Deck Tinkering
The WBC 2005 inaugural Dixie tournament was a great success.
20 players vied for the plaque: some experienced, and others
who were just learning the game.
Early round games involved two games per round where each
player played both sides versus the same opponent. Winning both
games ensured advancing to the next round. If the games were
split, battle-damage inflicted on enemy troop cards in both games
determined who advanced. Successful use of tactics such as outflanking
and melee was a key ingredient in the victories of those who
advanced.
Most of the games were tense, hard-fought, drawn-out battles,
coming down to a few cards remaining in play with no further
reinforcements scheduled. Often the prevailing side was on the
very edge of defeat when their victory came. The fate of generals
was usually pivotal to the outcome and sharpshooters were a feared
commodity. A well timed double-canister, uniform confusion, or
rally card also made the difference in several games.
Between rounds many players adjusted their battle-decks by
trading with other entrants and a box of loose cards provided
by Columbia Games. There was much spirited debate about the best
30 cards to choose for a battle-deck (any 30 unique cards were
permitted). Among the more difficult choices was deciding the
ideal proportion of troop cards to generals, terrain, and special
cards, which is critical to success. Players seemed to enjoy
the challenge and tinkered with their battle-decks from round
to round
The final four involved mostly experienced players with well-constructed
battle-decks. The semifinals between Scott Fenn and Rob Mull
were settled by a single battle-damage point in the tie-breaker.
The other semifinal, involving Sean Druelinger and Doug Porterfield,
was similarly hard-fought.
Rob Mull and Sean Druelinger squared off for a single Final
game with Sean emergeing as champion.
On the whole, a good time was had by all, including those
who were new to the game. All the entrants exhibited excellent
sportsmanship and most indicated they would be eager to play
again next year if Dixie returns as an event.
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