BPA SQL PBEM ROUND 3 SUMMARY

• TIMEFRAME: August 15, 2004 through December 12, 2004
• SCENARIO: WG102 "Tooth and Nail"
• Status: All four quarterfinal matches were played to conclusion using scenario WG102 "Tooth and Nail". This scenario takes place on board 11 (lacking orchards and roads) where a sizeable Russian for consisting of 4xT34s, 24x447s, a minimum of leaders (2) and support weapons (4); assault German defenders lead by 3 leaders, 9x467, 3x247s, 5xmgs, 2 weak ATGs, and a radio/off-board 50mm mortar with unlimited single hex barrages. German positions are stiffened by 2 bunkers and entrenchments. The Russians are tasked to occupy with an unbroken 447 at the end of the game, six of the nine defined Victory Point positions. The Russian momentum is hindered by lack of long range LOS on this board, the exposed & scattered nature of the various VP positions, and shortage of leaders. The Russian spearheads are susceptible to German counterattack by Turn 3 reinforcements consisting of 1xSTGIII75, two mg halftracks supported by 1x91, 3x838s with their toys.
  

  The round results provided an even 2-2 Axis record, demonstrating WG102 as a challenging scenario since its debut at the 2004 WBC SQL Series event. Round highlights saw #17 seed John Blazel (WI) upset the top seed, Pete Pollard (TN), with a final successful German charge to nullify Russian controlled position despite a Russain 2:1 advantage in the final CCPh. #2 Bill Thomson (TX) was able to survive #15 Chris Stewart (FL) and an initial collapse of his German positions using the reinforcements to eliminate 3 of the unsupported T34s in German Turn 3. The remaining T34 pivoted to eliminate the flanking STG before falling to the German 50L ATG frontal shot. The final turns saw infantry maneuver & firefights dominate with the final Russian push cut down by interlocking fields of fire and friendly die server. Many possibilities in the final turn could have moved the result to the other side; FT burning a VP hex, FT flameout, the 1:1 CC in the final German turn, or the creation of a berserker in key location. As Chris 'aka the giant killer' eliminated both the Pete and Bill, the top two seeds in the initial rounds of the COI event, he will remain a rising star and is participating in all six SQLA PBEM tournaments started in 2004. The other two matches posted wins for both sides as #4 David VanBronkhorst (VA) defeated #11 Stefan Eriksson (Sweden) and #7 Michael Pacheco (CA) dropped #5 Andrew Cummins (UK).

• MATCH RESULTS:
  • 3.1 #17 John Blazel (G) def #1 Pete Pollard (R); completed 11/12/04
  • 3.2 #2 Bill Thomson (G) def #20 Chris Stewart(R); 12/12/04
  • 3.3 #4 David VanBronkhorst (R) +3x447 def #11 Stefan Eriksson(G); 11/21/04
  • 3.4 #7 Michael Pacheco (R); +0x447; def #5 Andrew Cummins (R) 12/05/04
• ADVANCING TO ROUND 4::
  • Michael Pacheco (CA)
  • John Blazel (WA)
  • Bill Thomson (TX)
  • David VanBronkhorst (VA)
• GAMEMASTERS:
  • Bill Thomson
  • Pete Pollard
  • Squad Leader Academy