bulge '81 

Updated 11/29/2008

Grognards Pre-Con
2008 WBC Report     

 2009 Status: pending 2009 GM commitment

Steve Likevch, OH

2007-08 Champion

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Event History
1991    Pierre Menard      14
1992    Rob Beyma      13
1993    Randy Heller      12
1994    Phil Evans      12
1995    Randy Heller      14
1996    Bruno Sinigaglio      10
1997    Phil Evans      15
1998    Bruno Sinigaglio      13
1999    Bruno Sinigaglio     13
2000    John Grant Jr       8
2001    Bruno Sinigaglio     10
2002     Steve Likevich     18
2003     Steve Likevich      23
2004     Steve Likevich      20
2005     Bob Ryan        20
2006      Bill Morse      18
2007     Steve Likevich      21
2008      Steve Likevich      18
 Laurels

Rank  Name             From  Last  Total
  1.  Steve Likevich    OH    08    152
  2.  Forrest Pafenberg VA    08     94
  3.  Bill Morse        VA    08     57
  4.  Bob Ryan          MI    07     57
  5.  Phil Evans        VA    05     52
  6.  Bruno Sinigaglio  AK    07     51
  7.  Frank Sinigaglio  NJ    08     39
  8.  Randy Heller      MD    08     21
  9.  John Grant Jr     CT    01     20
 10.  John Clarke       FL    06     19
 11.  Vince Sinigaglio  NJ    08      9
 12.  Bill Scott        VA    04      6
 13.  Jim Falling       IL    99      4
 14.  Bill Riggs        VA    07      3
 15.  Chris Withers     CA    05      3
 16.  Mike Mitchell     GA    02      2
 17.  Martin Svenson    VA    99      2
 18.  Buddy Sinigaglio  CO    02      1

2008 Laurelists                                           Repeating Laurelists 

Frank Sinigaglio, NJ
2nd

Forrest Pafenberg, VA
3rd

Bill Morse, VA
4th

Randy Heller, NH
5th

Vinny Sinigaglio, NJ
6th


Past Winners

Pierre Menard, CT
1991

Rob Beyma, MD
1992

Randy Heller, CT
1993, 1995

Phil Evans, VA
1994, 1997

Bruno Sinigaglio, AK
'96, '98-'99, '01

John Grant Jr, CT
2000

Steve Likevich, OH
2002-04, '07-'08

Bob Ryan, MI
2005

Bill Morse, VA
2006


Steve Likevich (left) and Frank Sinigaglio in Final showdown.

Alan Hayes checks out the young grognards in the next generation.

still fighting the Bulge ...

While most of us are fighting a different type of "bulge" problem, WBC remains the place for grognards to meet and vie over the AH classic Battle of the Bulge, 1981 edition. A few classic style war games are hanging with the newer games, as they provide an easy sojourn into some tense competition.

Open Swiss Phase

A total of 28 games were played in the preliminary rounds by 18 different participants, allowing Battle of the Bulge 1981 to crack the 16-player threshold for the seventh consecutive doncon. Contributing to this success are two things: The flexible format pioneered by El Lingle allows grognards looking for tournament games to play after they have been waxed elsewhere.

18 of the 28 Preliminary games were won by the Germans, while the Allies won two of three in the playoffs. The overall tournament totals were Germans 19 - Americans 12. The eight-turn tournament scenario developed by Randy Heller has been playing near 50-50 for 17 years. The results since Bruno took over for our late friend John Grant in 2003 are now Germans 87 and Americans 77. Making it to the Final Four was hard luck runner-up Forest Pafenberg with 50 points, 2006 champ Bill Morse at 48, upstart Frank Sinigaglio also with 48 and four-time champ Steve Likevich bringing up the rear with 42 points.

Single Elimination Phase

Semi-final: Frank Sinigaglio's Germans seriously hosed Bill Morse's Americans on 16AM with a spectacular opening. The 395th and 12th Infantry were tied up in Engaged battles, while 394th, 424 inf and 109th inf were eliminated by various means. To make matters worse, the panzers advanced four vs 110 inf. The problem for Bill was a lack of units in the south with 109 dead and 4/12 engaged. The solid opening by Frank was held off by Bill's stubborn defense, but the kills mounted and Frank hammered Bill with a plethora of successful blitzkrieg attacks. The number of eliminated Americans combined with panzers slipping past strongpoints forced Bill to take low odds counterattacks to hold exposed positions. Alas, Bill 's defense eventually crumbled and Bill sent his sword over to Frank in exchange for some pistachios.

