a pox on multi-player ...
In the unfamiliar surrounding of the Lancaster Host on Tuesday
at 6pm we got started on the first round of the all Campaign
Game NW2 tourney.
Round #1 Tuesday 6pm
17 players split into six tables - five tables of three and a
single table of two. In just about the only short game of the
entire event, Geoff Allbutt reported that he had scored an automatic
victory with the French by conquering Britain and having the
extra keys needed. This is pretty unusual and we congratulated
Geoff on his good fortune. Then lightning struck twice with Ken
Gutermuth achieving the same feat also on the first turn. I was
beginning to think we would see shorter games than in previous
years. However, this was not to be.
While less dramatic, the other four games were hard fought
with the last game finishing around 2am (eight hours of playing
time) with Scott Moll emerging victorious after a roller coaster
five-turn game. The returning champion clinched the game by conquering
France, edging out Lance Roberts as Britain. John Emery had his
chance early but was eventually overwhelmed by the allied onslaught
when the tide turned. The other games had gone three to five
turns and the pattern of long games was set.
Round #2 Wednesday 10:00am
With five players remaining we played a 3- and a 2-player to
ensure a 2-player final. Both games went the distance - five
turns of 8+ hour games. Geoff Allbutt emerged victorious as Britain
proving that Britain can win in the 3-player version and Lane
Hess eventually wore down Scott Moll's French to take the other
Final slot.. Both games were close with great play on all sides
leading to victory rolls of 6 which were repeatedly missed.
Final
Geoff Allbutt (Coalition) vs Lane Hess (France)
In an epic 5-turn game spanning nine hours, lunch was skipped,
then dinner postponed in order to decide the fate of Europe.
Eventually, Geoff wore down the French. The peace die rolls show
that Lane had a shot on the first turn but kept it close through
the rest of the game. I am grateful to Geoff for the following
highlights.
Turn 1: France on 5-6, Europe Exhausted.
Strong push to Vienna/Salzburg/Zagreb by Davout. Lisbon falls.
Lannes routed in the south, Charles pushes forward to Marseilles,
French forces come in behind and cut him off from Venice.
French & Spanish fleets defeated in Cadiz (2xFr, 4xSp) by
British (lost 3xBr). Large British naval construction program
started.
Turn 2: Coalition on a 6
Davout destroyed by rout at Salzburg. Austro-Russians advance
to Munich.
Charles chased from Marseilles to Rome by French reinforcements.
Full Soult battlegroup defeated by 1one British unit in Rome,
allows Charles to escape by boat from Naples back to Venice.
Rome/Naples falls, Ireland revolts.
End of turn 2 Prussia joins the Coalition, grabs border keys.
Turn 3: Coalition on a 5-6
Irish revolt suppressed. Prussia pushed back to Neutral. Lots
of points on Diplomatic chart over Prussia, little movement in
fronts. Napoleon is defeated twice (routed once) in/near Munich.
Austro-Russians advance to Milan. Russian attack on Rome is
completely exterminated.
Britain lands in Spain, captures Granada.
Turn 4: Coalition on a 5-6
Prussia joins the French, only to have Scarce Forage played,
puts 20 Prussian, 10 French, 6 Russian in regroup.
Lots of maneuvering on the Prussian-Russian borders, by scratch
forces. Napoleon drives a wedge between Russian & Austrian
forces near Munich.
Wellington is routed by Spanish forces, while driving towards
Madrid.
Sweden (on coalition side) declares war on Denmark and conquers
Norway.
Turn 5:
Napoleon manages to destroy central Russian & Austrian forces
piecemeal after they were divided. A scramble occurs as Russians
try to scrape up enough forces to cover Vienna and Russo-Prussian
border. Turkey joins the Coalition and provides forces to hold
Vienna, as Napoleon surges forward to liberate Munich, Salzburg,
Zagreb. Final attack on Vienna fails. Wellington is reinforced,
and the new army starts fort cracking, captures three forts in
quick succession, followed by Madrid (after failed intercept)
for the Spanish conquest.
Final score: Coalition +6 VPs, French +2 VPs
Thanks to all who played, I'm looking forward to next year
and will keep everything the same format and schedule.
See you in 2006.
2005 PBeM Tournament
After 34 games and 64 players, the ACTS tourney of 3-player
Nappy is now complete. In the last game the France of Steve Pleva
continued her sweep of all the semifinal games into the Final
by beating the Coalition (Pete Reese as Britain and Tasos Tsoufis
as Austria/Russia. The final score after Turn 4 was: France +6
= Dublin + Lisbon + Naples + Salzburg + Venice + SPAIN + TURKEY
- Budapest; Britain -2 = SWEDEN - Dublin - Lisbon - Naples; Austria/Russia
0 = +KEY + Budapest - Salzburg - Venice".
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Roy Gibson [2nd Year]
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