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HAIL CAESAR: Raphael Lehrer, in only his second year at WBC, dominated
the Euros competitions and claimed our Top Competitor award by topping
all players with 170 Laurels in the 2007 season. Tying for second were
Stefan Mecay and past Caesar James Pei with 150 Laurels. Raphael had 34
Laurels coming into WBC from his play at Euro Quest, but trailed
favorite Chris Byrd by a wide margin as Chris had banked 102 Laurels at
mini-cons and email tournaments during the year prior to WBC. But
Raphael had a great week, winning three events outright (Puerto Rico,
Pillars of the Earth, and Tara) while placing in three more to also
deny the Consul Award for most Laurels at WBC to anyone else. This
clean sweep leaves him ruling alone in the BPA gaming universe for
2007. Rounding out the top six BPA competitors for the year were Chris
Byrd, Harald Henning and Ken Gutermuth in that order. Only six of last
year's Top 25 players managed to repeat in 2007, led by Mecay who rose
from tenth to second. Byrd, Bruce Reiff, Ken Gutermuth, Tom Browne and
Keith Wixson all managed to retain Top 25 status another year also
while 19 new faces graced the leader board. For more details about
BPA's top metagaming prize, see http://www.boardgamers.org/wbc/caesar.htm.
DECEMBER MEMBERSHIP DRIVE: Prospective BPA members are urged to renew
memberships for 2007 NOW through the end of the year both to save money
with our lowest rates and to vote for the inclusion of 25 Continuing
Trial events and the winner of our annual Sportsmanship Award. Vote to
retain your favorite events or introduce new ones. Give some deserving
player a free room at WBC 2007 by electing the most deserving Sportsman
of the Year. Your vote must be postmarked by December 31st to count.
The December membership application is posted with the 2007 Ballot for
Trial events and Sportsmanship nominees at http://www.boardgamers.org/forms/MemberForm.shtml.
GM RESERVATIONS: All GMs are reminded that their event "reservations"
for the WBC events they ran in 2007 expire on January 1st. To retain GM
status of your event, you must submit a new event form at http://www.boardgamers.org/forms/EventForm.htm and renew your
membership by the end of the year. Otherwise, those events will be
listed as OPEN on the Orphan's List at http://www.boardgamers.org/wbc/orphans.htm in an attempt to attract a
new GM.
WAM VI: Our next gaming conference is on Thursday, January 24th through Sunday, January 27th, 2008 in Timonium, MD. The Winter Activation
Meeting is again the week before the Super Bowl. The focus of this
four-day event is two-player historical "card-driven" games. We offer
the following titles as BPA tournaments with expectation of full laurel
awards: Paths of Glory, Wilderness War and Twilight Struggle. An Open
Play and "swiss open" format will allow gamers a chance to play a
favorite all weekend, or to enter a number of events, even returning to
later rounds of events after failed attempts to win the championship in
others. Other CDWs such as Hannibal, For the People, We The People,
Empire of the Sun and Trimuph of Chaos will be played in a less formal
setting, and should attendance justify it, tournament status will be
granted the winners of those games after the fact. The Open Play
match-up system features GMs matching players of like records as soon
as they have an open time slot to play the game (thus allowing players
to fit short games in between rounds of longer games).Opening day on
Thursday, starting at 2PM will be Open Play First Rounds for all
events. Win and you are one round deep into that tournament. Those who
arrive on Friday will still be able to join any tournament without
missing the First Round. There are no Mulligans in 2008. BPA has
obtained a very favorable group room rate of $79 per night plus
applicable state and local taxes (currently 13%). To obtain this rate
you must identify your affiliation with the BPA's WAM gaming conference
and make your reservation before January 11th, 2008 (or when our
roomblock sells out, whichever occurs first) at 410-560-1000 weekdays
between 8 AM and 7 PM EST. For more details see
http://www.boardgamers.org/specific/wam08ann.htm
2007 PATRONS: The BPA's list of 2007 Patrons is now posted at
http://www.boardgamers.org/wbc/patrons.htm. Please report any
inaccuracies to us no later than January 1st to ensure an accurate
listing in the upcoming Yearbook.
======================
PBeM NEWS
GREAT CAMPAIGNS: The Great Campaigns of the American Civil War PBeM
tournament features four preliminary rounds, followed by a three-round
elimination bracket. Scenarios have been drawn from six of the nine
different modules/games (with the primary goal to use scenarios not
normally featured at the annual WBC tournament), but players are
required to own just one game to participate. Players should plan on a
once-per-day response time as we aim to keep the entire tournament on a
two-year schedule. A PBeM aid is not required (but is recommended), and
we'll use ACTS for die rolls. Initial pairings will be based on AREA
ratings (top players vs. top players; newcomers vs. newcomers).
