EPGS Heroics - October/November 2000

Club News

Raffle Winners

There were some big winners as Dave Magagnosc won $59 in the August raffle and Carl Copeland won an incredible $68 in the September raffle. The winner gets half the money collected for the raffle, with the other half going into the club treasury. Tickets may be purchased from the club treasurer when dues are collected or at any time before the drawing. Tickets cost $2 apiece, $4 for three, or $6 for five. A real bargain!

Club finances and attendance

The August meeting was attending by 35 paying members and 1 visitor. $165 in dues were collected. In addition, the raffle added $53 dollars to the treasury while game sales brought in another $15. $10 in prepaid dues were used, lowering the prepaid-dues balance to $532. Club expenses were $151.20 for room rental and $22.31 for newsletter publication. The club cash balance was up $59.49 to a total of $776.08 The September meeting was attended by 43 paying members and 2 visitors. $185 in dues were collected. In addition, the raffle added $62 to the treasury while book sales brought in another $2. $28 in prepaid dues were used, while $15 in prepaid dues were collected, lowering the prepaid-dues balance to $519. The only club expense was $162 for room rental. The club cash balance was up $102 to $878.08

Lettow-Vorbeck - Continued

The June-July issue of Heroics contained a feature by Brian Miller on Oberst Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck, the German Commander in East Africa during WW1. Here is some additional insight into this unique historical figure provided by Steve List:

When the war started, 8 of the 14 field companies were still armed with the obsolete Mauser Model 71, a single-shot .45 cal rifle using black powder. The Germans often attacked from ambush, but the copious smoke clouds from the black powder immediately revealed their positions and required them to move around more than they would have liked. While there was no communication back to Germany, the government there followed the campaign in foreign newspapers, and tried to find ways to support them. In late 1917, zeppelin L59 was loaded with 50 tons of arms, ammo and other supplies, and sent on a one way trip. On arrival, the airship was to be cannibalized for its leather, cloth and structural aluminum. After a great deal of trouble with storms over the Med, the ship made it to Afica and was heading up the Nile when it received radio instructions from the German Admiralty to turn back, since von Lettow-Vorbeck had surrendered. This proved to be a phony message sent by the British, but it worked to cancel the resupply flight. In 1953, von Lettow-Vorbeck visited Africa. On the pier at Dar es Salaam, he encountered a large group of elderly Africans. The proved to be veterans of his army, and once they realized who he was, carried him into town on their shoulders.

An excellent book on the topic is The Battle for the Bundu, Charles Miller, 1974. There also have been two games I know of on the topic: Schutztruppe, published by the designer, Jim Bumpas, in 1975 Sideshow, designed by Richard Berg, S&T #135

WBC 2000 Yearbook Write-up Titan: The Arena

by Robert Sohn

This year there were only 24 matches completed in the preliminary rounds compared to last year's 38 matches. Unlike last year's need to enter multiple heats to guarantee advancement, the qualifiers only had to win one heat to advance in this year's tournament. Like last year, the winners from each table of 5 players (only one table had 4 players) again had to survive a campaign of two consecutive games with the winner determined by the combined ducat score from both games. In an improvement over last year, the players randomly determined seating order at the beginning of each game.

Since all winners of the preliminary heats advanced, with the semi-final tables being power-seeded with the first table having the 1st, 6th, 11th, 16th and 21st seeds playing, etc., there was a need for a different set of tie-breakers than last year. This year, all winners were sorted on the basis of the point-differential over the second-place finisher and then by their percentage of the total table points. Second place finishers were sorted by closest to the first place finisher, and then by their percentage of the total table points. This seemed to result in better seeding as evidenced by the 13th seed being the lowest to advance into the finals. For the semi's, we had all but one qualifier show for the elimination rounds and were able to fill the slots with two second-place finishers who finished tied with first-place, Paul Weintraub and Mike Hazel. Since I wanted to remain a neutral GM during the playoffs, my slot was taken by the next available player, John Chung.

The highest score during the tournament was recorded by Ewan McNay with 29 chips followed by Winston Forrest and Joshua Githens with 28 chips each. Battling for "futility" honors was John Emery with 3 chips in the qualifiers and Brian Barwick with 3 chips in a strange semi-finals match (more about it later).

