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WBC 2016 PRE-REGISTRATION HAS ENDED: WBC's Pre-Registration is closed. Do not send payment or attempt to pre-register for WBC 2016 by any means. We welcome people at the door for the walk-in rate of $30 per day or $130 for the entire convention, but please remember that neither credit cards or Paypal are accepted at registration. Please bring cash or check. Use the Confirmation page to check the status of your registration, troll for teammates, rides or roommates, or even Open Gaming matches or babysitting gigs.
 TEAM TOURNAMENT: Longtime track sage, Stuart Tucker has set the initial odds for the initial Highland Handicap and offered “investment” advice to bracket managers. Can you beat the Handicapper this year? 41 teams are already headed to the starting gate at http://www.boardgamers.org/wbc_teams_handicap.html for the 26th annual run for the slivers. Get your team entered and then study the racing form for our annual Bracket Busting contest. Don't procrastinate! Enter your team now by sending an email to conventiondirector@boardgamers.org. Entries close July 16.
WBC PRIMER: All WBC pre-registrants will receive a special email one week before the convention. Watch for it (and check your SPAM filters if you don’t get it) since it will include among other tips how to enter the Team Tournament Bracket Busting contest once the final odds are set, plus other convention advice. If you are one of the many procrastinators who forego pre-registration and prefer to pay at the door but would like to receive the targeted WBC Primer emails containing late breaking schedule news, Team Tournament Bracket Bustin’ notices and other helpful hints sent only to pre-registrants, please contact conventiondirector@boardgamers.org to be added to the list of recipients in the next week.
WBC PROGRAM ON LINE: A colorized version of the 2016 program containing the complete alphabetical and chronological schedule is posted. The colorized version is worth downloading and printing—if for no other reason than having an extra copy as programs are always getting lost. Programs are one to a customer so if you lose yours, you are out of luck unless you brought a backup. View the details of your favorite events and then plan your schedule.
Given the new venue this year, information in the program regarding parking, check-in and future reservation policy is especially helpful and we strongly suggest you take the time to read those materials before arrival whether you print a program or not. You can also find additional scheduling aids on line for the ultimate in planning your week at WBC including apps for Android, iOS, and Kindle, plus an icalendar scheduling tool. Remember to download the latest updated versions of these apps (and the schedules) to get the best results.
2015-2016 YEARBOOK: The last WBC Yearbook is posted online for download. Qualifying members who renewed their Tribune memberships by the required deadline and who were not mailed a copy may pick up theirs at WBC registration in Stag Pass. A limited number of additional copies will be available for sale on site for $10 while supplies last.
AUCTION/AUCTION STORE CLOSED: The Auction and Auction Store again sold out in record time this year. Those contemplating selling items need to wait till next year. Unregistered items will NOT be accepted and flea markets are prohibited.
PBeM NEWS
     
PEI TAKES FOR THE PEOPLE AGAIN: The BPA’s Fifth PBeM For the People Tournament ended with a familiar champion as James Pei successfully defended his PBeM title to coincide with his current 7-year winning streak at WBC. The field of 64 players generated a staggering 160 games played and was reinforced by a high school contingent from Arizona that played for the first time with one of their number, Jesus Zamora, making it into the single elimination rounds with an undefeated record. Competition was fierce and nearly every qualifier for the Phase 2 single elimination rounds had at least one loss. After three eliminations rounds, Phil Buckler, a first-time finalist, squared off against James Pei for the second time in the tournament. Phil’s CSA had been defeated by James’ Union forces in Swiss Round 5. In the rematch, the sides would be reversed.
The Union was blessed with good cards early in the Final, trapping Rebel forces in VA. With good dice luck, AOP was able to take Richmond by Fall 1861, and almost converted VA. CSA consoled itself by converting KY and MO. Fortune changed in 1862 as the Union drew two very bad hands. The CSA reformed under Lee and managed to beat back all Union incursions in VA. With a Major Campaign, CSA forces were able to cut off NE rail reinforcement and achieved several raids by the end of 1862. The CSA continued its pressure in the East, trading attrition with Union forces under Grant. However, in so doing, one CSA army was destroyed and another trapped in Philly. But the damage was done as Union reinforcement was less than CSA in all three turns of 1863. On T9, a re-constituted ANV under Lee won a large battle and broke thru to Frederick. The Union scraped together every available SP under Grant to outflank Lee. But Longstreet in the newly created AOT was able to outmaneuver Grant and cut Union AOC’s supply. With no more reserves, DC was easily taken and CSA raided further, thus doubling the Union SW.
