2014 PBeM Tournament

The 7-round Swiss-Elimination competition began in February 2013 and ran for 16 months, generating 113 games among 61 players. Champion Dave Rubin was not among the favorites to win the tournament when it started to say the least. Indeed, in the 20-year history of We the People/Washington's War tournaments run by the BPA and Avaloncon he had won zero laurels prior to this. Rubin overcame a loss in Round 1 as the Americans to Jean-Louis Dirion to go 6-1. He defeated Tom Thornsen, Greg Gollaher and Andre Heller in the preliminary rounds and advanced to the elimination rounds on tiebreakers. He then defeated Henry Rice in the quarterfinals, Trevor Bender in the semifinals and Dan Leader in the championship, all three of whom were undefeated prior to opposing Rubin. He won three times with each side. In the quarterfinal against Rice he pulled out the win as the Americans in 1781 despite having had Washington captured in 1777. In the semifinal against Bender he won a rare automatic victory as the British in 1777 when he cleared the map of American combat units after capturing Washington.

Leader defeated Mike Kettman, Philip-Burgin Young, Kirk Harris and Bill Peeck in the preliminary rounds, Harris again in the quarterfinals and James Pei in the semifinals to advance to the championship. He also won three times with each side. Pei defeated Bender in a consolation match to earn third place. Rice and Jonathan Moody were the other laurelists based upon tiebreaker points earned in the preliminary rounds. An AAR of the Championship Game follows.

All games were played with the following "Special Rules" meant to balance the inherent American advantage:

(1) The British Players' at start For the King PC bonus was increased from 2 PCs to 3 PCs.

(2) The colony restrictions for the For the King PCs were eliminated.

(3) Whenever the British player played either the Declaration of Independence or the Benjamin Franklin: Minister to France Special Events, after the event took effect as it normally would, the British player drew a replacement card and immediately took another action using any card (not necessarily the replacement card).

(4) In the very next turn FOLLOWING a turn in which the Continental Congress was dispersed, the British player, not the American player, decided which player went first in that turn.

The 113 games played broke down as follows (eight of those games were declared forfeits due to slow play and are not otherwise included in the statistics compiled below): 53 British wins to 52 American for nearly an even split. In the first two rounds, the British dominated, winning 33 of 53 games played. But from Round 3 through the Elimination Rounds, the Americans rallied, winning 32 of 52 games played. I can see two possible explanations for this discrepancy. Firstly, perhaps it took some time for the players to adjust to the Special Rules, which had never been used before in tournament play. Special Rule 4 in particular created an entirely new dynamic which may have taken some time to appreciate. Secondly, in most tournaments the novice players tend to drift away after one or two rounds leaving the experienced players to fight it out. Perhaps the British edge early on reflects the struggle of new players to learn how to play as the Americans (the side with the generally accepted greater learning curve). Of course, the implication of this is that the game is still unbalanced in favor of the Americans even with the Special Rules. Only time will tell if the game is as balanced with the Special Rules as the complete tournament results would indicate.

There were five games that finished prior to 1779; four of which were British wins ­ three resignations by American players after losing Washington and one British autovictory. One British player resigned early. 22 games finished in 1779 (ten British wins and 12 American wins). 29 games finished in 1780 (18 British wins and 11 American wins). 30 games finished in 1781 (12 British wins and 18 American wins). 16 games finished in 1782 (eight wins each). three games finished in 1783 (one British win and two American wins). I am not sure what to make of that spread; it appears to be pretty even. We the People, the predecessor game to this one, definitely favored the Americans greatly in long games, but that does not appear to be an issue in this game, at least not to any great extent.

Washington was captured in 15 games. Not surprisingly, the vast majority of those games (12) were British victories. The Americans did pull out three, however, including the aforementioned Rice-Rubin game in the quarterfinals.

The French entered the war in 46 games (44%). The American won 28 of those games (61%). In the 59 games where the French did not enter the war, the British won 35 games (59%).

