circus maximus [Updated October 2004]  

 2004 WBC Report  

 2005 Status: pending 2005 GM commitment

Scott Sirianna, NY

2004 Champion

2nd: Josh Githens, SC

3rd: Thomas Saal, MI

4th: Frank Sinigaglio, NJ

5th: Matthew Beach, MD

6th: Mike Hazel, SC

Event History
1991    Tim Flanigan        54
1992    Jeff Barnum        67
1993    Barry Smith        35
1994    Mike Stanley        47
1995    Mike Pantaleano        72
1996    Bruce Monnin        64
1997    John Jacoby        72
1998    Mike Stanley        84
1999    Frank Sinigaglio       74
2000    Mike Stanley       85
2001    Steve Katz       76
2002    Steve Katz       71
2003    Tom Saal     103
2004    Scott Sirianna       87


Offsite links:

AREA Ratings

boardgamegeek

Recommended:

 Laurels
Rank Name

From

Last
Total
 1. Steve Katz

VA

02
144
 2. Tom Saal

MI

04
120
 3. Anthony Musella

VA

03
  78
 4. Bill Beckman

SC

03
  72
 5. Frank Sinigaglio

NJ

04
  68
 6.  Scott Sirianna

NY

04
  60
 7. Mike Stanley

OH

00
  60
 8. Josh Githens

SC

04
  54
 9. Charles Goodwin

OH

00
  42
10. Carl Walling

PA

02
  38
11. Bill Edwards

VA

03
  34
12. Tim Dolan

NJ

02
  24
13. Alfred Wong

IL

01
  18
14. Mike Hazel

SC

04
  18
15. Mark Love

MD

99
  15
16. Matthew Beach

MD

04
  12
17. Bret Mingo

MD

03
  12
18. John Tighe

NJ

02
  12
19. David Weinstein

NY

03
    6
20. Francis Spencer

MD

02
    6
21. Carl Sykes

SC

01
    6
22. Mike Fisher

PA

99
    5

Past Winners

1991: Tim Flanigan - IA
1992: Jeff Barnum - MI
1995: Mike Pantaleano - DE

Barry Smith - NY
1993

Mike Stanley - OH
1994, 1998, 2000

Bruce Monnin - OH
1996

John Jacoby - VA
1997

Frank Sinigaglio - NJ
1999

Steve Katz - VA
2001-2002

Tom Saal - MI
2003
       
 


blood amongst the kisses

A sweet aspect of John Jacoby's Circus Maximus event is that he rewards the first driver into each turn with a Hershey's Kiss. The candies replace the dolphins which were upturned in the Roman Colosseum to record the number of laps run.

Best Quote of the Tournament: "There is no honor among heavies ... and precious little among mediums and lights either".

The crowded field of 16 in the final meant that there was a preponderance of heavies (11) in the race. In the second turn, Brown was trapped behnd a solid wall of chariots and was forced to sideslip and burn his endurance while advancing only two spaces, in effect losing a turn. There were wounded zebra, white, purple and yellow horses as well as a totally dead camel, and carts with spokes missing (green 5, black 1, gold 4) by the end of turn 3.

By the fifth turn the leopard (2), purple (5), yellow (2), gator (4) and blue (1) horses took more damage. Blue (3) and zebra (4) wheels took more hits. Even worse for brown, his driver modifier went down due to a critical hit wound. Things looked bleak for brown.

Turn 6 was eventful when yellow pulled the lion driver (16th) from her chariot on a roll of 2 on the Critical Hits table. The zebra chariot took 6 wheel damage and flipped (15th). Green flipped and began an endurance contest to see how long a driver could survive while being dragged. The leopard, purple and black horses were slowed by hits. The unmarked tiger chariot had a nine-space lead on a limping blue as the field started to strong out.

By turn 9, the tigers of defending champion Tom Saal had a 17-space lead on blue who, in turn, was 18 ahead of the rest of the field. The leopard and purple heavies, slowed by damage, lay in wait for the leaders to lap them. The rhinos, followed by blue, seeing the tigers over half a lap ahead, withdrew for 14th and 13th place.

