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c & c napoleonics (CCN) WBC 2016 Report
Updated Nov. 6, 2016 Icon Key
22 Players Jack Morrell, NY 2016 Status 2017 Status Laurels
  2015-2016 Champion   Click box for details. Click box for details.
 

Less is More

The event ran all day Wednesday, from the demo at 9 am, to the start of play at 10 am, until the final die roll of the last battle in the Final 12 hours later. All told, it was a very long, but a very gratifying, day.

There was renewed interest in Napoleonics. Although no formal count was made, the demo drew around eight to ten observers, with about half of those observers staying to play in the tournament. At the end of the day, the Napoleonics field was the smallest ever, but due to the new Swiss Elim format, the number of unique games played actually rose.

The Swiss round used two scenarios — Corunna from the base game (British) and Heilsberg from the second expansion (Russian). Each participant played both sides of both scenarios for a total of four games. That led to a lot dead French, British, Russians and a bunch of dead tired players, but the response to the marathon gaming session was uniformly positive.

Two scenarios, four games, and eight hours later, the Swiss round ended with two players 4-0 and four more 3-1. In the semifinals, Jack Morrell was paired with Michael Polcen while Todd Carter drew Sam Gatto and they all squared off at the battle of Haslach-Jungingen from the third expansion (Austrian).

Newcomer Michael Polcen had a great run, but his Austrians met their match when they met the French of reigning champion Jack Morrell. Jack showed no mercy, defeating Michael 6-0.

In the other pairing, Todd Carter's French cavalry swept Sam Gatto's Austrians from his right flank, but he made the mistake of using his numerically inferior French infantry to charge the far more numerous Austrian infantry. Austrian infantry is slow, but their units are big. Austrian firepower stopped the French in their tracks and used the bayonet to finish them, propelling newcomer Austrian commander Sam Gatto to a 6-2 victory and a trip to the Final.

The finalists met at Dennewitz from the fourth  Expansion (Prussian). Despite being outnumbered, the French are the aggressor's at Dennewitz, gaining banners both for defeating Prussian units and for exiting offboard toward Berlin. The Prussians have more units and with their iron will they are formidable defenders. 

It looked like the defending champion would run away with his title defense when he took a commanding 5-1 lead. However, Sam Gatto’s Prussians were not going to go gently into that good night. They staged a furious rally, taking three banners in a single turn! But Jack’s French were not to be denied, finally gaining the last banner for a well-earned 6-3 victory.

I am grateful to game creator, Richard Borg, and to GMT for sponsoring Napoleonics at this year's tournament. My special thanks goes to assistant GMs Tim Hitchings and Jack Morrell, who spent endless hours helping me to prepare and who, at the start of the tournament, staged a minor miracle by stitching together bits and pieces of spare game parts in order to create the additional scenarios necessary to handle the influx of new players. Lastly, I wish to thank everyone who played. The level of sportsmanship displayed could not have been higher.

If you have any comments, suggestions, or wish to stay informed about next year's tournament, please feel free to contact me at mr.johnkirk@gmail.com.

 
2016 Laurelists Repeating Laurelists: 1
Sam Gatto, PA Todd Carter, NJ Michael Polcen, VA Eric Filipkowski, MD Tim Hitchings, DE
2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
 

David Brooks vs Tony Curtis

Ryam Broostin gets schooled by the champ.

The slopeside portion of the Ski Lodge First Tracks is taken over by Napoleonic blockheads.
 
GM  John Kirk [1st Year]  NA
 mr.johnkirk@Gmail.com  215-962-1095