Winter Operations - Kharkov '43: Tiller Operational Campaigns Tournament No 2

[HMCS Rosthern]

For Outlaw Josey Wales 


Update 20240901

Tournament is now on!. Please register soon as we propose to start on October 1, 2024. Please provide feedback on the Tournament Rules presented here. Tournament Rules are subject to change. 
    

Tournament Eligibility and General Rules

This is the official thread for this tournament. All news, updates, etc. are found in this thread. Check this very first posting regularly, as it is subject to change and is updated with tournament round information. The tournament entrants are required to post on this thread as we progress through the tournament (More on that below).

All entrants must be members of The Blitz Wargaming Club Tiller Operational Campaigns Ladder, i.e., have a handle like "HMCS Rosthern". New members without previous reported battles are welcome. All entrants must have up to date profiles at theBlitz.club listing all of the games they own. Entrants register by using theBlitz.club Private Messages (see blow). 

This tournament will accept up to 32 entrants, and a minimum of 12 entrants. Registrations are first come first serve. Once the tournament starts no new entrants will be allowed. The tournament format requires only that there are an even number of entrants. If we end up with an odd number, the odd entrant out will be the replacement (backup) for any entrant that has to drop out. Addition people can have their name added to the backup list in case we need to replace dropouts as the tournament progresses. Backups assume the points accumulated by the entrant dropping out. Entrants that drop out are not eligible for any tournament prizes. Dropouts will be sent on a mine clearing detail with a flame thrower next watch. Having described the drop out policy, we want to avoid dropouts.

Entrants play in all rounds. Registering for this tournament is a commitment to complete 6 games. Do not enter this tournament if you have any concerns about completing it.

An objective of this tournament is to give entrants opportunities to play against new and different PBEM opponents. So even if its late in the tournament and there is no hope of winning, there still is that next game to meet and compete against someone new.

The tournament will use scenarios from any title in any the WDS Tiller Operational Campaign game series, i.e., Panzer Campaigns (PzC), First World War Campaigns (FWWC), and Modern Campaigns (MC), as long as the titles are common to all entrants, and they are published in theBlitz.club database. Entrants registering for this tournament must be prepared to play a scenario from any of the common titles. Entrants must have their title installations patched up to the latest version. Any game, started before a version change is available, must be completed before upgrading, and the entrants must upgrade their title after completion of the scenario. As of 20240901 v4.04 was rolled out to all titles, and v4.05 is just beginning.

All players agree to process turns promptly. Tournament rounds (see below) will be assigned a start and end date by which time the round must be completed. The allotted time will be more than generous.

All entrants accept that the organizers are the final authority of any disputes, questions, or issues that may arise during play. Spirit of the Law will apply more so than Letter of the Law. In other words, be considerate, and make a good effort and everything is fine.  Drag your feet and pay the piper.


Tournament Format

Entrants join 1 of 2 teams at registration time, representing the historical adversaries of the 3 Tiller Operational Campaign series. Choosing the teams is first come first serve. Once we have reached 32 entrants or we close the tournament to new entrants, the teams will be balanced by the organizers.

• Team 1: Allies (FWWC), Allies (PzC), NATO (PC)
  
• Team 2: Central Powers (FWWC), Axis (PzC), Warsaw Pact (PC).
  

Entrants remain on that team for the duration of the tournament. Tournament organizers determine the entrant pairings for a game by selecting a player from each team. Team 1 entrants will never be paired with Team 1 entrants, likewise for Team 2 entrants. The organizers will ensure that any 2 entrants will only play each other once. Entrants can only take the side of the scenario corresponding to the historical adversary their team represents, e.g., an entrant on Team 1 can not take the Axis side and an entrant on Team 2 can not take a British side. 

The Tournament consists of 6 rounds.
Round 1: Team 1 First Side in the Round scenario.
Round 2: Team 2 First Side in the Round scenario.
Round 3: Team 1 First Side in the Round scenario.
Round 4: Team 2 First Side in the Round scenario.
Round 5: Team 1 First Side in the Round scenario.
Round 6: Team 2 First Side in the Round scenario.

For Rounds 1 and 2, 3 and 4, and 5 and 6 are assigned scenarios that are deemed by the organizers as representing a similar situation, and similar chances of obtaining tournament points. For example, the First Side in Rounds 1 and 2 might be a mobile force attacking an enemy that can only play a delaying game, and there is evidence to suggest the scenarios are balanced. The entrants will have to accept that the organizers could get it wrong and choose scenarios that inadvertently give one side a round advantage. Not all scenarios are going to be absolutely balanced where a draw is most likely, but every effort will be made to ensure the above scenario pairs provide balanced chances to the First Side across the two games.

The selected scenario will be small, SM1 or SM2, and an absolute maximum of 25 turns. The time limit for each round is 2 times the number of turns in the scenario plus 10 days.

The round pairings must notify the tournament organizers when they start and when they end the game. If all games are finished and reported before the end date the round will be ended. Uncompleted games are counted as is (i.e., the current scenario Total Points are used for tournament calculations (see below). How to report a game will be described in the Navigating this Tournament Section.

Each round the entrants in the pairing compete for 100 Tournament Points and up to 5 Bonus Points. Available Tournament Points are summarized by:


All entrants need to know is get the best results possible and up to 100 Tournament Points and 5 Bonus Points will be awarded. But for those that want to know, this chart shows how the Tournament Points and Bonus Points are calculated.



Entrants with Major Victories have additional bonus points to rate their performance. The bonus points are likely only to matter to distinguish who got the better result having had the same number of Major Victories.


Navigating the Tournament

Register as an entrant in the tournament with HMCS Rosthern using theBlitz.club Private mail. Registration must include your

• theBlitz.club handle
  
• your email
  
• your desired Team
  

Each round, follow these steps.

1. Find your round opponent. See the round pairings, below.
   
2. No later than the Start Date + 3 days, post on this thread the names in the pairing and that you have started the game.
   
3. Complete the scenario.
   
4. No later than the End Date, post on this thread the result of the pairing.
   

         The theBlitz.club handles in the pairing, in first side and second side order
         The First Side Total Points
         Major Defeat Victory Value
         Minor Defeat Victory Value.
         Major Victory Victory Value.
         Major Victory Victory Value.

Tournament standings will be published after each Round. 

All battles can be reported on the Ladder for Points per normal play.


Prizes and Rewards

The winner is the entrant with the most Tournament points accumulated over the six rounds, from Team 1 and Team 2. In case of a tie (which should be very unlikely) a mirrored play off game will be scheduled to decide the winner. The winner of the tournament receives a free game courtesy of the Wargame Design Studio.

An honorary prize will be awarded to all of the members from the team that accumulated the most points over the six rounds.

All entrants that do not drop out of the tournament, and backups that replace dropouts, are entered in a draw for a free game at the end of the tournament from the Tiller Operational Campaigns forum administrators.  Mr. Grumpy will make the draw.


First Round Start: October 1, 2024.

My center is giving way, my right is in retreat; situation excellent. I shall attack. - Foch