2022 ACF Fall - Specific Question Discussion

[Berniecrat]

Specific questions and errata from 2022 ACF Fall can be discussed here. We have compiled feedback and errata from across the sites, and will have the packets posted in the next couple of days.

[Berniecrat]

Packets are posted here! https://collegiate.quizbowlpackets.com/2827/

[Restitutor27]

I helped with Briticising this set in the UK before it was played. Overall this looks to me like a generally solid set, covering a good range of the more canonical content for this difficulty. A couple of comments:

11. A history of this empire was written after its author was exiled to a monastery for attempting to overthrow her
brother John II. For 10 points each:
[10h] Name this empire whose ruler Alexius I was the subject of a namesake biography by Anna Comnena. The
Alexiad’s seventh and eighth books discuss wars between this empire and the Scythians.
ANSWER: Byzantine Empire [or Eastern Roman Empire; or Byzantium; or Greek Empire; or Basileion ton
Romaion; prompt on Eastern Empire; reject “Rome” or “Roman Empire”]

This sounds like pedantry but sets really need to not do this. The name used by the "Byzantines" for their empire was Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων or "Basileia ton Romaion" which literally means "Empire of the Romans", and it's inconsistent to accept this in Greek and not in English. It's a continuous state, so just "Roman Empire" should be accepted - I've never found the argument that the medieval Roman Empire needs to be distinguished from the ancient Roman Empire very convincing, and you could say the same for many other long-lived empires.

[10h] Charles of Anjou (“on-ZHOO”) was deposed after a rebellion on this island known as its namesake “Vespers.”
This island’s rulers of the Hauteville (“OAT-ville”) dynasty include Roger I.

Most of this hard part is probably fine for Fall difficulty, but I think a lot of sets could benefit from being aware that "gap fill" bonus parts often play easier than they seem when you're writing the question, and the gap fill "_ Vespers", for example, will likely raise the conversion rate higher than intended for a hard part.

15. This city led the Amphictyonic (“am-FICK-tee-on-ick”) League when it imposed a large fine on Phocis that
caused the Third Sacred War. After this city was destroyed by Alexander the Great for resisting him, Cassander
rebuilt its citadel in 316 BCE. Before he died at Mantinea, the general Epaminondas (“ih-pam-ih-NON-duss”) led
this city’s armies to victory against Sparta at the Battle of Leuctra. This city, which Homer referred to as
“seven-gated,” led the Boeotian (“bee-OH-shun”) League. At the Battle of Chaeronea (“CARE-oh-NAY-uh”), Philip
the Great defeated this city's most elite troops, which consisted of 150 pairs of male lovers. For 10 points, name this
ancient Central Greek city, which was home to the Sacred Band and legendarily founded by Cadmus.
ANSWER: Thebes [or Thêbai or Thíva; accept Sacred Band of Thebes]
<Other History>

Although this is Fall difficulty, I've seen a lot of questions on Thebes put Epaminondas a line early or so (i.e. in the pre-pre-giveaway for regular difficulty; Pagondas being put too early is probably a worse offender, plus allowing fraud by sounding similar to the names of more famous Theban generals, and being the 3rd most famous anyway) and that also seems like the case here. Considering it's going to be a binary association for most non-specialists, dropping the name of the most famous general from Thebes at the start of the third line seems a bit early (especially considering how the best known things about Thebes by far are 4th century military), and it could go a line or two later and still be fine for Fall.

A good set overall, and the players here in the UK seem to have enjoyed it a lot, so thanks to the editors.

[Subotai the Valiant, Final Dog of War]

15. This city led the Amphictyonic (“am-FICK-tee-on-ick”) League when it imposed a large fine on Phocis that
caused the Third Sacred War. After this city was destroyed by Alexander the Great for resisting him, Cassander
rebuilt its citadel in 316 BCE. Before he died at Mantinea, the general Epaminondas (“ih-pam-ih-NON-duss”) led
this city’s armies to victory against Sparta at the Battle of Leuctra. This city, which Homer referred to as
“seven-gated,” led the Boeotian (“bee-OH-shun”) League. At the Battle of Chaeronea (“CARE-oh-NAY-uh”), Philip
the Great defeated this city's most elite troops, which consisted of 150 pairs of male lovers. For 10 points, name this
ancient Central Greek city, which was home to the Sacred Band and legendarily founded by Cadmus.
ANSWER: Thebes [or Thêbai or Thíva; accept Sacred Band of Thebes]
<Other History>

Although this is Fall difficulty, I've seen a lot of questions on Thebes put Epaminondas a line early or so (i.e. in the pre-pre-giveaway for regular difficulty; Pagondas being put too early is probably a worse offender, plus allowing fraud by sounding similar to the names of more famous Theban generals, and being the 3rd most famous anyway) and that also seems like the case here. Considering it's going to be a binary association for most non-specialists, dropping the name of the most famous general from Thebes at the start of the third line seems a bit early (especially considering how the best known things about Thebes by far are 4th century military), and it could go a line or two later and still be fine for Fall.

A good set overall, and the players here in the UK seem to have enjoyed it a lot, so thanks to the editors.

Thanks for the feedback! In my opinion, the Theban Supremacy isn't as well known as it should be even among Classics players, so I was fine with rewarding that knowledge. I agree that in terms of historical importance, that clue should be later, and it's likely as easy as the next sentence with "seven-gated"/Boeotia. I was expecting some players to figure those clues out ("seven-gated" being the origin of the Seven against Thebes story, Boeotia being a region that is not Attica or Laconia) but realize in retrospect that most Fall players probably aren't doing that.

Glad you enjoyed the set on the whole!

[Cheynem]

To challenge state laws about this type of service, Bayard Rustin led the Journey of Reconciliation. The bombing
of one of these services in Anniston on Mother’s Day was condoned by Bull Connor. The group ROAR protested the
integration of one of these services in Boston, whose integration was upheld in a case filed on behalf of James
Swann in Charlotte. The arrest of Claudette Colvin while using one of these services preceded that of a secretary for
the NAACP. Desegregating these services by using them to cross state lines was the goal of the Freedom Riders. For
10 points, the arrest of Rosa Parks began a Montgomery boycott of what transportation services?

This is the tossup on "buses." The third sentence, I think, is referencing busing controversies in both Boston and Charlotte, but it seems very off to say the cases involve "integrating buses." These cases refer to busing students out of their neighborhoods to achieve better racial integration in schools. In fact, "schools" are arguably the more accurate answer you would give for that third sentence, as I do not think the integration of the buses themselves (which I don't know if the buses actually became more or less integrated) was the controversial aspect.