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.
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