squad leader  

Updated 11/26/2010

2010 WBC Report    

 2011 Status: pending 2011 GM commitment

Andrew Cummins, uk

2010 Champion

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 GM Site

Event History
1991    Scott Romanowski      12
1992    Jeff Miller      19
1993    Brian Laskey      14
1994    Eric Stranger      15
1995    Kevin Welsh        8
1996    Eric Stranger      10
1997    Kevin Welsh      12
1998    Peter Pollard      17
1999    Peter Pollard      19
2000    Mike Pacheco     18
2001    Peter Pollard     20
2002    Andrew Cummins     22
2003    Peter Pollard     21
2004    Bill Thomson     24
2005    Mike Pacheco     18
2006    David Van Bronkhorst     22
2007    Bill Thomson     21
2008    Eric Stranger     25
2009    Phil Grasha     21
2010    Andrew Cummins     19

PBeM Event History
2000    Andy Cowdery      16
2006    David von Bronkhorst     26
 Laurels

Rank  Name              From  Last  Total
  1.  Pete Pollard       CA    10    192
  2.  Bill Thomson       TX    10    180
  3.  Andrew Cummins     uk    10    114
  4.  David v Bronkhorst VA    06     86
  5.  Mike Pacheco       CA    06     78
  6.  Eric Stranger      OH    08     67
  7.  Phil Grasha        PA    10     62
  8.  Michael Hennessy   VA    05     30
  9.  Chuck Leonard      PA    09     28
 10.  Michael Day        AZ    02     27
 11.  Allen Kaplan       NJ    00     27
 12.  Eric Filipowski    MD    09     22
 13.  Bryan Van Nortwick NC    04     21
 14.  Scott Bramley      NJ    10     20
 15.  David Gubbay       TX    07     18
 16.  Bill Pittman       VA    99     18
 17.  Warren Day         AZ    01     16
 18.  Francis Spencer    CT    00     15
 19.  Neal Ekengren      FL    06     12
 20.  John Blazel        WA    06     12
 21.  Bob Menzel         MA    05     12
 22.  Dan Leader         WA    99     12
 23.  Andy Cowdery       IL    00     10
 24   Rick Northey       MA    10      8
 25.  Bill Sosnicki      NJ    08      4
 26.  John Sharp         FL    07      3
 27.  Eric Dunsmore      CA    03      3
 28.  Stefan Eriksson    sw    06      2

2010 Laurelists                                       Repeating Laurelists:

Pete Pollard, TN
2nd

Bill Thomson, TX
3rd

Phil Grasha, PA
4th

Rick Northey, MA
5th

Scott Bramley, NJ
6th

Past Winners

Scott Romaowski, MA
1991

1992: Jeff Miller, NY
1993: Brian Laskey, CT

Eric Stranger, OH
1994, 1996, 2008

Kevin Welsh, NJ
1995, 1997

Peter Pollard ,TN
'98-99, '01, '03

Mike Pacheco, CA
2000, 2005

Andrew Cummins, uk
2002, 2010

Bill Thomson, TX
2004, 2007

David von Bronkhorst, VA
2006

Phil Grasha, PA
2009

Derek Pulhamer & Chuck Leonard watch the Pollard PLC escape again.

Eugene Riccio led all grognards with 15 SQL games played ... playing it exclusively.

Play Fast and often

The 2010 Squad Leader Series event joined the Grognardcon format for the first time resulting in a significant increase in the number of games played over the entire length of WBC despite a decline in the number of players. A total of 58 games were played between 19 players, more than doubling the 2009 total of 28 games played by 21 players. The employment of the Grognard scoring system standardized the final rankings, which have been at issue in previous years when limited to four rounds of play. At the end of the week, the top four places were clearly defined lacking the usual debate.

Modification of the standard format was made to enable games at each level (Squad Leader, Cross of Iron, Crescendo of Doom, and GI: Anvil of Victory) to be treated as different games played between same opponents. Repeated play of the same opponents at the same level generated only one point per player, but served the purpose of generating bragging rights and AREA points for each. For many players, game play capability changed at each level of the SQL series. Eugene Ricco (Coatesville, PA) achieved "Berserker" status by playing a record 15 games during the week. On a side note, Eugene gained additional notoriety when a picture of him playing SQL was featured in the local newspaper. The games level played broke down to 25 SQL matches, 14 at COI level, nine for COD, and one GIA (the annual Chuck Leonard vs. Bill Thomson matchup).

When the medics had evacuated the casualties from the preliminary rounds, four previous WBC champions had adequately distanced themselves to claim a seat in the single elimination process. Although the records varied, it is a matter of who you defeated per the Grognard scoring system. Seeding was clarified as #1 Bill Thomson (Garland, TX; 74 points, 12 games); #2 Pete Pollard (Bartlett, TN; 62 points, 13 games); Phil Grasha (Chicora, PA; 58 points; five games); and through a series of late wins, #4 Andrew Cummins (Cambridge, UK; 48 points, eight games).

Perhaps fatigue proved a factor as both semi-final results were viewed as upsets. However, considering the quality of the players involved representing a combined eight previous titles, the use of the term is subjective. Andrew Cummins defeated Bill Thomson as Germans in SQL #7 Bucholtz Station, steadily building a victory portion margin and avoiding a shift in momentum possible in any die roll. Pete Pollard defeated Phil Grasha as Germans in COI #108 Blockbusting in Bokruisk. The game was marred by an unintended and unlikely building fire generated by a Russian 152mm round against a location the Russians needed to capture in accordance with their victory conditions.

The Final matched Pete Pollard, as the Germans defending the village, and Andrew Cummings, as the American player tasked to clear the Germans. Andrew's troops quickly passed through the mine fields and small holding force to obtain a foothold in the village. Though the Germans entered the village center with a sizable force, Andrew's firepower proved too much for the initial meeting. After some rash advances, The German troops were quickly disintegrated by withering fire from the GIs. The Final ended in an anticlimactic way as Andrew Cummings secured his second title by rapidly routing the Germans in SQL #10 Hitdorf on the Rhine.

Bill Thomson overcame a poor start to defeat Phil Grasha in the same SQL #10 scenario to claim a third place finish. Perseverance, elaborate use of infantry and artillery smoke during a Turn 5 surge enabled the American engineers to surge into the village. Extended Close Combat over several player phases enabled the Americans to use favorable die rolls defeating the remaining German armor and infantry.

There was plenty of competition for the Best Personal Leader Counter side competition during the event. Using the Grognard format required additional considerations for PLC scoring. One main change for this year's competition was that a PLC could only be used once per day and throughout the event the PLC points were only gained in four matches. Pete Pollard earned the best performance for the event. His PLC performance started slowly in a match as the U.S player in Hitdorf on the Rhine, but quickly gained points as a German .leader in a COD scenario "The French Perimeter". Sealing Pete's win for Best PLC came at the expense of Bruno Sinigaglio when Pete's forces wiped him out in "Aachen Redoubt". Since Bill Thomson's PLC survived this year's combat, the Pollard Memorial plaque was not awarded for eliminating the previous year's PLC champion. In 2011, Pete will have to defend his PLC from snipers, tanks, and others who try to remove him from the battlefield in order to earn the Pollard Memorial plaque.

2009 champ Phil Grasha again made the play-offs.

Four-time champ Pollard meets Chuck Leonard.
 GM      Bill Thomson  [5th Year]   2013 West Campbell Rd., Apt 224, Garland, TX 75044
    bill@wargameacademy.org    817-501-2978

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