Origins `90 Tournament Report
Part 3

Origins Air Power Awards

by J.D. Webster

Saturday night after both tourneys were done, the really fanatic players and I got together to vote on the annual Air Power humour awards which were started the year before and will be a traditional feature of all our tournaments.

1. THE COVETED "MISSILE SPONGE" AWARD: To the player who absorbs the most hits with or without going down in a single game.

By popular vote: a joint award to Tony and Mike for their performance as the American team in the final round (Mike took four of 10 missiles fired by Canadians and lived, Tony six).

2. THE DEFINITIVE "I'D RATHER BE LUCKY THAN GOOD, ANY DAY" AWARD: To the player who for whatever reason, avoids death despite his own poor tactics and flying.

By popular Canadian vote: to Mike "Cougar" Phelps for those same four missile and additional cannon attacks which failed to finish him off.

3. THE INFAMOUS "TONY VALLE MEMORIAL LEADERSHIP" AWARD: To the player who most aggressively charges to his own quick death, or does something equally dumb like diving into the ground.

Without question, to Mark Bovankovich for dodging an ATOLL in round three on Friday by diving into the ground.

4. THE AMAZING "LIVE IN FAME, OR DIE IN FLAMES" AWARD: To the player who puts up the most dramatic fight of the day and lives.

Not awarded this year as no one was spectacular enough, but retro-actively given to "Psycho" (Tsyoshi Kawahito) for his performance as the single MiG-29 against four F-16s in the 1989 Origins Tournament (see AP#7).

5. THE MERITORIOUS "NO GUTS-NO GLORY" AWARD: To the player who manages to do the least with the opportunities given him.

By concensus: to Joel "Weasel" Williams for staying out of the Phantom/MiG furball in round three on Friday while his teammates were overwhelmed and then being smoked by a Sparrow just as he was entering the fight and could have made a difference.

SILLY HONORABLE MENTIONS for 1990:

1. To Mike "Bouncer Daniels for being shot down with the most consistency over three days of gaming.

2. To the "Dudes" Mark and Curtis for their most outlandish and gawdy dressing habits - Hawaiian shirts, day- glo tiger striped lime-green surfer shoes and nylon shorts.

3. To Steve Madjanovich for his unusual and extremely unbalanced Banana republic miniatures tourney.

4. To Ken Maniscalco who lost round one before he even moved by forgetting he could defensively pre-empt.

Well that's it for this years Origins report, see you next time.

Editor's Postscript
Tony Valle

I would like to apologize too, to the fine Canadian opponent's who did fly very well in the last round. My fatigue, coupled with my disappointment at what I felt was a raw deal, caused me to miss the post-tourney beer gathering and award ceremony. I almost never sulk, and I think it was in poor form for me to hold my fellow players in any way responsible for the designer's effors.

I would also like to point out that the "hideously onesided" Air Strike scenario describer by J.D. was playtested by my group in LaGrange in its original form, with a clear Israeli victory. I realize now that very few players, including JD, have the kind of experience moving mud that my playtest group had. The scenario was balanced for the level of expertise we were used too, not for "novices".

If you think that bombing ground targets is easy, straightforward, natural, or boring, then you have never played Air Strike the way it was intended. Getting ordinance on a target is probably the most difficult task a pilot may ever face. The ability to drop bandits by the score doesn't correlate with this skill, either. Wait'll you see the Strike Tourney this year!

Origins `90 Tournament Report Part 3

Origins `90 Tournament Report Part 2

Origins `90 Tournament Report Part 1

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© Copyright 1990 by J.D. Webster
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