Chauvin Repeats!

2024 saw a bit of a changing of the guard when it comes to Through The Ages. It was the first Final played without Randy Buehler in about a decade, and only the 2nd Final without him since he first started coming to WBC in 2010. In addition, after winning 3 times in 4 years, Allan Jiang was defeated at the Final for the second year in a row by Carl Chauvin. (Carl’s win also allowed Randy to hold on to the all-time laurels lead over AJ, but just barely.)

In addition to defending champion Carl and 3-time champion AJ, the Final also included a renowned online player named Dominik Hothow who was making his WBC debut. (You can actually replay the full game in the TTA app by using spectator code: FASARERO.)

All players take a wonder in the initial draft and a leader on their first turn: Carl draws 1st seat gets Colosseum and Moses. Dom draws 2nd seat and starts with Library of Alexandria and Alexander. AJ draws 3rd seat and takes Acropolis and Boudica. Carl and Dom each take an early Iron for 2 civil actions, and AJ is left with the weakest economy and takes Masonry and Drama to set up a potential culture game. By the end of age I, Carl is in commanding position with 3 Iron mines, 4 Swordsmen with the Legion tactic, a Colosseum built, and a Great Wall under construction. Meanwhile, Dom has plenty of actions with Code of Laws and Monarchy, while AJ is trying to get some economy and culture from the Silk Road.

Carl gets a War over Technology from his first age II military draw, and immediately declares it on Dom, finishing the Great Wall and pushing to 17 strength in round 9. Dom responds by reaching for Cavalrymen and playing Phalanx, and Carl ends up stealing Code of Laws plus 1 science. Carl discovers Constitutional Monarchy and builds the Transcontinental Railroad the two next turns to take the lead in actions, economy, and strength. Dom spirals a bit, destroying his second farm and going into famine to keep within a defensible military range. Meanwhile, AJ catches a break, flipping Nobel for 3 civil actions and drawing Classic Army, but Rats forces him to destroy his 2nd philosopher early and Dark Ages costs him 4 science.

The first pacts of the game are offered and rejected in late age II into early age III: Dom rejects both sides of the Promise of Military Pact from AJ, while both Carl and AJ reject Scientific Cooperation from Dom. (Note: the Scientific Cooperation pact is an imbalanced and aggressive pact that should frequently be rejected.) By the end of age II, it's Carl's monster economy versus AJ's Theocracy culture push while Dom tries his best to stay afloat.

In early age III, Carl continues to build his engine by going with 3 Selective Breeding, 3 Scientific Method, and Bill Gates. AJ takes a Revolutionary Idea for 3 CA to make up for the Dark Ages, and this prevents him from taking Marlene Dietrich the following round. Dom has stabilized a bit, copying Classic Army, getting Air Forces, and stopping his famine with Mechanized Agriculture. Dom makes a Military Alliance with Carl and takes Dietrich, denying AJ his theatre combination. All that's left to determine is if Carl has a tactic and a war.

In the penultimate round, Carl plays a War over Culture against AJ and hits 87 strength with 2 antiquated Positional Armies plus Air Forces. Dom joins the war path, also warring AJ with 66 strength from 2 Classic Armies plus Air Forces. AJ disbands all his remaining mines and labs and is only able to make it to 64 strength from 3 Classic Armies. So, Carl steals 27 culture, and Dom steals 6 after Carl triggers the age II event other than Freedom of Movement. (In the other 50% chance, AJ wins the war versus Dom.)

We head into final scoring with Carl at 69 culture, AJ at 60, and Dom at 48. The impacts are relatively unimpactful, swinging the game by just 10 points. After adding in the Bill Gates bonus, the final score is Carl 147, AJ 122, Dom 114.

Congratulations to Carl Chauvin for winning the event for the second year in a row!