Also scoring laurels were Mustafa Tolga Corapci, Nicholas Pei, Ed Beach and Alberto Molina who finished third through sixth. GMT Games will be providing gift certificates to all six. Further details and updated laurel totals are posted athttp://boardgamers.org/yearbook16/ftppge.htm#pbem.
ANNER WINS POG: After three long years in the trenches and 185 games in six rounds, the sixth BPA POG Email tournament has concluded with Nick Anner topping five-time WBC champion Stefan Mecay. Nick got the bid roll, and went 0 for AP, Mecay took the AP for 1. August saw initial split attacks, the 1st on BEF and 2nd and 3rd on Sedan, pulling out the withdrawal card and seeing two armies advance to Sedan. The turn saw some attacks on Nancy, the Austrians and German 8th taking a beating. Falkenhayen used for ops pushed Molke as an event. The CP took a 4 card for rps though so were able to keep up the pressure in September.
September saw attacks on Nancy from Metz and Strassburg force a retreat. An Allied line formed at c-t, bld, calais, dijon.
Fall 15 saw Trench played by Limited War allies, the CP in 3rd turn of mobilization keep reinforcing German armies and played events to Limited War while pushing to Cambria through Bar le Duc, but not taking c-t.
The Early game saw the French dead pile high but the AP put as many T2s down as possible, including in c-t. Many ops were spent on nevers, with the CP finally getting a trench there. This occurred a bit too late to make a play for either trench busters on paris or closing out Italy So when total war came, HL was used for RPs and ops spent on the east front. Even with poor rolls the German armies punched through the Russian lines. Similar poor rolls for the Allies on the west front attacks meant that the Germans remained at full strength for the Tsar Takes Command.
Mid game saw both sides fully mobilized, with Allenby never getting down to Egypt as his forces went directly to the west front from London. The near east remained mostly stagnant barring MO's. The serbs reduced to one army in Monastir were held by one AH army and some bu cp. MEF and Salonika remained unplayed, with the big cards being used for ops and rps. CP had to play War Status to get to Fall of the Tsar, which occurred with Romania neutral.
The final turns saw several 7 results against the Germans on the west front, the Russians rebuild and push back enough in Prussia to prevent Bolshevik. The Germans just played a lot of RPS and hung in for the Turn 20 ending, and with the lack of US armies and a commanding vp position the Allies didn't make enough gains in time.
It was Anner’s first tournament win in a decade, but his eighth overall, proving that old soldiers still retain the right stuff. Other laurelists in descending order were Michael Dauer, Italy’s Mauro Gasbarroni, Germany’s Moritz Eggert and UK’s Paul Hubbard. Updated laurel totals can be found at http://boardgamers.org/yearbook16/pogpge.htm#pbem.
PRO GOLF TIED: The third and final round of the 7th BPA PBeM Pro Golf tournament is over, but we have a tie at the top of the standings. So, our two 12 under par players with do a playoff at the ridiculously short Arrowhead Park golf course to determine the title. It will be Mike Pacheco (with Shigeki Maruyama) and Chris Kizer (with Ray Floyd) fighting for the champion’s plaque and flawlessly tailored green jacket. There is also a tie for third place, with Scott Nerney (Shigeki Maruyama) and Debbie Gutermuth (John Daly) both finishing the tournament at 9 under par. Fifth place laurels go to 7 under par Robert Kircher (also with Maruyama) and sixth place is awarded to 6 under par Marshall Collins (John Daly).
MARCH MADNESS PLODS ON: We have finally reached the Final in the 13th Annual BPA March Madness PBeM tournament as March Madness threatens to become August Angst. In Bracket A, Marvin Birnbaum’s 15th seeded San Francisco 1956 has downed Bob Hamel's’ 33rd seeded Indiana State 1979 in the semifinals. In Bracket B, Bryan Collars captained top seeded Louisville 2014 over Chris Bauch’s 27th seeded Kansas 1971. The bracket can be seen at 2015-16 bracket (http://www.nktelco.net/bdmonnin/mm-brack-2016.htm).
Catch up on the latest PBeM News on the BPA website.
Remember ... all of the above PBeM fun is free to current BPA members. Others may qualify with a $10 Email membership in the year the event starts. All multi-day paid attendees to WBC are current BPA members for the balance of that calendar year. You need not keep your membership current in order to finish a PBeM event. Players may join the BPA throughout the year. See the BPA Terms page for details.
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/.
SOCIAL NETWORKING: Keep up with WBC electronically by joining the World Boardgaming Championships (WBC) Facebook group and the BPA_WBC Twitter Page. You can also easily find us in the Boardgame Geek Forums under Gaming Related, Conventions, WBC.
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