Team-Yankee Masters Tournament Preview

By Tom Gall

The weekend of June 10-11th 2023 features the Team Yankee Masters Tournament at Family Time Games in Indianapolis Indiana. This is a special “by invitation” event where in order to qualify you must rank within the top 16 places on BattleRankings.net. It’s a fun affair that Battlefront has sponsored since its inception.

What’s it take to get an invite?

As mentioned you must be in the top ranks for “season” for Team Yankee. In order to register a score you must play in a Team Yankee tournament and then the Tournament Organizer needs to turn in your score. Based on your performance you’ll be awarded a certain number of points. First place obviously is worth more and last place while not necessarily the greatest will get you a couple of points.

The formula used is : 76 + (# of players [max 48])/2 + (5, if a BF Nationals event) + (3, if a BF Regionals event)

Events like AdeptiCon for instance will yield you an extra 5 points because it’s a larger recognized event. Store tournaments may not receive the extra points but you can do very well just with store tournaments!

The season is defined as May 1st to April 30th of the next year. During the season your top 4 scores are accumulated, lower scores are dropped.

Are there special rules?

Absolutely! The tournament is meant to challenge the player not only by playing games against the best but also by modifying the list-building rules such that you’ll have to theory craft differently than what might be a normal game.

Players will only be able to use a stance twice, so you can attack twice, maneuver twice, and defend twice.

This year, we’re allowed to have up to 2 tank units with a front armor of 8-10 or only 1 tank unit with a front amour value of 11 or greater. Only two units are allowed that have the bombardment keyword. No air!

This makes for a number of interesting and often tough choices. Consider British players that often like to use Harriers and their wonderful artillery template that if it comes in will destroy gobs of tanks or transports.

Or consider AA assets, you don’t need them in your list anymore, but those AA units often can be used to go after soft ground targets too. Do you keep them? Or do they stay at home?

At 83 points this year, that twists your noodle as you consider what to show up with but also what others will show up with. It’s not uncommon in this format to see people change nationalities as they craft their best list.

Care to watch?

The tournament is six rounds on Saturday, June 10th, and Sunday, June 11th. The last two rounds should have live-streamed with the top table on the camera.

Here is a quick view of the tables as they’re being set up by the players on Friday night before the tournament. Stay tuned for a follow-up article about how the tournament went as well as the lists that were in use!