london's burning [Updated October 2004]  

2004 WBC Report   

 2005 Status: pending December Membership Century Vote

Rich Phares, VA

2004 Champion

2nd: Doug Williamson, VA

3rd: Mark Van Roekel, VA

4th: Chris Villeneuve, MI

5th: Bruno Passacantando, CT

6th: Jeff Cornett, FL

Event History
1996    Michael Sims      16
1997    John Coussis      12
1998    Eric Stranger      18
1999    Chris Reidy     12
2000    Andrew Maly     16
2001    Eric Stranger       8
2002    Eric Stranger     13
2003    Eric Stranger       9
2004    Rich Phares     18


Offsite links:

AREA Ratings

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 Laurels
Rank Name

From

Last
Total
 1. Eric Stranger

OH

03
30
 2.  Rich Phares

VA

04
20
 3. Chris Reidy

IN

99
20
 4.  Doug Williamson

VA

04
12
 5. Ric Manns

IN

99
12
 6.  Chris Villeneuve

MI

04
10
 7. Andy Maly

MD

00
10
 8. Steve Munchak

VA

02
10
 9.  Mark Van Roekel

VA

04
  8
10. Robert Hahn

NY

NY
  8
11. Trevor Bender

CA

03
  6
12. Scott Cornett

FL

02
  6
13. Mark Brooks

VA

01
  6
14. Dan Dolan Jr

NJ

00
  6
15. David Davis

OH

99
  6
16. Bruno Passacantando

CT

04
  4
17. Reiko McQuiston

TN

00
  4
18. David Steiner

DE

99
  4
19. Mike Lam

CA

03
  3
20. Chris Lefevre

AZ

02
  3
21. Robert Eastman

OK

01
  3
22. Roy Gibson

MD

00
  3
23.  Jeff Cornett

FL

04
  2
24. Pete Pollard

TN

02
  2
25. Bill Beswick

IN

99
  2
26. Bob Runnicles

FL

02
  1
27. Mike Metcalf

NC

01
  1

Past Winners

Michael Sims
1996

John Coussis - IL
1997

Eric Stranger - OH
1998, 2001-2003

Chris Reidy -
1999

Andrew Maly - MD
2000
       
 


Another Slice of the Battle of Britain

This tournament is a multi-year continuation of the Battle of Britain. In the tournament format, two players sit at a board and are the pilots for a section of RAF fighters. The GM draws German raiders and randomly determines their flight path. One player, each turn, is chosen as the temporary Squadron Leader and he is in charge of vectoring all the pilots into intercept position, but once he calls for the engagement, players at each board can plot their own routes into the target.

We began this format in 2001, and had previously played the days of 11 through 27 August 1942. We continued in 2004 with two rain days (for repair and recovery) and then four active battle days. Players began with one Spitfire and one Hurricane pilot and, as a new feature this year, an unlimited number of Defiant crewmen. Players chose with which plane they wanted to start the game.

2004 Results
First, we had a great turnout of would-be aces this year, including five new Laurelists, and I thank everyone for coming. I hope they had a great time and will return
next year.

Statistical highlights:

-- 8 Raids over the four days played, with 266 German aircraft (50-50 fighters and bombers) faced by our 18 pilots.
-- The RAF downed 42 fighters and 31 bombers while losing eight Spitfires, six Hurricanes and six Defiants (with eight pilots killed, and nine wounded) for an exchange ratio of 3.65
-- German bombers damaged fivr airfields (including our home base) and made it to London once only to be turned back by AAA.

Player Highlights:

The winner was Rich Phares with eleven kills (all in a Hurricane!). Rich was followed closely by Mark VanRoekel with ten kills and Doug Williamson with eight. In all we had six Aces this year (including Jeff Cornett, Chris Villeneuve, and Bruno Passacantando). However, not everyone was tallying up kills on the Hun. Rob Doane, Bob Hamel, Scott Cornett and Chris Lefavre all lost three or more aircraft of their own. And Frank Cunliffe and Steve Munchak missed engaging raider aircraft three times by entering the engagement one altitude level too high.

The use of the Defiant this year made for some interesting situations. The aircraft requires a die roll to see if it can take-off with the rest of the squadron or must wait one turn on the ground in preparation. On several occasions, when the squadron leader would call: We're all going in!, Mike Lam and his Defiant were heard to reply: Not quite all of us!

 GM      Steve Munchak  [3rd Year]   NA
    munchak@cna.org   NA

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