war of 1812 [Updated October 2004]  

2004 WBC Report     

 2005 Status: pending 2005 GM commitment

Matt Calkins, VA

2004 Champion

2nd: David Metzger, NY

3rd: Nick Benedict, CA

4th: Justin Thompson, VA

5th: Richard Moyer, MN

6th: James Kramer, PA

Event History
1999    Robert Mull     22
2000    Charles Hickok     26
2001    David Metzger     20
2002    David Metzger     21
2003    David Metzger     26
2004    Matt Calkins     35

Block Party History
2004    Rick Young     13


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AREA Ratings

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 Laurels
Rank Name

From

Last
Total
 1. David Metzger

NY

04
90
 2.  Matt Calkins

VA

04
52
 3. Phil Barcafer

PA

02
32
 4. Charlie Hickok

PA

00
32
 5. George Young

VT

03
24
 6. Nick Benedict

CA

04
16
 7. Michael Sims

IN

02
15
 8. Justin Thompson

VA

04
12
 9. Dennis Culhane

PA

01
12
10. Robert Mull

CO

99
10
11. Richard Moyer

MN

04
  8
12. John Poniske

PA

03
  8
13. David Norquist

DC

02
  8
14. Jon Price

NJ

01
  6
15. John Teixera

VA

00
  6
16. James Kramer

PA

04
  4
17. Rick Young

NC

03
  4
18. Michael Nagel

NJ

02
  4
19. Nick Markevich

CA

01
  4
20. Ric Manns

IN

99
  4
21. Karsten Engelmann

PA

00
  3
22. John Metzger

PA

99
  3
23. Scott Bowling

IN

03
  2
24. John Wetherall

PA

02
  2
25. James Reidy

IN

99
  2
26. Gordon Clay

VA

99
  1

Past Winners

Robert Mull - CO
1999

Charles Hickok - PA
2000

David Metzger - VA
2001-2003
 


Blocks Bursting in Air ...

The '04 rendition of War of 1812 saw a 35% increase in players. We had to move to the Valley Ballroom due to the increase - fortunately already set up for the cons use the following day and available unexpectedly for overflows on Tuesday night. We had 35 players play in the three round Swiss-Elimination tourney. Players were allowed to bid VP's to play the Americans. There were few bids but the average was a bid of 1 with a high bid of 3. Most players did not bid for either side even though the last few years the Americans have held an advantage at both the WBC and the BPA Block Party.

I guess they knew more than we thought because this year the British had the advantage with 18 wins. Of those wins, eight came in the 1814 year. British play also included six rare wins in the 1812 year. The US ended the tourney with 16 wins, seven of those in the 1812 year. The Americans were also able to win four games that went the distance of 1814. There were six draws for the entire tourney and it seems that most players would prefer that we drop the draw for next year's tourney. [Other GMs please take note ... draws are usually not acceptable in a tournament setting.]

The following report is from the '04 champ Matt Calkins as he defeated three-time defending champ David Metzger. David conducted himself as a class champion for the last three years and is a credit to the hobby!

In the final, Matt Calkins paid 1 VP for the Americans. It was a rematch of last year's final. The American draw was superior, with an average value of 3.0 vs 2.7 for the British. The US set up a strong attack in the eastern region, and put two blocks in Detroit to keep the Indians out of the war. Britain played symmetrically, with an opposite strong force in the East, and a couple of blocks on the western extreme. America began by rushing the dragoon to Detroit on a double move. (Last year in the final, David's Brits overran Matt's American's western front and with the help of the Indian dominated that whole end of the board throughout the game.) Seeing the western odds tipped against him 3-2, the British commander retreated his blocks and set the Lake Erie fleet to water.

On the eastern shore of Lake Ontario, another game of feint and bluff was proceeding in parallel. Two large armies stared across the border in Sacket's Harbor and Kingston. The Americans moved first, rushing eastwards in an attempt to take Montreal. Twice the British pre-empted them, however, and managed to consolidate their forces into a well-defended position. America responded by force marching an army from Albany to Kingston (over two moves), taking advantage of the absence of British troops to claim an important city on the cheap.

A sea battle was fought at even odds in Lake Ontario, won by the Americans. Meanwhile the British had recovered from an initially defensive posture to claim Lake Champlain.

The end of the first year drawing close, the board stood as follows: Americans owned two of the three lakes, had a five-point foothold in Amherstburg and Kingston, and a two-army advantage in pieces. (A nine-pt edge, which is not quite enough to win.) The American army waited on Montreal's doorstep, threatening a fight or a quick dispersion that could claim perhaps three victory points without a struggle. The final initiative roll would be critical for both sides, particularly the British. America won it, and asked that Britain move first. If the Montreal force stayed concentrated, the US could disperse and snatch enough victory points to win. If it dispersed, the US could charge Montreal and win four points (and the game) in one location. The British chose a risky move (but the best option available) which if successful would prolong the game until 1813. They tried a double force march, the dragoon all the way to Sacket's Harbor, and a regular army to Plattsburg. If both worked they'd claim five victory points and prevent the US from winning regardless of what happened in Montreal. Only one force march succeeded, however, setting up America's inevitable final move: an invasion of Montreal.

America attacked, and with good luck in the Canadian crossing got all 22 strength points into Montreal. Britain defended with 16. The battle dice favored the Americans, and their edge grew with each round. The game ended on the last turn of 1812 with a British concession, Matt's third wood, and the end of David's three-year reign in this event.

 GM      Ric Manns  [5th Year]   NA 
    ricmanns@c3bb.com   NA

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