Alan Witte, the 13th seed, emerged victorious over the top seed, Ewan McNay, from the first SF table by scoring 12 points in both games with Troll and Unicorn secret bets. Sue Ellsworth, Gerald Lientz and Eric Eshelman also played at this table. Josh Githens, the 3rd seed, was a winner in the strange SF match where all players had scored 6 points in the first game except Brian Barwick with zero points. The second game broke the four-way tie when Joshua scored 12 points while the others scored 6 again (except Brian who got only 3 more points). Josh had Troll and Hydra as his secret bids. Paul Weintraub, Trevor Bender and Winston Forrest were in this game. In the third SF game, Bruce Monnin (9th seed) came from next to last place in the first game to defeat Justin Veazey, the fourth seed, by making sure that Justin blanked in scoring during the second game. Bruce went with the double Hydra secret wagers to win his match to advance. Bruce also defeated Bill Beckman, Mike Ellsworth and David Platnick. Buddy Sinigaglio (10th seed) managed to overcome the fact that he had to kill his own secret bid in a last round to emerge victorious over Christina Hancock (fifth seed). Also, Buddy scored 14 points in his second game while making sure the leader from the first game, Jon Shambeda (17th seed), who had scored 14 in the first game only managed 1 more point. Buddy had Unicorn and Dragon as his secret bets. Louis Gehring and Mike Hazel were also in this SF game. In the final SF match, Eric Gorr (sixth seed) defeated all the lower seeds on his table and the defending champion Kaarin Engelmann in the closest SF game. Both Eric and Kaarin had 22 points when the dust cleared, but unfortunately for Kaarin, she was furthest away from the last creature killed in the second game (which determined the tie-break). Eric managed this victory with a double Ranger secret bets over Kaarin's Cyclops and Ranger secrets. Kaarin officially placed sixth for the tournament because of her tied score. Todd Surgoine, John Chung and Justin Broessel rounded out this table.

In the first game of the Final, Buddy went into the lead early with 14 points and a secret bet on the Unicorn. Bruce (12 points) and Eric (8 points) joined Buddy in betting on the Unicorn. This game seemed to be somewhat driven by group-think on these secret bets. Alan remained within striking distance with 12 points and a secret bid on the Troll. Josh had his secret bet on the Warlock who was killed and came in last in the first game with only 3 points. In the second game, the players again managed a "triple" with secret bets on the Cyclops by Buddy, Bruce and Alan. The secret bids by Josh (Troll) and Eric (Dragon) were both killed during the course of the game and eliminated their chances at TTA glory. Josh came in last with 7 total ducats, and Eric placed fourth with 13 points. Placing second was Buddy with 22 points and then Bruce Monnin was third with 22 points also. The new TTA Champion was Alan Witte with 26 points total. All hail the new Titan!

(NOTE: further information about the 2000 WBC TTA tournament, a data analysis of creature kills and secret betting, and the full list of qualifiers by tie-breaks can be found on the BPA website for TTA).

Report from Historicon

By Jeff Kimmel

Historicon '00 - Attendance seemed on par with previous Historicons, so I'd guess 3000 attendees for the four days. The vendor area was packed full as usual for the summer convention so there was plenty of opportunity to spend money, which I did, more than I had planned, but oh well, its a convention. The list was at least 48 vendors long. The flea market was a bit of a disappointment but not because of what was available. Renovations rendered one of the largest rooms at the Host unusable (drop ceiling was... dropping) so they had the first day flea market in a small room that could accommodate maybe 30 shoppers and was hot and stuffy. They then put the flea market around the edge of the largest game room, which worked much better but with games going on, access to the tables was problematic. Open gaming space was hard to find by all accounts, and I consider this a good thing. I heard one staff person say there were 100 additional games registered on the first day, above and beyond the full slate of games already on the list. There were a couple cancellations of course but every time I went around the gaming rooms, most tables were occupied or scheduled for something. The variety of games was great, running from Ancients to Sci-Fi (future historical games, right?) and terrain ran from ordinary to superb. I saw Napoleonics of all sizes, pirate battles in 25mm (beautifully painted ships that were up to 2 feet long and almost as tall!), ACW and ECW, ambushes in the jungles of Vietnam and the mean streets of a blown out WW2 city (in 54mm no less), while Gunslingers were busy in a Wild West skirmish on the next table. The Old dominion guys had their normal full house of Mein Panzer and American Battlelines (ACW) demos and as well as scenarios using both rulesets. In another room, Ripley and the Colonial Marines battled Aliens in a nicely made tunnel system. Personally, I played in four games and the Rogues put on four, all of which were booked full. The Midnight Massacre (ACW, Fire&Fury) drew 36 players despite the late starting time (Midnight of course) and everyone had a blast.

