⚠️ VOD is unavailable.
ow_esports VODs on twitchBroadcasts 30+ hours are truncated. View the Raw Transcript VTT for the full version.
I
We've been blinded, but you're alone Now we've got no say for good
And we've gone, you've got me real close Got to run, get my broken heart in line
I'll take a step back, so I can move on
Then I'm the wrong tribe, you're not the one
I'll take a step back, so I can move on
Then I'm the wrong tribe, you're not the one
I've been running for too long
Now we've got the things so good
What's going on?
No, we never choose
Always wishing for something to come true
Why can't you do?
Well, baby, you know all the love got you
Love got you
Let's go
I
I don't see energy, energy, energy, no
It's gonna be alright
Energy, energy, energy, no
It's gonna be alright
I
I
Let me show you every scene
I see how we're taking to find our generation
Get into my head and talk tomorrow then
Tomorrow then
Tomorrow then
I've been wandering these places, trying to find where I know I belong, and I've seen too many faces, now I know it was you all along.
So don't try to deny it
You know we ain't living here alone
When I'm with you, I'm trying
I just want you here, that's all I know
Got me feeling, got me breathing
I'm lucky when you're by my side
When I'm saying I'm a guy I can't live with
Every time we touch, every time we touch
I
I
It's just a lie, I said, I'll live every little day
Like I can't no more, my scrubs just fine
And I'll finally hold my side
I don't mean perfect, I just mean real
So I can let you go
I feel a touch of desire, I wanna dance
And they get the touch, here comes the game, Psycho with 3!
Oh, buddy!
There's the Tether, leaving the track off with the pick up!
Oh, the carry!
F2B through the rescue.
Twisted mind, looking to close out the series here and take over the trophy.
Of course, I've done it so many times before and they'll do it again!
Welcome back to stage 2 of the OWCS.
It's over here, jump on the good friends Jake and Johnny to break down all of the action
on our first day back after the champions clash in Japan.
What's good friends?
It's been a long time or actually it's been a really short time.
I don't know, time is weird.
I feel like literally the Jampions clash just ended like a few days ago, but apparently it's been a few weeks.
I mean that grand final still lived in Red Free in my head, so you're completely forgiven.
So it was an incredible trip to Japan for all of us, definitely an experience we won't soon forget.
There's so much hope for us.
It was, right? Maybe that's why it felt like it never ended, because a World Cup action happened in that time as well as promotion and mitigation.
which is a lot to catch up on. But first, if you missed our first LAN event of the year,
the Champions Clash in Tokyo, Japan, let us quickly walk you through what kind of went down.
Basically, the TLDR is the EMEA showdown, taking second and fourth place, our Chinese and NA teams.
They had a rough go on it, but yeah, Zeta Division came third in front of the home crowd,
and crazy racoon. I get back to their former glory. Johnny, can we lock the narrative?
Okay, they can enjoy this tournament. Yeah, they can enjoy that. They're the right full winner.
They've been trending up. They've been looking better and better. You know, they did some roster
replacements, so it's not the same team as last year, but they're looking really good. We're gonna
celebrate their win, but Twisted Minds, UD, they're always present. They're always lurking, always the
potential to upset the crazier racoon. And so I don't think they can relax for any minute now.
Gotta keep grinding, gotta keep practicing, because the mid-season championship is what
it's all about up next. Well, I did not tell them to rest on their laurels,
but they are winning the second champions clash in a row.
So they're back-to-back champions, Jake.
That's got to count for something.
Yeah, back-to-back champions and champions.
And, you know, for Crazy Raccoon,
like, maybe the beginning of this year wasn't amazing for them,
but they righted the shift when it mattered most, right?
They honestly had amazing performances across the board,
and it took twisted minds going back to the well
with the strap that they really, like, developed and made for themselves
to make it a competitive grand final.
So a lot of teams just got obliterated by Crazy Recreation.
So it's cool to see the Korean teams maybe back on top for a moment, right?
Yes, EMEA looks like a solid region, but the Korean squad seemed to have reclaimed their throne.
And I think that's going to be a key narrative to watch in this stage.
Yeah, they needed that. Let's put it that way.
It's with the Binds have been on the top as well, right?
For a while for them to like make that lower bracket run was insane.
So of course, they're coming back to the EMEA region.
