Ancient wargamers who qualify for National Team Trials

Elishia Retief after winning the IWF's 2016 World Championships - Mbabane

Mind Sports South Africa's (MSSA) National Team Trials for Ancients wargaming is to be held on 6 & 7 May 2017.On examining the names, there are no surprises. All those that have achieved over the past calendar year are there.

Of special interest, South Africa's three current world champions will all be looking for a place in the team, being Elishia Retief, Jason Batzofin, and Colin Webster.

However, it should be noted that even more players may qualify for the Team Trials through the Free State, Gauteng, and Mpumulanga School Championships which are to be held on 29 & 30 April 2017 - just one week prior to the National Team Trials for Morabaraba and Ancients wargaming.

South Africa has a very proud reputation in Ancients figure gaming, and it is expected that any of the following people will be more than able to maintain South Africa's reputation in the game.

So far, the list of qualifiers are:

Figure Gaming
Name	Club	Province
Allwright, Terence	Old Edwardian Wargames Club	Gauteng
Barry, Sean 09	Uplands College	Mpumulanga
Batzofin, Jason 14	Old Edwardian Wargames Club	Gauteng
Beuken, Leopold	Riverview Mind Sports Club	Mpumulanga
Els, Anja	Teutonic Knights Mind Sports Club	Mpumulanga
Getzner, Jacques	Teutonic Knights Mind Sports Club	Mpumulanga
Hervey, Simon	Pretoria Boys High School	Gauteng
Louw, Adam	Pretoria Boys High School	Gauteng
Love, Dorian	St John's College	Gauteng
Retief, Elishia 14	North West University	North West
Schoeman, Alex	Knights Mind Sports Club	Gauteng
Schoeman, Garth 02	Knights Mind Sports Club	Gauteng
Webster, Colin 91	Old Edwardian Wargames Club	Gauteng

Elishia adds a new title to her repertoire.

Elishia Retief (North West University) in command of her troops.

Over the years Elishia Retief has earned:

• 2014 Wargamer of the Year
• 2015 Mind Sports Person of the Year
• City of Johannesburg Regional Colours, 
• Gauteng Provincial Colours, 
• South African National Colours, and 
• Protea Colours.

However, 2017 saw Elishia play in the  North west Championships for the first time in her gaming career. Studying 'just up the road' at North West University - Potchefstroom - Elishia made the effort to trek out to Klerksdorp to demonstrate her skill.

Her usual enthusiasm and effervescent personality was welcome at the championships.

At MSSA's 21st North West Championships held at Curro Klerksdorp, Elishia once again took the title.

Since Elishia is now resident in North West, Elishia has now added North West Colours to her many other awards.

Elishia Retief 

The sound of trumpets, the clash of arms, and victory…

A young 'general' in action!

Figure wargames is a tactical game based on history upon which the outcome depends totally on your cognitive reasoning, logic, and imagination.

Figure gaming is the ultimate test of tactical skill. There are no duplications of moves and no game-plans which you can study – all the games rely on the player’s abilities and application of tactical skill in many different situations.

Wargaming is both a competitive sport and a fascinating hobby. It is whatever you want it to be. 

Should you wish, you can participate in club, provincial, national and even international competitions.

Old Edwardians who have represented South Africa since 1991 are:

Senior Team	Name of players
	Male	Female
	Grant Casey, Ingo Haferung, Kevin Hoyle , Gregory Kupczyk , Vincent Lane, Richard Ligault, Marc Marais, Pavel Rabiner, Dr Evgenii Rabiner, Gareth Rimmington, Matthew Strachan, Edward van Trotsenburg, Jason van Wyngaard, Colin Webster, and David Webster.	Bernice Ligault, Elishia Retief

Junior Team	Name of players
	Male	Female
	Dominic Bauer, Nicholas Clare, Vincent Lane, Marc Marais, Benjamin Shulman , Matthew Strachan,	Melissa Kupczyk, Elishia Retief

The Old Edwardian Wargames Club can also boast of five World Champions, being:

• BERNICE LIGAULT (ANCIENTS – Women - 2006, 2007)
• ELISHIA RETIEF (ANCIENTS – Women - 2014, 2015)
• MATTHEW STRACHAN (ANCIENTS - Junior section - 2001)
• BENJAMIN SHULMAN (ANCIENTS - Junior section – 2002)
• COLIN WEBSTER (ANCIENT'S – Men – 2013, 2014, 2015)

Figure wargames were introduced in 1824 into the Prussian Army as an officer training aid, and was used to develop tactics, which real armies used in the planning of campaigns and battles.

