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Joe Angiolillo vs Steve Packwood |
Robert Frisby vs Bill Riggs |
Another Grognard Classic
In 2011 the GM for Waterloo set two objectives. The first
objective was to ensure that this timeless classic retained its
Century position in the list of games enjoyed by many at the
WBC. The other was to evaluate two minor rule changes concerning
Prussian & Anglo-Allied (PAA) stacking and attack coordination.
These rule modifications were instituted to fine tune the play
balance so as to make the PAA play slightly more challenging
and revive a heightened sense of competitiveness in game play.
The GM based this decision on his observations and evaluations
of tournament play spanning the last 16 years along with discussions
with most of the veteran players who have been competing in this
game for over 40 years. In addition, the prohibitions governing
Prussian and British units stacking in the same hex or combining
to attack the same French unit historically reflect the lack
of tactical coordination between the British and Prussian armies
during the Waterloo campaign.
The future looks bright as both objectives were seemingly
achieved! With 25 players, the most in recent memory, and with
an average game playing time of 5+ hours, Waterloo will,
almost certainly, be included in the Century list for the 2012
WBC. Likewise, the two rule modifications will be retained for
next year since the general consensus among Waterloo players
was that the modifications did make PAA play a tad more difficult.
This supports the play balance statistics which show that the
PAA side was winning slightly more games than the French side.
Waterloo in 2011 witnessed a continuing trend where
several of the participants were returning veteran players who
had not played the game for many years. Two of the semi-finalists
were repeats from last year who joined perennial contender Richard
Beyma and Tim Miller, another experienced player. These four
grognards, succeeded in eliminating a large pool of veteran players
most of whom had been semi-finalists in previous tournaments.
Semi-final #1 featured returning semi-finalist Ray "The
Rapacious" Clark paired against Tim "The Terrible"
Miller. In Semi-final #2 the number 1 seed, defending champ Richard
"Beyma the Younger" was pitted against Joe "The
Anvil" Angiolillo, also a repeat semi-finalist from last
year.
Ray Clark assumed command of the French legions while Tim
Miller prepared the defensive positions for the combined PAA
armies in Semi-final #1. The French opening was quite traditional
with a cavalry heavy force moving toward Nivelle while the bulk
of the French army advanced toward Quatre Bras from the east
with a threat to advance down the Tilly to Wavre corridor. All
of the combat on 16 June in fact took place on the Nivelle and
Tilly fronts with a large number of exchanges, several important
D back 2 results sparing French divisions while annoying the
PAA commander. French attacks at 7 PM featured the first major
assaults against the Quatre Bras defenses highlighted by an exchange
of the Imperial Guard artillery (an 8-4) for a Prussian infantry
division (a 6-4). Supporting French attacks also took place in
front of Nivelle and at Tilly. By the end of the day the overall
resultant loss ratio favored Ray's French. Holding the initiative,
Ray's French resumed offensive operations at 7 AM on 17 June
near Tilly where a large Prussian infantry division was destroyed
in heavy fighting. Tim's British forces commenced a slow withdrawal
through Nivelle covered by sacrificial cavalry brigades and he
mirrored this activity retreating from Quatre Bras at the same
time. Throughout 17 June Tim only initiated two counterattacks
along his entire front while Ray's French launched major attacks
almost every turn forcing the PAA back toward Mont St. Jean.
When coupled with the automatic victories over the PAA rearguard
delaying units, the results allowed the French to gain a very
favorable loss ratio by the end of 17 June. Also, by this time
Tim's depleted PAA forces had little maneuver room and were forced
to defend both roads off the north edge of the board as separate
battles. Consequently, Ray could mass the bulk of the French
Army against one of these forces and he succeeded in overwhelming
the eastern force near the secondary road. With the secondary
road to Brussels open to French movement and the resultant PAA
defections, Tim realized his cause was lost and offered his sword
in surrender to Ray. (GM note: Tim's prolific use of delaying
units early in the game had a negative impact on his play in
the later stages of the contest). This game was characterized
by very methodical movement and carefully executed attacks by
both players resulting in an extended play period. Both players
were commended for their high quality play and excellent positioning
of forces. It should be noted that both of these players possess
the skills to continue to be serious contenders for the championship
in the coming years.