That's the second from the seed from, you know, the second place rather from the Champions clash.
and they've been at the very top of the food chain, at least in this region.
We're seeing two new names here on the board.
Tell us, as well, as team one, two, three, four.
But it's really just one new team in Tell us, because team one, two, three, four is artists.
So we're going to say it every time?
Yes, exactly.
That's exactly what we're going to say.
We're going to have you on the cast screen.
Thank you.
No, but this is, of course, a team that was formerly known as anyone's legend.
Now they're coming in with basically the same roster, plus Golden Pants, who is Golden Pants.
Let's talk about this new addition to the roster.
This young tank player from the UK, what do we know, Jake?
I mean, really strong when it comes to the dive.
I think this is going to be a really interesting team to watch because they're a little bit different,
I'd say, than the mold in the EMEA, where this is a team that looks very good playing,
high-paced styles, really getting aggressive and playing with them a little bit of mobility.
So once you before definitely gonna be a fun team to watch in this stage
Yeah, and then of course there is jealousy the team that gave the final blow to team peps
Which is our first partner team to be renegaded from OWCS as a side note bringing that one home
But yeah jealousy second through promotion and relegation and this is a new roster a few of those faces aren't familiar
If you have been following a World Cup action the last few weeks
A bunch of the players are playing for their respective countries, Johnny.
Yeah, they have participated in the World Cup online qualifiers,
whether it's Poland or Germany, Norway, you know, just person of that lineup as well.
And I feel like these are players who have constantly been on the brink of being promoted to Odo Vices.
Back in 2024, when we had a bit of an expanded format and a lot more teams to chance the qualifier for Odo Vices,
you know, we saw all of these things around then, right, trying to make their way.
way. And so I feel like this is a big accomplishment for these players making top six in EMEA with
now an opportunity to keep their spot here in Odobez, yes? And Peps, while they got relegated,
while that is disappointing, we have to keep in mind that late last year, Peps was a pretty good
team and they qualified for the World Finals. They looked really good on the hazard composition.
And so tell us if taking down Team Peps, the qualifier for Odobez is stage two,
I think that's a big accomplishment. And we're going to see how they compare these other teams.
Any individuals we should keep our eyes on here, Jake?
I'm going to be watching ICAP, personally.
Like, you know, I was watching team Poland play recently,
and, you know, ICAP, although team Poland overall didn't do amazing,
he was individually a huge threat on hitscan,
which is, I think, almost a prerequisite
to competing at this level of play,
especially in a region like EMEA.
You need to have a hitscan that can have those moments
that just takes the game over, you know, makes the solo play
that leads the team to victory.
and Telsy, they have that in iCAP. Obviously to be determined how that performs against
the highest level of competition here in OWCS, but definitely going to be a player I'll
have my eyes on.
Yeah, I mean it's a very top heavy region we felt at least in stage one, so let's see
what Telsy and team 1, 2, 3, 4 can get done. Here is our entire stage 2 match schedule.
I'm happy that tickles you, Tony, and I'm here for that. Three weeks of action are ahead
of us in both NA and EMEA. This is very reminiscent of my fourth great sticker book, although
they become shiny and fuzzy. You know all the good stuff. If you know, you know. Anyway,
which of these matches is standing out to you, Johnny?
The first one that really stands out to me, first of all, today is Swedish stack. I mean,
look at June 30th. It's giga stack, but I always look forward to SSG Team Liquid June
27th. That is so much to watch out for. I feel like they have a bit of a rivalry going.
I was looking forward to that one.
We have a lot of good rivalries and just like narratives
that feel like in both of our regions.
So it's going to be an exciting three weeks.
That's for sure.
The teams, of course, they're looking to qualify
for the midseason championship at EWC in Paris.
The top three of both EMEA and NA will make it out.
That's right, not just the top two,
as was the case for the Champions clash of Jake.
There is opportunities for some of those
middle of the tag teams to make a run.
Yeah, definitely.
a little bit more openness, a bigger tournament, of course,
in the mid-season championship.
So very exciting for a lot of these teams
to maybe get their chance to play on,
arguably the biggest stage in Overwatch.
So definitely teams going to need
to have a strong performance with, especially region-like DMBA.
I mean, even top three, it is so competitive.
Like, there are no free slots.
There are no free rides in the OWCS this year.
