barbarossa to berlin [Updated October 2004]  

2004 WBC Report  

 2005 Status: pending December Membership Century Vote

Steven Brooks, FL

2004 Champion

2nd: Tom Gregorio, PA

3rd: Nicholas Pei, CA

4th: Ted Raicer, NY

5th: Geoff Allbutt, ONT

6th: -

Event History
2003    Nicholas Pei     34
2004    Steven Brooks     10

WAM Event History
2004    Tom Gregorio     11


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 Laurels
Rank Name

From

Last
Total
1.  Tom Gregorio

PA

04
63
 2. Nicholas Pei

CA

04
62
 3.  Steve Brooks

FL

04
48
 4. Nick Anner

NY

03
30
 5. Raynald Foret

France

03
20
 6. Bob Heinzman

FL

04
12
 7. David Dockter

MN

03
10
 8. Ted Raicer

NY

04
  9
 9. Charlie Hickok

PA

04
  9
10. Geoff Allbutt

ONT

04
  6
11. James Pei

TX

04
  5

Past Winners

Nicholas Pei - CA
2003
 


Barbarossa to Berlin (BtB) - A - Thon

2004 saw a major drop-off in participation in this event. We had ten players competing over three preliminary rounds, setting up an elimination bracket of four people. When all the cards had fallen, all the dice lay still, all the counters been put back in their bags, Steven Brooks defeated Tom Gregorio to be named the 2004 champion. All games in this year's tournament were played using the full game, and chess clocks helped keep people moving on time.

Tom remembers the final game as follows: "My final match was against Steven Brooks for the championship. Steve had the Axis at +1 VP. I believe I had the game well in hand until a disasterous oversight of mine cost my Allies the game. It was 1942 and the Brits were rolling the Axis back in North Africa. The Germans were already on the defensive in Russia and the Red Army was present in strength. Like a fool, I eliminated PAA near the Egyptian/Libyan border. I then landed Torch and pressed up to Tunis. At the end of the turn, Steve rebuilt PAA in Tripoli and at the beginning of the next turn, he cut off my forces surrounding Tunis. PAA then proceeded to move West, even though it, in turn, became OOS, and he eliminated my beachheads. At the end of the turn, Algeria was cleared and my Allies were in trouble. The Russians pushed hard but could never get over the 'attrition hump' that would wear down the Wehrmacht. The final straw was Overlord not showing until Winter 45 (I recycled it on turn 6 or 7), at which point I surrendered. The game was probably already lost long before then but I was hoping for a big defensive mistake. This was the third time, I believe, I've played Steve FTF and I've also gotten in a PBEM match with him too. Always a tough competitor, he's also a gracious winner and I learned more than a few little tricks from him."

The GM seconds Tom's praise of Steve's graciousness; all competitors in this year's tournament were more than cooperative. Three of them even had the chance to beat the GM, who amassed an unenviable 0-3 record! Nicholas Pei, the defending Champion of this and seemingly every other CDW game in sight, placed third, defeating designer Ted Raicer at his own game in the final round.

Designer Ted Raicer must be wondering what he has wraught - sitting opposite Mr. CDW himself, James Pei.

The players--and others who have played in previous years--and GM believe that this game needs a tournament scenario, based on the 1942-43 struggles on the Eastern Front; this scenario would last three hours or so. Efforts are being made to accomplish this for next year's tournament, trying to draw a bigger field of competitors in 2005. I will be unavailble to GM in Lancaster next year so another volunteer is needed if BTB is to continue as an event at WBC.

 GM      William Cooper [1st Year]   NA
   billcoop4th@nac.net   NA

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