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Mark Gutfreund vs Joe Beard |
Chris Juel vs Wade Hyett |
Grognard Still Lives 50 Years Later ...
Wild, all night, celebratory partying was the highlight of
the 2012 tournament as the participants proclaimed the 50th anniversary
of this timeless classic! Special commemorative shirts were available
that enabled participants and spectators alike to herald their
loyalty and mark the celebrations. While the participants did
not display the same histrionics of your typical Circus Maximus
game, their intensity was just as strong. Now what is it about
this particular wargame that has contributed to its longevity?
Consensus among former and current players points to rules simplicity
(only five pages), across the board maneuvering by both sides,
constant attacking and counterattacking, and most importantly
an incredibly balanced contest. With 31 games played, the Prussian
Anglo-Allied (PAA) side enjoyed a single victory more than the
French side. The use of a bidding system to adjust for the slight
bias toward the PAA player advantage in previous years was used
infrequently this year. This equality in play balance has breathed
new life in how the participants view the game, the side they
desire to play, and the tactics and strategy employed. Much greater
care in the preservation of the small 1-6 and 2-6 cavalry units
used for "soak-off" attacks and rear guard delaying
actions have become evident. The minor rule changes introduced
last year that forbade British and Prussian units from stacking
together and jointly attacking the same French units has slightly
altered PAA play but has significantly freshened one's approach
to the game. Many thanks to the many past, current, and future
players for their continued support and participation as we begin
the next 50 years encouraged by our continued success at the
World Boardgaming Championships. WATERLOO is a game that
keeps on giving!
The contest to make the playoffs cut was more heated
than usual (in more ways than one). Three players battled late
into the night attempting to gain the last seat. Even at the
conclusion of the last game, officials had to resort to the fourth
tie-breaking guideline before the final four were decided with
the formidable John Clarke just missing the cut. Perennial challengers
Ray "the Rapacious" Clark and Joe "the Anvil"
Angiolillo were joined by defending champion, Richard "Beyma
the Younger" and a true grognard, Joe "the Surgeon"
Beard.
In semifinal #1, Beard's French faced Ray Clark. Joe opened
with a "standard" three-pronged French offensive toward
Quatre Bras, Nivelles, and the Tilly/Wavre corridor. While the
Quatre Bras advance was somewhat cautious, four French cavalry
divisions quickly penetrated past the road to Braine Le Comte
on the far western side of the board by 7PM on 16 June with the
first major engagements near Nivelles. By the close of the 16th,
56 French factors had been lost versus 62 PAA factors. Ray's
luck was nothing extraordinary but Joe's rolls were slightly
below average. Action was joined near Quatre Bras on the morning
of 17 June when Ray launched three 1-1 attacks, losing two 6-4
Prussian infantry divisions but killing the French 8-4 Imperial
Guard artillery. While Joe maintained a defensive posture in
front of Nivelles, he maneuvered the PAA out of Quatre Bras and
threatened to flank them crossing the river east of Genappe.
Ray was winning the game on the western side of the board and
eliminated the French cavalry raid that had penetrated down the
road to Hal. However, in the center of the board, Joe's French
had united and were forcing the PAA forces back toward Mont St
Jean. By the evening of 17 June, the game was very close with
125 PAA factors lost to 114 French. The timely arrival of Ray's
Prussian IV corps would be the decisive factor. He brought his
IV corps onto the board along the primary road through Quatre
Bras on the eastern side rushing to relieve the thin British
line confronting the French army at Mont St Jean. At 1 PM on
18 June, the climax was reached as Joe had to eliminate the last
two British infantry divisions blocking his advance to Brussels
or become trapped by the arriving Prussians. Joe launched two
desperate 1-1 attacks and the dice gods, maybe balancing some
of Joe's earlier dismal rolls, rewarded him with two Defender
Eliminated results. With the way clear towards Brussels, Ray
was powerless to prevent the French exit, so he conceded. This
semifinal was an exceptional game with superior play by both
contestants and clearly demonstrated the fine qualities of this
classic game. Ray's masterful defense brought him within a hair's
breadth of victory as Joe admitted at the conclusion that had
his final desperation attacks not been so successful, he would
have been the one offering a concession.