Yeah, but still, though, I've had as well one opportunity
for some of these middle of the pack teams,
because you look at the NBA, and it's very established
that Twisted Minds Word is pro.
They are the top two teams in the region.
If you were on, you know, I can see GK last stage,
I think, oh, we got to upset one of these big teams.
That's quite difficult, we'll do our best.
Now there's a third team going to the Mid-Season Championship.
That is a massive opportunity that you have to capitalize on
if you're one of the other four teams in the region.
Yeah, I couldn't agree more.
And you know what always shakes things up for those teams?
New heroes, that's right.
And we do have a new hero coming out in just three days
from now, we're playing on live, but she will be available to our players as soon as she's out.
I'm talking about Shion, the newest addition to the old roster, a 50-second hero to join the
train out. Jake, what do we need to know about this flanking object with a bike? Like, what's going
on here? Yeah, I mean, from what we've seen, it seems like she has a lot of burst DPS and a lot
a lot of mobility. So I think, you know, those two elements in conjunction tend to be hallmarks
of heroes that get play in the top competitive scene. Obviously, we'll have to see how the
numbers work out and how players take to her kit. But I'm expecting Gianna, I think, to
make a potentially a big splash here in the competitive play.
There's no lining. There's no lining. Jake is going to be a menace on this hero. And when
we meet in Paris for the Mississippi Championship, all Jake is going to talk about how is how
is dominating ranked with this hero because it's it's the perfect jk hero i feel like you know
the perfect jk hero yeah just anything that throws things at people be the you know mines
well no i wasn't talking about throwing bikes but the two pistols part maybe or like you know
the mechanical skill required the coolness factor of the hero i wasn't talking about throwing bikes
so that's not what jk is i mean the bike is a pretty key part of the cool factor i'm not gonna
I like throwing a mic at any, like when I saw that
in the actual gameplay trailer,
I couldn't believe it, honestly.
Yeah, I know he felt like that's just like
the cinematic thingy, but then like,
no, wait, that's actual gameplay.
Okay, omnidirectional,
he's a bad over health,
and then she needs her motorcycle at players
as a projectile, because why the heck not?
Why not?
Is this a potential, like a tracer Genji alternative?
I think we'll have to see,
I mean, I really need to get my hands on the character
to see like how the mobility really plays out.
Does this end up taking one of those like true flanker roles?
Do you end up putting a little more resources into her
and playing her as maybe like a hit scan, TVD?
I have to see what the pro teams do.
And I think there's a possibility for new strategies
as there always is in a game like Overwatch
to find their place in the meta.
So I'm excited.
I think Shion's going to be a lot of fun.
I know a lot of players are excited
to get their hands on her on Tuesday.
Yeah, and we might be seeing her in play already
for next weekend's matches.
So let's see if any of the teams dare.
Now on that note, the map pool for the Ryan Robin,
our group stage is the same as in stage one.
No way, as in play of,
either way, it's the same map pool as we had before.
There we go.
Thanks, Max, yes.
Thank you, thank you.
Now the neon junction map that is also being released
alongside our new hero, Xi'an,
will be in the map pool for the playoffs as a side note.
So we might be seeing that in action soon enough as well.
And I just need teams to like lock in for Antarctic Peninsula, like Cowards, Johnny, what's going on there?
What do you mean what's going on there?
Why, why, why is that on Pikmin?
I feel like we've been there quite a few times.
I feel quite accustomed to that map at this point.
So I'm feeling quite comfortable there.
Yeah, I mean, there's, you know, good weather conditions.
I love it.
I need to see more penguins.
I also love looking at schedules, so that's a penguin alternative for all there. Look at that.
Ask and you shall receive thank you production. Here is today's schedule. We have five matches
on the dock at 2 EMEA, 2NA, and our EMEA matches are like these are like type of matches to kick
off stage 2 Jake. Yeah these are huge. I mean like you know with TM and VP probably coming into
the stage thinking of themselves is vying for the top slot and GK and Katzia, I mean for them this
This is arguably the decider for 3rd-4th, at least it would have been last stage, so
matches the huge implications right off the bat, but some stability into the meta going
into this one, right?
Shion's not in the pool yet, we're still in the same map pool, so I think this is actually
going to be some really exciting overwatch with both rather all contenders coming in
really prepared and knowing the stakes going into these.
Yeah, and before I forget, which I would never, drops, that's right.
