brute force [Updated October 2003]  

 2003 WBC Report  

 2004 Status: pending December Membership Century Vote

Rob Beyma, MD

2003 Champion

2nd: Ernest Copley, ME

3rd: Bob Runnicles, FL

4th: Richard Beyma, MD

5th: -

6th: -

Event History
2003    Rob Beyma       8


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 Laurels
Rank Name

From

Last
Total
 1. Rob Beyma

MD

03
10
 2. Ernest Copley

ME

03
  6
 3. Rob Runnicles

FL

03
  4
 4. Richard Beyma

MD

03
  3

Western Front debut ...

Brute Force made its debut this year as a trial event with a four round Swiss format. Two very interested new players and two more experienced players showed up for the demo on Wednesday.

In Round 1 Wednesday afternoon Bob Runnicles squared off against Marty Musella in a 1940 Blitzkrieg scenario while Ernie Copley took on Rob Beyma in the same scenario. Bob bid 13.5 to play the Germans and Rob bid 13. The standard number of VPs to win the scenario is 12.

Bob pushed the panzers through Belgium and into northern France the first couple of turns. The Maginot front was quiet. The French were doing a good job of slowing the German advance but couldn't stop them. By the middle of the scenario the Germans were pressing the Allied line hard. The French counterattacked a Pz XXX at 3-1 (-1) in an attempt to check the German advance but rolled a 1 (AX). Marty conceded a short time later.

In the second 1940 scenario, Rob concentrated most of the panzers and drove through Luxembourg and southern Belgium. A secondary attack was made through Liege towards Brussels. The Germans continued to exert heavy pressure all along the Allied line from the Channel to Nancy during May and June. On the July 1 turn the Germans broke the Marne line and exploited into central France. The Allied situation deteriorated rapidly at that point. The Germans survived a setback in a major air battle that saw three German air units go down in one air phase.

In other 1940 games, Rob bid 14 to play the Germans versus Marty and Richard Beyma went to 16 in his game versus Ernie. Richard broke through a lightly defended section of the Maginot line. With the Germans developing an attack in both the north and central France, Ernie surrendered early in the game. In the other game, Rob gambled on a 5-1 versus the Maginot line near the Saar while airborne units dropped behind the Maginot line. The main panzer force attacked through Belgium. The attack on the Maginot hex was successful and a panzer corps, a motorized corps, and Kleist exploited through the gap. The French countered well to contain the breakthrough and eliminate the paratroops on turn 2. In June, the Germans transferred Kleist back to northern France and drove towards Paris. Marty took advantage of a too aggressive exploitation and made a 5-1 (-1) counterattack versus a Pz XXX. Unfortunately, he rolled a 1 (NE) but did eliminate a panzer further south on a 3-1 counterattack with an EX. Having dodged a big bullet, the Germans broke the game open in July.

The six turn Norway scenario was also very popular. The small number of units and its short length made it a good scenario for players wanting to try a game. The scenario, which also introduces naval units, was generally perceived as about even. One German player landed at both Bergen and near Oslo on turn 1 but most German players opted for a more conservative landing near Oslo and marched overland towards Bergen. Two Allied players elected to send the Royal Navy into the Skagerrak on turn 2 to intercept German convoys to Oslo. However, both times the German land based air units made the British pay a heavy price. Ernie gained narrow victories against both Brooks Beyma and John Stup using the Oslo first strategy to earn his second place finish.

 GM      Rob Beyma [1st Year]   NA
   robbeyma@aol.com   NA

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