MajorDomo
DM? Chuck H2O in his face
St Louis 2017 AAR
Played in the 2017 St Louis tourney, my eighth journey to the tourney.
Mister T flew into Chicago on Wednesday and we carbo-loaded with a grilled ribeye steak and some corn on the cob and some salad imposed upon us by Diana.
We picked up David Goldman on Thursday noon and drove the 270 miles, once again stopping in Litchfield, Illinois at the excellent Aniston cafe for some additional carbohydrates.
Friday round One.
Magnus Rimvall from Sweden and I had agreed to play in the first round and we previously selected J182 – Belgian Blitzkrieg. The dice gave me the attacking Germans.
The Germans win by controlling the two hex Z6 upfront stone building by the end of turn two or two multi-hex buildings by the end of the seventh full turn.
Magnus set up two Belgian squads, three HS and the 8-0 leader in the upfront buildings. The remaining four squads, MMG, 47AT gun, virtually useless non-airburst 50* mortar and 9-1 further back. This was the exact allocation that I made the time that I played this scenario, except I put the 47AT gun upfront.
The Germans can delay entry of up to 5 squad equivalents, SW... until turn three and enter behind the front VC building on either edge of board 71. I chose to only enter one HS/Mtr on turn three and use the 12.5 squad force to blitz the front VC building in the first two turns.
The game did not last long as I took both small one hex wooden buildings and the forward VC building hex with minimal brokies on turn one winning or mutual destruction in all CCs. I had enveloped the back hex with encircling fire in the bottom of turn one and turn two saw me break or eliminate the surviving 1.5 squads and 8-0 leader for an early turn two win.
Round Ersatz
Magnus explained that he was playing this scenario in Enrico's VASL league and had delayed entry of the largest force possible, running the entry troops along the two board edges. His attack plan was to cutoff the frontal Belgium force and take two rear buildings against out numbered Belgiums. I suggested that since we had much remaining time, we should switch sides and give it a go as I had a ready made setup (below).
Magnus' plan started off fairly well, however, one board edge squad vaporized to a 4-2 shot. My four rear squads deployed, spread out and awaited the tidal wave of Germans. My medium MMG snaked one of his turn two trucks toting a 37L and the upfront 8-0/457 tried to retreat, but had to proceed cautiously due to the other 37L unloaded gun and German MG firelanes.
I needed to hold out for my turn five 3.5 squad, two AFV reinforcements. The first middle VC building two squad/MMG held out, but the Germans flowed around and killed the lone squad on each flank, one who couldn't stand the pressure and went Berserkly to his death.
So when turn five came, Magnus had captured one rear building, contesting both the middle and another rear building. He was also one movement phase from two other rear buildings. Evaluating my deteriorating situation, I rushed the turn five force forward. A moving stack fell prey to a 1-1 shot, total breakage, surely a brain fart on my behalf. They eventually recovered for a last charge.
My counterattack stabilized the situation and it came down to a final turn CC where I needed to win a 1-1, down one which Magnus survived for a well deserved two building win.
In view of these two playings, I would put the medium Belgian MMG in the front, second floor of the VC building where it could help hold off a German blitz attack and also interdict Magnus' envelopment tactic.
Friday Round Two
Next up, Wes Vaughn and we bid and selected our second choices, the old standard FrF29 – Sting of the Italian Hornet. I bid Italian 1, Wes bid Canadian 0, so one of my Itie 346s went home early.
Below is my defense.
I chose the option to turn the one SMV L40 into an Ammo vehicle and eliminate the 90L's circled B9.
My plan was to prevent a quick Brit advance, hold the frontal factory for two turns minimum. Then scatter the upper platoon of Italians into stone buildings supported by one 75* Art piece, everything else clog the lower factory and employ the turn four 346 platoon and MR/35 AFV where needed. The Brits need to take 9 stone buildings and both factories.
Wes moved his infantry forward along the upper corridor, keeping the Shermans out of any possible 90L LOS. He smoked the foxhole mortar up top and exploited the bypassable FF0 woods hex, pouring both infantry squads, the recon Stuart and Shermans past my house of cards Maginot line. So much for my plan.
His OBA came down around EE7, creating some condolences to Italian households.
What a revolting development for the defenders as both 75* Art exhausted their Heat on the Shermans but the upper one did twirl, acquire and destroy the recon Stuart. My SMV M41M 90/53 (the 90L), did reverse move out of the front factory, but it quickly ran out of HE7 and was easy prey for Brit 458s and their Piats.