The British Regulars Bonus was lost in 57 games (54%). The Americans won 33 of those games (58%). In the 48 games where the Bonus lasted the entire game the Brits won the majority (60%).

The tournament went off without any significant problems. Thanks to everybody who participated and especially to Paul Gaberson for being the Assistant GM.

An After Action Report of the Championship Game follows:

British: Dan Leader
Americans: Dave Rubin

Who won: Americans
Last turn: 1779
Declaration of Independence: 1776
Franklin: Never
British Regulars Lost: 1777
French Alliance: 1779
Washington Captured: Never
Colony Count: British 4, Americans 10
PC Count: British 22, Americans 34
CU Count: British 12, Americans 11

PRE-GAME
Committees of Correspondence: Norwich, Falmouth, Newport, New Haven, New York, Morristown, Basset Town, Wilmington (DE), Baltimore, Alexandria, Wake, Camden, Savannah.
King's Men: Ticonderoga, Oswego, Fort Niagara


1775
Cards
British: 3, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1, Bancroft
Americans: 2, 1, 1, Minor Campaign, Brant, McRea, Marion

Action Summary: The Crown Holds the Initiative
The Americans lead off with McRea, but lack the wherewithal to halt Tory political inroads; the contest is especially vigorous in VA, NC, and NY. Lafayette appears in Fort Chiswell, Gates in Albany. Bancroft causes the discard of Brant which the British pick up and use; the Americans counter with a Minor Campaign, shifting Lafayette and Washington to Pennsylvania. The year ends with Cornwallis landing in Norfolk and marching to Delaware.

End of Turn Colony Status
British: Ca, NY, DE, NC
Americans: NH, MA, RI, CT, NJ, PA, MD, SC, GA
Neutral: VA


1776
Cards
British: 3, 3, 3, 1, Declaration, Rodney, Iroquois
Americans: 3, 3, 2, 2, 2, Paine, Glover

Action Summary: Putting the "England" Back in New England
1776 begins with an attack by the Continental Army on Cornwallis before he can be reinforced, but Washington is repulsed. After politicking by both sides, Howe flanks and traps Greene at Newport. Arnold raises an army in Springfield. As the Patriots strive to limit the Crown's influence, the British bring Clinton to Montreal, then play the Declaration of Independence, drawing a Minor Campaign as a replacement card and holding it for the end of the year. Carleton marches from Quebec, attacking and defeating Gates at Albany. The Continental Army is built up as British-allied Iroquois raid Pennsylvania. Washington defeats Cornwallis in a rematch on the lower Brandywine; Cornwallis retreats alone to Montreal and relinquishes command to Clinton. Howe collects the detached flanking units from his earlier attack on Greene, returning to Newport, while Clinton takes a small force from Montreal to Concord.

End of Turn Colony Status
British: Ca, NH, RI, NY, NC
Americans: MA, CT, NJ, PA, DE, MD, VA, SC, GA
Neutral: None


1777
Cards
British: 3, 3, 1, 1, North-1783, Knox, Marion
Americans: 3, 3, 3, 1, Major Campaign, Hessians, Bancroft

Action Summary: Carleton Has a Very Bad Summer
Carleton marches from Albany to Saratoga, capturing a solitary Gates, and then immediately returns to Albany before attacking Arnold at Springfield; despite being heavily outnumbered (5-2), Arnold emerges victorious. After further politicking, Greene raises an army in Fort Prince George and Cornwallis brings a new Royal Army into Wilmington (NC). The main body of the Continental Army shifts from Wilmington( DE) to New York, and His Majesty's Government announces a 6-year plan to end the war by 1783. The Patriots then launch a Major Campaign: as Lafayette marches from Pittsburgh to Fort Stanwix to cut off any retreat, Washington successfully attacks Carleton in Albany, forcing Carleton's surrender. Arnold follows up the Continental Army's victory on the Hudson with an invasion of Canada, occupying Montreal. Political turmoil in Delaware leaves the Colony in American hands, but allows the British to recruit battle-ready Hessians, which Cornwallis successfully employs on an attack against the isolated Greene (picking up a 2 OPS card for his trouble). Another Patriot Army answers Lincoln's call at Eutaw Springs. Cornwallis moves to Camden, and the Americans end the turn by discarding Bancroft to break the isolation of the western Carolinas.

