The Combat Commander enclave fills for the first round.	Somebody's game travels real well.
Bill Edwards gets the jump on the button man.	Isn't this game too new for a pair of grognards?

True Jungle Scenarios ...

43 hearty players braved the "jungle like" atmosphere in the Lampeter this year to actually post an attendance increase. This year the theme of "The Grand Tour" featured scenarios from around the world. The tournament again used the Swiss-Elim format with four opening rounds advancing the top four players to the single elimination playoffs.

The first round consisted of four games played in succession with most of the entrants playing in all four. The games featured new scenarios with these stellar titles: One Steppe Beyond -- Russia 1943; On the Road to Victory -- Sicily 1943; Games, Set, and Match -- Burma 1944; and Hill 133 -- Russia 1943. The third scenario saw the initial tournament appearance of a Combat Commander Pacific scenario. A default Combat Commander Europe scenario (the popular A Midnight Clear from the 2011 Tourney) was available if not enough CC:P games were available. While some kinks were encountered as the players shifted gears from Europe to the Pacific, the scenario was met with approval by many with young Jeremy Rice exclaiming for all to hear, "The Japanese are awesome!." Most of the games during the initial round heats were tight with many of them ending with one side or the other maintaining a slim VP lead. At the end of the swiss round two players were undefeated and a further seven stood at 3-1. Of these seven two, based upon a tiebreaker of opponent's tournament points scored, advanced to the semifinals.

In the semifinal round two-time Champion Bob Heinzmann (3-1) squared off against Peter Gurneau (4-0) while 2010 runner-up JR Tracy (4-0) faced Bob Jamelli (3-1) in Blitzkrieg Unleashed. This scenario has the Poles defending against attacking Germans on Sept.1, 1939. Bob failed to advance for the first time in a Combat Commander tournament in which he played all the preliminary rounds. In the other semifinal it looked as if JR was going to cruise into his second Final as his Poles held off the attacking enemy. However, a timely Air Support event saw his best leader and key defensive units break and shortly thereafter a second Air Support event wiped them out along with JR's chances of advancing. The Stukas had their way that day.

So Peter and Bob squared off in a match of first time finalists. The scenario was a choice from the scenarios previously played. As the lower seeded player, Bob, chose the scenario while Peter enjoyed choice of sides. Bob chose A Midnight Clear which neither player had played this year. Peter took the Americans. Both the cards and rolls were in Peter's favor as he received an early reinforcement (105mm radio) and then Lucas, US Hero, appears and wreaks havoc on the Germans, capturing key objectives and eliminating stray German squads in close combat. The Germans were not without their own bright spots though as a Sniper event took out the US MMG. The VPs were still tight in the end game as the Germans battled back recapturing a key objective. However, their mounting casualties have pushed them perilously close to their surrender level. Bob, seeing a chance at victory, threw his key leader and a squad into melee to recapture Objective 4, but his luck fails. With their elimination, he is forced to concede and Peter is proclaimed the 2012 Combat Commander Champion.

As always, you have the ability to shape this event each year by discussing it in the Combat Commander topic on ConsimWorld. I look forward to seeing any and all erstwhile Combat Commanders at next year's WBC.

Two-time champ Bob Heinzmann is denied in the semis by Peter Gurneau.	JR Tracy gets blitzed out of a return trip to the Final by Bob Jamelli's stukas in the semifinals.