Subsequent rounds will pair players of similar records—but we'll
strive to keep the sharks fighting the sharks, and the newbies beating
up on fellow newbies. A January 15th start is planned. For details see
http://www.wargamereplays.com/gcacw/gcacw08pbem.html
ADEL VERPFLICHTET: Adel Verpflichtet PBeM tournament begins on January 19th. If you
thought internet bluffing was limited to offers of Nigerian wealth,
medication, and massive discounts, you owe it to yourself not to waste
your talents on Spam—come and collect "art" to display at Castles
everywhere. Everyone will get to play multiple quick games in parallel
on SpielbyWeb, using just a few minutes a day. Whether you call it by Hook or by Crook, Hoity Toity, or "that German game with the name I
can't pronounce" check out all the details at http://www.gameaholics.com/adv_tournament.htm. Sign up today!
MONTY'S GAMBLE: The second Monty's Gamble: Market Garden PBeM tournament has concluded on schedule with the same result as the
first. Defending champ Tod Whitehurst repeated with an impressive
Allied win over Jim Eliason. The 29 players had split 28 games with 14
wins apiece for Germans and Allies in a testement to play balance.
Other laurels were earned by the designer Mike Rinella who finished
third, Rob Mull, CO fourth, Anthony Daw, UT fifth, and Trevor Bender,
WA sixth. More details and updated laurels totals are available on the
Monty's Gamble AAR page at http://www.boardgamers.org/yearbook/mgmpge.htm
BREAKOUT NORMANDY: Tom Dworschak has won the 5th rendition of the Breakout Normandy PBeM
tournament, outlasting 49 other players in a six-round Single
Elimination tournament. The victory was his fifth as the Germans in a
tournament once again dominated by German play despite bidding for
sides. The Germans won 29 of 51 games. Steve Andriakos took second when
he lost the dice off for the Germans. Both players had submitted bids
of 37 Allied supply to play the Germans. Also earning laurels were
Harvey Smallman, Michael Kaye, Jim Eliason and Scott Fenn who finished
third through sixth respectively. Updated laurels totals are available
on the Breakout AAR page at
http://www.boardgamers.org/yearbook/bknpge.htm
PANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN: Panzergruppe Guderian began with 22 participants again this year, and
is currently down to the semi-finals. Defending champ John Popiden is
in a rematch with WBC GM Jim Tracy. Last year's runner-up Rob Frisby is
taking on Larry Meyers in the other semi-final. Although there have
been some close matches in this years event, the preponderance of wins
have been on the German side. This has prompted a reluctance to
continue the format traditionally used for this tournament awaiting the
release of the new L2 version of this SPI classic.
RUSSIA BESIEGED: Russia Besieged began with a smaller field of 16. The format used in
this tournament uses a unique double elimination series. Additionally,
given the importance of weather to the Russian campaign, participants
are competing against players that have the same side and all are
playing a set number of turns before counting victory points based on
cities controlled. This format has resulted in participants that
although they believed they may have done extremely well or poorly,
have advanced based on their showing against the other commanders of
the same side. Currently, in the third round that will last till the
end of 1943, 10 participants remain split between winner and loser
brackets. At the end of the current round, there will be eight
participants remaining. These matches have garnered quite a following
on Consimworld with turn results and screen shots that have elicited
much debate on set-up and strategies. The international flavor of the
competition with participants from Poland, France, Italy, and Canadian
designer Art Lupinacci is also drawing interest. The second edition
rule book is currently under play-test, and once released for general
use will be the de-facto rules for the 4th round.
==============================
Anyone interested in running an email tournament is invited to inquire.
BPA members who would like to see an email tournament for their
favorite game are encouraged to step forward as the GM of such an
event. BPA does not run tournaments. Rather, we are an organization of
gamers lending support to one another so such events can happen. No one
cares as much about your hobby as you do. Get involved. See the
requirements to host a BPA email tournament at
http://www.abovethefields.com/top_pbem/pbemgm.htm
All BPA PBeM tournaments require current BPA membership when the event
starts. All multi-day paid attendees to WBC are current BPA members for
the balance of that calendar year. Associate Calendar year memberships
enabling play in all PBeM events starting in that year cost only $10.
You need not keep your membership current in order to finish a PBeM
event. Players may join the BPA throughout the year. Members are
reminded they can upgrade their current memberships at any time by
remitting the additional funds. See
http://www.boardgamers.org/bpaterms.htm for details.
Visit the BPA website at http://www.boardgamers.org
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If you are not already receiving our monthly email newsletters, please
subscribe as directed below as we are unable to add you ourselves. To
receive our free monthly newsletters you MUST join the BPA mailing list
by visiting http://lists.boardgamers.org/mailman/listinfo/bpamail to
confirm your address and your desire to be on this list. Subscribing
takes only a moment, ensures your privacy, and increases likelihood of
receipt. The newsletter will continue to be posted in the WBC folder in
the Conventions section of Consimworld and on our website but will
otherwise be unavailable to those who do not join the list in this
fashion. If already receiving the BPA News you need take no additional
action.
Don Greenwood
WBC Convention Director