These are our iron drops, they're all three weeks of round drop and play.
Johnny, waffles.
Yeah, but what kind of waffles are they?
Are they European waffles?
They look like American waffles.
I do prefer European Belgian waffles.
If you're watching EMEA, you get the European waffles, they should not touch you up.
Two more waffles, great.
Honestly, yeah, more waffles, more variety, two guys that can waffle all day long, that
be the two of you and that's why I'm gonna hand it over for you guys to start our first match in
a bid. DK vs. Katzia. It's gonna be so good. I'm so excited for this one. These two teams,
you know, it's a third and fourth seed of last date respectively. Let's talk about the changes
that they have made in this short break starting with of course the DK squad. Kalex is their new
edition and that is a huge upgrade for any team really.
Kalex has been with Concierge actually last year so he's going to go up against his former
team here to kick things off at stage 2.
That's by Suja.
Yeah, I actually think this is a fantastic addition to GK Esports because you get a little
bit of stability.
You get a veteran coming into the main support role that can maybe like structure things
a little bit.
Because GK, one of their strengths last stage was that they were so crazy, like so mechanically
talented and just popped off and like you just knew you were going to get a team that
we're just firing on all cylinders, right? But they almost were a little bit too crazy
at times. And I feel like Kalex maybe can be a bit of a calming presence that is the
big difference maker for this team. That actually means that they can have a really good chance
of even competing with a team like Virtus.Pro. I'm not going to underestimate the talent that
exists on this team. And I think they have a good opportunity here in Stage 3 because
They do indeed. Now, if we're looking at the other side here on the board, Kutzia, they
kept their roster and added some young Saudi players, namely Kort and Zox. This is actually
Kort's second stint on Al-Kutzia, although Jake, he's not really been playing for them,
I believe, last year. He was a sub for them. Have we seen him in the makes? I don't think
so.
Yeah, I'm not sure. I mean, some changes for Kutzia bringing out some players from Saudi
Yule. Definitely going to be a team that's exciting to watch, but I have to agree with
Johnny, I think they may feel like a bit of the underdog here going up against their opponents and I'm honestly I
I mean, I think the key question is gonna be how do they use this roster, right?
Like making these changes into these players actually get starting time
You know, where's the preference there because you have an option like Tejong as well
Which is you know, very hard to walk away from a really solid flexed DPS player who was a key part of their success in stage one
So no easy decisions. I think necessarily for this roster, but certainly they have some good options to work with
They definitely want to redeem themselves after their playoff run in Tokyo, Japan was
kind of cut short.
So let's see what they have in store for us for stage one in our opening match, Jay
Johnny.
Please take it away.
Thank you so much Zoe, rather.
As we get into this one, Johnny, let's see our opening map pick.
Are you going to go with Oasis to start things off?
What does it say to you?
What was the way, was it still like the most middle of the road to me?
Yeah, I mean, it really is.
I feel like I'm tired, and it's a lot, we've been seeing a lot of Brawl compositions and such,
you know, the map cal lends itself towards Aelios's multi-favorite, but look, we're an EMEA here, Jake, okay?
We need to set the stage properly here.
Lucio carry Brawl, okay?
That's the default, that's the line, and we'll see if any of these teams deviate from it.
I feel like that is my approach going into this one.
Yeah, I mean it's you know, I think there's there's the possibility to play brawl on this map
There's also the possibility to play, you know, like jetpack cap bastion like you could kind of go for some wild strats here
And I feel like oasis allows you to come in with a lot of pre-prepared
I mean, I'm interested to see the mog of versus far bands here because these aren't
Necessarily like the top of my heroes I think of when I think of oasis
This is like absolutely a map type where you can just play dive, you know, you could
You could play rush, but you don't necessarily need the moga.
So maybe both teams are willing to take it slow as far as the band phase,
not trying to shake up too much too early.
I don't know, maybe that's just, maybe I'm off kilter here, but I just feel like,
oh, you know, we're not in champions clash anymore.
Even World Cup, you'll see some adjustments, you know,
depending on what kind of team was rostered, what players you have available.
For EMEA though, I kind of feel like, you know, for the most part,
it's going to be that Lucio Kiri, but this is what I'm really curious about.
I'll cut see ya with the Stola in the next being able to play the Sigma would they go towards something like a Mizuki composition?