Semi-final #2 repeated the 2010 semi-final match-up but with
a reversal of side played with Joe Angiolillo taking command
of the French while Richard Beyma directed the combined PAA armies.
(GM note: Richard, a formidable player with either side, is especially
so when commanding the PAA side). Like most veteran players,
Joe opened the game with the French forces advancing on three
axes; a cavalry and infantry force towards Nivelle, an infantry
heavy force toward Quatre Bras, and another joint infantry and
cavalry force down the right flank heading toward Wavre. Richard
responded by sending a large Prussian infantry division and two
supporting cavalry divisions to reinforce the British at Nivelle.
On the other flank he deployed light covering forces on the road
to Wavre while the bulk of the Prussian army massively defended
the heights near Quatre Bras to prevent an early French 2 to
1 attack. All three of Joe's columns advanced cautiously since
he had no previous experience against Richard playing the PAA
side. All of the rest of 16 June was characterized by a continuing
methodical French advance on all three sectors with their cavalry
approaching the Dyle - Thil river junction on the French right
flank and minor skirmishing at Nivelle. Richard's defense was
based on delaying south of Nivelle, defending the heights at
Quatre Bras and maintaining screening forces along the Dyle and
Thil rivers. This defense was anchored with a large reserve force
positioned halfway between Quatre Bras and Nivelle and able to
move to the sector that was in the greatest jeopardy. This game
of maneuver suddenly ended at 9 AM on 17 June (Turn 9) when Joe
launched a massive assault against the heights at Quatre Bras
attacking five large Prussian infantry divisions in a series
of 2-1 and 1-1 attacks. If the French obtained any favorable
results (D elim or Defender back 2) the resulting French advance
after combat would isolate some of the Prussian units and make
a counterattack very difficult. However, of the five attacks,
none received the desired French result - instead suffering two
Attacker back 2, an exchange, and an Attacker eliminated. Richards's
defense was unfazed. The next turn Joe again threw the cream
of the French army against the heights hoping that better combat
results must surely occur. In this series of seven attacks, Joe
achieved slightly better results with two Defender elims, two
exchanges, two Attacker elims, and one Attacker back 2. Sensing
a chance for an early PAA victory, Richard ruthlessly counterattacked
and pummeled the French forces racking up a commanding 35 factor
advantage in the casualty count by the end of the turn. Joe claimed
at this point that Napoleon was complaining about his hemorrhoids
and flung everybody available in now desperate low odds attacks
hoping for a series of miracle rolls. That did not occur and
with the casualty count now 71 factors in Richard's favor, Joe
abandoned the field - clearing the way for Richard to move to
the championship game. (GM note: The new 10- sided die combat
results table [CRT] makes a 2- 1 attack more attractive to some
players and can produce dramatic results as evidenced by this
year's championship game).
In the Final, Richard's PAA confronted Ray's French in what
turned out to be one of the closest championship games of the
last five years. Ray employed a traditional opening but reinforced
the columns heading for Nivelle with additional French cavalry
divisions. Richard responded with his usual massive defense of
the Quatre Bras heights with two large Prussian infantry divisions
in each hilltop hex denying early French 2-1 assaults. Ray's
French columns continued their advance to battle and he pushed
the mass of cavalry on his left flank threatening the river line
near the road to Braine le Compte. At this stage of the game
the French army was arrayed across the entire width of the board
from west to east - road to Braine le Compte through Nivelle
to the Quatre Bras heights and over to the Thil river. Richard
adjusted his force dispositions in response by shifting a reinforced
Prussian corps toward the Dyle/Thil river junction, another corps
defending the Quatre Bras heights and the III Prussian corps(-)
in strategic reserve halfway between Quatre Bras and Nivelle.
