saratoga [Updated April 2000]

SAR   
  
     
   9-13 13-17 17-21 21-24    9-12  

   Valley

Mark Miklos, SC

1999 Champion

2nd: Mike Arrighi, CA

3rd: Rob Winslow, NY

4th: Jeff Lange Sr, MD

5th: Mike Nagel, NJ

6th: Mark Hinkle, NH
Event History
1991    None      -
1992    None      -
1993    None      -
1994    None      -
1995    None      -
1996    None      -
1997    None      -
1998    None      -
1999    Mark Miklos     22
AREA Ratings
1    Mark Miklos      1635
2    Jeff Lange Sr      1570
3    Michael Arrighi      1535
4    Andy Lewis      1535
5    Andy Maly      1535
6    John Vogel      1535
7    Rob Winslow      1504
8    Mark Hinkle      1500
9    Jeff Lange Jr      1500
10    John Leggat III      1500

Reinventing the wargame ...

Bid 1/2 point increments for side and randomize first bidder. Everyone will play two rounds with the top eight players advancing to quarter-final single elimination. All Advanced Rules will be used. No Fog (13). No Limited British Intelligence (2.7). No variants in 14. Optional rule 9.4.6 will handle illegal play of tactics chits.

In 1982, while visiting Saratoga National Battlefield, I found myself at the famous "boot" monument. This nameless, tombstone-sized, granite marker is embossed with a bullet riddled boot and is dedicated to, "The most gallant soldier of the Revolution." The honor being paid is to Benedict Arnold. I had adopted the revisionist view of Arnold's contribution to Independence long before it became chic. Had he died at Saratoga he would have become immortalized, second only to Washington, as many scholars now concede. It was a gray, late autumn day. Only the ghosts were around to witness the
pledge I made. I would find a way to share what I knew of Arnold's greatness.

In 1994, I sized up the climate of the market this way. Our hobby is deficient in Rev. War titles. Those who enjoy pre-mechanized linear combat might be ready for an alternative to the glut of Civil War and Napoleonics options. Saratoga, specifically, has been woefully underrepresented considering its stature as one of the 12 most decisive battles of Western
History. Furthermore, the year 2001 will mark the 225th anniversary of Independence. I forecast that after the millenium, there will be a renewal of interest in our heritage as we approach that milestone. One year later I took a prototype to Avaloncon where Andy Lewis took the time to play several turns. He came away not only impressed, but also convinced the game met
several of GMT's criteria for new game submissions. Gene Billingsly also saw merit in the project and thus was born the GMT Rev. War Series.

Game features include Initiative, Momentum, and Diversion. Initiative governs player order. One never knows when either player may get a back to back turn. Momentum allows players to re-roll adverse close combat die rolls or possibly effect player order. Diversion enables players to avoid the fictional "soak off" which hampers many game systems.

In addition to the accumulation of modifiers for terrain, leadership, and morale, the players have a set of eight tactics from which to choose. Four of them can be used at anytime. The more sophisticated options require the presence of leadership.

The non-sanguine CRT faithfully recreates Revolutionary War combat where demorilization and capture were more frequent than overwhelming casualties. This is accomplished without sacrificing the tensions and anxieties of a tight combat system. Leader casualties and pinned results are possible, while fire combat is handled on a separate results table.

The whole package is wrapped around the Army Morale Track which measures the tenacity and will to fight of the opposing forces. This is the heart and soul of the game system. Where you are on the sliding scale, (High Morale, Fatigued, Wavering, or Demorilized), impacts upon the morale of your individual units, as well as on your ability to influence Initiative. Sleek
and subtle, it has rightfully been called a game within a game. ... designer Mark Miklos

 GM      Michael Arrighi  [1st Year]   2179 Flintridge Court, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362
    barbara.michael@mindspring.com   NA

1999 Yearbook Page
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