And then things got ugly! Brown attacked gold's wheels and sustained two damage to his own while flipping gold with four wheel damage (12th). Green (what was left of him) finally succombed from being dragged (11th) while the gators took down a bear horse.

By turn 11, the tigers, with a speed of 21, have a 40 length lead over yellow, but leopard and purple lie in wait just before the last curve. On turn 13 the tigers make a tactical error that was to cost him dearly. He moved to the outer wall instead of remaining in the 24 lane. The leopard chariot pulled in front and breaked his remaining speed. Purple then pulled alongside and attempted to lash the driver into the wall. For the next three turns this trio moved one space with the tigers and purple exchanging lashing attacks hoping to swerve the other. Each lost and recovered a whip in this exchange.

While the leader was being thus entertained, the white horses took four more hits, Blue died (10th), and Brown pulled up on the wall just outside the 8 lane with Yellow trailing by two.

On turn 17, Brown went through the 8 lane at nine over. Yellow, attempting to catch Brown, went through the 12 lane, six over. He flipped and was on his way to body surfing to the finish line. The Bears lashed both the Camels and the gators and ran both out of endurance. The Camels thus flip when their chit is drawn, being 1 over the limit with 0 endurance.

Turn 19 decides the race. Purple's lashing of his horses is not enough to catch either Yellow or Brown. Purple withdrew (9th). Brown, having never whipped his horses for more than two, whips them again for two spaces and finishes three spaces ahead of Yellow whose horses pull him across the finish line in second with one hit remaining on his abused body.

Two more horses had to die before 3rd thru 6th places are decided.

The race proved the value of persistence. Brown raced for 15 years before taking home wood. He lost a turn by being blocked on the second turn. Two other drivers, well ahead of him, withdrew because the Tiger chariot was so far ahead and he lost a driver modifier early in the race. Like the famous race between the tortoise and the hare, this one didn't go to the swift.

Next year Circus Maximus will cut back to just three heats with up to five races per heat in an attempt to thin the number of chariots per race and thus create faster races. This will allow a Friday final.



Ben Hvr Junior

Ok ... so it isn't Circus Maximus. Close enuff ... chariot racing has returned to the World Boardgaming Championships Junior room this year in the form of Pete Perla's BEN HVR. Speedier turns and conflict resolution made it an ideal Junior Event for 23 charioteers driving their ponies to glory.

No worries that the event is lacking player interaction. Cameron Graff was early Road Kill. Kaleigh Jaeger won a special Vicious Charioteer award for her talent in lashing other drivers into losing control and flipping their chariots. She narrowed the field by one-third-taking out Hannah Navolis and Heather Lange-yet still failed to overtake first-time attendee Anna Marion, who ended up finishing second in the tournament.

BEN HVR is all about managing your horses' endurance. Brian Pappas threw that admonition to the wind. He stayed at speed 7 (losing one endurance chip per turn) until Lap 4 when he was out of endurance and flipped while trying to Reign In. His fellow charioteers "helped" him out by smashing him flat on the track. In the same race, Jacob Hebner headed to the inside early and kept his lead throughout the game.

Lissa Rennert clearly has a way with chariots-she won the last Circus Maximus Junior event, despite being one of the youngest players there, following up by making it to the BEN HVR final this year. In that final, she consistently sped through curves over the safe speed, despite the risk. She just kept Waving at the Crowd (and her fellow charioteers).

When asked if she wanted to slow down for a curve, she looked quizzical and said, "Why? I always roll 5 or 6." She was right until almost the last when she failed, giving Daniel Long the chance to take the win. Anna Marion hit the wall early in the final, losing most of her endurance, despite slowing down to gain it back, she managed to take second. Other finalists were:

3rd: Lissa Rennert

4th: Jacob Hebner

5th: David Pack

6th: Callie Hood

A special thanks to Pete Perla who lent his expertise to children at one table in the preliminary round. Additional thanks go to Jesse Sinigaglio and Kathy Stroh who acted as assistants. Without such individuals willing to sacrifice their time, we would all lose the opportunity to bring talented young gamers into the hobby.

 GM     John M. Jacoby [6th year] 102 Deerwood Rd., Charlottesville, VA 22911
   NA NA

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