And that's what we're seeing from both teams right now
Potentially a good option here both teams considering
Everything they have available to might be actually a cat Bastion how to cut see it
I'd love to see it. I mean, I'm I'm I'm a cat Bastion fan at the same two-way guns wait. This is wild. The sim is a little wild
This is interesting one here for cores
I mean, I feel like the sim fits really well with the GK style, but with Cap Ashen, I guess you're just keeping yourself around.
Yes, he is!
I guess he's dead, Jake.
We're all part of the map.
Didn't see that one coming out, of course. Yeah, I don't think so. It was playable here.
They had a plan and it did not work out, Jake.
I'm sorry, what was the plan, John?
It's back to the drawing board for Alcatrazia, the regrouping, but Stola swaps over to the D.Va here, so
you get some added mobility here, while Ziad is currently on the low ground.
You can take this high ground now as Aids swoops in here with Socks, actually.
They can't quite get the damage down for a pick yet, though.
Yeah, Aid playing in the sky, but Ziad just holding the point really comfortably on Sigma, not taking too much pressure here.
It's hard to get up close.
Over the top, they put the damage down, but the support is massive, like GK or Keeping Ziad healthy.
They're holding the point, hoping this one out.
Nostola goes deeper to the back line, but Lapna has already found Horus.
And the aggressive TP form from GK flips them out once again.
Ziad stole Warth on the point, never dropping low here.
And without Sim, they're really lacking damage.
The cat allows Bastion to play up and around, but taking the point just doesn't feel realistic so far.
And Horus is going to go over to the Echo.
And also, the longer it takes for you to find a pick on the GK, you're just going to give
more time to Labda to find those Andrew picks, and he does that on the back of Alpha E's
great teleporter as well, flipping sides, so GK, not under a lot of pressure so far.
Let's see if, I can see I can go for a bit of a player, try to make something out of it.
Yeah, the high noon to flip the map is very nice.
Denai, Zones player is the way that you gotta watch out for that national team.
He's gonna roll away from the artillery reset.
Kalex takes a big hit there, but stabilizes, and although AID does finish that kill, but Nostola out of the suit of the chaos, AID points a few more though, and Capash is sweeping it over the top, finally, the hold is broken. Can Sia get the flay?
And one pick is all that matters there, onto Kalex, goes down, doesn't build the sanctuary just in time, but it's a good start for GK sitting at 75% already.
They got double support ultimate available to them as well.
So if they can weather this one turret mode from aid, perhaps,
and then drop their support ultimates in turn,
this should be a pretty good win-conditioner for GK.
This cat-mashing, playing the angles, looking for those flank pressures.
Now, it's could see us turn to be control point.
This poking and product of GK won't be as effective.
The support ult are available.
Here comes that trademark map flip.
Rush is now exchanged on the point.
Of course, he's going to copy the enemy Sigma, try and get a flux up of his own, but the Sanctuary from Kellex making it very hard to farm any old charge at all.
Sinwall now, layered over the top Alphie, commits hard on the Hoink, beautiful snatch though, onto Kellex, takes off the mag, map, and aides nice blank, Vistola.
Getting the clean up on top of it, and can see him, really well piloted in that fight, just refusing to yield the point.
Yeah, GK couldn't really get anything going with their support, and that's Kalex drops the Sanctuary pretty much in the middle of the point.
But it's fairly easy to mitigate it from Alcatzia. They can move around from it, no need to contest in the middle of that Sanctuary.
Maybe you're thinking that Kalex could have used that to take some more space aggressively, try to put pressure on Alcatzia, but instead it's Alcatzia.
Quite comfortably keeping control of the point now.
And this bastard hopping over the point, of course, as well, looking for base on the Echo, he's struggling a little bit here.
Alphie's gonna have a lot of space in this Tracial Suit. He can get done, Ziad.
Weathering this form for now, but a Bastion catches Lab to unaware as a Flux coming in defensively.
Except Bastion and D.Va, but the damage is already done. Artillery form protects Aide and Kat Sia with this swap over to the Echo.
They have felt fantastic, so aggressive, constantly finding the opportunity to give me that backline to GK.
I mean, what has been a very solid defensive comps for many teams isn't able to hold the line so far.
Yes, folks, we're going to lose your carry. Going to do some last kind of touches here on towards the point, but you really don't have anything going for you for DK.
