CLASSICS IRON MAN 2000
This year's Classic Iron Man is Doug James, who managed to
best a strong field of CIM aspirants, including his 28 direct
opponents in The Russian Campaign. Unlike last year, this
year's multi-event winners failed to compile enough points to
surpass the value of winning the biggest CIM event (TRC). Thirteen
Iron Men scored points in more than one event, and three of them
scored in three events. Rob Beyma, who was second in TRC, fell
short of the championship, due to the low draw of entrants in
Waterloo and 1776, allowing him to grab only 4th
overall in the CIM standings. Robert Frisby won two events, but
Fortess Europa and Panzergruppe Guderian
were too small to generate enough points to beat James, leaving
Frisby in Second overall, and among the Top Twelve for both years.
Last year's champion, Bruno Sinigaglio, was the only other player
to repeat a Top Twelve finish, scoring in three events again,
but failing to win any wood this year. Robert Ryan's victory
in Anzio, the second-most valuable CIM event, garnered
him 3rd place overall, though he failed to score in any other
CIM event. Fifth place went to Randy Heller, who won Africa
Korps and was fourth in Bulge. Once again last to
report its final, Panzerblitz yielded Bill Scott 40 points
and Sixth overall. Winning two small CIM events and placing second
in a third event, Bruce Reiff made the Top Twelve this year,
scoring an 8th place tie with 30 points.
In order to score CIM points, an entrant had to reach the
top four of the constituent events (91 entrants managed to score
at least once this year - a drop of three from 1999).
Top Twelve Classics Iron Men
Place |
Entrant |
Points |
Events Scored |
1999 Finish |
1st |
Doug James |
73 |
TRC |
- |
2nd |
Robert Frisby |
64 |
FSE, PGG |
7th |
3rd |
Robert Ryan |
60 |
ANZ |
15th |
4th |
Rob Beyma |
57 |
WAT, TRC, 776 |
15th |
5th |
Randy Heller |
45 |
AFK, B81 |
5th |
6th |
Bill Scott |
40 |
PZB |
- |
7th |
Bruno Sinigaglio |
38 |
B81, AFK, 776 |
1st |
8th |
Bruce Reiff |
30 |
CDT, SMG, OW2 |
- |
9th |
Harry Flawd |
30 |
PDT |
17th |
10th |
Steve Likevich |
30 |
ANZ |
- |
11th |
Mike Pacheco |
27 |
SQL |
- |
12th |
Steve Packwood |
27 |
776 |
13th |
CIM Events
The 27 constituent events had 498 entrants in 2000, 7.8% above
1999's 28 events (Main Battle Tank was not offered in
2000). Fifteen of the events grew, while eleven shrank and one
remained the same. This growth outpaced the improvement of 1999
over 1998 entrants. The largest growth happened in Anzio
and Stock Market Guru (which doubled in size) and returned
to the Century. Other events to grow 50% or more were non-wargames:
Facts in Five, Auction and Paydirt--partly
due to an influx of youth and partly due to favorable scheduling.
Events in serious decline are: Turning Point Stalingrad,
Waterloo, Civil War, Origins of WW II, Battle
of the Bulge '81 and Storm Over Arnhem. Ten events
failed to draw 16 entrants.
Steady growth of The Russian Campaign event's size
means that it now yields more than 10% of the total CIM points
available. It is approaching the popularity/length criteria for
becoming an "excluded event"; with further growth it
may no longer fit in the Classics Iron Man Championship, given
that its points weigh so heavily in the trophy hunt. Of course,
if the other CIM events can manage to grow as well, then this
weighting problem won't exist.
Most Valuable Events |
CIM Points |
TRC |
145 |
ANZ |
120 |
AFK |
80 |
PZB |
80 |
FSE |
64 |
PGG |
64 |
PDT |
60 |
776 |
54 |
SQL |
54 |
WAT |
50 |
G88 |
48 |
B81 |
40 |
|