Volume 8, Issue 4 October 2003

The BOARDGAMER

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Dedicated To The Competitive Play of / Victory Games and the Board & Card Games of the World Boardgame Championships

Featuring: The Longest Day, Blackbeard, B-17, Panzerblitz / Panzer Leader, and AREA News and Ratings

2 The Boardgamer Volume 8, Issue 4 October 2003 Current Specific Game AREA Ratings To have a game AREA rated, report the game result to: Glenn Petroski; 6829 23rd Avenue; Kenosha, WI 53143-1233; [email protected] Advanced Victory In The Pacific 104 Active Players Jul. 21, 2003 139 Active Players Aug. 17, 2003 165 Active Players Aug. 18, 2003

1. Steven Pleva 7799 1. Jonathan S Lockwood 6427 1. Ed Menzel 7104 2. Bret Hildebran 6890 2. Ray Freeman 6261 2. Andy Gardner 6502 3. Paul Sidhu 6871 3. Bruce Reiff 6075 3. Daniel R Henry 6462 4. JR (Jerald R) Tracy 6441 4. Patrick S Richardson 6042 4. Alfred N Wong 6389 5. Scott Drane 6397 5. Andy Gardner 6035 5. David Targonski 6355 6. Robert Banozic 6368 6. Michael A Kaye 5928 6. Nicholas J Markevich 6291 7. Perry Cocke 6324 7. Stephen S Packwood 5922 7. Michael A Kaye 6289 8. Carl Nogueira 6249 8. Dennis D Nicholson 5859 8. Michael E Day 6232 9. Kevin Valerien 6188 9. Rob Flowers 5824 9. Ray Freeman 6196 10. Raymond Woloszyn 6064 10. Phillip Rennert 5784 10. Thomas P Gregorio 6122 11. Ronald Duenskie 6032 11. Glenn McMaster 5753 11. James L Eliason 6109 12. Chuck Payne 6002 12. Nicholas J Markevich 5751 12. Frank Gratke 6070 13. James Stahler 5870 13. Vince Meconi 5588 13. Casey M Adams 6055 14. Robert Seulowitz 5835 14. John C Strand 5575 14. Joel B Klein 6025 15. Scott M Romanowski 5792 15. David Finberg 5568 15. Alan J Applebaum 5936 16. Gary Mei 5774 16. Ron Dietz 5532 16. Tom D Johnston 5933 17. Lee Neeman 5773 17. Bruce A Monnin 5525 17. John R Pack 5908 18. Burnham Fox 5771 18. Jason Levine 5523 18. Edward O'Connor 5898 19. James P Manfredi 5713 19. Steven M Carver 5513 19. Joseph P Dragan 5879 20. John D Pires 5696 20. Kevin Shewfelt 5504 20. Kevin Kinsel 5878 21. Larry Meyers 5687 21. Robert F Drozd 5503 21. Larry Meyers 5849 22. Stephen Johns 5650 22. Michael H Knautz 5453 22. John C Strand 5848 23. David Goldman 5648 23. Sharee R Pack 5431 23. Glenn McMaster 5787 24. Gary Trezza 5553 24. Bill Thomson 5416 24. Jon D T Kammerer 5756 25. Steven Flicker 5538 25. David Streamo 5414 25. Robert L Hamel 5724 26. Lance Roberts 5423 26. Michael A Ussery 5397 26. Anders Egneus 5719 27. Richard Spilky 5418 27. Michael Bailey 5368 27. Charles E Kaplan 5680 28. Gerard Ragusa 5388 28. Michael Brophy 5356 28. Kenneth F Nied 5660 29. Kenneth Joyner 5353 29. Joseph Collinson III 5355 29. Ong Meng Soon 5621 30. Jack P Murphy 5314 30. Ron Artigues 5353 30. Phillip Rennert 5620 31. Joseph E Celebuski 5298 31. Frank Cunliffe 5349 31. Timothy Tow 5602 32. Andy Clarke 5291 32. BryanSample D Eshleman file 5321 32. Max Zavanelli 5581 33. Denny Koch 5271 33. Alan J Applebaum 5277 33. Michael H Knautz 5547 34. Bob Walden 5270 34. Rick Virost 5213 34. Thomas F Baruth 5539 35. Kenneth Mioduski 5268 35. Andrew Choptiany 5211 35. Bradley E Solberg 5526 36. John Buttiglieri 5265 36. Bradley E Solberg 5203 36. Charles Drozd 5510 37. Bruce A Carson 5253 37. Robert Mull 5197 37. Stephen S Packwood 5504 38. Richard Crowe 5195 38. John Elliot 5195 38. Scott Nedza 5499 39. Ralph A McDonald 5194 39. David J Rynkowski 5189 39. Michael A Ussery 5496 40. Russell L Wood 5190 40. James Pei 5182 40. Joseph A Powell 5487 41. Thomas Morin 5169 41. Darren Kilfara 5175 41. John T Sharp Jr 5439 42. James Torkelson 5162 42. Kenneth F Nied 5169 42. Glenn E L Petroski 5433 43. Paul Kenny 5157 43. Anders Egneus 5158 43. Patrick S Richardson 5426 44. Oliver Giancola 5155 44. Andrew R Maly 5156 44. Timothy Proksch 5425 45. Mike Allexenberg 5137 45. Michael C Stanley 5155 45. John M Ellsworth 5408 46. Gregg Lessly 5117 46. Timothy Tow 5131 46. Donald Tatum 5386 47. Scott McFarlane 5096 47. James F Kramer Jr 5129 47. Vince Meconi 5376 48. Derek Dunn 5088 48. Freeman Wiltsie 5127 48. Eric Taylor 5325 48. Kurt Kurtz 5088 49. Glenn E L Petroski 5126 49. Michael Pustilnik 5317 50. Christopher Fleury 5077 50. Larry Meyers 5116 50. John H Bullis II 5278 51. J Christopher Spell 5057 51. Tim Swartz 5098 51. Kevin Shewfelt 5267 52. Robert D Schoenen 5052 52. Robert J Beyma 5087 52. Nathan J Zietlow 5260 52. William Stoppel 5052 53. Timothy Hitchings 5084 53. Charles D Rod 5259 54. Jim Mehl 5047 54. Anders Hench 5081 54. Jung Yueh 5257 55. Jeffrey D Miller 5043 55. David Pack 5071 55. Darren Kilfara 5246 56. Jim Laws 5070 56. Philip van Wiltenburg 5227 Cover Image 57. Ron Jacobsen 5065 57. Russ K Price 5200 58. Richard L Tucker 5058 58. J R Bobby Clinton 5190 Cover art from the gamebox and 59. Matthew Hamel 5045 59. Evan Davis 5180 components of Blackbeard, which is 60. Thomas M Henige 5043 60. Martin Costa 5179 copyrighted property of Avalon Hill / 61. William Scott 5034 61. Bernd Ulrich Thiel 5166 62. Eric Pass 5030 62. Bryan D Eshleman 5160

