war of the ring [Updated October 2006]  

2006 WBC Report  

 2007 Status: pending 2007 GM commitment

Phil Rennert, MD

2006 Champion

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Event History
2006    Phil Rennert     21

 Laurels

Rank  Name              From  Last  Total
  1.  Phil Rennert       MD    06     30
  2.  Chris Trimmer      TX    06     18
  3.  David Pack         CO    06     12
  4.  Nick Anner         NY    06      9
  5.  Dick Jarvinen      OR    06      6
  6.  Mary Ellen Powers  VA    06      3

2006 Laurelists

Chris Trimmer, TX
2nd

David Pack, CO
3rd

Nick Anner, NY
4th

Dick Jarvinen, OR
5th

Mary Ellen Powers, VA
6th


Fantasy Flight's War of the Ring is an impressive looking game that drew more than an occasional glance from passers by. The event did well for a first time trial with no publisher presence at WBC.

Doug Mercer (left) and Scott Moll get in some practise in Open Gaming before the tournament. One wonders if plastic components such as these will become les of a rarity at WBC's of the future.

More Plastic Pieces ...

One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. So it was that Mordor had the last word in the successful and well enjoyed War of the Ring tournament in 2006. Champion Phil Rennert also achieved notoriety as the best shadow player of the tournament, with four of his five wins achieved by shadow military victories.

Bidding was used to determine sides, with one player bidding the length of the corruption track for the right to be the shadow player, and the other player having the option to accept or increase the bid. Bids ranged from 11 to 13, showing that there is no consensus as to which side is favored. Both finalists were strong shadow players (though both had won as the Free peoples against tough opponents) and it was probably the winner of the bid that determined the victor.

21 hobbits played in a three-round Swiss preliminary, where 23 games were played, ten in Round one, seven in Round 2, and because of the possibility of up to two 2-1 players advancing we got six games to go during Round 3. Two undefeated players and two of the six 2-1 players advanced to the semis where David Pack took on Phil Rennart and Chris Trimmer paired with me.

Chris played a great game as the fellowship, hanging in there turn after turn while my shadow military victory came close to winning for three consecutive turns. Finally, there were no more orcs left to throw in the fire and the ring was dunked easily with the 13 bid not being challenged in the hunt while the eye was focused on military victory.

David Pack proved to be very aggressive and competent with the Free Peoples military, scoring a military victory and coming very close (having two shadow strongholds but not holding them) in his semi-final. In the 26 games played, there were two free people's military victories, which I think shows the strength of the field as they should be about that rare.

Many thanks to all the players in the tournament who both took it seriously, yet played with a sportsmanlike sense of passion for the game's topic. Cackling and maniacal laughing was occasionally heard amongst shadow army players, and well received by free peoples opponents who maybe got a better sense of the drama involved in the game's story.

 GM     Nick Anner (1st Year)  NA  
    nanner@medaille.edu   NA

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