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2018 Masters

2018 Masters
Family Time Games in Indianapolis volunteered their store to host the 2018 Masters.  The store partnered with Able Kompanie to provide a warm and welcoming environment for our travelers.  Shane seemed to be around at all times, talking and engaging with us and making sure everything was going well. 

He did not have much to worry about, he had reserved not only the back nine tables for our event all weekend and also allowed a smaller local tournament of six tables to be run beside it on Saturday and a permanent demo table for Team Yankee, TANKS, and of course Flames Of War.  We do truly appreciate his, his stores and his staffs generosity and time to make this one of the more enjoyable Masters players have attended.

As we usually do, any early comers gather at the store and look over the terrain, mentally getting ready for the next day’s activities. We also usually get together for a pint and dinner to talk about plans and lie about how we did in past tournaments and games

The format of the event was every player has made three armies, one at 62, 88 and 104 points. These armies must be of the same nationality but each must be unique from one another. Multiple formations are allowed, but the same formation mix is not allowed in other armies. At the end of the previous round the Tournament organizer announces what point level the next round will be played at. Once the players have been assigned tables, they will pick to Attack, Defend or Maneuver. Once all players have chosen, the T.O. rolls a die and the Battle Plans chart is consulted to see what mission is to be played.

2018 Masters

We have an almost even mix of sides with 8 Allied, 2 Soviet and 8 Axis armies on the field.
Round 1 Matchups:

  • Jim Bodine (Screaming Eagles) vs Tom Burgess (Hard Knox)
  • James Copeland (757th VA) vs Keith Gilmour (Screaming Eagles)
  • Chris Fretts (Able Ko) vs Chris Jackson (Ind NC)
  • Andrew Hopson (Able Ko) vs Kevin Morris (SoCal)
  • Ben Ivancza (Legions) vs Richard Hurchanik (Cincinnati)
  • Joe Lewis (Able Ko) vs Tim McCelland (Legions)
  • Jim McKinney (Able Ko) vs Chris Johnson (Wargamers Anon)
  • Chris Novak (Able Ko) vs Jace Pippen (Regina Rifles)
  • Peter Zerphy (Central MD Gamers) vs David Vigor (Lakeshore Gamers)

First round finishes: The round was run with the 104 point armies.

  • Jim Bodine (M – Brit Rifle) vs Tom Burgess (M – Ger 90th Light) Counterattack 3-3
  • James Copeland (A – NZ Div Cav) vs Keith Gilmour(D – Ger PzGren) Bridgehead 6-3
  • Chris Fretts (M – US Sherman) vs Chris Jackson (D – Ger Gren) Bridgehead 2-7
  • Andrew Hopson (A – US Lee) vs Kevin Morris (A – Italian Tank) Counter Attack 7-2
  • Ben Ivancza (M – Sov Hero Rifle) vs Richard Hurchanik (A – Ger Jager) Contact 2-7
  • Joe Lewis (M – US Sherman) vs Tim McCelland (M – Ger PzGren) Counter Attack 3-6
  • Jim McKinney (A – Brit Grant) vs Chris Johnson (M – Italian Inf/Tank) Contact 3-2
  • Chris Novak (D – US ARC) vs Jace Pippen (A – Sov T-34) Bridgehead 7-2
  • Peter Zerphy (A – US Armored Cars) vs David Vigor (D – Ger Inf) Bridgehead 8-1
2018 Masters  2018 Masters

Round 2 after lunch is with the small armies of 62 points:

  • Chris Jackson vs Peter Zerphy
  • Andrew Hopson vs Ben Ivancza
  • Tim McCelland vs Chris Novak
  • Tom Burgess vs James Copeland
  • Keith Gilmour vs Joe Lewis
  • Jim Bodine vs Jim McKinney
  • Jace Pippen vs David Vigor
  • Chris Fretts vs Kevin Morris
  • Richard Hurchanik vs Chris Johnson

Round 2 results: There is a lot of movement in the ranks as the players jockey for position, no single person is running away with the tournament, there are three in the top group, 6 in the middle and the rest coming along. As with any two day event, all your hard work of the first day can flow away on the second.