Battle was joined at 5 PM on 16 June on the French far left flank
as Ray's cavalry tried to force the river defending the road
to Braine le Compte with an immediate British counterattack to
hold the river line. The French cavalry was not to be denied
and they continued their assaults on the next turn and succeeded
in pushing across the river. However this became a "death
hex" since they had no where to retreat and the British
immediately attacked eventually destroying four cavalry divisions
including the vaunted Imperial Guard horse artillery. Meanwhile,
the main French effort was directed at the heights in front of
Quatre Bras where Ray launched two 2-1 assaults against the doubled
Prussian defenders with two supporting attacks. The French gained
an early advantage by forcing the Prussians from the heights
and not losing any factors in the supporting attacks. To compliment
this key assault Ray pushed several divisions down the primary
road east of Quatre Bras and into the Bors de Mez woods. Richard
counterattacked strongly near Quatre Bras and Ray responded with
his own counterattacks where he succeeded in killing two large
Prussian infantry divisions. These losses forced Richard to withdraw
behind the river at Genappe and he quickly reinforced this line
with troops from the Nivelle sector using cavalry to screen the
roads leading to the city. As the 16 June turn ended the loss
factors ratio stood at 54 PAA versus 33 French. (GM note: with
the favorable French loss ratio and their early penetration into
the center part of the board, Ray was in a very favorable position).
The morning of 17 June saw Ray clearing several delaying cavalry
brigades and pushing several divisions in a flanking march toward
Wavre while Richard adjusted his main defensive line near Genappe
to Nivelle. At 9 AM, Ray launched the bulk of the French army
into two gigantic assaults against doubled hill tops near Genappe.
The defending Prussian divisions fought to the last man and exacted
a heavy toll on the attacking French in the form of exchanges
to both assaults. Richard immediately counterattacked against
two French infantry divisions whose retreat path was blocked
by a river with the result being 38 French factors lost at a
cost of 12 PAA factors. Despite these critical losses, Ray's
French continued their advances on both flanks. This caused Richard
to withdraw from Genappe but he maneuvered to destroy another
French infantry division near Nivelle that again could not retreat
due to a blocking river hex. Throughout 17 June, Ray continued
his echelon to the right advance attempting to turn the Prussian
flank and force his way across the LaLasne River. Richard concentrated
the Prussian army southeast of Mont St. Jean while the British
army held the center of the board and harassed the French defending
forces destroying French cavalry 2-6s. This resulted in Richard
slowing increasing his advantage in the lost factors count which
now stood at 109 French factors lost versus 101 PAA factors lost.
As 18 June dawned Ray had succeeded in forcing a bridgehead over
the LaLasne River and he launched several major assaults to break
thru to the secondary road to Brussels. However, he rolled exchanges
in all of these major attacks and lost all of the supporting
soak-off attacks. Richard was much more successful with his inevitable
counterattacks and he suffered no PAA losses. With the Prussian
IV corps advancing toward the French rear and the way forward
blocked by the British army and a single surviving Prussian division,
Ray fled back to Paris to await his confinement on St. Helena.
Richard again repeated as the 2011 champion of Waterloo. This
was a hard fought game and Ray's early good luck pressured Richard
unlike many previous games. The exchange results in the hilltop
battles near Genappe were the critical battles of this exciting
game. Had Ray maneuvered a turn or two more to force Richard
to retire, the outcome may have been very different. Both players
are to be commended for their superb play during this tournament
and no doubt will be eager for a re-match next year. (GM note:
All expert Waterloo players are ever cognizant of the dire consequences
of leaving units in a position where they cannot retreat due
to blocking terrain. Ray suffered several losses in this game
because of this. I am confident that his future play will benefit
from the lessons he learned in this close fought contest).
The 2012 WBC will be a very special time for all current and
former Waterloo players as we will celebrate the game's
50th anniversary (copyright in 1962)! The GM was in his fourth
year of wargaming when Waterloo came out and it immediately vaulted
to the top as his favorite game. It is quite a testimony that
this game continues to attract a substantial following 50 years
after publication. Plans are underway to commemorate this true
classic and the GM strongly urges all former and current players
to visit next year, play a game, and spin a tall tale or two
of their past glories. Moreover, an invitation goes out to any
new players who desire a balanced, thought provoking, yet action
filled contest where your skill as a commander is more important
than the luck in your dice.
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Tim Miller vs Bill Morse as his French
close in on Waterloo with Bill Scott in the background. |
GM Marty Musella watches as Ray Clark
fails to unseat two-time defending champion Richard Beyma. |
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