Emery Wins Fire In The Lake Championship!

Greetings again Fire in the Lake (FIL) fanatics! FIL returned once more to WBC tournament competition this year. And here’s the report from the quagmire for the fourth (and most likely last) WBC FIL tournament!

The 2025 WBC FIL tournament opened a total of 4 enthusiastic combatants who came to “smell the napalm.” The first Heat used the Tournament Deck B. In that first Heat, the following 30 cards were played in the order indicated by the combatants: Binh Duong #116, General Lansdale #78, Masher/White Wing #99, Long Tan #98, Westmoreland #95, Domino Theory #82, Oriskany #39, Operation Starlite #24, Annam #76, Ia Drang #44, Plei Mei #59, M-48 Patton #14, Coup Round-Nguyen Van Thieu SA-2s #34, McNamara Line #38, CIDG #81, Main Force Bns #104, ADSID #7, Aces #6, Walt Rostow #90, Nguyen Huu Tho #109, Da Nang #22, 559th Transport Group #46, Combined Action Platoons #18, Cu Chi #102, USAID #85, Honolulu Conference #64, Mandate of Heaven #86, MACV #69, and Coup Round-Failed Attempt #129.

John Emery (an FIL tournament veteran) as the US garnered the win with 51 VPs (+1 Margin) with Dan Elkins (new to the FIL tournament) as the NVA coming in a close second with 18 VPs (+0 Margin). They were followed by John Vasilakos (also an FIL tournament veteran) as the VC in third with 27 VPs (-8 Margin), and Billy Fellin (another newcomer to the FIL tournament) coming in fourth as the ARVN with 41 VPs (-9 Margin).

In the second Heat using Tournament Deck A, there was only one table of 2 players: John Vasilakos playing for both COIN factions (ARVN and US); and Dan Elkins playing for both insurgent factions (VC and NVA). In that second Heat, the following 19 cards were played in the following order: SA-2S #34, Wild Weasels #5, Rach Ba Rai #100, Operation Attleboro #23, Vo Nguyen Glap #56, Nguyen Chanh Thi #87, ROKs #70, Great Society #73, Coup Round-Nguyen Cao Ky #127, 559th Transport Group #46, Sappers #53, Da Nang #22, TF-116 Riverines #23, Chu Luc #47, Tam Chau #59, Annam #76, Coup Round-Nguyen Van Thieu #128, Walt Rostow #90, and Main Force Bns #104.

The second Heat ended with the Main Force Bns card when the NVA of Dan’s insurgent duo reached 21 VPs (+3 Margin). Unfortunately for Dan, the VC of his insurgent duo, scored only 19 VPs (-16 Margin). That allowed John Vasilakos’ COIN duo comprising the US with VPs 48 (-8 Margin) and ARVN with 38 VPs (-12 Margin) to garner the win in the second Heat by having the highest Margin for his lower scoring ARVN faction.

Because only 4 entrants showed up Friday to contest for control of the “hearts and minds” of Vietnam using the Medium Scenario, the FIL tournament proceeded immediately to the Final. Our first Heat winner, John Emery, took control of the VC. His insurgent compatriot was Dan Elkins as the NVA. Our second heat winner, John Vasilakos, took the ARVN. His COIN ally was Billy Fellin, representing the US. In the Final, the following cards were played in the order indicated: Cambodian Civil War #62, International Unrest #57, Phoenix Program #27, Agent Orange #111, Ruff Puff #113, US Press Corps #120, Lam Son #719, My Lai #119, Phang Quang Dan #88, Bombing Pause #41, Rand #52, Tet Offensive #124, Peace Talks #3, and Coup Round-Nguyen Van Thieu #128.

For the first time in Final in FIL tournament history, victory was achieved by the first Coup Round! Veteran John Emery’s VC secured that win and first place laurels with 38 VPs (+2 Margin). John would also become the fifth different champion of the FIL tournament. His insurgent partner, Dan Elkins’ NVA, was not far behind in second place with 18 VPs (-1 Margin). John Vasilakosas’ ARVN came in third with 35 VPs (-16 Margin) while his COIN ally, Billy Fellin’s US, was in fourth with 26 VPs (-25 Margin). All finalists received Vietnam-based books for their valiant efforts.

As noted earlier, the “math” strongly suggests this is very likely the final FIL tournament in its storied history at WBC. While somewhat saddened by this realization, it’s been my humble pleasure to be the GM for all four FIL tournaments. Of all the COIN games (and there are many), FIL has certainly been the most active entrant at the WBC. And as a former playtester, I’m also pleased to see FIL still being enjoyed in “open gaming” which speaks loudly for how good this game is. Finally, many thanks to all of you that came to “smell the napalm” in those five FIL tournaments over the past decade!