The Boardgamer Volume 8, Issue 4 October 2003 3 From The Editor Price Increase I played Circus Maximus Tuesday night. kids, I returned to play adult Slapshot. I took a large early gamble and took an After about my 10th year of trying, I finally Sorry to start off with the bad news first. early lead, but eventually the pack won my table and advanced to the The BOARDGAMER appears to be caught up with me and I limped to the semifinals, where I was severely heading towards a slight loss this year, finish second last. That left time for a trounced. which is no longer acceptable due to my quick game of Win Place & Show, current employment situation (i.e. I am where Bruce Reiff got his revenge on Since it had been such a long week, we working jobs I enjoy that don’t pay me when it counted. headed home early Sunday morning. But much). So, I will need to raise the not before I picked up my only award of prices for The BOARDGAMER starting Wednesday was a day of several the week, the Charles S. Roberts award in January 2004. All old prices will be events. I started with two games of for Best Amateur Game Magazine for honored until the end of the year. March Madness, followed by one game The Boardgamer. So, even after a week of Auction. Then there were three of losses, I got to go home with two Some of the new prices include: games of Titan: The Arena, where I prizes, the award and a week of glorious Subscription: $16.00 came in sixth place, while of course only memories to add to my collection. All guides: $9.00 five moved on to the finals. Finally Single back issue: $4.50 finished off with a little Greed before Subsequent back issues: $3.50 (This bedtime. The BOARDGAMER applies when ordering back issues in quantity). Thursday the serious games began. The BOARDGAMER is published Played five games of War At Sea which quarterly by Bruce Monnin. The World Boardgaming Championships filled most of the day. Followed that by BOARDGAMER is intended to be a GMing Pro Golf until the Skins Game compilation of quality articles on the This was my 13th year at this final was over at 3:00 am. strategy, tactics, and variants for a convention. Every year, I enjoy myself variety of board, sports and card enough that I start anticipating next Friday I enjoyed three straight games of games. The BOARDGAMER covers all year’s convention. This year was no Wilderness War. Was planning on a games produced by the Avalon Hill exception. fourth, but instead I went to play a little Game Company/Victory Games as well Formula Motor Racing (which my as all games contested at the World I started this year by attending a daughters wanted to watch). Another Boardgaming Championships. wedding the Saturday before. But this fun filled day with almost no victories. was no ordinary wedding, as we played Articles from contributors are Win Place & Show at the reception (and Saturday was a family day. A little time considered for publication at the I managed to defeat both Bruce Reiff at the Inner Harbor, followed by GMing discretion of the editor. Rejected and Ken Gutermuth in a stunning Slapshot Jr. My girls both played, both articles will be returned whenever upset). Sunday we toured Antietam had greatSample fun, and one evenfile made the possible. Potential authors should be and Monday we did Gettysburg, which finals. Now they both want to come advised that all outside submissions led to the main WBC festivities starting back. I may have two converts to the may not have previously been Tuesday. hobby. After a little pool time with the submitted to other publications unless permission has been granted and The BOARDGAMER has been notified.