So it was time for plan B, clog the factory with the reinforcements and hang on. This was possible due to a DI'd Sherman crew bailing and the previously destroyed recon Stuart. The upper platoon of 346s were ground down by four 458s. So it would come down to the second factory.
Wes smoked the factory and threw his force on it for some WWI type CC and a few large FP shots.
The factory battle came down to two last turn melees, with Wes needing a seven or better on each, first roll “9” ended it in my favor.
Saturday Round Three
A friend and local opponent, Rich Spilky was up next. We choose BtB1 – Taking Taileville, diced for sides, me getting the Brits. There is a very large overlay, which greatly redefines the BFP board C for the June 6, 1944 battle.
The Brits, three Shermans, two FT, ten 458s and three 457s must un-good order all 10.5 brittle Germans between hexrows P and BB for the win. There is a two hex “chateau” in the rear where the Germans have stocked a supply of weiss sausages, thus making them fanatic in that two hex building. The Germans have three fortified locations with three tunnels.
His Brits, setup mostly infront and fell back towards the chateau as soon as their weary legs would allow on the first four turns of this 6.5 turn game. My Brits pressed them, but the Shermans had a tough time due to the pregame six rubble rolls blocking off the road network; requiring board edge bocage crossings which bogged and mired one of the three Shermans.
My Brits now had 3 turns to take the fortified chateau and three buildings across a road behind the chateau. Seven or so remaining German squad equivalents hung out in the last buildings.
My force assault moved next to the chateau, with a sherman/platoon assaulting the rear three buildings.
Good dfire broke three of my adjacent chateau attackers and a sniper one Kia'd my woods 9-1, which then eliminated two squad equivalents of broken infantry awaiting his rally direction. Suddenly, I was short of available infantry and needed some breaks to clear out the last building row Germans. Additionally there was a pesky rear conscript 236 which ambushed, next infiltrated, survived all my fire and now posed a serious problem.
A FT, Sherman and several squads took out the chateau on turn six, one German squad escaping via tunnel into the upper woods mass, popping up under a concealed HS with the second FT.
Things worked out with some luck as:
A. A brit HS captured the rear 236
B. The remaining Shermans avoided several PF shots and broke most of the rear building Germans, which allowed my meager infantry to tie up or eliminate the last rear Germans.
C. The woods German squad could not kill my HS/FT, then the German squad went berserk after I fired into the melee. This allowed me to tie him up in melee for the win.
Nice scenario, but the Germans really can only fall back and hope to hang on.
Saturday Round Four
This round brought on Toby Pilling and the Chinese defenders in ITR11 – Cremation Station, after I bid J1 and Toby bid J0 (an additional Chinese MMG). I had bested Toby in our only previous meeting in Blackpool in the short J183 - A Real Barn Burner after my French rescue force saw his British countenance and ran wild to rescue their countrymen.
I did not have a setup, so a description of the battle will have to do. The scenario requires the Jpn to keep one good order MMC in the middle factory of the BFPB board which has been reduced to a pile of rubbled buildings with three large rubble overlays. The Chinese enter on the new DW-7a board with a module of 100mm OBA, an an offboard observer and automatic black chit initial draw. They also get a 1937 FB with a 100mm bomb in this 1938 struggle. The Chinese have twelve 447s, twelve 337s, Hmg, three MMGs, two Lmgs, three DCs, FT and three AFVs.
My Jpn oppose with six 447s, eight 347s, HMG, two MMG, two LMG, two Mtrs and twelve?. Additionally three 336s and a 8+1 serve as a factory garrison and suffer from double secret probation, unable to leave the building. Three AFVs arrive on turn two as reinforcements.
My defense setup spread fairly widely, with one upfront MMG for firelane options, the HMG/MMG in the two story building, northeast of the VC factory.
Toby entered student body left (his perspective). A 337 vaporized to my upfront firelane, everybody else moved offboard to enter on the single board hexrow outside the range of my firelane. I was pleased with this entry as it would add a turn to Chinese movement.
On the left, Toby put a HS at level three to strip Jpn concealment, also a 8-1/MMG at level two to interdict JPN left side troop movement. He also put a -1 lead firegroup of the remaining MMGs in a level two building on my far right to support his attack. This was a good tactic and really impeded my troop redistribution and caused several casualties.
