|
Scythe has existed as a tournament at WBC for 6 years prior to 2025. Nick Henning placed 2nd in 5 of those 6 years (he placed 6th in 2018). He’s become known for bidding 0 points to play the weakest faction and farming enough points to come in 2nd after bids are subtracted. This year, with Scythe as his team game, he announced that he wanted to be 1st.
Like last year, players were given the choice of playing on the base map or the modular map. Of the 22 unique players, the base map was requested by 11 and the modular map by 8. The remaining players agreed to play on either map, which allowed all other players to get their requested map each round, except in the Final.
Heat 1 featured 19 players at 4 tables. The winners were Chris Wildes, Scott Harris, Nick Henning, and Tom Lind. It may be worth noting that Nick Henning bid 0 and capitalized on a strategic mistake by GM Steven LeWinter to run away with the game, winning by 10 before bids were subtracted and 21 after.
Heat 2 featured 10 players at 2 tables. The winners were Aaron Blair and Brian Scilzo.
With 6 unique winners, 2 four-player Semifinal tables were created. A rule change that 6 or 7 unique winners would lead straight to a final table accommodating all winners is being considered for next year. The Semifinal featured one table played on the base map and one played on the modular map. Nick Henning and Jefferson Meyer emerged from the modular game table. Scott Harris and Chris Wildes emerged from the base game table. True to the history of the event, every finalist had been at a Final table before.
The format all but guarantees that two finalists will vote for the base map and two will vote for the modular map. The GM provided the tiebreaking vote, preferring the modular map.
< p>As usual, players took some time pondering their faction choices in the Final. Determined to come in 1st this time, Nick was the highest bidder, spending 13 end-game points on Crimean Engineering. Jefferson spent 9 to play Crimean Mechanical, Chris spent 7 to play Polonia Agricultural, and Scott got Saxony Patriotic for free.
< p>In the Final, 3 of the 4 players opened with a Produce/Trade/Produce/Trade sequence. Chris and Nick deployed their speed mech on turn 4, Scott built a mill on turn 4. Jefferson opened with two move actions and drew an encounter. Early encounter cards often pose a tough choice, and Jefferson thought for several minutes before choosing to pay $2 for 4 food, enabling a turn 3 enlist. Jefferson began his climb up the popularity track by enlisting his build recruit and gaining 2 hearts.
Having done their initial productions, Nick, Chris, and Scott all began moving around the board in turns 5-6. In turn 6, during Jefferson’s turn, Chris was the first to audibly swear during the game, when he realized he had only taken one of his encounter bonuses (Polonia has the ability to take two). Even though the table was in agreement that Chris should be allowed to take another bonus, Chris displayed his characteristic integrity and declined. Interestingly, Chris intentionally declined a second bonus later in the game. While Chris was the first, everyone would ultimately express frustration about a mistake they made during the game except Nick.
Other than Jefferson’s encounter during turn 3, the game played remarkably quickly during the first 16 rounds. Everyone earned worker and goal stars; Nick added a building star and a combat star. Chris added an enlistment star. Jefferson added a mech star and a combat star. Scott added a combat star.
Starting in round 17, the pace of play slowed considerably as everyone tried to figure out their endgames. In the end, Nick was able to add a (rare) upgrade star and another combat star to trigger game end as the only player to get 19 turns and 88 points (after bids were deducted). Jefferson ended in popularity tier 3 with 68 points, Chris had 55, and Scott had 30.
Congratulations to Nick on ending his streak and placing 1st in Scythe for the 1st time!
|
 |
 |
| The players studying the Board before their next move. |
Peter Card taking time to pose for the camera. |
 |
 |
| Nick Henning working his way to the Final. |
Finalists with GM Steven LeWinter. |
|
 LeWinter, Steven [4th Year] |
|
