Keywood Cheeves, Bill Burch, Dennis Nicholson and Ken Richards contest a board in the Heats.	Scott Fenn, Henry Russell and Phil Barcafer assess their position. Henry would go on to win it all.
Pat Duffy, Matt Russell, Peter Gurneau and Jim Castonguay man a Preliminary game.	Fred Schachter, Ed Rothenheber, Bruce Young, Eugene Hourany and Dorian Key form for battle.

The 5-Player version continues to attract a solid corps of veterans as well as new gamers - including a young lady, for the first time at WBC, the niece of a former champion (and that player, Tracy Casselberry, a novice, even made it into the semi-finals).

The French won just under half (eight) of the18 games played over four days.  There were four British and three Austrian victories, one Russian win and two Prussian wins - and the later two were both substantial, hard-won late game victories.

Of all the games played, one - and one player - deserves very special mention.  Jesse Boomer had a tough first year as France.  Playing against four other veterans, all of them ranged against France, it was obvious after Turn 1 that France was not going to win - but Jesse refused to quit.  France was invaded on Turn 2 - Jesse threw them back.  The Allies came again on Turn 3 and Jesse held on.  Turn 4, in they came again - his back to the wall, in a battle with more than 40 dice on a side - Jesse held - and routed the coalition attacking Paris!

THREE times the Allies came at Paris - and THREE times he sent them packing.  Reduced to literally ONLY Paris, Jesse fought on!

The game went the full five turns, with Jesse battling every step of the way.  Although he came in last, Jesse's epic defense earned him the "gamemaster's choice" award as an alternate in the Final where he walked away with the fifth place plaque.

There were many good games - with French armies seen in London and Moscow, Napoleon taking Gibraltar, Russians at the gates of Constantinople and Turkish armies attacking Paris (as part of a grand army led by their Prussian overlords no less).

The final game was a bit unusual.  It demonstrated the flexibility of the system, how important a role diplomacy and personalities can play - and how not every game need follow the traditional historical path of The Napoleonic Wars.  What follows is the after-action report by a player in that game, Lane Hess, who as Austria came in second and was given the title "back-stabbing weasel" by his original allies - a title, by the way, Lane bears with pride.

The year is 1805.  Davout marches from Lorraine to Linz backed up by Napoleon in Ratisbon.  Russia counters the move by advancing both Kutuzov and   Bagration to Moravia making any battle at Vienna a dangerous gamble.  Lannes crosses the Alps to join Massena in the south and their grand army moves into Venice.  Nelson wins the battle of Trafalgar and is rewarded with Admiralty. The new English wealth buys them Swedish and Turkish allies; however, Gustavus dies and Sweden breaks the alliance. Britain begins negotiations with the new government in Sweden and Russia considers taking Finland.  Prussia plays Papal Bull and Flags Rome then begins to seek allies in Sweden and Denmark.  In return for a promise of neutrality in 1807 Prussia receives a political non interference pact from France. 1806 ends with relatively little bloodshed; however, Europe is poised for a very large war.  Most of it will be waged in  Austria and perhaps Spain.  England is very strong.  Prussia is Neutral.   Russia's goals are unknown, however, their most likely course is a march on Munich and perhaps a war with Sweden.

Austria changes camps.

France returns all gains in Austria and promises military aide for 1807-08.  Austria promises to attack the Turks and peacefully escort the Russians back to their homeland.  France  deploys Napoleon to Spain and sieges Lisbon and  Gibraltar.  Charles Sieges Belgrade and then deploys to Banat to keep a wary eye on the Russians.  Prussia pacts Sweden and rallies more troops.   England tries to maintain a foothold in Portugal and spends most of the time trying to defeat the   Anglo-American war.  The turn ends with a successful Russian grand army attack upon Austrian and French forces at Lublin.  This Russian invasion firmly cements the Austrians in the Imperial camp.

Napoleon redeploys to Krakow to maintain the status quo.  Wellington moves to the southern coast of  England.  Russia deploys in Grodno. 

The 1809 turn begins with an Austrian/Spanish advance to Kiev, however they are soon thrown back to Zhitomir.  The Turks mass a large grande-army and attack Austria at Belgrade, routing Charles and claiming a resource. Davout and Ferdinand retake Lublin from the Russians and wisely return it to Austria. 

1810 begins with lots of posturing but very few battles.  Austria  rebuilds her armies and leaders while suffering repeated Sieges on Belgrade.  Europe is exhausted but the war seems to go on without end.  Austria refuses to spend resources to prolong the war and despite Russian and English contributions to the war effort, peace breaks out in1811.  France wins.

Lane Hess and Scott Fenn, the last two champs, share the board with Harry Theodore, Tracey Casselberry and James Boyle	The finalists do battle one more time. Once again the title avoids John Emery, the only Greenville Mafia member to make the Final.