His OBA never came down accurately and caused little damage, the 37FB did not enter until turn six. This late arrival allowed my three AFVs to get into the factory.
I feared the attack was going to succeed, so decided to make a stand in the HMG/MMG building to gain time for the factory defenders and the slowly arriving left side interdicted defenders.
I did get about three squads to help the HMG/MMG defend the two story building. Unfortunately, I forgot to voluntarily eliminate an upfront left dummy stack and the Chinese were able to use this dummy to human wave on turn two, which eradicated the time gain of my firelane.
Turns 3-6 saw an intense battle in this building complex. One more human wave and the Chinese hordes eliminated the defenders. I double stunned the best Chinese AFV.
Luckily for me, Toby had suggested that I use his precision dice. The two story building defenders had passed a bunch of morale checks. So essentially this three turn defensive stand turned the game to my favor and did not allow enough time to take the factory.
Toby made a skilled attack into the factory, but the attack was too late by a turn and four or so defenders remained in good order.
Sleep was in short supply as this long battle ended at 3:45am.
Sunday Round 5
Last round had me face Scott Martin, also undefeated. I had never faced Scott, we did the 123 thing and
J189 Buckley's Block was the result. Dice gave my the attacking Japanese, which was perfect as I had attacked in alternate scenarios three times.
The Jpn must gain 20 points Exit plus CVP points to win. They start with 29 point of OB. Below is the situation as I remember it after my turn one Advance (six full game turns).
Turn one saw entry only. Turn two, I Banzied four HS and the 8-0 in the middle towards the known 668/MMG, thinking the adjacent concealed stack dummies. When Scott revealed the second adjacent 668/MMG, I had fallen into his ambush. The resulting carnage is not suitable for a minor's eyes. Result was three dead HS, a dead 8-0, a broken 668 and the one remaining 238 nicely advancing into H7.
The carnage did gain me a bunch of free movement in the north and middle.
My Southern force did not fare well. One squad, became an Elr'd HS in the 75's boresite hex. The others pushed forward in now heavy smokeless rain. My 50mm Mtr/HS lost his duel with the 75 HT through several orchard hex hindrances, perishing much like Aaron Burr did.
They did get as far as the 37LL gun, but failed to pick it up and destroy it before the 8-1 led HMG finished them off to totally eliminate the southern attack. Did gain three CVP down there, but so far the cost of my attack was too high. I had seven points of CVP and 17 points of exit VP left on the board at the end of turn four.
I was in trouble, and remembered that my father had remarked several times “God hates a coward”. So followed a Banzi of the central defenders in jungle, hoping to cause mucho casualties. Helped by the rain and largely ineffective defensive fire, four melees developed. I did cause five more CVP to bring my total to 12 by turn end of turn five.
I had three concealed units plus three visible HS. Scott used the Hmg/668/8-1 to interdict the central road (by SSR) and advanced the remaining 348 under the 75 HT adjacent to the jungle complex.
My position at the start of turn 6 was that two of the concealed units were HS, one a full squad, so exiting them and two of the non-concealed HS still left me me two points short. So that left two HS (one able to exit), a 238 and a 237, for attack(s), which then needed three points of CVP.
Went after the HT with both HS. There was an unpossessed Jpn medium MMG next to the HT and a concealed 348 Marine HS in the halftrack hex.
Assault moved the 237 into the jungle hex and picked up the MMG in light jungle (+2 on pickup), with heavy rain coming down. Scott had failed that Jpn MMG pickup with the 348 last phase. Moved the 238 into the same hex (no other option). He shot HT MMG, no effect followed by a 75 gun hit in DFF. Both HS passed a one MC.
I shot the picked up MMG in AFPh, hit the 0 hull armor (1 armor turret), needed 6 to immobilize, rolled a seven.
Advanced both HS into the HT hex, 238 generated a THH, which then found his ATMM. THH then rolled a six to kill the OT HT for a win.
Could not have been closer, luck was on my side.
Then drove Mister T back to Chicago O'Hare airport and the went to a age 70 birthday party for cancer surviving friend with about 100 old people, with about a dozen 40+ year friends. The cocktails flowed freely for a sleep deprived warrior.
Thanks to Jim Burris and Doug Kirk for the well run tourney, excellent scenario selection and barbecue. There is something special about this tourney, hard to put my finger on any one of many positives.
