This was the inaugural year for GMT's Brandywine and thirteen players participated. The designer provided additional prizes for the top three finishers, (Revolutionary era collectibles.) The field was highly competitive and all players came away satisfied with the experience.

There were six first round matches. Jeff Lange, one of the Assistant GM's, drew a bye through random chance. Every one of these matches was won by the British player. This was particularly interesting since much of the pre-tournament discussion seemed to suggest that the British have a distinct advantage. It should also be noted that all elimination rounds used the "Tournament Scenario."

Lt. Col. (ret.) Don Hanle defeated Matt Miller [substantial], Byron Stingley defeated Assistant GM Mike Nagel [substantial], Peter Perla defeated John Leggat [substantial], Jonathan Miller defeated Mark van Roekel [marginal], Stuart Smart defeated Cliff Hansen [marginal], and Mark Miklos, (GM and designer), defeated Ed Walsh [marginal]. As a footnote, Cliff Hansen went on to win the other game in GMT's Revolutionary War Series, Saratoga.

Sides were decided by bid. The original time frame of three hours was expanded to four by concensus. In the discussion that ensued it was felt that in next year's competition the early rounds should be limited to one of the single front scenarios for quicker play: 'Knyphausen's Feint' or 'Howe's Flank Attack.' The 'Tournament Scenario' could then be used in the semi-final
since it requires action on two fronts.

Mr. Perla dropped out, despite his victory, to participate in another tournament leaving an even six players for the quarter final. An interesting thing now happened. The American players won two of the three quarter final matches.

Miklos, as the British, defeated Stuart Smart with a turn 9 substantial victory. Jeff Lange, as the Americans, defeated Jonathan Miller [marginal], while Byron Stingley, as the Americans, defeated Lt. Col. Hanle [marginal].

Another random bye saw Stingley sit out as Miklos and Lange met in the semi-final. At the 1999 WBC these same two protagonists met in a deciding semi-final in Saratoga that was a real nail biter and went down to the wire with Miklos advancing. Both players were well aware of this history as they prepared to do battle over the gentle hills around Brandywine Creek.

Lange's British maneuvered for the double impulse that never came. Miklos deftly responded to threats along the creek and played a 'fire and fall back' strategy on the right flank. A time or two the Americans buckled but they never broke. Since the players were both the GM and an Assistant GM, it put the other Assistant GM, Mike Nagel, in an unwelcome position as the
clock ticked down. In the end, however, adjudication was not necessary. Miklos' Americans won a marginal in a hard fought match that brought honor to victor as well as vanquished.

That set up the final between Miklos and Byron Stingley. It was nearly midnight by this time so the finalists decided to meet later during the Con to finish the contest. It ended up being Friday night, in fact, before the final match was played.

They met at 10:30 PM across the big 4' x 6' GMT Demonstration Game Set. The 'Full Battle Scenario' was used and Miklos accepted Stingley's bid of three vp's to be the British. Miklos' Americans withdrew Maxwell's detachment back across the creek, losing only Lady Washington's Horse in the process. What followed was a series of limited and uncoordinated attacks by British regiments trying to establish a bridghead over the Brandywine. Stingley tried the American left at Rocky Hill first, then shifted his assault to the area around the secondary fords. When that also failed he attempted to force the middle of the creek under cover of the heavy woods there. Even when he was able to throw a unit or two over, Miklos' Americans used the
interior lines provided by Creek Road to respond to each threat. A unit forced to Retreat across non-ford Brandywine hexsides becomes Disrupted. This happened to attacking British regiments often.

Meanwhile, Miklos staged all of Stirling's and Stephen's brigades as well as several of Sullivan's regiments and a portion of Greene's arriving reinforcements to respond to Cornwallis' flank attack. Miklos paid one vp to the British to release Sullivan's wing on turn 5. A timely double march and the use of a cavalry screen enabled the Americans to form up on Birmingham heights in good order. Cornwallis chose not to spend three points of Army Morale to gain initiative on turn 6 and to give his arriving column two extra mp's because the fighting along the creek had, by then, caused British Army Morale to become fatigued while the American Morale remained high.

The Americans stood along the heights to receive one assault and then slowly began to refuse their left and give ground. The British along the creek were massing for a final big push. Seeing this, the Americans disengaged from Cornwallis and fell back. Again a double march helped them put real distance between themselves and the British who had to burn mp's scaling the high ground.

In the end, the big push led to no more than a further drop in British Army Morale. It was waivering, (5), while the American's Army Morale was still high, (19). With half a turn to go, Stingley surrendered to assure a marginal defeat rather than risk a substantial one. The final point tally was 14 1/2 for the Americans, (3 for the bid, 4 for captures, 6 for
eliminations, and 1 1/2 for damaged units), to 8 for the British, (3 for captures, 4 for eliminations, and 1 for Sullivan's release.)

In terms of play balance the British ended up with seven wins and the Americans with four, but those four came late. All elimination games played after the first round were completed within the allotted three hours and the final was finished in a
managible five and 1/2 hours, (10:30 PM to 4:00 AM.)