It's going to be Alcatya closing things out there. Yeah, it was like a flip in the middle of the round there, Jake, where GK, they lost control, because Killix got picked, and they weren't really able to make a play there onto Alcatya themselves, and Alcatya in full control with the Bastion composition right after that.
Yeah, I think the game completely turned when cores went to the echo, right?
Like, I mean, cores first two deaths on Sim.
I think he did like 100 damage.
So I'm pretty sure this stat is like almost completely the echo from cores.
And it was a real difference maker.
Like, pressure from multiple sides meant that when the Katbashian come in, they're actually
able to find those big profitable dives into the back line.
So Aide stays the course, passes the test and that one and I mean, even at that fight
where Kellex does get picked off by Aid, right?
If he just lives a couple more seconds, gets his sanctuary down,
that's a really, really good five-finger key.
And, you know, we could be looking at a 100-zero control round.
So it's really crucial that they found those counterpicks
to keep this one competitive.
Yeah, 100%.
And maybe it'll be a little bit easier here
as we move over to City Center here on Oasis instead,
because, like, Garden, it can be a little bit claustrophobic.
You know, if you're the Sigma team there,
and you're playing indoors,
and you're trying to rotate with the Smitter Teleporter,
Having a jeff pack cat and a bastion and an echo all aerial around you, like you said,
like it's just a lot of angles to cover all at once and it can be a little bit disorienting
as we've tucked into these small rooms, right? I feel like as we go over to city center,
more wide open space, maybe a bit easier for you to poke out those aerial kind of characters instead.
But not a great start for I can see a team that I was going to predict Jake. I actually believe
in this thing, Mamizuki kind of composition here, but so far it's been all, it's been looking
looking so good.
Yeah, I mean, I think the Sigma Mizuki is clearly very powerful.
But I also think now, you know, it was a comp that kind of came out or came into its own
in the Champions class.
You know, there wasn't so much time for teams to adapt and adjust.
Even in the Champions class, we saw some innovations to maybe deal with it.
And you know, I think for cores, this Echo feels like a pretty interesting option.
I mean, in theory, it could be hard against Cassidy, but I feel like Cassidy has his hands
full with the Cap Ashen most of the time.
Let's take a look at the scoreboard. Not to forget here, two eliminations from Lobda, one from Alphie and Seattle Peace there.
You know, the scoreboard is quite skewed. It felt like that round was really close, but the scoreboard tells a different story.
Yeah, I think GK with that strat for them is very, very defensive, right? Like when you're in control of the point, parking your Sigma there, tanking all the pressure and just poking and prodding with some GPs,
You're not really looking to get kills, you're just looking to stall the game out and when, you know, the things turn against them and they don't have the point to defend anymore, you really feel the game started to tip against them.
GK, gonna stick with the Simba, Ziad goes over to the D.va, maybe prefers a bit more of mobility and chorus, once again, it's gonna open up on this Symmetra, we'll have to see how it plays out here on Simba.
Right now quite comfortable here, on the point with Higon in their favor.
Ziyad utilizes the boosters there, which is going to be a crucial mobility tool, as White Swing from A here can't find a piece to quarry, GK forced to rotate around to avoid this faster GK.
Great cleanse there from Finn to save Alpey's life. Opportunity here for GK to push up, there's no turret form just yet, but the Bastion still putting down a lot of damage, a nice fly through from Vistola sets up Cork to shut down Alpey.
Of course, now into the back line, pulling a bit of attention on himself, Aide over the top, and DK just scattering.
Trying to somehow play their way out of the tenant, you know, get back to spawn for a cheeky reset,
and it seems like they will be able to, but to see this camp bastion so far so good here on City Center.
Yeah, DK definitely on the back foot. Like you say, they're playing a bit more of a defensive kind of composition here.
Trying to rotate around, trying to put Labda in a position to succeed, but still not doing his job on the V as well with the matrices.
Another turret's form from here from A to here.
Camp quite fine, the things got some pain through the spot.
I see a real pushing here.
Oh, this artillery could hit hard.
Right through the heart of GK,
Labda just takes a shot to the face,
cores cleans up Zod, and once again,
GK just sent Packing,
and artillery form as your ultimate commitment
feels amazing to be able to win a clean fight,
full team wipe-off,
Vidalphi is going to go over to the tracer.