The 20th anniversary this year was the best of my eight years.
Rich
Played in the 2017 St Louis tourney, my eighth journey to the tourney.
Mister T flew into Chicago on Wednesday and we carbo-loaded with a grilled ribeye steak and some corn on the cob and some salad imposed upon us by Diana.
We picked up David Goldman on Thursday noon and drove the 270 miles, once again stopping in Litchfield, Illinois at the excellent Aniston cafe for some additional carbohydrates.
Friday round One.
Magnus Rimvall from Sweden and I had agreed to play in the first round and we previously selected J182 – Belgian Blitzkrieg. The dice gave me the attacking Germans.
The Germans win by controlling the two hex Z6 upfront stone building by the end of turn two or two multi-hex buildings by the end of the seventh full turn.
Magnus set up two Belgian squads, three HS and the 8-0 leader in the upfront buildings. The remaining four squads, MMG, 47AT gun, virtually useless non-airburst 50* mortar and 9-1 further back. This was the exact allocation that I made the time that I played this scenario, except I put the 47AT gun upfront.
The Germans can delay entry of up to 5 squad equivalents, SW... until turn three and enter behind the front VC building on either edge of board 71. I chose to only enter one HS/Mtr on turn three and use the 12.5 squad force to blitz the front VC building in the first two turns.
The game did not last long as I took both small one hex wooden buildings and the forward VC building hex with minimal brokies on turn one winning or mutual destruction in all CCs. I had enveloped the back hex with encircling fire in the bottom of turn one and turn two saw me break or eliminate the surviving 1.5 squads and 8-0 leader for an early turn two win.
Round Ersatz
Magnus explained that he was playing this scenario in Enrico's VASL league and had delayed entry of the largest force possible, running the entry troops along the two board edges. His attack plan was to cutoff the frontal Belgium force and take two rear buildings against out numbered Belgiums. I suggested that since we had much remaining time, we should switch sides and give it a go as I had a ready made setup (below).
Magnus' plan started off fairly well, however, one board edge squad vaporized to a 4-2 shot. My four rear squads deployed, spread out and awaited the tidal wave of Germans. My medium MMG snaked one of his turn two trucks toting a 37L and the upfront 8-0/457 tried to retreat, but had to proceed cautiously due to the other 37L unloaded gun and German MG firelanes.
I needed to hold out for my turn five 3.5 squad, two AFV reinforcements. The first middle VC building two squad/MMG held out, but the Germans flowed around and killed the lone squad on each flank, one who couldn't stand the pressure and went Berserkly to his death.
So when turn five came, Magnus had captured one rear building, contesting both the middle and another rear building. He was also one movement phase from two other rear buildings. Evaluating my deteriorating situation, I rushed the turn five force forward. A moving stack fell prey to a 1-1 shot, total breakage, surely a brain fart on my behalf. They eventually recovered for a last charge.
My counterattack stabilized the situation and it came down to a final turn CC where I needed to win a 1-1, down one which Magnus survived for a well deserved two building win.
In view of these two playings, I would put the medium Belgian MMG in the front, second floor of the VC building where it could help hold off a German blitz attack and also interdict Magnus' envelopment tactic.
Friday Round Two
Next up, Wes Vaughn and we bid and selected our second choices, the old standard FrF29 – Sting of the Italian Hornet. I bid Italian 1, Wes bid Canadian 0, so one of my Itie 346s went home early.
Below is my defense.
I chose the option to turn the one SMV L40 into an Ammo vehicle and eliminate the 90L's circled B9.
My plan was to prevent a quick Brit advance, hold the frontal factory for two turns minimum. Then scatter the upper platoon of Italians into stone buildings supported by one 75* Art piece, everything else clog the lower factory and employ the turn four 346 platoon and MR/35 AFV where needed. The Brits need to take 9 stone buildings and both factories.
Wes moved his infantry forward along the upper corridor, keeping the Shermans out of any possible 90L LOS. He smoked the foxhole mortar up top and exploited the bypassable FF0 woods hex, pouring both infantry squads, the recon Stuart and Shermans past my house of cards Maginot line. So much for my plan.
His OBA came down around EE7, creating some condolences to Italian households.
What a revolting development for the defenders as both 75* Art exhausted their Heat on the Shermans but the upper one did twirl, acquire and destroy the recon Stuart. My SMV M41M 90/53 (the 90L), did reverse move out of the front factory, but it quickly ran out of HE7 and was easy prey for Brit 458s and their Piats.
