napoleon [Updated August 2001]

NAP  3 prizes Beginners Single Elim Continuous 
 Demo 19   20    Round 2 Round 3 14 Semi Round 4 19 Final

  Valley

George Seary, NY

2001 Champion

2nd: Tom Ruta, MA

3rd: Lane Newbury, TX

4th: Larry Felton, PA

5th: Scott Cornett, FL

6th: Michael Sincavage, VA
Event History
1991    None      -
1992    None      -
1993    Tom Scarborough      12
1994    Dave Durlacher       8
1995    None      -
1996    None      -
1997    None      -
1998    None      -
1999    None     -
2000    Jeff Cornett     16
2001    George Seary     14

AREA Ratings:

GM: Jeff Cornett

The classic wooden block wargame:

This single elimination tournament featured some dramatic moments, including one of the most exciting finals imaginable. Two rookies made it to the semi-finals, finishing third and fourth after learning the game at the Café Jay's demo. The defending champion was knocked out in the first round by tournament newcomer Nicholas Markevich (played only five games of Napoleon lifetime, but a veteran of many other wargames). The defending champion's son, Scott Cornett, got to play the family rematch against last year's runner-up George Seary. Scott rolled six 6's on ten dice to break his opponent in the first of two key battles. Then, with the necessary reinforcements in reserve, he rolled snake eyes for morale to lose the decisive second battle.

George went on to play the finals against tournament newcomer Tom Ruta. Tom actually had the experience edge with over 30 games played lifetime (to George's dozen). The final was a superb, five-hour, nail-biter that ended at 5:30 am Sunday. It can best be labeled "The Three Battles of Charleroi". George chose the Allies with a bid of two step-reductions (from Prussian infantry). Tom quickly attacked the Allied center, hoping to split the two enemy armies before they could combine. In the first battle of Charleroi, the Allies wisely retreated before they were overwhelmed.

They regrouped and immediately counterattacked Charleroi with an equal force but superior artillery. They also attacked two neighboring cities, thus delaying most of the French reinforcements for several turns -- during which time the French almost broke (at one point needing to pass a single morale test to hold). Eventually, the French won the neighboring battles and critical reinforcements began to arrive. In bloody fighting, both sides had most of their units reduced to 1's, after which they continually rolled for morale, but did relatively little damage. The French finally gained enough force to charge and suppress the guns, eventually breaking the Allied morale.

The Allies retreated in pieces. The French lead force advanced to Quatre Bras with their eye on Brussels. Half the French army remained in Charleroi. The Allies circled behind and hit the French remnants in the third battle of Charleroi. They needed to defeat these weak units before the better French reinforced from Quatre Bras. The bulk of the units on both sides were brittle 1-strength units. Everything was rolling for morale, and each hit was a unit destroyed. Eventually, the French and
English armies were reduced to less than half strength. The Prussians just managed to retreat from battle with enough units to survive. The French won all three battles of Charleroi, but lost the war!

For complete tournament details, see http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/rabdwombat/nap_review_2001.htm.

 GM      Jeff Cornett  [1st Year]  728 Ashgrove Terrace, Sanford FL 32771
    rabdwombat@aol.com   407-330-1968

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