The best way in which YOU can become involved, and fully understand wargames, is to visit the club any Sunday afternoon (14H00 to 18H00) and participate in a game.

The most popular games promoted by the club are:

FIGURE GAMING:

• ANCIENTS (3000 BC to 1500AD)
• PIKE & SHOT (1500 AD to 1700 AD)

Players are also encouraged to contact any or all of the sub club's officials for further information:

Name	Telephone	Cell	e-mail
Donald Mullany	011 350 8824	074 117 0701	caliban@caliban.co.za
Colin Webster	011 828 4994	073 593 9451	wargames@iafrica.com

Elishia Retief awarded the Sheila Webster Trophy by the Old Edwardian Society

Elishia Retief.

The Sheila Webster trophy was awarded by the Old Edwardian Society at its Annual Sportsman of the Year Awards on Wednesday evening, 16 November 2016 to Elishia Retief.

Sheila Webster was  renown for her work in swimming circles and was much admired by the likes of Sam Ramsamy, Gideon Sam and Jace Naidoo. Sheila Webster served the interests of swimmers continuously from club to provincial level from 1974 through to 2010 and finally ended up as  Hon. Vice-President of Central Gauteng Aquatics. Having always championed the rights and needs of female athletes, it is therefore befitting that a trophy named after her should be awarded at the Old Edwardian Society's Annual Sportsman of the Year Awards.

Elishia too deserves the award.

Over the years since Elishia joined the Old Edwardian Wargames Club, Elishia has earned:

• City of Johannesburg Regional Colours, 
• Gauteng Provincial Colours, 
• South African National Colours, and 
• Protea Colours.

Elishia too has been twice crowned as the female World Champion.

She's the one

Elishia Retief after winning the 2015 IWF World Championships

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) has just released its latest seedings for the Ancients wargame.

The rankings have once again shown that Elishia Retief (of the Old Edwardian Wargames Club) has retained her position of being the top ranked woman in the games, but is ranked in third place overall.

When reviewing the top ten ranked players, there is a veritable who's who in South African (and even international) wargaming. There are three world champions (including Elishia Retief) and several players that have represented South Africa a number of times in the official Protea team.

It will be interesting to see the results of the SA National Championships to be played at HTS Witbank on 3 and 4 December 2016.

The rankings of the top ten players are:

Pos	Name of Player	year	Club	Points
1	Schoeman, Garth 02	15	KMSC	855,1
2	Batzofin, Jason	16	SJC	841,0
3	Retief, Elishia 14	16	OE	545,6
4	Webster, Colin 91	16	OE	493,1
5	Barry, Sean 09	16	RPS	478,5
6	Burger, Erasmus	15	TUKS	401,6
7	Holliday, Carl 09	14	PBHS	383,1
8	Humphreys, Connor	13	PBHS	383,1
9	Mullany, Donald	14	OE	383,1
10	Bouwer, Abie	15	OE	383,1

33rd MSSA Gauteng Wargaming Championships - 26 & 27 March 2016

Elishia Retief putting her Palmyrans through their paces.

The 33rd MSSA Gauteng Wargaming Championships shall be held in Springbok Hall, University of Pretoria, on 26 & 27 March 2016.

In terms of the current regulations, any period may be played to more than one rule set if there are sufficient entries, and a player qualified to act as an umpire has volunteered to umpire such rule set.

The championships shall start on both days at 9H00. Players need to register at least 30 minutes before the start of play.

The following periods have qualified to be played, and shall be, should sufficient entries be received:

FIGURE GAMING:
Period	CHAMPIONSHIPS TO BE PLAYED ON BOTH DAYS
	Saturday			Sunday
	ROUND 1	ROUND 2	ROUND 3	ROUND 4	ROUND 5
Ancients – DBM 3.2	9H00-12H00	13H00 - 16h00	17h00 - 20h00	9H00-12H00	14H00 – 17H00
Pike & Shot – DBR	9H00-12H00	13H00 - 16h00	17h00 - 20h00	9H00-12H00	14H00 – 17H00
World War II – Flames of War	9H00-12H00	13H00 - 16h00	17h00 - 20h00	9H00-12H00	14H00 – 17H00

Period	ONE DAY HISTORICAL FIGURE GAMING CHAMPIONSHIPS TO BE PLAYED ON SUNDAY ONLY
	Sunday
	ROUND 1	ROUND 2	ROUND 3	ROUND 4
Ancients – DBM 200AP	9H00-10H30	11H00 – 12H30	14H00 – 15H30	16H00 – 17H30

In keeping with Mind Sport South Africa's policies re development programmes, entries are free and gratis to registered players who are unable to afford to enter such championships should the member club formally request assistance. Such applications must be directed to the MSSA at: e-mail: mindsportssa@iafrica.com

Please note that if there are not at least 10 players entered for a figure gaming period, then such period shall be played to four (4) rounds and not five (5).