Game Reports

Napoleonics - The Peninsula, 1811

The game opened with tentative movement all along the line. All infantry forces deployed for combat and a few skirmishers fired at each other while the French cavalry moved up to the town to see where the Allied cav was (hiding by the wheat field). The battle in the center heated up quickly with the British pushing hard to secure the two town sectors on the far side of the stream and the French sent two regiments of Chasseurs forward to charge the British Light Dragoons, each side had a regiment get smashed in one clash. The fight by the single town did not shift as both sides were content to volley across the stream. The British had an initial numbers advantage here but the French got reinforced by another brigade. The first couple Allied reinforcements hoofed it for battle in the center with the Foot Guards heading for the far flank. In the middle, the town sector by the pond changed hands several times as both sides charged and counter charged. Finally, the Gordon Highlander's were committed and took the town for good. Casualties were high in the British side, with two of the KGL battalions getting destroyed and the rest beat up badly. Fresh French troops arrived to apply pressure to the British but one of the Spanish brigades with a foot battery arrived to shore up the flank. The firefight on the flank lasted for half the game before the French caused some casualties with artillery fire and braved the stream crossing to try to take the town. Casualties rose sharply here as well but the British failed their first morale check and retreated, leaving the French to re-deploy freely. The Foot Guards were still marching so the French sat for a bit while the British rallied and started forward again. Both British forces arrived at the same time and put heavy pressure on the French. Several French lines were pushed back or destroyed by attacking British columns (Highlanders no less) but the troops of the original British unit in the area took more casualties and retreated again! The cavalry meanwhile was hacking each other to bits with the French taking the worst of it, losing another Chasseur regiment and their horse battery. A last ditch charge around turn 12 with the last Chasseur regiment and a beat up Dragoon regiment against fresh British units actually succeeded and destroyed another Light Dragoon regiment. The Portuguese regiment was destroyed and the British took a 50% morale check and rolled a 1! The French cavalry now had an open flank to sweep behind the Allies. Supporting French infantry made short work of the understrength British infantry (6th Division) that was behind the Allied cavalry, and the French was off to the races. In the middle, the Spanish were standing their ground against increasing odds and giving better than they got. The Highlanders left their hard won town the wrong way, lost initiative, and got flanked by another fresh French battalion which destroyed the Gordon's. The British brigade passed two morale checks and held their ground, defending the towns against several assaults. The Foot Guards, with the once again rallied British troops and the last Spanish brigade finally munched the two French brigades opposing them and secured the flank. The Spanish lost two battalions in the process though. As time ran out, both sides had lost their left flank with the center towns behind the hinge of two rotating forces. The British were five units short of overall morale failure and the French were eight short. The best British troops were sitting behind the mangled KGL and Spanish in the middle with two lone battalions watching the French cavalry go behind them, heading for the rear of the Spanish in the middle. The French in the middle had not reached 50% losses yet, though most battalions had two or three hits on them, with one fresh brigade moving up from the four sector town. It seemed likely that the British would reach their army break point first when the cavalry hit the Spanish from the back the two brigades hit them from the front and flank so I decided the French had won the engagement, though neither side would be fighting for a while.

The full scenario, OOB's and map can be found on at Jeff Kimmel's webpage at http://www.geocities.com/jtkimmel/ shako.html

The Pope Game

The Constantinople Courier July 25, 2000 Allah the news that fits to print, by Allah!!! Article by Mustapha Ben Amin Fallouq