Semi-final: Forrest Pafenberg's German attacks exchanged the 9CCA and 110th Infantry, which would usually spell serious trouble for the Americans in the south; however, Paffy's other attacks were lousy and Steve Likevich was left with a boatload of units for defense on 16AM. On the other hand, Paffy's attacks were not as bad as those from previous years, as Paffy did not approach his legendary bad dice from 2003, at which time he rolled zero kills of the Americans on the 16AM turn -- a one time event in 802 chances of occurrence. The German attacks then petered out significantly, but Like committed his trademark blunder on 18PM - allowing a lone arty to get automatically eliminated - with the advancing units taking Trois Ponts. Like failed to retake Trois Ponts with an 18PM counterattack, but he positioned units to prevent German reinforcements from entering the fray. Like did retake Trois Ponts on 19AM, but the effort allowed Paffy to mount a 2-1 (-1) against Stavelot that would give him the required victory conditions. Alas, Paffy's luck was true to form as he blew a potential game winning roll for the third consecutive year. 

The Championship:

Frank's 16AM attacks yielded the following results:

#1: 1-1(0) vs 4/12 in Echternacht. Exchange. A German +.

#2: 1-1(-1) vs 9CCA. Contact. An Allied +.

#3: 3-1(0) vs 28/109. Engaged. A German +.

#4: 4-1(-1) vs 28/110. D back 3, A Adv 2. An Allied +.

#5: 5-1(-1) vs 28/112. D back 2, A Adv 1. An Allied +.

#6: 2-1(0) vs 106/424. A Back 1. An Allied +.

#7: 1-1(-1) vs 106/423. A Back 1. An Allied +.

#8: 4-1(-1) vs 106/422. D Elim, A Adv 1. A German +.

#9: 8-1(-1) vs 14cav. D Elim, A Adv 1. A German +.

#10: 7-1(-1) vs 99/394. D Elim, A Adv 1. A German +.

#11: 2-1(-1) vs 99/393. D back 2, A Adv 1. An Allied +.

#12: 2-1(-1) vs 2/9 and 2/38. Engaged. A German ++.

#13: 1-1(0) vs 99/395. Engaged. A German +.

The German 16AM attacks eliminated four units and trapped four more. A very good start and referred to by those in the know as "four dead guys in Ohio!"

On 16PM, the Allies allow the Germans a free run in the south, but it is limited by the roadblock caused by the engaged 28/109, which gets engaged a second time. The Germans get adjacent to St. Vith and break the Clerf River line.

On 17AM, it looks like there could be a rout in the making as the Germans Blitz adjacent to Bastogne, but a bit of bad luck in the center as 16/116, which is just behind the Allied line, is eliminated on an unlucky exchange. If 16/116 rolls anything, but the exchange, the road from the north would have been cut through Vielsalm. Steve counterattacks at Bastogne to hold the line, but a fort cannot be built in the intersection.

On 17PM, there is no movement anywhere except in the south, where Frank's Germans get across the Sauer River east of Martelange. The German attacks all along the line yield contacts or engaged results, which give Like's Americans a significant respite. The Americans again roll a stick at Bastogne.  

On the 18AM and 18PM turns, the Germans again roll crap, allowing Like to hold a fort-less Bastogne. The Germans do get next to Neufchateau causing consternation at SHAEF HQ back in Columbus. Eventually, the Germans take Bastogne, eliminate 18 Allied units and lose less than four mechanized or arty, but they fall one short of the required four Victory Conditions.

Congratulations to Steve Likevich for winning his fifth Bulge 81 championship despite various conspiracies and collusion among many disgruntled and gruntled players who wish to deny Like the credit he certainly deserves as the best Bulge 81 player. Perhaps we should get Bruce Reiff to reinstate Like on the "Girly Men" team, wherein he would be more apt to choke with Bruce looking over his shoulder.

 GM      Frank Sinigaglio [1st Year]   NA 
   franquey@msn.com   NA

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