Panzerschreck Report 2019 With Tom Robertson 38 eager gamers, in 19 teams, arrived in sunny (OK, lots of sun with periods of rain) Palmerston North for our 19th Panzerschreck Doubles Tournament but with a big difference!  This year it was Battlefront’s Team Yankee, or WW3 if you like. Joining in with our local teams were visitors from all over the North Island, arriving by ‘planes, trains and automobiles.

The Teams format allows us to have a more social atmosphere for our gamers and to fit into our smallish school hall, all for maximum gaming fun!  The odd number of teams meant we had to run a Bye each round for the first time in 19 years but it didn’t create any issues, some teams may have even been quietly pleased for the guaranteed points. Special mention for Placemakers Ltd Palmerston North for loaning us the larger tabletops  (2400 mm x 1200 mm x 18 mm mdf sheets) required for doubles for the weekend.

The team format again worked really well this year with everyone enjoying themselves with lots of positive feedback, although that may well have been because of the tasty steak, sausage or bacon sandwiches and free tea and coffee!

The Bring and Buy table was busy with lots of loose sprues from Battlefront that flew out fast. This year Scott Bowman’s ever expanding trader stand from Paraparaumu arrived on Saturday and stayed for the weekend, more model paint and other gaming supplies purchased.

All the Team Yankee armies were very well painted many to very high standards, making the selection of the best painted award very challenging. We think this maybe due to the armies all being freshly purchased and painted in the last couple of years and the painters having a chance to refresh and really show off their modelling skills in a new genre.

We’re looking forward to the challenge of organising next years Panzerschreck 2020 doubles tournament, going back to V4 Flames of War World War II Late War.  Special thanks to Battlefront for the generous prize support to go with the winners’ medals and also the 2019 tournament objective set of the De Lorean & team for all competitors. For a lot of amazing photos of the event go and look at Greg Lockton’s blog “Behind Enemy Lines”. ~Tom