This is the homepage for the 2007-2009 Boardgame Players Association (BPA) PBEM tournament for Twilight Struggle. Players wishing to participate in the tournament should contact the GM, Darren Kilfara, to formally register their interest. All participants must be members of the BPA – an entry-level Associate Membership costs $10 and allows you to enter as many BPA PBEM tournaments as you wish in the current year. (Players are not required to renew their BPA membership for 2008 and beyond to continue playing in the tournament, although they are certainly encouraged to do so.) Details of how to become a BPA member can be found here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quick Links

Standings

· Current Overall Standings

· Swiss Round 1 - Results

· Swiss Round 2 - Results

· Swiss Round 3 - Results

· Swiss Round 4 - Results

· Swiss Round 5 - Results

· Swiss Round 6 - Results

· Elimination Phase - Results

Tournament Format

· General

· Participation

· Schedule/Time Limits

· Pairings

· Side Selection/Bidding

· Scoring/Tiebreaks

· End of Game Reporting

Other Information

· GM and AGMs

· Method of Play

· Rules and Rules Disputes

· PBEM Considerations (important!)

· Slow Play/Adjudication (important!)

· Prizes

Final Update (December 24, 2008)

Congratulations to Stefan Mecay, who defeated Chris Withers in a very fast final match to become the winner of what proved to be the 2007-2008 BPA PBEM TS tournament (not 2007-2009 as expected!). A brief game report of the final follows below:

 

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Chris’s Soviets had all the cards for the first three turns, including De-stalinization on Turn 1, and Decolonization and Red Scare/Purge on Turn 2. Stefan's US whiffed on four straight big coup rolls (getting 1's each time) in places where the momentum could have been stopped somewhat. So it looked like a quick Soviet victory was in order, as Chris had total control of South America and domination in Africa, Asia, and Central America at the start of turn 4, while Stefan had only Europe (the Middle East was a push).

 

Then the gods of luck decided to do a complete 180 for the last seven turns. Chris suffered through three really bad hands in a row and the US dice suddenly got red hot. Stefan was able to get a huge Brush War roll in Argentina and eventually re-align Chris out of Chile to make South America a push. Two ABM Treaties (by Turn 7) plus Nuclear Subs let Stefan eventually get total control of Africa. Stefan was also able to Missile Envy the Muslim Revolution card to save the Middle East on turn 4 or 5, and it never re-appeared. Chris did get to Purge Stefan on Turns 2 and 7, but Stefan was able to use SALT on Turn 9 to get the Purge card back and play it against Chris on Turn 10. Chris still had a couple of last gasp chances but missed three 50-50 rolls to grab 4 VPs in Space and via the Iran-Iraq War. Meanwhile, via the Purge and superior ops, Stefan was able to overrun North Korea and force a push in Asia, and thereby pull it out in Final Scoring. It was a wild and close game, with each side having a chance to win, but Stefan's US prevailed.

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Stefan’s combined BPA TS tournament record is now 25-1, with the sole loss having come to Chris during Round 4 of the Swiss phase of this tournament. I think we know who the best TS players are! :)

 

For my part (as GM), it’s been great to organise such a well-supported and closely fought tournament. I plan to run another tournament in 2009 — probably a straight Single Elimination knockout tournament this time — so stay tuned for more details about that!