PGG is perhaps the longest enduring of the SPI wargames despite little in the way of "eye candy"" graphics with the most basic of bland map and components.	Bill Borys (right) en route to a Final appearance. The Canadian has come close to the brass ring but never yet gone the route for Panzergruppe Guderian wood.

More Grognard Fare ...

This year the semi-final and Final rounds featured several memorable rematches from recent years.  In one semi-final match, John Popiden's Soviets defeated Robert Frisby.  Popiden's Germans had defeated Frisby in the second round in 2004, and Frisby's Germans returned the favor in the 2005 Final.  This year Frisby's Germans took the southern hex of Smolensk on Turn 4 when two zero defense units appeared there.  Although the Germans occupied four of the six hexes around the northern half of Smolensk, very skillful Soviet play and unfortunate die rolls prevented the Germans from taking the entire city.  Frisby conceded when it became apparent that his Germans would not have enough time to take Smolensk, Roslavl, or Yelna.  The other semi-final match featured Keith Schoose and Bill Borys.  Borys' Soviets had defeated Schoose in the 2004 semi-final.  This year Schoose's Germans seized Roslavl and Yelna, and were positioned to take Smolensk.  Effective Soviet counterattacks cut the German line of communications to Roslavl and Yelna.  Schoose conceded when it became apparent he would not be able to reopen communications to the two victory point cities.   
 
The 2006 Final was a rematch of the 2004 contest between Borys playing the Soviets and Popiden playing the Germans.  Popiden had prevailed in 2004 as the Germans.  Borys used the 13th and 20th Armies to slow the German advance so that he could build his main line of resistance (MLR) at Smolensk.  Facing a carefully prepared defensive line, the Germans began the attack on the MLR on Turn 3 and achieved some minor success just to the northeast of Smolensk. The Soviet player took more southwest reinforcements (all in all he took seven divisions and gave the Germans nine victory points).  So with the Germans having 29 points in hand, the game depended entirely on the battle for Smolensk. The Germans were able to find one MLR hex out of supply and make a deep penetration, cutting the rail line behind Smolensk and putting Smolensk in jeopardy. The Soviets began to assemble for a counter offensive and put several more divisions into Smolensk. With methodical play, the Germans proceeded to surround and then reduce Smolensk on Turn 7 despite a Soviet counterattack. On Turn 9, seeing German divisions shifting to attack toward a more lightly defended Roslavl, Borys conceded defeat. Popiden's victory marked the third straight German victory in the Final.
 
All of the players who responded to the GM's survey about the tournament format expressed a preference for the free form format used this year and last year to determine the four players who advance to the single elimination semi-final round.  Thus, we plan to continue with this format next year.  Among the experienced players, the Germans won about half of the games with 50 victory points needed to win.  It appears that requiring the Germans to obtain 50 victory points for a win ensures roughly equal play balance.

PANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN: John Popiden made a complete sweep of BPA honors for this game by adding the Email crown to his WBC victory as the Californian swept all comers in five rounds of this Single Elimination email tournament begun in 2005. He took the crown against regular WBC foe Robert Frisby as his successful 1-2 Overrun during the mechanized Phase of Turn 4 led to a major penetration of the Virginian's Soviet line. Other laurelists were Jim Tracy II, Forrest Metz, Mauro Faina and Larry Meyers.

Armchair warrior is proud to host the second BPA Sponsored "PGG PBEM Tournament". This single-elimination tournament will be used to crown a "Wood-worthy" PGG champion. The second PGG PBeM tournament is currently underway with 22 players including two from Italy, one from Poland, and a GM officiating from Japan in a truly international event. Full details are available at http://armchair-warrior.tripod.com/id2.html Contact jeff.lange@mac.com.