Bodenheimer Sinks6 In Final Round to Capture Titlle!

Naval War 2025 used a Heat based tournament with 45 fleet commanders taking part in the 3 Heats. Game table assignments in each Heat were made through card selection. Each game winner would then be qualified to move on to the Semifinal. Each participant was offered a Naval War, IJN Yamato mug.

Heat 1: A total of 24 players signed in for Heat 1. Four games of 6-players were played.

Table A: A 5 round affair won by Jeff Lange Sr. (103 points). John Sharp also crossed the winner’s threshold with 79 points. Jeff amassed that score with a round 5 Destroyer Squadron (DD) taking down 6 ships with his die roll, scoring 61 points on the round. Of note, Jeff’s was the second DD played. Before that, 2018 champion Randall MacInnis had played the first DD only to have his last ship sunk by a PT boat before he could make use of the card.

Table B: A 4 round game with Erin Weir emerging victorious with 78 points.

Table C: Only went 3 rounds with Harry Flawd scoring 63 points in round 3 for a winning score of 84 points.

Table D: Another 5 round game won by Atlantic Storm GM Scott Nerney (79 points). Of note, in round 1, 2022 champion Karl Bodenheimer played both available DD cards with one surviving for 41 points in the round. Later in round 3 John Spinello’s DD play was almost back to him to use without a hit registered. The last player with a chance to stop its use, Dacey Collinson, called for a 16 inch 4 damage card pick and got it to eliminate the DD.

Heat 2: A total of 27 players signed in, including your GM, for heat 2, so this heat had 2 games of 6 players and 3 games of 5 players.

Table A: 6 players, went 4 rounds with Wade Fowble emerging victorious with 81 points.

Table B: 6 players with your GM here (finished last), went 4 rounds with Brian Goodwin victorious with 79 points just outpointing Doug Porterfield at 78 points. Along the way in round 3 Brian sank Yamato (9) by carrier strike and then Musashi (9) by PT boat shot.

Table C: 5 players was a 4 round game. Leon Sorge outpointed Rex Martin, 88 to 85 to gain the win. Robert Drozd also exceeded the 75 point threshold with 82 points. In the last round both DD squadrons got through. Leon’s roll of 2 sank a pair of 7 point BB’s. James Fleckenstein used the other DD to try and eliminate Leon but his roll of 3 left Leon with 2 surviving ships.

Table D: 5 players, only 3 rounds here, was won by Tom Meier with 90 points. During play Tom had 2 carriers score no hits in 8 attacks. Tom’s final score was boosted in the last round by gaining the +10 bonus for being the only survivor. Also, of note 2005 champion Bill Place scored 65 points in the first round of the game. His final score was 77 in spite of 2 fleet eliminations.

Table E: 5 players, 4 rounds, was won by 2022 champion Karl Bodenheimer with 91 points. At one point during the game, Karl scored 3 consecutive successful carrier strikes. Two other players, Ben Collinson Sr. (88 points) and Erik Rittenhouse (76 points) also exceeded the 75 point score.

Heat 3: A total of 22 players signed in for heat 3. The GM joins again. The heat consisted of 2 games of 6 players and 2 games of 5 players. As 4 previous heat winners wished to play again, the GM split them amongst the 4 tables Scott Nerney, Tom Meier, Wade Fowble, and Brian Goodwin. Each table was informed that if the previous heat winner bested the other players, second place would be deemed the qualifier for the Semifinal.

Table A 5 players, was a 4 round affair with 3 players exceeding 75 points. The victor was Roger Jarrett (109 points), followed by Scott Nerney (93 points) and Ewan McNay (90 points). There were two +10 survivor bonuses earned during the game, Ewan McNay in round 2 and Roger Jarrett in round 4.

Table B: 5 players, went 3 rounds with Steve Cameron, despite a final round fleet elimination, winning with 77 points.