But so far, I mean, the answers to the catbashing
have been lacking from GK.
I mean, Labda has an incredible amount of work to do in this kind of a comp, and he is under so much pressure.
Maybe Alpha E's Tracer can relieve a bit of that.
Yeah, I feel like GK have to switch up the tempo a little bit, and Alpha E onto the Tracer is going to help with that.
Alpha E obviously fantastic on the Tracer hero itself as well, so if Alpha E can find some nice angles here,
try to get on top of Katia, that could help GK get some of these faces here.
Look at Push 4 with this case in the right.
Dead Eye, paired with the Symmetra Shield, Aids can potentially come through and put some pressure down the channel.
But eaten by D.Va, of course as well, with the Sim Wall, stabilizes things for now.
Big Ultimates deployed, Kassia.
Even with this fight, if they want to close out the Kellix, it's going to open with the Sanctuary, out the...
Finally catches off this enemy Symmetra. Still four players live for Kassia.
They're going to try and fight this one out, try to look for the opportunity, but GK with the upper hand.
Forcing the self-strike out of the Stola, can you get the remake?
You can, there's still a fight to be had, the fashion now.
Dropping low under the withering eye of Labda and Alphie.
Alex does go down in the chaos, so there's still a fight to be had.
But all of a sudden, another one, hold on.
Cancia, battling back in this one.
And the fact that they're surviving as well,
and Alphie also spawns the attack, but Alphie with the post-bomb on the course,
that is a crucial pick.
Maybe it could be enough here, but Cancia, they're still here.
They're still fighting, Jake.
This one's gonna go down to a crazy OT,
but the Stola catches Finn after the TP on an OT spawn.
That is brutal.
Now, pick up under the enemy Luzio, taking him off the map,
into the street.
How is that?
Good car dodge.
The cat scratch, gonna be too much.
Zox picks that one up, goes over the top.
And what an incredible over.
You can see a DK now just trickling back into this one,
but you can feel the pressure turning against him.
See, odd, still a little bit healthy.
He's gonna have to go for a deep commitment.
A bait sit, though, with the artillery form.
now drops some big shells onto Labda, who eventually does fall, and that's what a miraculous battle in this fight.
Of course, really made the Smetre sink in the second round.
Let's see how lucky, so good with this added mobility, and they're gonna close things out.
1-0 here on Wasteless, to take the lead in this first match of Stage 2.
That added mobility really allowed them to disengage, re-engage, and whatever time they'd like to commit,
and DK permanently on the backfoot there just couldn't get anything going.
Just when it looked good when Kelly dropped that sanctuary,
couldn't even close out the teamfight itself and Kassiya come back after a bit of a regroup.
So, Kassiya looking real good here to start Stage 2, Jake.
Yeah, it makes you kind of worried about the choice to allow Cap Bastion through.
I mean, you have now saved some of those bands for other maps, but it really feels like this
This would have been a great spot to play it.
Like the Bastion was a huge issue.
They really couldn't answer it in this strat.
I mean, I think because they let it through,
they obviously prepared for it, Johnny.
But this certainly doesn't feel good, right?
You probably expected the strat you were up against.
You thought you had the download on it,
and you get kind of cut to pieces.
Yeah, 100%.
I wonder how much insight they have to each other as well,
because you see this match on the schedule,
and you're thinking like, okay,
we're not going to practice that team for a while.
And so maybe you weren't expecting me.
the cat bashing to come through as much, you know, when you look that, uh,
they can see a roster. Maybe you weren't expecting, you know,
course being here to begin with, for example, uh, but comes out here,
places a metro for a little bit and then swaps over to the echo.
Like you mentioned there as well.
And so maybe caught off guard a little bit by the bashing play itself.
Didn't even think that it was viable for them in the first place, perhaps.
And best fill us so comfortable on the diva.
It feels like that's a comp that actually kind of asks a lot of your tank to
maybe not get the most resources with the cat and Bastion focused on the aggression.
But Vostola proves to be incredibly hard to evict from a lot of those positions,
even into some of the comps where holding the line can be quite a challenge on D.Va.
So definitely credit to the D.Va play there.
For Kutzia, definitely a strength for them.
And now for GK, you've got to show us a map pick that,
and as well, a hero band that can really put Kutzia on their heels.
