Three-time champ Paul Gaberson vs Doug Mercer	Bills Edwards vs George Young

James "The Master" Pei became the first four-time winner in the event's history. Pei was undefeated, beating Chris Jones, Bob Jamelli, and Michael Ussery in the preliminary rounds, George Young in the semi-finals and Ussery again in the Final. Ussery defeated Ernie Chambers and Doug Smith in the preliminary rounds and advanced to the semi-finals on tiebreakers despite losing to Pei in Round 3. He defeated Grant LaDue in the semi-finals to advance to his rematch with the Master. Young and LaDue were each unbeaten in the preliminary rounds. In Round 3 LaDue knocked out Paul Gaberson, the defending champ, while Young outlasted GM Keith Wixson, 2010's other finalist.

The highlights:

* This year I cancelled the fourth round because of the light turnout, a large number of dropouts after Round 2 and a general lack of interest.
* There was only one new player this year, down from four lin 2010. It has been suggested to me that I should have a demo if I want to attract new players. I have resisted the idea in the past for various reasons, but I will have to reconsider in the future.
* Half of last year's laurelists made it into the top six again this year, including the defending champ.
* The best British player was Pei with four wins. Ussery had three wins with the Brits. Several players had two wins as the French.
* The rule changes I have implemented to address the game's inherent French advantage may have finally hit home. British players are now allowed to retrieve a reinforcement card from the discard pile at the start of each turn (if conditions permit), the French Marine Detachment units have been reduced to only one loss step, the starting French VPs have been reduced to 3 and side selection has been made random in order to eliminate specialization. This year the games split evenly with each side winning 16 (as compared to French advantages of 69% last year, 65% in 2009, 67% in 2008, 61% in 2007, 52% in 2006, 56% in 2005, 71% in 2004 and 62% in 2003). Along with similar results from the current online tournament, this is good news indeed. But time will tell if this isn't just a statistical anomaly.

Prizes: The Champ received a warhawk and the losing finalist received a spiked ballhead warclub. The losing semi-finalists each received a book.

Attendance was up only slightly in the new Monday timeslot. That was a disappointment but not really surprising in hindsight. I had hoped that the heavy competition from other tournaments in the old Wednesday timeslot would be lighter on Monday, but if there was less competition it did not really matter. This game has been around for a long time, and it has become apparent that new players in significant numbers are probably not going to be drawn to it, while veteran players are going to continue to drift away to new games. That is understandable and it appears unlikely that attendance will ever rise above the mid 20's again. I have my doubts whether that is enough for a viable tournament.

Assuming this game survives the Century cut for 2012, I have no idea at this point about what I will do next year. Since the switch to Monday was pretty much a flop, if there is a tournament in 2012 a move back to later in the week is possible. Also, a change in format is probably warranted as the current format was meant for a larger field.

Ernie Chambers vs Scott Beall	The Master picks up his fourth WNW title vs Michael Ussery.

 Play By Email 2012

GM Keith Wixson (the 2006 WBC Champ) bested a field of 50 players to win the 2012 Wilderness War PBeM Tournament, a seven round swiss-elimination format competition which began in February 2010. The #8 seed at the start of the tournament, Wixson ran the table, going 7-0 to win his first PBeM crown. He defeated Bob Jamelli, Henry Rice, Kevin Worth and Al Owen in the swiss rounds, Bill Peeck in the quarter-finals, Adam Deverell in the semi-finals and Owen again in the championship game. Also going undefeated in the preliminary rounds were John Buse (the #9 seed) and Stefan Mecay (the #10 seed). Worth, Owen, Peeck, Deverell and George Seary all advanced to the quarter-finals with one swiss loss on tiebreakers. Owen defeated Jason White, Tom Drueding and Paul Gaberson in the early rounds, Worth in the quarter-finals and Buse in the semi-finals. Buse defeated Deverell in the Consolation Match for third place honors. None of the top seven seeded players made it past the preliminary rounds, an indication of the number of very good players that participated.

The 96 games played broke down as follows: 57 French to 39 British wins for a 59% French win rate. As is usually the case in Wilderness War tournaments, however, the British win rate was much better in later rounds after many less experienced players departed the scene, and in the elimination rounds the Brits won five of the eight games. The Champ played and won as the Brits in all three elimination rounds.

The tournament went off without any significant problems and was completed in less than two years. Thanks to everybody who participated and thanks to Paul Gaberson for being the Assistant GM.

The tournament website is http://mysite.verizon.net/vze4bc94/index.html.