So it was time for plan B, clog the factory with the reinforcements and hang on. This was possible due to a DI'd Sherman crew bailing and the previously destroyed recon Stuart. The upper platoon of 346s were ground down by four 458s. So it would come down to the second factory.
Wes smoked the factory and threw his force on it for some WWI type CC and a few large FP shots.
The factory battle came down to two last turn melees, with Wes needing a seven or better on each, first roll “9” ended it in my favor.
Saturday Round Three
A friend and local opponent, Rich Spilky was up next. We choose BtB1 – Taking Taileville, diced for sides, me getting the Brits. There is a very large overlay, which greatly redefines the BFP board C for the June 6, 1944 battle.
The Brits, three Shermans, two FT, ten 458s and three 457s must un-good order all 10.5 brittle Germans between hexrows P and BB for the win. There is a two hex “chateau” in the rear where the Germans have stocked a supply of weiss sausages, thus making them fanatic in that two hex building. The Germans have three fortified locations with three tunnels.
His Brits, setup mostly infront and fell back towards the chateau as soon as their weary legs would allow on the first four turns of this 6.5 turn game. My Brits pressed them, but the Shermans had a tough time due to the pregame six rubble rolls blocking off the road network; requiring board edge bocage crossings which bogged and mired one of the three Shermans.
My Brits now had 3 turns to take the fortified chateau and three buildings across a road behind the chateau. Seven or so remaining German squad equivalents hung out in the last buildings.
My force assault moved next to the chateau, with a sherman/platoon assaulting the rear three buildings.
Good dfire broke three of my adjacent chateau attackers and a sniper one Kia'd my woods 9-1, which then eliminated two squad equivalents of broken infantry awaiting his rally direction. Suddenly, I was short of available infantry and needed some breaks to clear out the last building row Germans. Additionally there was a pesky rear conscript 236 which ambushed, next infiltrated, survived all my fire and now posed a serious problem.
A FT, Sherman and several squads took out the chateau on turn six, one German squad escaping via tunnel into the upper woods mass, popping up under a concealed HS with the second FT.
Things worked out with some luck as:
A. A brit HS captured the rear 236
B. The remaining Shermans avoided several PF shots and broke most of the rear building Germans, which allowed my meager infantry to tie up or eliminate the last rear Germans.
C. The woods German squad could not kill my HS/FT, then the German squad went berserk after I fired into the melee. This allowed me to tie him up in melee for the win.
Nice scenario, but the Germans really can only fall back and hope to hang on.
Saturday Round Four
This round brought on Toby Pilling and the Chinese defenders in ITR11 – Cremation Station, after I bid J1 and Toby bid J0 (an additional Chinese MMG). I had bested Toby in our only previous meeting in Blackpool in the short J183 - A Real Barn Burner after my French rescue force saw his British countenance and ran wild to rescue their countrymen.
I did not have a setup, so a description of the battle will have to do. The scenario requires the Jpn to keep one good order MMC in the middle factory of the BFPB board which has been reduced to a pile of rubbled buildings with three large rubble overlays. The Chinese enter on the new DW-7a board with a module of 100mm OBA, an an offboard observer and automatic black chit initial draw. They also get a 1937 FB with a 100mm bomb in this 1938 struggle. The Chinese have twelve 447s, twelve 337s, Hmg, three MMGs, two Lmgs, three DCs, FT and three AFVs.
My Jpn oppose with six 447s, eight 347s, HMG, two MMG, two LMG, two Mtrs and twelve?. Additionally three 336s and a 8+1 serve as a factory garrison and suffer from double secret probation, unable to leave the building. Three AFVs arrive on turn two as reinforcements.
My defense setup spread fairly widely, with one upfront MMG for firelane options, the HMG/MMG in the two story building, northeast of the VC factory.
Toby entered student body left (his perspective). A 337 vaporized to my upfront firelane, everybody else moved offboard to enter on the single board hexrow outside the range of my firelane. I was pleased with this entry as it would add a turn to Chinese movement.
On the left, Toby put a HS at level three to strip Jpn concealment, also a 8-1/MMG at level two to interdict JPN left side troop movement. He also put a -1 lead firegroup of the remaining MMGs in a level two building on my far right to support his attack. This was a good tactic and really impeded my troop redistribution and caused several casualties.