Table C: 6 players (GM here), was a 4 round affair. Previous heat winner Wade Fowble had a high score of 100 points. In second place was Enemy in Sight GM Matt Evinger with 98 points, earning the Semifinal qualification. Incidentally, the GM finished last again.

Table d: 6 players, also went 3 rounds. Patrick Mirk overcame a no score result in round 2 to win the game with 87 points.

Semifinal: There were 13 qualifiers, minus 1 as Steve Cameron had to bow out due to filling in elsewhere for another GM. Only 11 players appeared for the Semifinal. Patrick Mirk was missing. The GM joined one of the games as an eliminator to balance the tables to 6 players each. I must not have been clear on the Semifinal time as Patrick appeared after the Semifinal. He called it a mistake on his part but I believe as the GM I should have made sure each qualifier had the Semifinal time straight. With me filling a slot, 2 games of 6 players were seated. From each game the top 3 scoring players would advance to the Final, excluding myself.

Table A: Players in order were (1) James Kramer, (2) Harry Flawd, (3) Karl Bodenheimer, (4) Matt Evinger, (5) Roger Jarrett and (6) Erin Weir. The game would go 4 rounds. Scores: (1) Erin Weir > 79, (2) Roger Jarrett > 62 (1 fleet elimination), (3) Karl Bodenheimer > 51 (1 fleet elimination), (4) Harry Flawd > 42, (5) James Kramer > 35 (1 fleet elimination, but not last this time), (6) Matt Evinger > 27 (1 fleet elimination). Of note, Erin was third before the last round, scoring 36 points to winTable B: Players in order were (1) Tom Meier, (2) Brian Goodwin, (3) Scott Nerney, (4) Jeff Lange Sr., (5) Wade Fowble and (6) Leon Sorge. The game went 5 rounds. Scores: (1) Jeff Lange Sr. > 97 (1 fleet elimination), (2) Scott Nerney > 71 (2 fleet eliminations), (3) Tom Meier > 67 (1 fleet elimination), (4) Wade Fowble > 56 (1 fleet elimination), (5) Leon Sorge > 55 (3 fleet eliminations), (6) Brian Goodwin > 49 (1 fleet elimination). Four players stood at more than 50 points going into the Final round. Three of them made it through to the Final.

Final:

The 6 finalists selected cards to determine seating order for the Final. Table positions were (1) Roger Jarrett, (2) Karl Bodenheimer, (3) Jeff Lange Sr., (4) Erin Weir, (5) Tom Meier and (6) Scott Nerney. Seat position 1 would deal to begin round 1 of the Final. The deal for subsequent rounds would be the leader, per standard game rules. The Final would be played to the 75 point score conclusion. Player round by round information follows.