Entry fees are:              R60.00 for figure gamers.

Only players who are registered with fully-paid-up members may participate.

Players are reminded that the majority choice of rules as at the closing date for entries shall be used.

Entry fees must be deposited directly into Mind Sports South Africa's account, held at ABSA Bank, account number, 90 4766 7676.

All entries, and army lists (if applicable) must be e-mailed to the the head of umpiring: Ewan Retief at ewan.retief@gmail.com on or before 24 March 2016.

--

Colin Webster
General Secretary
Mind Sports South Africa
P O Box 19275
FISHER'S HILL
1408
Tel: 011 828 4994
Fax: 086 672 1911
Cell: 073 593 9451
e-mail: mindsportssa@iafrica.com
URL: http://www.mindsportsa.co.za
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mindsportssa
Twitter: @mindsportssa
Skype: colin.webster4

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) is an affiliate of the International eSports Federation, Federation de Jeau du Mondiale, and the International Wargames Federation. Due to its membership of such international bodies, the MSSA is the sole authority for the games that it caters for in terms of the Sport and Recreation Act, number 110 of 1998 (as amended).

The MSSA is responsible for the good governance and promotion of Historical figure games (also known as wargames), Board games (such as Diplomacy, Checkers, Draughts, Morabaraba, Sport Stacking, etc), Card Gaming, Robotics, and eSports (whether they are played on ‘cell phones, Sony® PSP’s, personal computers or similar). 

2015 MSSA Management Board Awards

Elishia Retief - Mind Sports Person of the Year

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) revealed at its Annual General Meeting the recipients of its prestigious Management Board Awards for the 2015 year.

It is always difficult for the Board to make these awards with so many outstanding performances from which to choose. Thus, the entire membership is enrolled in making nominations, and it is from these nominations that the final choice is made.

Elishia Retief – Elishia needs no introduction. Elishia is the female World Champion for no less than two years in a row. Her standard of play is thus at its peak, and her level of sportsmanship is without compare.

Lubabalo Kondlo – Lubabalo represented South Africa in Checkers in the USA, Italy and Wales in South Africa. Lububalo finished in sixth place in the World Qualifying Championships.

Kyle Turnbull - At 15 Kyle is one of South Africa's rising stars. Kyle played in online test matches against Austria and Zimbabwe in which he carried himself with distinction. Kyle too is unbeaten for three years in South African major championships.

Jason Batzofin – Jason is a two times Junior World Champion for Ancients Wargames. His dedication is unparalleled. Jason too, is committed to development and promotion of the game.

Morizane Boyes – It is not hard to praise Morizane. If MSSA requires assistance, Morizane is there. Her willingness to help, administrate, umpire and organise seems to know no bounds. Morizane is also South Africa's only internationally accredited umpire for eSports.

Andrew Rose of MyCommunity - The website has given MSSA fantastic coverageto MSSA and eSports. The dedication shown by Andrew to eSports is truly remarkable.

MWEB – MWEB has sponsored MSSA for three years in a row as MSSA''s headline sponsor. With MWEB's sponsorship, much has been able to be achieved in all fields. Standards have been improved, and South Africa has moved from being ranked in 18^th place to 12^th place in the world.

The sponsorship has also allowed MSSA to do vital development works in townships and rural areas which are beginning to show fruit.

Mind Sports Person of the Year:	Elishia Retief	Old Edwardian Wargames Club
Board Gamer of the Year:	Lubabalo Kondlo	Dr Niederhoffer Memorial CC
Computer Gamer of the Year:	Kyle Turnbull	HTS Witbank
Wargamer of the Year:	Jason Batzofin	St John's College
Volunteer of the Year:	Morizane Boyes	HTS Witbank
Mind Sports Writer of the Year:	Andrew Rose	MyCommunity
Best Sponsor of the Year:	MWEB