battleline   

Updated Nov. 23, 2013

2013 WBC Report  

  2014 Status: pending December 2013 Membership Trial Vote

Sean McCulloch, OH

2011-13 Champion

Event History
2001    Peter Staab     54
2002    Kevin Youells     36
2003    Ken Gutermuth     44
2004     Arthur Field     44
2005     Arthur Field     48 
2006     Thomas Browne     52
2007    Bruce Reiff     40
2008     Bruce Reiff     45
2009    Bruce Reiff     40
2010    Bruce Reiff     48
2011    Sean McCulloch     40
2012    Sean McCulloch     36
2013    Sean McCulloch     40

 Laurels

Rank  Name              From  Last  Total
  1.  Bruce Reiff        OH    11     97
  2.  Sean McCulloch     OH    13     84
  3.  Arthur Field       SC    09     52
  4.  Aaron Fuegi        MA    12     46
  5.  Kevin Youells      FL    10     36
  6.  Ken Gutermuth      TX    05     36
  7.  Barrington Beavis  uk    11     30
  8.  Peter Staab        PA    01     30
  9.  Chris Yaure        PA    11     22
 10.  Jason Levine       NY    10     20
 11.  Thomas Browne      PA    06     20
 12.  Jonathan Miller    DC    02     18
 13.  John Leggat        CA    01     18
 14.  James Tyne         NJ    07     18
 15.  Kate Taillon       SC    09     16
 16.  Samantha Berk      OH    13     12
 17.  Brad Raszewski     MD    13     12
 18.  Jeff Mullet        OH    12     12
 19.  Bill Banks         KY    07     12
 20.  Mike Nagel         NJ    05     12
 21.  Andrew Cummins     uk    01     12
 22.  Cliff Ackman       PA    01      9
 23.  Steve Raszewski    PA    12      8
 24.  Gordon Rodgers     PA    12      8
 25.  Eric Filipkowski   MD    11      8
 26.  Craig Melton       VA    10      8
 27.  Greg Kulp          NJ    07      8
 28.  Keith Schoose      CA    05      8
 29.  Michael Sosa       FL    13      6
 30.  Austin Walzl       VA    08      6
 31.  Andy Latto         MA    06      6
 32.  Richard Irving     CA    04      6
 33.  Carol Caler        PA    03      6
 34.  Kaarin Engelmann   VA    01      6
 35.  David Rennert      MD    13      4
 36.  Doug Galullo       MD    12      4
 37.  Rob Kircher        RI    11      4
 38.  Rob Kilroy         PA    10      4
 39.  Eric Kleist        MD    08      4
 40.  Alan Kaiser        OH    06      4
 41.  Stuart Tucker      MD    04      4
 42.  Lance Fogel        PA    03      3
 43.  Gordon Elgart      CA    01      3
 44.  Matthew McCracken  PA    13      2
 45.  Joseph Yaure       PA    09      2
 46.  David Burkey       PA    08      2
 47.  Mike Stanley       OH    06      2
 48.  Tom Powell-Bullock OH    05      2
 49.  Laurie Wojtaszcyk  NY    04      2

2013 Laurelists                                                 Repeating Laurelists:

Samantha Berk, PA
2nd

Brad Raszewski, MD
3rd

Michael Sosa, FL
4th

David Rennert, MD
5th

Matthew McCracken, PA
6th


Past Winners

Peter Staab, PA
2001

Kevin Youells, FL
2002

Ken Gutermuth, TX
2003

Arthur Field, SC
2004-05

Tom Browne, PA
2006

Bruce Reiff, OH
2007-10

Sean McCulloch, OH
2011-13
     

Jordan Shea's 3-0 record was blemished by Brad Raszewski in the quarterfinals.

Matthew McCracken's 3-game win streak is ended by Samantha Berk in the quarterfinals.

Three Down, One to Go ...

Battle Line maintained its usual following with 40 entrants again this year. If you've never played this game, you should. It has remarkable depth for a quick play card game.

In Pod 1 defending champ Sean McCulloch made short work of Gordon Rogers, Lyman Moquin and Jessica Brown.

In Pod 2 Aaron Fuegi had breakthroughs against Henry Rice, Ashley Kilroy and Missy Richards. However, Aaron had a Titan event with a higher priority and chose to be our only winner not to advance.

In Pods 3 and 4 a three-way tie breaker was required for Chris Kalambacher to edge John Schoose, Michael Powers and Derek Pulhamus while Dave Rennert did the same over Rob Kilroy, Jim Fardette and Walter Hnatiw.

In Pod 5 fate (and the random draw) put Lisa Gutermuth into my foursome and just like last year if Lisa could beat her final opponent Chris Yaure, while I beat Stuart Tucker, I would advance on a head to head tiebreaker against Lisa. Just like last year, she lost and sent Chris Yaure to the next round leaving yours truly shut out again. Way to go, Dukee!

In Pod 6 Samantha Berk rolled over Kevin Wojtaszazyk, Chase Johnson and Steve Raszewski while the youngest Shea family member, Jordan, did the same over regulars Barrington Beavis, Bob Hamel and Mike Stanley 'Tools' in Pod 7.

In Pod 8 Michael Sosa made his triumphal return and advanced on a head to head tie breaker over Aran Warszawski. Cabbie Tony Raimo and Phil Rennert went no further.

In Pod 9 Matthew McCracken went 3-0 over Laura Dewalt, Luke Heinz and John Sharp who joined to make an even 40 but was too busy admiring his VIP plaque to pay much attention).

In the last pod Brad Raszewski held up the honor of his family and went 3-0 over Joe Yaure, Kevin Cantwell and Owen Kyrollos.

That gave us nine finalists for single elimination play. Michael Sosa and Chris Kalmbacher were selected at random from the four 2-1 qualifiers for a play-in game, allowing Michael to join the elite eight. The quarterfinal matches were Rennert vs McCulloch, Shea vs Raszewski, Berk vs McCraken and Yaure vs the twice-tested Sosa.

McCulloch, Raszewski, Berk and the now thrice victorious Sosa all advanced leaving the defending champion an overwhelming favorite at this point. Only Brad had previous laurels in this event and he was not long in contention. Sadly, Brad was unable to knock off the defending champ and Michael ran out of gas against the fair Samantha. This created a Final between two-time defending champ, big hulking meanie and general all around scoundrel Sean McCulloch, vs the sweetling. Sadly, good did not triumph over evil and the rogue beat up on a young girl to win his third Battle Line plaque in a row -- apparently the ONLY thing that he can win anymore. But does he have one more left in him to match my own record? Can he go even further and catch the mighty Pei's current streak of five consecutive title defenses and counting? Tune in next year for the exciting conclusion.

The Knizia card game is wargame-lite with Euro components, length and simplicity.

The finalists have at it in a classic battle of brawn and beauty. Alas, beauty didn't win.
 GM      Bruce Reiff  [10th Year]  NA
    BDReiff@aol.com   NA

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