the whole nine yards ...
This year ( 2002 ) was the first year for the For the People
WBC Tournament to feature the full campaign game. Going 'full
campaign' also doubled the length of the tournament to two full
days for any gamers looking to place (and pick up some GMT loot)
and/or enjoy two full days of great FTP (I suspect both, a completive
crowd it was), and two and a half days for the finalist. Some
concern was expressed before the tournament that participation
may drop given the two and a half days. Concerns that went for
naught, as FTP participation saw a 40% attendance increase from
the previous year.
The
bidding focused on the SW level needed by the Yanks to achieve
an automatic victory, however, with the Rebs winning 74% of all
games by doubling the Yank SW, the bidding mattered little other
than allowing the side that wanted the Rebs the most to get it.
29 games were played. From the 27 record sheets that were
returned it was:
Total ( CSA \ USA )
1st Rnd: 9 (7\2)
2nd Rnd: 8 (6\2)
3rd Rnd: 5 (3\2)
4th Rnd: 4 (3\1)
5th Rnd: 1 (1\0)
Afterwards David Dockter came up with what I think is an excellent
bidding system; bid reinforcements with a max of 2SP per turn,
such as:
Gamer A bids : CSA 6 rein.
Gamer B bids : USA 1 rein.
Gamer A had the highest bid so he gets the CSA and gives 6
rein to the USA. Since Gamer B bid for the USA, his bid is subtracted
from the CSA bid, netting 5SP as additional reinforcements (had
Gamer B bid, say CSA 2, then Gamer A would get the CSA and give
the full 6SP rein to the USA).
Therefore the USA will receive the 5SP on:
turn 2 20SP
turn 3 2SP
turn 4 19SP.
Good system, it'll work.
2002 used the v2.2 rules with the one campaign card optional
rule. Most gamers polled for next year hope to see the v2.4 rules
with no optional rules as the default version. (If opponents
want to use an optional that is their decision).
The final game had defending
champion James Pei as the Rebs against the GM's Union. The Rebs
used Extreme discipline to keep and hold 110SW in hopes of Foreign
Intervention. This meant converting all border states and not
building the AoNV until after Lee arrived and after having AS
Johnston pull a hari kari. The Yanks did not get a Blockade card
or enough 3OPS cards to threaten Richmond to halt the Reb SW
climb. The Yanks did have other opportunities though that did
not pan out, letting a Rebel SW reduction card go by not as an
event and a failed 'ambush' by a 15SP Army versus Dover. Did
get the Emancipation though, but not enough to bring the SW below
110 against the Rebs determined play to not lose a single SW.
Above, champion James Pei defends his crown
against the game's designer, Mark Herman (right).
2002 PBeM Tournament
Stefan Mecay of Texas proved the best of a field of 46 in
winning the second BPA PBeM tournament of For The People.
Other laurelists were:
2nd: Baron August, PA
3rd: James Pei, VA
4th: Mark Giddings, NY
5th: Tim Hughes, UK
6th: Paul Risner, FL
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