Bill Morse's computer printouts keep all the grognard preliminary scores current.	Four-time champ Robert Frisby loses to eventual champ John Popiden who claimed his third title in five years.

In this year's Final, John Popiden's Germans defeated Bill Borys.  Popiden prevailed as the Germans against Borys in both the 2004 and 2006 Finals.  The tide turned against the Soviets on Turn 4 when the Germans assaulted the Soviet main line of defense a few hexes west and northwest of Smolensk.  The German GD panzer grenadier regiment overran two untried Soviet rifle divisions in a forest hex northwest of Smolensk.  Each division was a 0-0-6, which enabled several German divisions to penetrate the Soviet line.  Soviet counterattacks failed to stop the German panzer spearheads from moving south to threaten Smolensk from the east.  Having bid 49 VPs for the Germans, and with the Soviets having yielded 15 VPs by taking 10 SW reinforcements, Popiden did not need to take any VP hexes other than Smolensk to win.  With mounting Soviet losses and Smolensk sure to fall within a few turns, the Soviets conceded on Turn 7.
 
In his semi-final match, Popiden's Soviets defeated Robert Frisby.  Frisby prevailed as the Germans against Popiden in the 2005 Final, and Popiden defeated Frisby in the 2004 quarter-final and the 2006 semi-final.  On Turn 5, the Germans penetrated the Soviet main line of defense west of Smolensk through aggressive overruns but lost two panzer divisions in 1-2 overruns.  The weakened German forces proved unable to completely surround Smolensk or take any VP hexes east of Smolensk.  Their offensive stalled, and having bid 61 VPs and taken heavy losses, the Germans conceded on Turn 10.
 
In his semi-final match, Borys' Soviets defeated Jeff Hacker.  Although the Germans penetrated the Soviet line near Roslavl, the Soviet line held firm near Smolensk.  Facing supply problems in the south and with little chance of taking Smolensk, the Germans conceded.
 
This year we resumed our earlier practice of bidding VPs to play the Germans.  This seemed to improve play balance, with the Germans winning only half the 18 games played -- a lower percentage than in years past.  The bids ranged from 45 to 65.  Eight players bid 60 to 65 to play the Germans, and the Germans won five of eight.  Five players bid 50 to 56 to play the Germans, and the Germans won two of five.  Five players bid 45 to 49 to play the Germans, and the Germans won two of five.  We will likely retain the bidding system next year.

This year's tournament featured a repeat of the previous event and perennial combatants John Popiden and Jim Tracy again met in the semi final. 

John and Jim fought a evenly contested game that was described by one combatant as   "...a real dogfight".  By Turn 9 Jim cut off all the Soviet units defending the area around Smolensk. Smolensk itself was defended by five rifle divisions who could not be reinforced but were in command. The Germans lost two motorized divisions in overruns. So Jim had a difficult challenge to gain the needed additional victory points after capturing Smolensk. By Turn 12 however - German units were in the Soviet rear and Jim won as the Germans with 79 points. A critical Russian mistake resulted in a lone Panzer division running amok in the rear and capturing the two 20 VP hexes on the edge of the board toward Moscow on the final movement point in the German Mech phase of the last turn.

Tracy vs Frisby: Frisby once again made it to the Final but had a relatively easy time by defeating Stewart, Kaye and Meyers on the way to the second straight Final that last time around saw him lose to Popiden. This time he faced Jim Tracy, and both players have played each other many times in person at the WBC. The following was an edited Sit Rep that recalled the Final....

Situation Report to Army Group Center   4 Jul 1941 (Turn 1)
The Soviets have deployed the 13th Army on a line between Mogilev and Orsha.  The 20th Army has been deployed in depth along the Orsha Smolensk highway, Vitebsk is undefended.  The Germans moved three Pz and two motorized divisions just north and parallel to the Orsha Smolensk highway which the Soviet 20th army has decided to defend.

SitRep to Army Group Center  6 Jul 1941  (Turn 2)
Recon units found a gap between 20th Army and what looks to be the Main Line of Resistance (MLR) for the 19th and 16th Soviet Armies defending to the northwest of Smolensk down to the Dnepr and on past Smolnesk.   I have ordered three of my five divisions to pin the 20th Army in place and sent a Panzer and Motorized Division to exploit the gap.  Overnight the Soviets have slipped a couple of mechanized divisions to complete the line.  My two divisions easily smashed through and are now encircling the 20th and 13th Armies.  

SitRep to Army Group Center 8 Jul 1941  (Turn 3)
The leading elements of Army Group Center have successfully surrounded the 20th and 13th Soviet Armies and the rest of my armored elements have come up during the night. We have now completely destroyed these two armies except for a few divisions holding desperetley onto the crossroads.

SitRep to Army Group Center 10 Jul 1941  (Turn 4)
Today I probed the bend in the Soviet MLR and into the outskirts of Smolensk.  Soviet resistence has stiffened and held up under pressure.  Will probe the line tomorrow.

SitRep to Army Group Center 12 Jul 1941 (Turn 5)
Lehr and GD were lost to operational status today while probing the Soviet MLR.  Found a potential week spot and have all of my armored units up in anticipation of a breakthrough.  Attempted to overrun the Soivet position between the bend and Smolensk and disrupted the defending units. (1-2 overrun), pushed DR behind the bend in the Soviet line cutting them off and successfully overran them also.  These overruns allowed me to push through to the second line and attack it in force with a combined Infantry and Armor assault.  

SitRep to Army Group Center 16 Jul 1941  (Turn 7)
Finished destroying 24 Soviet Rifle divisions and three more HQs from the Smolensk pocket.  I have now concentrated my armor for an assault on the next Soviet line of defense.   My units have been engaged for 14 days straight now.  Vyazma is just beyond the next Soviet line.  I will begin my assalut on the 17th of Jul.

SitRep to Army Group Center 18 Jul 1941  (Turn 8)
Great news to report!  I have assaulted the Soviet MLR and found another hole in the line and will continue on towards Vyazma.  I have the opportunity to take Yel'nya as defending units have been pushed back and we can just drive into town.  

SitRep to Army Group Center 18 Jul 1941  (Turn 9)
I still have supply problems which limits my thrust towards Vyazma. However I have punched another huge hole in the Soviet line and even with my leading elements running out of supply I have encircled Vyazma and am now looking towards Kaluga and the road north of Kaluga.

By turn 10 - the results were a forgone conclusion and Frisby graciously conceded to Tracy who can now claim the wood.

Over 80% of the games played resulted in a German victory. There has been great discussion among the elite PGG players as to what can be done to resolve this for the next PBeM tournament that has yet to be scheduled. Currently - in the hope that the new edition of PGG is ready to roll out of the L2 warehouse, the next PBeM tournament is waiting for the publication date for revised PGG.

Full details are available at http://armchair-warrior.tripod.com/id2.html Contact jeff.lange@mac.com