
f. Sea Attack Rules (see details below in 24). This rule makes it impractical to use ersatz units to seal off an invasion zone.
g. Re-Roll Chit (see details below in 25).
h. Messina and Taranto are now on the map, so rules governing entry from there are no longer needed. All references to “Messina” in the rules now apply to Reggio.
i. SEPTEMBER I Allies may place up to 8 stacking points in Reggio with a port counter. They have 3 movement pints per invasion movement rules. No German movement this turn. Reggio port begins operational, so may be destroyed only by German occupation. Reggio governed by existing port rules.
j. SEPTEMBER II. Reggio port functions normally, including possible additional BU from Sicily. Allied coming up the toe from Reggio may not use Strategic Movement until they begin a turn north of the line on the map, which is the southern limit of the German set-up area. The Germans blew most of the bridges and left many booby traps as they withdrew up the toe.
k. SEPTEMBER II Allies may place up to 4 stacking points in Taranto with a port counter, again with 3mp per invasion movement rules. Taranto port begins operational, so may be destroyed only by German occupation. Taranto governed by existing port rules.
l. SEPTEMBER II Allies invade at any zone South of Rome on the West coast and not North of Pescara on the East coast, as before. This includes several zones not formerly on the map. Except perhaps for Barletta, they are disadvantageous and unlikely to be used.
m. On the SEPTEMBER II turn, Germans may enter any area of the map.
n. SEPTEMBER III—All Allied units may use strategic movement, if feasible.
o. German reinforcements entering from the NW reach the same points on their first turn. Since “Italia” adds 2 hex rows to the NE, it is now 16mp to reach X30, no longer W32.

21. THE 6-TURN TOURNAMENT GAME—ITALIA MAP
The WBC 6-turn Anzio Tournament Scenario is a shorter game which should be familiar to all those conversant with the Anzio Basic Game.
a. RULES: The Official Rules for the WBC Anzio Tournament apply, except as noted here.
b. GAME LENGTH: Six turns, starting with the Allied November III 1943 turn.
c. PORTS: The Allies have four open ports: Taranto, Messina, Salerno Beachhead, and Termoli City. All ports have 100% BU saved. The Allies also have two port counters available.
d. ALLIED ORDER OF BATTLE. The Allies assemble all units available through November II 1943, except for replacements. The Allies must step down (reduce strength of) their units a total of ten steps, in any combination, except that no units of any kind may be destroyed. The Allies start with two replacement units of either nationality.
e. GERMAN ORDER OF BATTLE. The Germans assemble all units available through November II 1943, except for replacements. They must step down (reduce strength of) their units a total of ten steps, in any combination, except that no units of any kind may be destroyed. The units to be reduced may not include the two mountain units. Also, the Germans must reduce such that only one unit may have an attack factor greater than 5. The Germans start with one infantry and one armored ersatz unit.
f. GERMANS SET-UP FIRST:
1) The two reinforcements that enter November II must be placed at X30.
2) Up to four units of any type may be placed anywhere north of the front line for invasion defense. Note that the reinforcements placed at X30 do not count in this total.
3) Replacements may not be used to build up depleted units during the initial placement.
4) All but four of the German units must set up anywhere in the front line as defined below:
4.1) The row of hexes extending diagonally from J53 to V41.
4.2) The row of hexes extending diagonally from J54 to V42.
4.3) The row of hexes extending diagonally from J55 to V43.
4.4) Hexes O51 and P50.
g. ALLIED SET-UP:
1) Allies set up second, then move first. The Allies start with the reroll chit.
2) All units may be placed in any playable hex south of the front line (as defined above).
3) Alternatively, they may be placed in Taranto, Messina or Sicila.
4) Allied units may not be initially placed in German ZOC.
5) Replacements may not be used to build up depleted units during the initial placement. This initial placement represents the position at the end of the German Novmber II 1943 turn.
h. STARTING THE GAME: The Allied player conducts his November III 1943 normally. The Allied units may move overland, move by sea, invade, and/or combine with replacements during the movement phase.

22. SEA ATTACK RULES
a. Invading Allied units may make a sea attack on an invasion zone hex that is occupied by one or more enemy units.
b. No more than eight stacking points may participate in any one sea attack. Each separate individual attack may assault only one defender’s hex. Units participating in sea attacks must conform to applicable Initial Lift rules. ZOCs do not extend from sea to land nor vice-versa.
c. Units attacking from the sea have their attack strength halved. Halved factors may be combined, but if the total attack factors include a fraction, round down. As in attacks through High Apennine hex-sides, losses are not doubled against an undoubled defender.
d. A sea attack may combine with a land-based attack to make one attack, but any terrain benefit which the defender enjoys against the land attack would remain. Losses must be taken first from invading units.
e. Any unit attacking from the sea which does not occupy the defender’s hex at the end of the attack (whether because of the combat result, or voluntarily) becomes an inverted counter subject to the usual evacuation rules.
f. Units attacking from the sea may advance into the defender’s hex normally, but may not move further, unless they have achieved breakthrough movement, which would be governed by the usual rules.
g. Units attacking from the sea may engage in second combat per rule C.14.

23. RE-ROLL CHIT
Because of the major effects that die rolls of “1” and “6” can have at certain key junctures in the game, this rule provides a way to flatten or smooth out the role of luck as a determining factor.
a. Select an unused counter to be used as the Re-Roll Chit. The holder of the Re-Roll Chit may use it to force a re-roll of any combat resolution die roll (the player using the chit may be either the attacker or the defender).
b. As soon as the chit is used, it is given to the opponent.
c. The Re-Roll Chit may be used only once per player-turn.
d. The Allied player begins the game with the Re-Roll Chit.

24. SIDE DETERMINATION: BID FOR SIDE
Sides will be determined by a single “sealed” bid with a random (die roll) tie breaker if necessary.
a. Each player bids an adjustment to German ersatz reinforcements from -6 to +6.
b. The player whose bid would result in the fewest German ersatz reinforcements gets to play the Germans, at his bid. Examples: -2 beats -1; +1 beats +2; -1 beats +1.
c. Any reductions or increases in German ersatz reinforcements are taken one per turn, starting with the Oct II turn. An increase is always taken as an infantry ersatz. When there is a reduction, the German player gets to choose which type of ersatz unit to lose, turn by turn.
d. In the 6-turn scenario, if the winning bid is negative, adjust the German ersatz in the starting OOB. Any further reductions in ersatz reinforcements will be taken one per turn, starting with the first turn of the scenario. If the winning bid is positive, the additional infantry ersatz will be available one per turn, starting with the first turn of the scenario.