Paths of Glory: Tournament Update (December 1, 2016)
We’ve just wrapped up our second month of action in Round One and the Paths of Glory action has been fast and furious. Sixteen of fifty-one matches have been decided and many others are on track to complete in the next few weeks. The AP has won nine games and the CP has won seven and it’s reassuring to see people finding all sorts of ways to gain victory. But fear not, vanquished warriors, for this is a double-elimination event which means an early loss will not keep you out of the action in Round Two of the tournament.
This month I’m presenting some bidding information as it might prove useful in future rounds. As the chart below demonstrates, the most common bid was a bid of 1 for the AP. A numerical analysis on the decided games shows only a weak linkage between bidding and victory but that correlation is likely to shift as we get more information and we start seeing matches involving comparably experienced players.
Last month’s puzzle sought the situation that could see a German Army legally in Italy in the WBC historical scenario before the AP was at total war. This was ’solved’ by several folks but Judge Hasay was the first to point out that a German army could be retreated into Italy where it would not be able to “operate” until the AP was at Total War.
This month’s puzzle is centered on the concept of “Initiative”. Experienced POG players will always be trying to force their opponent to respond to their moves. With that in mind, rank the following AP ROUND FIVE actions in order of significance. (An action is more “significant’ when the response is forced, there are relatively fewer ways of responding, and the consequences of NOT responding are ever more dire.)
- Playing Salonika as the event, with 2xFRc, after MEF, but before Bulgaria has entered the game.
- Playing ANA as the event when there is a clear path to Aleppo.
- Playing Italy as the event when when there are no CP units in or within walking distance of Trent, Villach, and Trieste.
- Playing Yudenich as the event, in Kars, against the starting Turk positions. The prior CP round was an SR action.
In a correction to one of my prior “Miscellaneous GM Learnings” comments, in which I noted that Bursa was a European-map Turkish space, Mitch L. highlighted that, per 9.2.7, that space is actually considered to be on the NE per 9.2.7. Good to know!
GM Advice & Admonitions
- Supply Warnings: Be advised that the FAQ page has some very specific specific information about supply warnings. Do not assume that supply warnings are only called for when you make a move that threatens your opponent’s supply lines
- Rolling your own: Several newcomers are creating problems for themselves by rolling their own attacks. Yes, there are situations where you KNOW your opponent can’t play a defensive combat card but if your original move was illegal, you’re just creating an awkward situation. Even worse, if you’d originally agreed to let the defender roll, you’re revealing an impulsive nature that will not serve you well.
- POG Accounting 101: It is highly advised that you clearly highlight the Reserve Box status after each corps transaction. By far, Reserve Box dispositions are the largest source of map discrepancies.
- Game Pace: Many of you are zipping along briskly but a few of you are a bit behind. If you haven’t reached turn seven by now, you’ve captured the attention of the GMs and you could be in for some serious nudging in the coming weeks. The GMs do not anticipate any time extensions being granted and if an individual’s game pace is outrageously slow, we will not allow them to continue in round 2.
In closing, we have the end-of-year holiday season approaching rapidly. Do not assume that means your opponent will have a lot more time to play POG and that you can catch up on your otherwise laggardly play. The reality is that many folks are traveling or engaged in other activities that actually LIMIT their gaming time! That being said, the courteous thing to do is to inform your opponent if you expect your game pace to be impacted by Real Life.
Here’s wishing you all a good holiday season: May your fire lanes be clear, your trenches well drained, and your Yanks Over There!
Regards,
Tom Gregorio
Michael Dauer
Paul Hubbard