Meconi Wins Gettysburg

Five-time champion Vince Meconi prevailed over five-time champion Richard Beyma to win his record setting 6th championship. However, it had been quite a dry spell for Vince as his last previous win was in 2003. Richard had prevailed in 4 of the last 5 years.

Preliminary games were played Saturday through Friday. The top 6 finishers in order were Vince Meconi (52 points), Greg Smith (48 points), Richard Beyma (44 points), Jim Tracy (40 points), Ed Menzel (34 points) and Mark Gutfreund (27 points).

In one semifinal, Richard took the Rebels with a bid of 20.5 versus Greg. The CSA ground forward on the first day, driving the Federals off Culps Hill and Cemetery Hill. On the night turn the Union set up its defenses on the I row. But the CSA continued the war of attrition into the third day before the Union surrendered.

In the other semifinal, Vince Meconi took the CSA with a bid of 18.5 versus Jim Tracy. On the first Rebel turn, Heth attacked at 5-3, took a double step loss and tossed the chit. From there on the Union could not get a favorable die roll. The CSA took Culps Hill and Cemetery Hill by Turn 7. The Union started off Day 2 in poor position but had only lost four factors. However, Turns 9, 10 and 11 were all CSA, as the Union suffered eight double flips in a row killing 20 factors and flipping 6 other units. Jim resigned his hopeless position on T11.

In the championship match, Richard took the Rebs for 20.5. On T9, he tossed the chit on a +3 attack when it came up a double flip for the CSA. Fighting continued through Day 2, as the Union was able to stave off an Automatic Victory by the Rebs because of the 20.5 bid. The fighting resumed on Day 3 with the luck see sawing back and forth including trading the chit. On T19 the Union got the chit and got some good luck on attacks flipping CSA infantry stacks. They won by a score of 66.5 to 44 – a hard-fought game by two veteran players.

Best Confederate player was the champion, Vince Meconi at 3-0. Greg Smith took top honors with the Union and a record of 4-2.

Nineteen entrants played thirty-two games – both up slightly from last year. The South won 18, the North 14. The Campaign game was played in 23 of the 32 games; there were nine Day 1 scenario games with the Union winning 7. Bids for the CSA ranged from 0 to 21.5. Average game length this year was 3 hours 43 minutes.

Thanks to Bill Morse his invaluable computerized scoring. Thanks to Assistant Gamemasters Richard Beyma/Greg Smith and to Vince Meconi for computing all the statistics.