• Round 1:
  • Roger’s starting fleet: Musashi (9), Bismarck (8), Tirpitz (8), King George V (6), and Akagi (3). Actions of note: Had both 2 point minefields played against him. Ships sunk: Kirishima (5) 5 points round total
  • Karl’s starting fleet: South Dakota (6), Kirishima (5), Valiant (5), Renown (4), and Giulio Cesare (4). Actions of note: Had a 1 point minefield played against him (swept), drew an additional ship. Ships sunk: Yamato (9), Repulse (4), Lutzow (3), Akagi (3 – by mines). 19 points round total
  • Jeff’s starting fleet: Iowa (7), Vittorio Veneto (6), Andrea Doria (4), Scheer (3), and Ark Royal (3). Actions of note: Drew 3 additional ships. Ships sunk: Renown (4), Graf Spee (3). 7 points round total.
  • Erin’s starting fleet: Yamato (9), Roma (6), North Carolina (6), Hyuga (5), and Repulse (4). Actions of note: Had a 1 point minefield played against him (swept). Ships sunk: Musashi (9), Giulio Cesare (4), Revenge (4 – by additional damage). 17 points round total
  • Tom’s starting fleet: Nelson (6), Prince of Wales (6), Duke of York (6), Revenge (4), and Graf Spee (3). Actions of note: Drew 3 additional ships. Ships sunk: Bismarck (8), King George V (6), Scheer (3). 17 points round total
  • Scott’s starting fleet: Washington (6), Nagato (6), Fuso (5), Ramillies (4), and Caio Dulio (4). Actions of note: Drew an additional ship. Ships sunk: North Carolina (6), Hyuga (5). 11 points round total
  • Tom will start round 2 through a roll-off
• Round 2:
  • Roger’s starting fleet: Nagato (6), West Virginia (5), Mississippi (5), Gneisenau (5), and Shokaku (3). Actions of note: Had a 1 point minefield played against him, draws 2 additional ships. Ships sunk: Bismarck (8), Missouri (7 – by CV), Prince of Wales (6), California (5), Kirishima (5 – by additional damage). 31 points for round, game score to 36
  • Karl’s starting fleet: Washington (6), South Dakota (6), California (5), Valiant (5), and Conte di Cavour (4). Actions of note: Had a 2 point minefield played against him (swept), drew an additional ship. Ships sunk: Vittorio Veneto (6), Littorio (6), Mutsu (6), Duke of York (6), Maryland (5), Graf Spee (3). 32 points for round, game score to 51
  • Jeff’s starting fleet: Tirpitz (8), Missouri (7), Nelson (6), Scheer (3), and Graf Spee (3). Actions of note: Played a DD squadron (sunk), drew 2 additional ships. Ships sunk: None. 0 points for round, game score stays at 7
  • Erin’s starting fleet: Duke of York (6), Maryland (5), Kirishma (5), Renown (4), and Lutzow (3). Actions of note: Had a 1 point minefield played against him, drew an additional ship, suffered fleet elimination. Ships sunk: Ise (5), Valiant (5 – by additional damage), Repulse (4). 14 points for round, fleet elimination -10, game score to 21.
  • Tom’s starting fleet: Iowa (7), Warspite (5), Pennsylvania (5), Scharnhorst (5), and Giulio Cesare (4). Actions of note: Drew an additional ship. Ships sunk: Nagato (6), Renown (4), Conte di Cavour (4), Akagi (3). 17 points for round total, game score to 34
  • Scott’s starting fleet: Bismarck (8), Mutsu (6), Littorio (6), Prince of Wales (6), and ISE (5). Actions of note: Played a DD squadron (sunk), had a 2 point minefield played against him, drew an additional ship (CV), CV sinks 2 ships in a row, suffered fleet elimination. Ships sunk: Tirpitz (8 – by CV), Iowa (7 – by CV), Scheer (3), Lutzow (3) 21 points for round, fleet elimination -10, game score to 22.
  • Karl will start round 3
• Round 3:
  • Roger’s starting fleet: Missouri (7), Mutsu (6), South Dakota (6), Scharnhorst (5), and Replse (4). Actions of note: Had a 1 point minefield played against him. Ships sunk: None. 0 points for round, game score stays at 36.
  • Karl’s starting fleet: Iowa (7), Duke of York (6), Littorio (6), California (5), and Renown (4). Actions of note: Had a 2 point minefield played against him (swept), drew 2 additional ships, suffered fleet elimination. Ships sunk: Bismarck (8 – by initial round PT). 8 points for round, fleet elimination -10, game score to 49
