The 1999 World Boardgaming Championship RoboRally Tournament in Review
First Round
The first round boards were a big success, both flag one and flag three caused a good deal of robot interaction. Only one round had to be adjudicated after 3 and 1/2 hours. Most games finished around the three hour mark. However, for next years tournament I think I'd like to move flag two up two spaces, then switch it with flag four. Approximate play time for these boards : 3 hrs.
Final Round
This setup was a little tougher than round one, but didn't take much longer to play. Flag 1 had, by far, the most interaction I have seen to date in this game. Two turned out to be a quick breather for most players. Three was a bit troublesome to some of the players, and four was another battleground between players coming from three and those still going to three. Five was a real toughy, five of eight players never made it to five. Three of those five were either killed off, or dropped out. The remaining two tried to play stop the leader. Six turned out to be pretty simple, and should probably be moved to the left.
Total Play time: 4.25 - 4.5 hours
Nineteen ninety-nine is the first year RoboRally has appeared at the World Boardgaming Championships, and it appears to have been a big success with the players. Forty people participated in the first round allowing for eight games of five players each.
In all eight games, the first round was a hard fought battle with many robots being forced to shut down, and a few players losing one of their three robots before the first checkpoint had been reached. After three and a half hours victory was achieved by eight finalists, with only one game having to be adjudicated by the GM. Paul Hakken, David Kyle, Kevin LeRow, Jeff Power, David Davis, Dan Lawall, Brad Johnson, and Mark Neale, advanced to the final eight player game.
Things got interesting right from the start. Most of the field made a beeline for the first flag, and the carnage ensued. Jeff Power's Squashbot was the first to tag the flag followed closely by Mark Neale's Zoombot one phase later. Both however were unable to withstand the withering crossfire, (with one being shot at from four different directions simultaneously) and their first of three robots were lost. Also lost in the same turn was Brad Johnson's Twonky.
Squabbling continued around the first flag for two more turns resulting in the loss of more robots including a second one for Brad, who was helped into a pit, by a newly reincarnated Spinbot controlled by Kevin LeRow.
In the meantime, using the advantage of being virtual, Mark was able to get a jump on the crowd for the second checkpoint of this six checkpoint race.He was hotly pursued by Dan Lawall's Hulk, and Jeff's Squashbot. Dan had somehow managed to escape the conflagration about the first flag unscathed, and Jeff managed to spend three turns in a virtual state by anticipating Dan's movements. Jeff was the first to tag the flag however as he pushed Mark's Zoombot off the checkpoint before he could tag it. The beating put on Mark's zoombot forced him to shutdown, clearing the way for Dan to touch the flag second.
Jeff was able to maintain his lead through the third checkpoint, however Mark was able to beat Dan to it. The fourth flag was reached first by Mark's Zoombot, followed closely by Jeff's squashbot. The leaders then both decided a shutdown was in order, and as they rode the express conveyor around the Maelstrom, Dan's Hulk, and Dave Davis's Hammerbot were able to catch up to touch flag four. Dave D. was able to pull ahead in the race to flag five, but difficulties in Cannery Row allowed Dan's Hulk, with his brand new Gyroscopic Stabilizer, to catch up and touch the flag a mere one turn behind. Mark's zoombot was closing in, but Cannery Row is a dangerous place, and both his remaining robots fell victim to the crushers, with the help of the double laser carried by Dave Kyle's Trundle-bot. In an incredible come from behind, Brad's Twonky was the third to touch flag five.
With the game in the balance, Dan was able to outmaneuver Dave D. for the race to the sixth checkpoint as Dave D. once again got caught up in Cannery Row, (again with the help of Dave K's double laser equipped Trundle-bot). An unfortunate side effect of this for Dave D. was that Brad's Twonky was able to pass him by for second place. Dave D. did manage to make third however, followed by Dave K., Kevin, Jeff, Mark and Paul Hakken's Twitch(who retired early from the game).