An AAR of the Championship Game follows:

French: Al Owen
British: Keith Wixson

Early 57

Events Played: Campaign (French), Foul Weather (Brits), Campaign (Brits), Courier Intercepted (French - successful), British Regulars (Bradstreet drawn), Northern Indians (half roll, two units gained), Mohawks, Indians Desert (French), Militia x2 (French)

Raid Attempts: French were 0 for 2

VPs at Turn's End: FR4

The French attempted the standard Montcalm/Levis Campaign move against Ft. William Henry on the first card, but were delayed by bad weather. The Brits then followed up with their own Campaign to bring Abercromby and Webb up to defend the fort in force. The main French army settled in at Ticonderoga. After an early successful Courier Intercepted by the French (on top of the British use of a response card), the Brits were down several cards and had to plan for a possible French four-play at the end of the turn and start of the next turn. It appeared that the French were setting up a move against Albany or Boston with the windfall. Since they couldn't defend both spaces, the Brits concentrated on building up a force to defend Albany by scraping together a small army there under Bradstreet from what was not with Abercromby's main army. But the French ended the turn with two events and held a card, so nothing came of the threat. Interestingly, Levis finished the turn out west in the Pays d'en Haut after leading an unsuccessful raid.

Late 57

Events Played: Ministerial Crisis (no effect), Militia (Brits - South), Rangers, Small Pox (Brits - full roll/2), Campaign x2 (Brits)

British Reinforcement Card Retrieved: No

Raid Attempts: French were 0 for 3

VPs at Turn's End: FR4

This was a relatively uneventful turn. The French concentrated on raiding, while the Brits spent most of their effort shifting Bradstreet to the West and setting up a move against Ft. Duquesne in 1758. With winter approaching, both main armies pulled back from the Champlain Valley, but both left strong garrisons behind in the forts. The deck was reshuffled at the end of the turn.

Early 58

Events Played: Campaign x2 (French), French Regulars, Fieldworks (British), Northern Indians (half roll, two units gained), Francois Bigot

British Reinforcement Card Retrieved: No

Raid Attempts: French were 0 for 2

VPs at Turn's End: FR3

The Brits drew no 3 cards, so the main army at Albany under Abercromby was stuck. As the French consolidated it's main army for the push down the Champlain, the Brits scrambled to get Monckton to Albany from Halifax so they could react. Luckily, the Brits had planned well in the the previous turn and when the French push against the heavily garrisoned Ft. William Henry came, Johnson was already in position to intercept with a force from Ft. Edward. Johnson made the roll, threw up Fieldworks and won a major victory in the first real battle of the game. Montcalm and Rigaud were among the French casualties, leaving Vaudreuil in command of the French army. While the French reinforced and brought Levis back from Ft. Niagara to take command, Monckton took command of the main British army and brought it up from Albany. But with the danger of an ambush and the alarming lack of reinforcements in mind, Monckton was content to stay on the defense. The Brits spent the rest of the turn preparing for the move against Ft. Duquesne, while the French went into raid mode. At the end of the turn a small French force moved into Wood Creek and built a stockade in an attempt to threaten Monckton's rear. The British play of Bigot on its last card may have prevented a French attack there (the Brits had been down a card because of Fieldworks).

Late 58

Events Played: Troop Transports (British), French Regulars

British Reinforcement Card Retrieved: No

Raid Attempts: French were 0 for 7

VPs at Turn's End: 0

Bradstreet's army finally made its move against Ohio Forks. The French garrison did not destroy Ft. Duquesne and retreat, but withdrew inside to defend the siege (sans Dumas, who stayed outside) . This may have been a mistake in a close game because the extra VP lost when Bradstreet took the fort on one roll came back to haunt the French at the end of the game. The British victory had a cost, however, as Dunbar was killed in the assault. His death crippled the British command structure in the West and effectively eliminated any further threat from Bradstreet. Bradstreet rebuilt the fort but never left the Forks again. The French concentrated heavily on raiding this turn with miserable success. With winter approaching, both main armies pulled back from the Champlain Valley, but this time the British left no garrisons behind and held their final card. The deck was reshuffled at the end of the turn.

