waterloo [Updated August 2000]

WAT     
  17-22  
  18-23   18-23*
  18-23* 

  Valley

Rob Beyma, MD

2000 Champion

2nd: Martin Musella, VA

3rd: Larry Lingle, PA

4th: Forest Pafenberg, VA

5th: -

6th: -
Event History
1991    Kevin McCarthy      17
1992    Rob Beyma      16
1993    Larry Lingle      16
1994    Joe Beard      18
1995    Joe Beard      10
1996    Bruno Sinigaglio      10
1997    Phil Evans      18
1998    Rob Beyma      16
1999    Chuch Stapp     17
2000    Rob Beyma     10
AREA Ratings
 1    Robert Beyma      6372
 2    Larry Lingle      5696
 3    John Ellsworth      5557
 4    Bruno Sinigaglio      5557
 5    Martin Musella      5438
 6    William Scott      5311
 7    Phil Evans      5291
 8    Chuck Stapp      5177
 9    John Clarke      5023
10    Joseph Brooks      4989

Another Grognard Classic falls out of the Century

Only ten grognards showed up for the event, dropping it from the Century after three years of hanging on the edge of eligibility. Notable absentees were the defending champion Chuck Stapp who arrived late and perennial classics master Phil Evans who didn't make the convention this year. The format was single elimination with one round played each evening.

Sides were determined by bidding. Players had the opportunity to bid for the side that they thought had the advantage. The bids ranged from two for the French to eight for the PAA. The average bid was 2.4 although there were a lot of zero bids as many players thought that the 7pm turn each day balances the game.

Round 1 Wednesday evening had the top five seeded players matched with the remaining five players . All five seeded players advanced to Round 2. The top seeded player, Rob Beyma, passed on a bye opportunity which was then accepted by the number 2 seed Larry Lingle. Forrest Pafenberg was giving Rob all he could handle with a well conceived French strategy until his right flank force got a little too close to Genappe. The PAA forces retreating from Quatre Bras jumped on the French flank force and neutralized them. In the other quarter-final, Marty Musella's PAA forces held firm vs veteran Johnny Hasay's French.

In Round 3 on Friday, Rob Beyma accepted the bye and the number 2 and 3 seeds Larry Lingle and Marty Musella squared off. Larry outbid Marty 8 to 5 and got the PAA. The game ended fairly quickly. Larry made an aggressive
counterattack from the Quatre Bras heights but got DRs in both attacks. (Been there!). Marty immediately counterattacked and got a DE. A demoralized PAA commander surrendered (done that!). If the PAA had not gotten retreats on his attacks, the French would not have been able to mount a viable counterattack.

Rob and Marty arrived early Saturday evening for the championship game. Rob bid low (A3) to Marty's A6 bid to get the French. Rob had grown tired of playing the PAA side (having played the PAA in nine out of his last ten tournament games). Rob announced to the small crowd before the game that this would be his last Waterloo game and that he wanted to go out playing the French.

The first day started slowly as the French maneuvered significant forces to the flanks. Early on the 17th the French forced the Samme river near the west edge and the French cavalry turned the PAA flank near Wavre. The action was back and forth on the Quatre Bras front. The French right closed to the Lasne river late in the day on the 17th. Despite an initial 2:1 superiority, a run of poor die rolls and Allied reinforcements eventually resulted in the annihilation of this force. While the "Little Bighorn" was going on, the French Nivelles and Quatre Bras forces linked up and began pushing towards Mont St Jean. Sensing that the battle was turning against them and that time was running out, the French made an all out attack on the PAA center on the June 18/3pm turn. A big DE on a 3-1 vs 13 factors broke open the Allied line. The French reached Mont St Jean on the 7pm turn just before the IV corps arrived. Desperate 1-1 and 2-1 PAA counterattacks failed and the game was over.

The extra 7pm turn continues to balance Waterloo as the French won four of the nine games played. Waterloo is one of the best old classics. The game plays quickly, there is a lot of maneuver and combat, and both sides get to attack and defend.

 GM      Rob Beyma  [1st Year]   109 Brentwood Circle, Pocomoke, MD 21851
    RobBeyma@aol.com   NA

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