  • Chris Jackson (D – Ger Afrika Rifle) vs Peter Zerphy (M – US ARC) No retreat 7-2
  • Andrew Hopson (A – US Sherman) vs Ben Ivancza (M – Sov Cossack) Dust Up 1-8
  • Tim McCelland (M – Ger Afrika Rifle) vs Chris Novak (D – US Stuarts) No Retreat 2-7
  • Tom Burgess (D – Ger AK Armored Car) vs James Copeland (A – Brit Honeys) Rearguard 3-6
  • Keith Gilmour (A – Ger IC Armored Car) vs Joe Lewis (D – US Rifle) Rearguard 1-8
  • Jim Bodine (M – Brit Crusaders) vs Jim McKinney (A – Brit Humbers) Dust Up 3-3
  • Jace Pippen (D – Sov Hero Rifle) vs David Vigor (A – Ger Inf) Rearguard 8-1
  • Chris Fretts ( A – US Lee) vs Kevin Morris (A – Italian Infantry) Free For All 8-1
  • Richard Hurchanik (D – Ger Pioneer) vs Chris Johnson (A – Italian Recce/Lgt Tank) Rearguard 1-8

2018 Masters

Third round will be with the 88 point army.

Round three results:

  • Chris Jackson (M – Ger Iron Cross Fast Co) vs James Copeland (A – Brit Crusader / Inf) Rearguard 2 - 7
  • Joe Lewis (M – US Lee) vs Pete Zerphy (M – US Lee) Encounter 8 – 1
  • Ben Ivancza (M – Mixed Tankovy) vs Chris Novak (D – US Lee) Rearguard 8 – 1
  • Kevin Morris (A – Italian Weapons) vs Keith Gilmour (D – Ger AK Panzer III) Rearguard 8 – 1
  • Chris Johnson (A – Italian Tank/Tank) vs Andrew Hopson (D – US ARC) Readguard 2 – 7
  • Jim Bodine (M – Brit Motor Rifle) vs Tim McClelland (M – Ger Gren) Free For All 6 – 3
  • Chris Fretts (M – US ARC) vs Jace Pippin (M – Sov Mixed Tankovy) Free For All 3 – 6
  • Richard Hurchanik (A – Ger Gren) vs David Vigor (D – Sov Inf) Rear Guard 1 – 8
  • Tom Burgess (M – Ger Afrika Rifle) vs Jim McKinney (A – Brit Motor Inf) Encounter 3 – 2

 

So we are midpoint through the tournament, this is the score when we broke for the night:

  1. Ben Ivancza 23
  2. James Copeland 19
  3. Peter Zerphy 18
  4. Jace Pippen 16
  5. Chris Jackson 16
  6. Andrew Hopson 15
  7. Chris Novak 15
  8. Chris Fretts 13
  9. Jim Bodine 12
  10. Chris Johnson 12
  11. Joe Lewis 12
  12. Kevin Morris 11
  13. Tim McClelland 11
  14. David Vigor 10
  15. Tom Burgess 9
  16. Jim McKinney 8
  17. Keith Gilmour 5
  18. Richard Hurchanik 4

The questions of the morning are:
Can James Copeland hamstring Ben Ivancza enough to pull him back into the frontrunner pack?
Can Jace Pippen overcome Pete Zerphy and position himself in the top three?
Can Chris Jackson overcome his first day trials and take the lead?
We will see the answers after round 4, where the competitors will field their 88 point army.

At our annual Masters dinner last night we shared stories, met new people and reconnected with distant friends.

2018 Masters

2018 Masters 2018 Masters

Round 4 caused some upsets, there are a lot of ties as experienced players faced one another:

James Copeland did indeed hamstring Ben Ivancza 7-2 in an Encounter mission, they are still head and shoulders above the next in line so, according to straight swiss rules, there will be a re-match in round 5 at 104 points.
Jace Pippen Won against Pete Zerphy’s Americans putting him solidly in a distant third place.