His OBA never came down accurately and caused little damage, the 37FB did not enter until turn six. This late arrival allowed my three AFVs to get into the factory.
I feared the attack was going to succeed, so decided to make a stand in the HMG/MMG building to gain time for the factory defenders and the slowly arriving left side interdicted defenders.
I did get about three squads to help the HMG/MMG defend the two story building. Unfortunately, I forgot to voluntarily eliminate an upfront left dummy stack and the Chinese were able to use this dummy to human wave on turn two, which eradicated the time gain of my firelane.
Turns 3-6 saw an intense battle in this building complex. One more human wave and the Chinese hordes eliminated the defenders. I double stunned the best Chinese AFV.
Luckily for me, Toby had suggested that I use his precision dice. The two story building defenders had passed a bunch of morale checks. So essentially this three turn defensive stand turned the game to my favor and did not allow enough time to take the factory.
Toby made a skilled attack into the factory, but the attack was too late by a turn and four or so defenders remained in good order.
Sleep was in short supply as this long battle ended at 3:45am.
Sunday Round 5
Last round had me face Scott Martin, also undefeated. I had never faced Scott, we did the 123 thing and
J189 Buckley's Block was the result. Dice gave my the attacking Japanese, which was perfect as I had attacked in alternate scenarios three times.
The Jpn must gain 20 points Exit plus CVP points to win. They start with 29 point of OB. Below is the situation as I remember it after my turn one Advance (six full game turns).
Turn one saw entry only. Turn two, I Banzied four HS and the 8-0 in the middle towards the known 668/MMG, thinking the adjacent concealed stack dummies. When Scott revealed the second adjacent 668/MMG, I had fallen into his ambush. The resulting carnage is not suitable for a minor's eyes. Result was three dead HS, a dead 8-0, a broken 668 and the one remaining 238 nicely advancing into H7.
The carnage did gain me a bunch of free movement in the north and middle.
My Southern force did not fare well. One squad, became an Elr'd HS in the 75's boresite hex. The others pushed forward in now heavy smokeless rain. My 50mm Mtr/HS lost his duel with the 75 HT through several orchard hex hindrances, perishing much like Aaron Burr did.
They did get as far as the 37LL gun, but failed to pick it up and destroy it before the 8-1 led HMG finished them off to totally eliminate the southern attack. Did gain three CVP down there, but so far the cost of my attack was too high. I had seven points of CVP and 17 points of exit VP left on the board at the end of turn four.
I was in trouble, and remembered that my father had remarked several times “God hates a coward”. So followed a Banzi of the central defenders in jungle, hoping to cause mucho casualties. Helped by the rain and largely ineffective defensive fire, four melees developed. I did cause five more CVP to bring my total to 12 by turn end of turn five.
I had three concealed units plus three visible HS. Scott used the Hmg/668/8-1 to interdict the central road (by SSR) and advanced the remaining 348 under the 75 HT adjacent to the jungle complex.
My position at the start of turn 6 was that two of the concealed units were HS, one a full squad, so exiting them and two of the non-concealed HS still left me me two points short. So that left two HS (one able to exit), a 238 and a 237, for attack(s), which then needed three points of CVP.
Went after the HT with both HS. There was an unpossessed Jpn medium MMG next to the HT and a concealed 348 Marine HS in the halftrack hex.
Assault moved the 237 into the jungle hex and picked up the MMG in light jungle (+2 on pickup), with heavy rain coming down. Scott had failed that Jpn MMG pickup with the 348 last phase. Moved the 238 into the same hex (no other option). He shot HT MMG, no effect followed by a 75 gun hit in DFF. Both HS passed a one MC.
I shot the picked up MMG in AFPh, hit the 0 hull armor (1 armor turret), needed 6 to immobilize, rolled a seven.
Advanced both HS into the HT hex, 238 generated a THH, which then found his ATMM. THH then rolled a six to kill the OT HT for a win.
Could not have been closer, luck was on my side.
Then drove Mister T back to Chicago O'Hare airport and the went to a age 70 birthday party for cancer surviving friend with about 100 old people, with about a dozen 40+ year friends. The cocktails flowed freely for a sleep deprived warrior.
Thanks to Jim Burris and Doug Kirk for the well run tourney, excellent scenario selection and barbecue. There is something special about this tourney, hard to put my finger on any one of many positives.
The 20th anniversary this year was the best of my eight years.
Rich
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