End of Turn Colony Status
British: NH, RI, NC
Americans: NY, CT, NJ, PA, DE, MD, VA, SC, GA
Neutral: Ca, MA


1778
Cards
British: 3, 2, 2, 2, 2, 1, North-1779
Americans: 3, 3, 3, 2, 2, 1, 1

Action Summary: A Bloody Campaign Season and The Smuggling of the Delegates
The year begins with Cornwallis's defeat of Lincoln at Eutaw Springs, who retreats to Charleston with the survivors. Greene, returning yet again from captivity, raises an army at Ninety-Six. The Tories try persuasion in SC and MA while Arnold moves from Montreal to Quebec. The North Government becomes unstable as the Patriots complete their takeover of Canada. Burgoyne brings another large Royal Army to Norfolk; in response, Gates raises an army in Alexandria. Burgoyne attacks Gates and triumphs, with the remnants of Gates's force beating feet for Baltimore. Lafayette, in Fort Stanwix, marches to Fort Detroit and eliminates the persistent British garrison. Burgoyne marches around Gates, detaches a rear guard in Reading, and occupies Philadelphia, scattering Congress. Washington marches from Albany to attack Burgoyne, but is out-generaled by Gentleman Johnny and retires to New Brunswick. Cornwallis marches from Camden to Lynch's Ferry, scattering detachments to isolate American PCs in Eastern NC and VA. As in 1776, Washington responds to defeat by renewing the attack, this time reentering Philadelphia and forcing Burgoyne to retreat to Reading. To prevent the collapse of the Patriot Cause in NC, Congress exposes itself by reconvening in New Bern.

End of Turn Colony Status
British: NH, MA, RI, NC
Americans: Ca, CT, NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, VA, SC, GA
Neutral: None


1779
Cards
British: 2, 2, 2, 1, Brant, Germaine, Jones
Americans: 1, 1, Hortelez, Steuben, Wayne, Arnold, Pitt

Action Summary: France Intervenes and Lord North's Government Falls
Having dispersed Congress, the Crown chooses to have the last move. Clandestine Franco-Spanish Aid becomes overt as France and Spain declare war on Britain; Rochambeau and army arrive at New Haven as the French Fleet takes up position in the South Atlantic off the British outpost of St. Mary's. Cornwallis gathers up his detachments from the previous year and defeats Greene in a bloody battle at Ninety-Six despite the audaciousness of 'Mad" Anthony Wayne, although the Americans pull an important 3rd 1 OPS card. Greene flees alone to Augusta, then takes Lincoln's small force from Charleston to Wilmington (NC). Burgoyne strategically withdraws from Pennsylvania, eluding Gates, and ending in Fincastle, while Lafayette moves from Fort Detroit to Norwich. Carleton lands at Falmouth with a scratch army. The Americans serially discard von Steuben and Arnold's Treason to substitute American control of Boston for British while the British discard Brant to flip Ninety-Six. Cornwallis marches to Charleston, scattering garrisons and capturing Lincoln, then returns to Savannah. Washington and the Continental Army march from Philadelphia to Richmond to resist the British threat to Virginia, detaching a small force to support the Patriot authorities in Delaware. An offer of Royal Amnesty weakens the Americans in MA & NC, and Pitt is discarded to replace what was lost in the latter. Jones is discarded to recover MA for the Crown, but Lord North's Government collapses, making Independence inevitable.

End of Turn Colony Status
British: MA, RI, SC, GA
Americans: Ca, NH, CT, NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, VA, NC
Neutral: None