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Great Campaigns of the American Civil War (GCA) PBeM Reports Updated September 15, 2023
 
 

2023 PBeM Tournament

Laurent Tisseyre emerged from a field of 37 players to win the 6th BPA PBEM tournament for the Great Campaigns of the American Civil War. The tournament participants played a total of 59 games over almost two years, and the finals saw Laurent, the winner of the PBEM Division, play Paul Sampson, the winner of the Live-Play Division. Laurent ended undefeated over seven rounds of the tournament. Other laurelists, coming in 3rd through 6th, were Jean-Louis Dirion, Ken Lee, Bruno Passacantando, and Steve Likevich, in that order.

In the finals, Laurent’s Union forces prevailed over the Confederate troops commanded by Paul in the Advanced Game of Hood Strikes North. The game simulates the Civil War campaign in Tennessee in November-December 1864. Laurent’s Union troops fell back towards Columbia in the early days of the campaign, crossing the Duck River in good order and with Franklin and ultimately Nashville on the road ahead. Rain on the fourth day and again late on the fifth day slowed the Rebel advance on the Union forces. Nonetheless, Forrest’s Confederate cavalry destroyed a Union wagon train on the fifth day and threatened to block the retreating Union forces, before Schofield’s Union troops inflicted significant losses on Forrest’s units. Stephen D. Lee’s Confederate corps slipped ahead of the retreating Union forces on days 6 and 7, beating them to Franklin. But Union forces rallied and eventually surrounded Lee’s corps, halting the advance and demoralizing the Confederate forces in combat.

With Lee’s corps surrounded in Franklin, and with winter weather on the way, on day 9 Stewart’s Confederate corps, located several miles to the west of Franklin, made a bold move: rather than attempt to relieve Lee’s forces at Franklin, Stewart’s units marched quickly and unabated towards Nashville. Taking and holding Nashville at the end of a day would give an immediate victory in the game to the Confederates. Stewart’s corps destroyed a fort on the outskirts of Nashville, with the open city in front of it, but various Union units rallied, defending the city, surrounding Stewart’s units, and eventually ejecting them. At that point, the Confederates conceded, and Laurent had earned his first BPA championship plaque for the Great Campaigns series.

 

2020 PBeM Tournament

David Dockter emerged from a field of 37 players to win the 5th BPA PBEM tournament for the Great Campaigns of the American Civil War. The tournament participants played a total of 62 games over almost two years, and the finals saw David play Ed Beach, winner of multiple WBC and PBEM tournaments of the game series. Other laurelists, for coming in 3rd through 6th, were Ken Lee, Rob Mull, Al Owen, and Laurent Tisseyre, in that order. Rob, Al, and Laurent each earned their first BPA laurels for the Great Campaigns series.

In the final round, David’s Union forces prevailed over the Confederate troops commanded by Ed in the Pipe Creek Plan scenario from Roads to Gettysburg II: Lee Strikes North. The Union undertook a daring forward defense of the Pipe Creek Line that lay in northern Maryland to the south and east of Gettysburg. In so doing, the Union absorbed significant combat losses at the hands of the Confederates over the six-day battle, but they slowed the Confederate advance. The exciting game came down to Union General Meade engineering a successful grand assault on the last battle of the game, with forces on both sides otherwise all but done for the day, to retake the town of Union Mills from General Ewell’s Confederates. Ewell had undertaken a bold flank march on day five of the battle and successfully evicted the Union forces from Union Mills, but Ewell could not hold the town through day six. Although bloodied, the Union held the Pipe Creek Line, Baltimore and Washington were safe, and David had earned his first BPA championship plaque for the Great Campaigns series.

 

2016 PBeM Tournament

Some 2.5 years and 60 games after it started, Bruno Passacantando emerged from a field of 28 to claim the fourth BPA PBeM tournament for Great Campaigns of the American Civil War by besting Patrick Pence in the the final. They played From the Rappahannock to Bull Run from SJW II. Patrick's yanks were in a hole early on but managed to encircle Longstreet around Warrenton. Bruno, true to form, fought his way out of the trap, and Patrick graciously offered his sword on the last turn when it became apparent that the Union didn't have enough left for the counterattack. Also earning laurels were Mike Metcalf, John Cissel, Rob Doane and Scott Spurgeon for finishing 3rd through 6th respectively.

 

2013 PBeM Tournament

Three years and two GMs later, the third GCA PBeM tournament has limped over the finish line. A total of 46 players participated in 88 games with Steve Likevich and Scott Spurgeon surviving through four preliminary and two elimination rounds to reach the Final. They ended the marathon struggle with the three-turn Battle of Chickamauga scenario from Battle Above the Clouds. Steve's Yanks spliut the rebel army in two early and defeated it in detail. Other laurelists were Mike Pacheco, Jonathan Moody, Gary Kirk and Ed Beach in that order.

 

2009 PBeM Tournament

After four preliminary and three elimination rounds that sorted through a field of 51 players in 97 games, Ed Beach emerged triumphant to successfully defend his email championship in the Great Campaign series. Ed topped Rob Doane in the Rebels in the White House campaign game. His Yankees proved to be quite a speed bump to Rob's rebels. Early's raid turned to Baltimore, but Rob wasn't able to score enough victory points there to edge Beach. Also scoring laurels were Mark Booth, Patrick Pence, Mike Pacheco and Justin Rice who finished third through sixth respectively.

2000 PBeM Tournament

Ed Beach defeated Steve Likevich to capture the first Great Campaigns PBeM title. Other laurelists, in order, were David cross, Scott Spurgeon, Patrick Duffy, and Doug Pratto.