EDITOR: Bruce A. Monnin ADDRESS: 177 South Lincoln St. Minster, OH 45865-1240 E-MAIL: [email protected]

PHONE: (419) 628-3332

INTERNET WEB PAGE: http://www.bright.net/~monninb

Copyright 2003

Copyrights

All images for Avalon Hill/ games included in this issue are copyrighted by Avalon Hill/Hasbro and are used with their permission.

All articles on these games included in this issue are not officially sanctioned August 3rd – August 8th, 2004 by Avalon Hill/Hasbro.

4 The Boardgamer Volume 8, Issue 4 October 2003

Inside This Issue

In Short, The Longest Day 5

An Old Monster Gets A Facelift by Charles Duke

Brethren Of The Coast 17 A Variant For Blackbeard by Alan Arvold

The “Liberator” of Europe 27 The B24J Joins the Queen of the Skies by Tom Cundiff

A New (Inter)face 33 For Panzerblitz and Panzer Leader by Dennis Jorgenson

Point Of Decision 37 Allied Turn 2 Strategies in Victory In The Pacific by Tim Tow

AREA Scoring System For Board Games 39 An Open Letter to Tournament GM’s & Game Club Presidents by Bob Hamel

From The Editor (Cont.) Games Wanted / For New Games Victory In The Pacific, Naval War, Kingmaker, War At Sea, Jutland, Sale Unfortunately, I have been so busy Civilization, Submarine and eight articles playing my big game pickup from last on Panzerblitz / Panzer Leader. I have an unpunched “Advanced year, Wilderness War, as well as my old Third Reich” for sale, and an standbys of War At Sea and Across I would really love some articles other unpunched copy of the John Prados Five Aprils, that I have not had time to games, especially the more popular WBC “Third Reich”. I also know of learn many new games this year. I’ve type games. Any of these would probably someone interested in buying a had Hammer of the Scots out a few move towardsSample the front file of the line. new, or nearly new, 4th Edition Third times, as well as Barbarossa to Berlin. Hammer Of The Scots, The Napoleonic Reich. And, is anyone willing to GM I’ve really wanted to learn The Wars, Wilderness War, etc. would be some 4th edition games? I know Napoleonic Wars, maybe enough to great for articles, as would any of the old three players ready to start, attend the WBC mini-con for the event. Avalon Hill Classics. including myself.

So almost no new purchases for me this John Michalski year. I did manage to get Columbia’s [email protected] Liberty, which looks like a winner, but time restraints have again stopped me from learning this one yet. I do have GMT’s A World At War on my Christmas list (a little pricey for an Subscriptions To The BOARDGAMER unemployed magazine editor), so I will see this year how much my relatives The BOARDGAMER is to be published quarterly with mailings near the beginnings like me. of January, April, July and October. Individual issues are $4.50 each and a one year (4 issue) subscription is $16.00 (with a special $15.00 deal for members of Coming Articles AHIKS). Though issues are currently sent by First Class mail, eventually all domestic subscriptions will be sent via bulk permit. I have done a lousy job of working on articles the last six months or so. I plan Canadian deliveries require an extra $0.50/issue. European and Asian deliveries to rectify that problem right now. are an extra $2.50/issue. For other overseas and foreign deliveries, contact the BOARDGAMER about additional postage charges. Currently in the bin and ready to publish I have articles on Panzerblitz, Air Force, The BOARDGAMER Gunslinger and Guns Of August. On 177 South Lincoln Street my pile of articles to work on in the near Minster, OH 45865-1240 future, there are articles on Rail Baron, (419) 628-3332 http://www.bright.net/~monninb