Chris Johnson’s Italians overwhelmed Jim Bodine’s British allowing Chris to enter the top five, tied with Pete Zerphy.
Chris Novak and Chris Fretts locked horns in an American No Retreat contest, neither gave much ground with a 3 – 3.

Tim McClelland routed Tom Burgess and advanced into striking range with a 7-2 victory
Chris Jackson and Andrew Hopson both Defended in Encounter finishing out with a 3 – 3 tie
Keith Gilmour was able to rout Richard Hurchaniks forces with an 8 – 1 victory.
Jim McKinney and David Vigor tied each other up in an Encounter 2 – 2 tie.
Joe Lewis fared slightly better than Kevin Morris in a 3 – 2 tie.

2018 Masters

 2018 Masters

Round 5 results:

  • Chris Johnson vs Peter Zerphy 3- 3 Breakthrough
  • Chris Fretts vs Tim McClelland 1 – 8 Breakthrough
  • Andrew Hopson vs Chris Novak 3 – 3 Breakthrough
  • Chris Jackson vs Jace Pippen 8 – 1 Breakthrough
  • Jim Bodine vs Joe Lewis 3 – 3 Bridgehead
  • Keith Gilmour vs David Vigor 1 – 1 Breakthrough
  • James Copeland vs Ben Ivancza 8 – 1 Breakthrough
  • Tom Burgess vs Kevin Morris 3 – 6 Breakthrough
  • Richard Hurchanik vs Jim McKinney 2 – 1 Breakthrough

Final Matchups : 62 point armies 

  • Chris Fretts vs Joe Lewis
  • Chris Novak vs Kevin Morris
  • Tom Burgess vs Jim McKinney
  • Tim McClelland vs Ben Ivancza
  • Chris Jackson vs James Copeland
  • Chris Johnson vs Jace Pippen
  • David Vigor vs Richard Hurchanik
  • Peter Zerphy vs Andrew Hopson
  • Jim Bodine vs Keith Gilmour

2018 Masters

 2018 Masters

Round 6 results:

  • Joe Lewis vs Chris Fretts 8 – 1 Rearguard
  • Kevin Morris vs Chris Novak  7 – 2 Rearguard
  • Tom Burgess vs Jim McKinney  8 – 1 Rearguard
  • Tim McClelland vs Ben Ivancza  8 – 1 Rearguard
  • James Copeland vs Chris Jackson   6 – 3 Rearguard
  • Chris Johnson vs Jace Pippin 8 – 1 Dust up
  • Richard Hurchanik vs David Vigor 8 – 1 Rearguard
  • Peter Zerphy vs Andrew Hopson 6 – 3 Free For All
  • Jim Bodine vs Keith Gilmour  6 – 3 Dust Up
 Congratulations to James Copeland for defeating all comers in the 2018 Masters. He vanquished the early front-runner twice and the returning champion twice, dominating the top slot for the second day’s rounds. 
2018 Masters
  1. James Copeland 40         
  2. Tim McClelland 34
  3. Chris Johnson 31
  4. Chris Jackson 30
  5. Peter Zerphy 30
  6. Ben Ivancza 27
  7. Andrew Hopson 27
  8. Joe Lewis 26
  9. Kevin Morris 26
  10. Jace Pippen 24
  11. Chris Novak 23
  12. Tom Burgess 22
  13. Jim Bodine 22
  14. Chris Fretts 18
  15. Keith Gilmour 17
  16. Richard Hurchanik 15
  17. David Vigor 14
  18. Jim McKinney 12

Chris Fretts on Battle Rankings will be crunching the numbers for us and breaking down the percentages, so stay turned there and see the post-tournament analysis.

Masters is about more than a plaque and bragging rights, it is the drawing together of people who have devoted so much to this hobby.  It is getting those people together from all over the continent and making new friends.  I myself met Jace Pippin for the first time and got to know Kevin Morris, Igor and Pete Zerphy better than I had in the past.  I hope to see more of you on the tournament circuit and joining us at Masters in the near future.


Last Updated On Wednesday, November 28, 2018