  • Jeff’s starting fleet: Bismarck (8), Nagato (6), Maryland (5), Pennsylvania (5), and Ark Royal (3). Actions of note: Drew an additional ship, had few useful salvo draws this round. Ships sunk: North Carolina (6), California (5), Mississippi (5 – by mines). 16 points for round, game score to 23
  • Erin’s starting fleet: North Carolina (6), Mississippi (5), Kirishma (5), Valiant (5), and Graf Spee (3). Actions of note: Played a DD squadron (sunk), had a 1 point minefield played against him, suffered fleet elimination. Ships sunk: TIRPITZ (8 – by initial round sub), Iowa (7), Missouri (7), Repulse (4), Lutzow (3), Scheer (3). 32 points for round, fleet elimination -10, game score to 43
  • Tom’s starting fleet: Roma (6), Rodney (6), Haruna (5), Ise (5), and Andreea Doria (4). Actions of note: Drew 3 additional ships. Ships sunk: Littorio (6), Duke of York (6), Kirishima (5), Valiant (5), Renown (4), Texas (4). 30 points for round, game score to 64,/li>
  • Scott’s starting fleet: Vittorio Veneto (6), Prince of Wales (6), Revenge (4), Texas (4), and Scheer (3). Actions of note: Drew 2 additional ships. Ships sunk: Scharnhorst (5), Graf Spee (3). 8 points for round, game score to 30
  • Tom will start round 4
• Round 4:
  • Roger’s starting fleet: Mutsu (6), Roma (6), Warspite (5), Conte di Cavour (4), and Akagi (3). Actions of note: Had a 1 point and 2 point minefield played against him, drew 3 additional ships during initial round, suffered fleet elimination. Ships sunk: Kongo (5), West Virginia (5). 10 points for round, fleet elimination -10, game score stays at 36
  • Karl’s starting fleet: Tirpitz (8), King George V (6), Nelson (6), West Virginia (5), and Ark Royal (3). Actions of note: Played a DD squadron (sank 2 ships), had a 1 point minefield played against him, drew an additional ship during initial round, made 6 consecutive CV strikes. Ships sunk: Yamato (9 – by CV), Bismarck (8 – by CV), Iowa (7), New Jersey (7 – by DD), Prince of Wales (6 – by CV), Mississippi (5 – by DD), Akagi (3 – by mines). 45 points for round, game score to 94
  • Jeff’s starting fleet: Mississippi (5), Repulse (4), Graf Spee (3), Lutzow (3), and Enterprise (3). Actions of note: Played a DD squadron but too late to use, drew an additional ship. Ships sunk: Vittorio Veneto (6), South Dakota (6), Mutsu (6), California (5), Kirishma (5). 28 points for round, game score to 51
  • Erin’s starting fleet: Kongo (5), Hood (5), California (5), Ramillies (4), and Texas (4). Actions of note: Had a 2 point minefield played against him, drew 2 additional ships during initial round. Ships sunk: Washington (6), Revenge (4). 10 points for round, game score to 53.
  • Tom’s starting fleet: Bismarck (8), Vittorio Veneto (6), Washington (6), Kirishma (5), and Giulio Cesare (4). Actions of note: Drew an additional ship during initial round. Ships sunk: Warspite (5), Graf Spee (3). 8 points for round, game score to 72
  • Scott’s starting fleet: Prince of Wales (6), Maryland (5), Nevada (5), Valiant (5), and Shokaku (3). Actions of note: None. Ships sunk: Roma (6), Hood (5), Texas (5), Renown (4), Andrea Doria (4), Conte di Cavour (4), Lutzow (3). 31 points for round, game score to 61.

After 4 rounds Karl garnered the win to become the 2025 Naval War champion. Final Overall Scores were Karl 94, Tom 72, Scott 61, Erin 53, Jeff 51, Roger 36.

In closing, with 45 players this year, participation was the most I have ever had since taking over as GM. It was also the largest field recorded since pre WBC Avaloncon 1997 (47 players). My goal of 50 players looks possible. My demo on Tuesday was sparsely attended but served as a refresher for some interested parties.

This year’s Ijn Yamato mugs seemed well received. I plan on continuing to have souvenir mugs for 2026 with a new ship. Coordination between me, Scott Nerney (Atlantic Storm) and Matt Evinger (Enemy in Sight) gave our naval card game players the chance to pick and choose what game and Heat they would play in. I am hopeful we three GMs can continue to stagger our Heats for maximum player access next year. As always, I want to thank all of the players in the tournament and I look forward to returning as the GM of Naval War in 2026.