Table of Contents: Introduction - Match Roster - Match Details - Post-game Analysis - Conclusion
After the difficulties in last season's 6v6 Invite Leagues final map choice, a lot of us were left wondering what this season's final map would be. When the word came down that it would be Pipeline, I knew it was going to be an old-school fight to the death. I had expected that TeamWarfare would choose an older map - mainly because the newer maps don't seem to have the balance that some of the older maps do but partly because of the opinions of the teams from last season. What I didn't expect was the teams that made it to the final rounds, and how the season would ultimately play out.
This was one of the most interesting seasons to date. A lot of things occurred that I just couldn't have anticipated. Chief among them was the loss of several high-caliber teams including the (final) retirement of ST-6. My early and mid-season predictions really hinged on several of them being around. When their players either retired or moved to other teams, it caused the league to rebalance. My largest concern was with the loss of these teams that the remaining Tier 1 teams would have a weekly smackdown on their unfortunate opponents . I worried that the rest of the season would be a boring repetition of regular ass-kickings. But surprisingly, this did not materialize. A number of the Tier 2 teams improved the quality of their gameplay and they managed some very close matches against the Tier 1 teams, including a victory.
The playoffs began with Crucial X, FightClub, IoG, Mischief, NATO, Reborn Soldiers, Red Dawn, and Rising Storm. I thought I could predict the outcomes of all the matches. I gave cX, IoG, rS, and RD the nod - but that's where I was wrong. In an incredible upset, Mischief knocked cX out of the running. This surprise upset really reshuffled and recalibrated the "final" match. I had believed that cX and IoG would be vying for the crown again this season. Instead, rS made it to the final showdown against IoG.
Before I get too in-depth with the article, I want to mention a quick note about Admin Spectate. Everyone that works with it knows how difficult it is to use and how many bugs exist. The current version seems littered with problems. I frequently found myself locked on single spectator point or a single individual and it made it virtually impossible to observe the match. I found myself reconnecting every round just to escape last rounds bugs. I sincerely hope the Army will look at this in the future as an important feature for competitive gaming.
Match Roster ^top
Instruments of God Rising Storm Blacklabel GIjoe Faint Krayzieguy Herpes Warpain
Match Details ^top
Round 1 Match Logs
Round one was basically a trial balloon for both of the teams as they probed the opposing teams configuration. IoG moved to a forward position and tried to cover the expected entrances (Main and Secondary). However, Rising Storm came at them with surprising ferocity and seemed to catch IoG off guard. Warpain made some early kills forcing IoG into a severely weakened position. rS setup, created a large distraction (smoking main pump), and then stormed into the main pump room and exchanged kills with with IoG. 3v1, Herpes was unable to prevent rS from taking the objective.
Screenshot: rS creates a distraction (96k) rS 1 - IoG 0 Round 2 In Round 2, IoG wasn't prepared to abandon their forward defense. In my interview with Herpes, he revealed that IoG worked on the strategy of eating up time so that Rising Storm wouldn't have much time to assault the main pump room. Faint took out Warpain early on and worked with Herpes to pull a smooth 203 trick on Krayzieguy. Despite GIjoe's success in evening up the teams (Joe took out Faint and Gunhavok), too much time was lost and Rising Storm couldn't break through IoG's defense. Blacklabel ended up killing the remaining to members of rS to capture the round for IoG. rS 1 - IoG 1 Round 3 Round 3 started out poorly for IoG when Faint was TKed. Faint was trying to protect the main entrance from an aggressive assault from rS when he was repeatedly flashed. A miscommunication between GunHavok and him lead to him being TKed when GunHavok threw a nade at the main entrance and caught Faint coming around the corner. This stroke of luck for rS extended when Herpes and Gunhavok were killed by Krayzie and Warpain. This left Blacklabel in a 4v1 situation. Despite some fantastic playing, Blacklabel was not able to clutch the round even after killing 3 rS members. rS wisely went for the objective and took the round. Screenshot: Blacklabel goes for the clutch (120k)
Video: Faint Gets Very Unlucky (7.6MB)
rS 2 - IoG 1 Round 4 Round 4 saw IoG kick it in gear with only Faint from dying after a fall. This round marked IoG's reemergence of the dominate squad we're used to seeing. Video: GunHavok Scores a Headshot (2MB) rS 2 - IoG 2 Round 5 Round 5 was another commanding victory by IoG. An early kill by Gunhavok (killing Warpain) heralded the rest of the round for rS. It's almost as if we saw the momentum of the match falling fully to IoG. Screenshot: Twin Shooters in position (104k) rS 2 - IoG 3 Round 6 Round 6 was almost a carbon copy of the previous round. Gunhavok took out Warpain (8 seconds difference from the previous round) early in the round. The rest of rS fell towards the middle and end of the round. rS 2 - IoG 4 Round 7
Round 7 had IoG and rS changing sides. rS initially tried to play forward, but fell back almost immediately. IoG used the time to safely secure the exterior and secondary valves and then make a coordinated assault on the main pump room. The ferocity of their attack caught rS off balance and they quickly ripped up rS giving IoG another round. rS 2 - IoG 5 Round 8 rS was just not ready to roll over; they opted to stay back and camp the main pump room. Until about 6 minutes into the round no casualties were recorded. rS scored the first kill - but Blacklabel balanced it again by taking out Swampnuts. Faint's accidental suicide gave rS and edge. GunHavok tried to balance it, but GIjoe ended that brief IoG surge giving rS the round. rS 3 - IoG 5 Round 9 Round 9 saw IoG dominate again. IoG stormed into the Main Pump Room and utterly eliminated the opposition without any casualties. rS 3 - IoG 6 Round 10 Round 10 was the final round. rS seemed to have lost their will as Herpes picked up an early kill taking out Krayzie and then Faint made another early kill taking out Warpain. IoG made an early launch into the pump room and captured the last objective thus winning the match. rS 3 - IoG 7 Video: Highlights (15MB)
Post-game Analysis ^top
Rising Storm started out very strong, but just collapsed as IoG tightened their defense. At the end, I felt like the momentum of the match left rS in round 3 and never returned. Their assault never really overcame IoG's hit and run tactics and they couldn't win in the critical 1v1 confrontations. On defense, rS found their forward defense quickly driven back to the main pump room. IoG capitalized on the "time" that rS gave them by not holding them longer at the entrances. Consequently, IoG took their time to plan, setup, and assault the Main Pump room.
At the end, rS seemed to have really lost the will to finish the fight. IoG's initial stumble, but immediate correction, proved that without a doubt that they are the best 4v4 team in AA today.
After the match, I had a short interview with Herpes concerning IoG's victory in the Invites. Thanks for following our TWL News coverage on the Invite leagues.
Conclusion ^top
Thanks to both Instruments of God and Rising Storm for allowing me to observe the match. I'd also like to thank JC Matador for the wonderful HTML template (and image hosting) and Imp for the help with the Interview questions. Also, I'd like to thank and credit PurePwnage.Com for the use of "Doug's Boom Headshot" tirade.
Post edited by Mr Furious at 4/30/2005 1:19:43 AM