Somewhere in the Balkans

As the daylight filtered through the thick summer air, blessed be Allah and his prophet, the forces of Steven Pasha, the hammer of Islam, woke to an unpleasant sight. After raiding successfully, throughout the lands of the Holy Roman Empire, and the towns and depots that Emperor Scott the Indecisive had established to raid the outlying areas of the Ottoman Empire, Allah had thrown an obstacle in their path, mysterious is his plan. Laden with the spoils of the raid, gold, jewels, ammunition, weapons, spices, slaves and silks, Steven had led his followers almost to safety, guided by the will of Allah. He had been pursued by Scott the Laggard, assisted by Lord Damian, also known as the man with many faces. One of the laggard's erstwhile allies, Baron Kurt, the Nitpicker, held the ford against the soldiers of the prophet, while Michael, Count de Money, brought up the rear, slowly, and in much confusion as to why he was here, when the beer was at home. These forces were no danger to the sword of the faithful; he had confused, eluded and outwitted them with the ease of a Turk in a flock of sheep. Allah himself guided the Pasha to chose fast, mobile troops, who danced rings around the slow witted, slow footed Imperials. As has been told here, the Imperials were not even as a sand flea to a camels hide, less than a nuisance. However, as the Imperials plodded from the west and north, from the southeast came a threat of a different stripe. The Papal forces were approaching, and their purpose was unknown. Led by Pope Durin I, the Impotent, his minions came forward, banners flying, each vying with the other to attain the front rank of honor. Cardinal Wigglesbottom, elector of Bungundy, (not misspelled), and the eunuch Bastardo, also known as The Soprano, were chief among the Papists. But the mercenary forces of the Duke of Johannesburg, Johann, his most craven and sycophantic follower immediately and treacherously assaulted a Turkish envoy, who was escorting guests that happened to be with Pasha Steven's forces to their families, may the elector be reborn as a dwarf, poxed and ugly. The envoy escaped, blessed is Allah in his clemency, but his escort, Allah be merciful, perished to a man against overwhelming odds, killing 4 to their own loss, buying time with blood to protect the envoy, thus ensuring themselves to a place in paradise amongst the houris. Negotiations, inspired by Allah, and following the will of the prophet, commenced, and the Turkish forces withdrew from between the two infidel forces. The pig eating scum fell upon each other, Imperialist slaying Papist, Papist maiming Imperialist, with a ferocity and single-mindedness reminiscent of jackals around a rotting kill. Allah be praised, Allah be merciful, the forces of the Pasha confined themselves to defensive motions, allowing the faithless unbelievers to perform the will of Allah and slay themselves with fierce efficiency. The craven cowards, with the usual befuddled leadership of the Count de Money, were beguiled to remove themselves from a commanding position atop a hill, and retreat, craven cowards, before our forces, all praise to Allah and his faithful prophet. The witless Damian, allowed the Pasha's most cunning leader, Mo Reilly, whose wisdom and kind demeanor are known throughout Constantinople, a byproduct of the crusades, to pass his flank and destroy him utterly for his faithlessness. Steven Pasha's light horse fought hard and well to shield the Turkish forces from the papists and the imperialists, allowing us to conserve our strength for the decisive moment, by the will of Allah. The followers of Steven Pasha's most faithful commander, the voice of the Pasha, Johannes Bignutz, held themselves barely in check at the request of the Pasha, while the enigmatic commander of the ghazis, Sulieman Zinkmullah, grew frantic with joy, his troops slaughtered the forces of Lord Damian as they dashed themselves unsuccessfully against his shield wall. Zinkmullah, with characteristic aplomb, capered madly in the setting sun, screeching encouragement to his troops. As night fell the shattered remnants of the Imperialists left their dead and wounded on the field as they fled in disorder. The Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire was found wandering on the battlefield, in his usual state of confusion, and was arrested by the secret police of the church, the Gez Tapos, never to be seen again, but the screams were heard all night. Cardinal Wigglebutts tried to usurp the Pope, was unsuccessful and was impaled on a short, dull stake. He was noted to say that to some extent, it was much like a date. When dawn came again, the now depleted and exhausted forces of the Pope were faced with a sight that made the quake in their boots, the fresh and determined faces of the forces of the prophet, may his word cover the world, sat ready to do battle. The Pope and his forces, tails between their legs, ran like the infidel dogs that they are. Allah be praised and Mohammed is his prophet. The loot from the battlefield was tremendous, slaves, goods and kine. The jewel encrusted mitre of the Pope and the crown of the Holy Roman Empire now reside in the great mosque in Constantinople, for the glory of the one god, Allah. For his part in the destruction of the threat of the combined forces of the Pope and the empire, Steven Pasha was given a new position, somewhere in the region of Maryland, with servants to lord over and women to impress. The enigmatic Zinkmullah, disappears into the mists with his faithful followers to await a great crisis, or opportunity to loot, as is the will of Allah. Mo Reilly, the urbane and witty raconteur, becomes the voice of the new Pasha, with glory and the blessings of the imams. He plans to impress women with great tales of flying carpets, copters and whirligigs, with his usual poor to middling success. While Johannes Bignutz, steps faithfully into the shoes of the Pasha, ruling wisely, and building up his forces for the next confrontation on the fringes of the Ottoman territories, and bemoaning the fate of married men everywhere, praise to Allah. All of the wise men of the age, the great capitans of their time and the scholars of the ancient texts agree that given the tactical situation, and the strategic context, the real winners at the battle were the Turks, still with strength intact, more loot than ever and their reputations and glory enhanced. They escaped a trap, skillfully, and all returned to their estates, harems, and families better off than they were before, to the fawning attention of all. Truly, Steven, now caliph and his band of captains are the wisest of all gamers, and will return to face the forces of the infidel again.