Early 59

Events Played: Campaign (French), Foul Weather (British), Courier Intercepted (British - successful), Light Infantry (Amherst drawn), British Regulars (Forbes drawn), Governor Vaudreuil

British Reinforcement Card Retrieved: No

Raid Attempts: French were 0 for 1

VPs at Turn's End: FR1

The French once again attempted a Campaign move against Ft. William Henry on the first card of the year, but were once again delayed by bad weather (the British hold card from the previous turn). Abercromby took command of the main British army and moved it up from Albany to defend. The British finally drew some reinforcement cards, and Amherst arrived and eventually made his way to Hudson Carry North to take over command of the main army himself. Johnson was sent to Charlestown with a small force to threaten the French rear after a successful British play of Courier Intercepted. The French were forced to use their final card of the turn (Fieldworks) to respond to the threat of a British double move by Johnson, when their preference was to hold the card. Following the play of Governor Vaudreuil to send Levis out west on an inspection tour, Amherst attacked the main French army under Drucour at Ticonderoga in only the second major battle of the game. The results of the Montcalm-Johnson battle of 57 were reversed even without the Fieldworks, however, as the Brits were repulsed with heavy losses and their commander killed.

Late 59

Events Played: Large Highlanders (Wolfe and Murray drawn), Small Pox (British - full roll/5), Campaign (British), Surrender (British)

British Reinforcement Card Retrieved: No

Raid Attempts: French were 0 for 2

VPs at Game's End: BR1

The situation at the start of the final turn was favorable from the French standpoint. The Brits had to score a net of two VPs to win, and that didn't appear likely (and taking another victory space was just not feasible). The two French forts in the Champlain Valley were obvious targets, but if the French just destroyed the forts, pulled back the main army and scored a VP on a raid they would be tough to beat. Luckily for the Brits, however, the main French army under Drucour at Ticonderoga could not move because of command problems and Levis would have to make his way back East before it could. And while the main French army had been well reinforced from Europe and Louisbourg, battle losses, small pox (two outbreaks) and a lack of Indian support had taken its toll since the start of the game. The Brits were also lucky in drawing a very good hand.

The appearance of Wolfe and the Highlanders seemingly saved the day for the Brits. He was able to make his way to Hudson Carry North and take command before Levis could make it back to Ticonderoga, so when Wolfe led the main army forward Drucour had no choice but to stand and fight in front of Ft. Carillon. The Wargame Gods were not going to make it easy for the Brits, however, and Wolfe was repulsed with heavy losses in a battle he should have won. This brought VPs up to FR2 and allowed Levis to destroy Ft. Carillon when he arrived immediately thereafter (bringing VPs back down to FR1). The Brits were out of other options, and Wolfe advanced on Ticonderoga again. The French army was now down two columns on Wolfe, but with Levis back the command problems were resolved and this time the French evaded to Crown Point. An auxiliary screen left behind did not slow the now desperate British advance, and Wolfe continued on through the wilderness after the overrun, without pausing to build a stockade. A small force of Provincials was dropped off to protect the space. Neither side had a viable retreat from Crown Point, and now things got interesting as it became a game of maneuver and bluff. Levis evaded again, this time into Green Mountain Central, leaving behind Drucour and a small garrison at Ft. Saint Frederic to defend the siege, and on the next French play slid past Wolfe's flank and cut off his line of supply at Hudson Carry South. But the French had fallen into a trap and now it sprang shut! On a Campaign card Wolfe left behind a small force under Monckton to siege and marched back to HCS to clear out Levis, who had no choice but to evade to Wood Creek. Wolfe had to stop at HCS because he had no auxiliaries (the Rangers were with Johnson at Charlestown). With supplies now available, Monckton was able to initiate a siege of Ft. Saint Frederic on the second half of the Campaign and played Surrender to complete it without a roll, scoring two VPs. For the first time in the game the Brits took the lead.

The French had three cards remaining to get the VP back. Unfortunately they were all "1" cards. Bougainville took command of a portion of the main army and attacked the British Provincial force at Ticonderoga, destroying it (but not overrunning it). With Bougainville now in position to advance on Crown Point and retake Ft. Saint Frederic, Johnson advanced up the Connecticut River valley with his force and into the Green Mountains to threaten the French supply line. Realizing that Johnson would therefore be able to prevent a French siege of Ft. Saint Frederic on their final card, with two cards to play the French attempted a last raid at Trenton. It failed, and with no possibilities for attempting any other raids on the final French card, Al resigned. Had the French succeeded in raiding at the end, Johnson was poised to lead a Ranger raid on New France on the final British card play.

Final Comments

This was a very even game and was played very close to the vest by both players. The obvious keys to the British victory were (1) never losing Ft. William Henry, (2) killing Montcalm on the third turn, (3) scoring an extra VP at Ohio Forks when the French neglected to destroy the fort, and, perhaps most importantly, (4) the French going 0 for 17 on raids! Those four factors allowed the Brits to keep the game close even though they received very limited reinforcements until 1759. When Wolfe finally did arrive, the Brits were in a decent position to take the game with aggressive play. Al played very well and could have easily won with a little better luck. He was a well deserving runner-up.