Falmurth Article 7

 

Falmurth GameDays and Players: Falmurth 1980 & 1981

By Jeff Martin  06/13/2024

 

Falmurth VII, 1980

 

[Above: Players not yet identified]

 

The 1980 games were held in Cincinnati at the second Ral Partha factory (those who know Ral Partha history better than I can correct me about the location if necessary). In terms of game boards this was the largest Falmurth games ever held with 6 different battles on separate tables played in 1980. Most of these tables had 4 players though one or two may have had more and I think one table turned into a 1:1 affair due to some no shows.

 

 

We had learned that the system worked better without too many troops massed on one table though some of these games still had 4000+ troop pts per side (some of the smaller ones were around 3000 each side). Though the rules were still evolving substantially, the kills on the combat tables had gone up by this game which generally was helpful. Some other features that were well in place by 1980 included strategic objectives and strategic impact from the results of the battles

 

The confirmed commander list for 1980 included:

John Kellner for Khand,

Jeff Bundy for Vyka,

Jim Rush for Dalvar,

Tom Meier as the Black Prince,

Vic Harpley for Vraltor,

Neil Reinhart for Scandia,

Alan Carson with Lassarand,

Shawn Mallory for Talser,

Rich Smethurst with Xindurbil,

Howard Anderson with Meneldor,

Greg Hopper with Hater,

John Winkler probably with the Satraps,

Bob Smith with Regalio

Larry Connor with Golas

 

Jeff Curry also played on the Evil side though I did not note which force.

 

Some other players who were in the commander list to attend but I have no record they actually played (such as a commander outcome) were:

Terry Hauk (Jyllaran),

Frank Suchar (Donizar),

Ron Haas (Khaldir),

Guy Flora (Lanaster)

Kevin Barrer (Shirland)

Ed Stang (Avrenth)

 

[Above:  Falmurth Map, drawn by Tom Meier]

 

The Evil side won decisive victories on the Devendor and Regalio tables and a moderate Evil victory on the Bastmor/Forthing table. The Persai board was a decisive Good victory and Good also had a Marginal victory on the Meneldor table. The first Black Well table ended in a tie. This gave Evil an overall 68 to 32 victory for the 1980 games.

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Falmurth VIII, 1981

 

 

The 1981 games were held in Columbus, OH, though I don’t have a flyer or pictures to confirm that.  I do have a thick file of strategic options, orders of battle and troop buys for the 4 gameboards that made up the 1981 Falmurth games. A couple other game mechanics that were evident in 1981 included documented impact of the results on the national forces (mostly in terms of point availability but some specific unit impacts) and a strategic outcome being adjudicated without generating a gameboard.

 

The commander list for 1981 included:

Guy Flora (Lanaster),

Ed Stang (Avrenth),

Dave Packer (Forsula Loyalists),

Rich Smethurst (Xindurbil),

Terry Hauk (Persai),

Greg Hopper (Hater),

Jim Rush (Dalvar),

John Kellner (Khand),

Paul Price (Rhada),

Tom Meir (the Black Prince),

Neil Reinhart (Scandia),

Karl Fox (Lassarand),

Ron Haas (Khaldir),

Russ Cottington (Vraltor/Devendor),

Larry Connor (Golas),

Jeff Bundy (Vyka),

Howard Anderson (Meneldor),

Chuck Crain (Sutherkrein).

 

The play for day was closely contested with Evil winning two decisive victories (S. Bastmor and S. Forthing, evidently a bad day for Vyka). The Good guys also won two decisive victories (Devendor and south-central Regalio). The boards won by the Good guys added up slightly larger thus giving Good a 54 to 46 overall victory.

 

 

To be continued in Falmurth Article 8