In
the other semifinal #2, Angiolillo's French used early unorthodox
tactics to pressure Richard's defense. Again using the "standard"
three-pronged French deployment, the French quickly closed on
Quatre Bras, Nivelles, and Tilly. Foregoing the usual French
tactic of massing forces to gain favorable odds attacks on the
large PAA infantry divisions, Joe employed a series of 1-2 attacks
using 3-6s on all three sectors and 1-2 attacks on the Quatre
Bras heights. His results were nothing short of incredible with
several 1-2 exchanges and D Back 2s as he forced the PAA off
the heights and gained a clear advantage with 29 PAA factors
destroyed for the price of only nine French by the evening of
16 June. To his credit, Richard did not panic while he regrouped
his forces to maintain a strong defense at the town of Quatre
Bras itself and in front of Nivelles to prevent the two columns
of the French army from uniting in the center of the board. Joe
chose to remain passive in front of Nivelles at this critical
stage of the game while a French corps turned the Prussian flank
at the Genappe River and French cavalry advanced toward the LaLasne
River. However, by late on 17 June, Richard had maneuvered to
gain force superiority over the bulk of the French Army near
Genappe while Joe remained surprisingly docile at Nivelles and
facing the Prussians across the LaLasne River. Richard destroyed
the bulk of the French army in the vicinity of Genappe and by
the end of 17 June enjoyed a decided edge with 81 French factors
eliminated versus only 56 PAA factors lost. A desperation 1-2
attack with the Imperial Guard artillery (an 8-4) did not repeat
the success of earlier assaults and with its defeat, Joe sought
island exile.
The title game featured Richard as the French and Joe getting
the PAA on a bid of 5, a reversal of previously anticipated side
preference. (This bid resulted in Joe removing five Prussian
factors before play). The game was marked by deliberate and precise
play by both contestants. Richard's French attack columns cautiously
probed Joe's PAA defense across the width of the board. As the
French advanced toward Tilly, the PAA attacked the head of the
column and destroyed a French 6-4 that caused this flank to assume
a defensive stance for one turn. Maybe Joe's reputation as a
master player was adding to Richard's cautious approach. At 11
AM on the 17th, Richard attempted a reconnaissance-in-force toward
Nivelles with a 2-1 attack against a large British infantry division.
This attack was repulsed with half the attacking force lost.
Immediately Joe launched a general offensive with attacks at
Nivelles, east of Quatre Bras, and against the leading French
divisions near the Dyle/Thil River junction. Joe's aggression
paid off, destroying 24 French factors at the cost of only nine
of his. The battle was now joined with furious attacks and counterattacks.
Seeking to rebalance the loss sheet, Richard concentrated his
attacks at the river junction and down the primary road east
of Quatre Bras but could only manage costly exchanges. The French
remained on the defensive near Nivelles. Late in the afternoon
of 17 June, Joe reinforced his Prussians at Quatre Bras, remained
on the defensive near Nivelles, while starting to withdraw toward
the LaLasne River on the east side of the board. Sensing this
was the critical moment to break the entire PAA defensive front,
Richard launched two 2-1 attacks near Nivelles and a game changing
3-1 versus a Prussian 7-4 doubled behind the Dyle River. All
three attacks ended in exchanges!! While depleting both opposing
armies, the doubled exchange was especially damaging to Richard.
Joe ceased operations on the 17th with a successful attack to
recapture Quatre Bras and as darkness fell, the loss ratio was
steadily moving in Joe's favor with 95 French lost for 69 PAA
casualties. Richard launched a series of low odds attacks to
regain French initiative early on 18 June hoping for a change
in his abysmal dice. Each of these 1-1 attacks also suffered
exchange results and with the French army now severely outnumbered,
Richard asked for terms. Richard's many exchanges negatively
impacted his play, but he will certainly be back next year with
improved French play added to his superior PAA defense. As for
Joe's fourth title, we can only hope his infrequent WBC visits
will allow further schooling of the young Napoleon.
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Joe Angiolillo vs Richard Beyma |
Ray Clark vs Joe Beard |
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