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Nicholas Osipov vs his dad
as the
event gets reinforcements. |
Greg and Bob Osipov
as the event gets
an infusion of new blood. |
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Three-time champ Bill Thomson
vs Steve Koleszar |
Defending champ Eric Stranger
vs Pete Pollard |
Remembering Fallen Comrades ...
The Host’s last gathering of Squad Leaders netted a roll call of 22—a surprising increase from recent fields given the absence of four stalwarts not attending this year. Those 22 players did manage 41 games with the majority of the play at the basic Squad Leader level, a handful of games at the Cross of Iron level, and only two Crescendo of Doom games.
Bob Osipov and his two sons dropped by in 2014 strictly as observers and returned this year to play, logging many games during the week. My hat is off to those veterans who contributed to the education of the Osipov family as they continue to learn the Squad Leader system.
We mourned the loss of three-time champion Andrew Cummins. Andrew enlivened our tourney with a bit of British flair and dry wit along with his solid play. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Andrew’s family. He was, and will be, missed.
Squad Leader play started during the last Pre-Con and continued in open format until Friday night. The top four players, as determined by the grognard point system, would then meet in the semifinals Saturday at 9am.
The first semifinal pit a pair of former champs. Bill Thompson has won this tourney three times and Eric has taken home the shield four times. They opted for the Cross of Iron scenario “Tooth and Nail”, with Bill’s Germans defending the hill and key objectives vs Eric’s Russians. Eric’s attacks started well by taking the outlying victory locations. The Germans attempted a fighting withdrawal, but the Russian attacks never relented. It appeared that the Russians would win when they took the victory locations on the hill top, but the German assault engineer reinforcements barely held on to key territory, preventing a Russian win to end Eric’s title defense.
In the other bracket, Pete Pollard and Chuck Leonard opted for an On All Fronts scenario “Mogilev”, which is played at the Cross of Iron level. Pete’s task was to prevent Chuck’s German forces from sweeping his light screening force from the road network in the middle of the map and then taking the high ground on map #2. Pete’s Russians first delayed the German mobile force, but after Chuck consolidated his forces, he easily brushed aside the Russian conscripts without taking any losses. What scattered units the Russians had were easily mopped up and Chuck then focused on clearing the hill. The Russian chances of winning appeared to have vanished along with the screening force.
The Russians did reinforce the hill with a small force of infantry supported by two T-26 tanks. Fortunately, Pete was able to occupy the hill and dig entrenchments on his first opportunity. The last two turns were focused on the remaining Russians holding the hill. On the last turn, the Germans pounded Pete’s remaining squad, with no effect, and then charged the hill with two stacks of units. The game came down to the final dice roll with Pete’s last squad surviving to secure the win for the Allies.
Eric and Chuck were not done though, meeting in a consolation match to decide third place. The “Dead of Winter” scenario they used is excellent for tournament play since there are few units involved and only a half board is used—providing immediate action. Eric’s Germans set up near the exit area of the Russians with his infantry entrenched near a supporting tank. Chuck brought on his combined force of T-34’s and guards units riding or using the tanks as protection. Defensive fire broke two squads, but by the second turn a lucky shot from a T-34 destroyed the lone German tank. Eric’s anti-tank gun scored numerous hits but were unable to register any kills. With their armor support gone, the German infantry redeployed to further confound the Russian advance. Small arms fire soon raged at close range and the Russians gained the upper hand when not enough of the defensive force remained to keep the Russians from exiting the board and achieving their victory conditions. The Germans last hope was their 37L ATG. If it could score at least one hit it could force the passengers off the tank and prevent the Russian VC. The gun fired and missed giving Chuck the third place plaque this year.
The Final paired the event’s oldest rivals for yet another of their memorable championship battles. The Squad Leader Academy scenario “King of the Hill” would send Bill Thomson’s German attack against Pete Pollard’s Russian defense. Bill’s attack started well with most of his shots connecting. The Germans then advanced both north and south of the main hill. This pincer move was thwarted by a resilient force to the south that returned fire on the assault group and essentially sent them packing.
In the north, Bill’s troops advanced and engaged a defender in the lone stone farm house. A melee ensued for the next two turns and soon caused the remaining attackers to pause for its resolution. By then, Bill realized that he needed to continue his advance and skirt past the remaining defenders on the hill to prevent the Russian reinforcements from also taking defensive positions on the hill.
His lone tank outran its infantry support and met with one squad defending his approach. With a lucky roll of snake eyes, the Russians immobilized the panzer and dashed any chances of a German victory. Bill quickly did the math and raised the white flag giving Pete his fifth Squad Leader shield, but his first in 12 years.
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Chuck Leonard vs Greg Tanner |
A familiar Final pairing with seven
shields between them. |
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