And it feels like one of the cat Bastion just has to go.
I mean, it's maybe there's a pick that fully prevents it,
but you know from my perspective Johnny it feels like that map one was a real statement.
Yeah and look you got Kalex on the roster your best chance is going to be if you play some
Lucio maps and so maybe if you get the cat out of the mixture you protect ban for Kalex on the Lucio
instead as well and maybe you go to some of these map modes that favor a bit more pace like a push
map or a flash point map something like that I feel like that would kind of be up GK's sleeve here
At the same time though, like, you know, Newjunk City for example, that might play into Katzia's strain theory a little bit.
Maybe you want to go to a bit more of an open map instead.
So they have a few options here, Jake, but I feel like you can have to go Lusi-oriented if you're GK.
Yeah, it does feel like that, you know, rush is a good option bringing the pace.
I do think it's interesting to see, you know, that we might see a pretty developed sim mirror, you know, growing at EMEA.
I think Twisted Mind's performance in Champions Clash,
going to the last minute kind of desperation sim comp,
and then showing that, hey, this is still viable
at the very highest level of the game.
You can make this work.
I think a lot of teams, maybe in the NBA,
especially saw that and said, hey,
maybe we can use this a little bit more.
And a circuit rail pick, for me,
actually still leaves the door open
to try to play some of that sim style.
I mean, this is a very interesting map
because I think it has so many options
about how you choose to approach.
There's classic poke comps.
There's like versions with the Sim and the Mei,
play a little bit more of a rush style.
So GK, this is, I like this pick
because it preserves a lot of options based enemy team.
I don't think they can really expect
what exactly you've prepared as we come to circuit way.
Yeah, this is really interesting though,
because of how GK liked to play the game.
Maybe you're looking at Killix over to a Juno perhaps
I'm looking forward to seeing if Sir Magel will come back into the game here.
You know, get a little bit of a double flex line up going here in lower gameplay.
Yeah, I don't mind the Alari strats at all. I think, you know, a lot of ways to make this one work.
Bands are going to be crucial. I do think Cap Bastion is still very good on this map, though.
Especially if we see a version with the Cap Bastion and the Cassidy, where mostly you're pocketing the Bastion
And then occasionally you have the high noon and the the dead eye over the top with the cat on this map is
Insane, I mean there's so many positions where I just don't know what you do about it other than like a miracle sleep
Thardon on it. It just feels like you got a run for cover
Which isn't often an option here answer Royale. I agree with you once again with you
And I'm surprised we didn't see more of it in the World Cup qualifiers. And so I'm all for it more more
bashing cast of you
I'm I'm actually a little worried though because like maybe GK are gonna play that cap-bash it
But I feel like it's very potent potent. That's for me is like I think that's the best folk style here
They're gonna ban away the Rematra. So I think this is really about forcing Sigma
But that's sort of a surprising
Like if that's your goal against Estola is like forcing the place Sigma right like what you know
Maybe the other picks can you know go either way?
but I don't think there's any discomfort here for Katzia in this kind of a matchup.
No, exactly. When I think of Katzia, I'm almost thinking back to Virtus.pro, a champions clash last
year when their go-to was like, we're going to play Vistola and Circuit Real, and we're going to play
like Sigma May. And that was a really good strategy for them. It wasn't enough to overcome some of
the Korean teams, of course, but that is kind of like what's Vistola does best. And so now you pick
at Circuit Real into the Stola in a meta that has kind of favored some of these
same compositions. I'm a little stumped here as well, Jake. Yeah, especially with
Kat Bastian still being an option. You know, maybe it was just a gameplay issue
on Oasis, but it started to feel like more than that, Johnny. I mean, like, that
many rough fights in a row, you know, especially the way that round two, you
think you have a chance in that final OT fight, and then the enemy just claws it
back with some really sick individual deathmatch. Like, Kassia look drilled on
on the cat bastion, like this is extremely comfortable
for them and that's not an easy strat to pilot, right?
Like the bastion and the cat need to be on the same paves,
the rest of the team needs to find those perfect moments,
but they did exactly that,
a really outperformed my expectations.
Okay, so if I'm gonna play co-partist here,
for, well, maybe Oasis is a bit more like,
a lot of angles, you know, a bit more like free flowing,
like, it's about as linear as you get, you know?
There are a couple of corners
and otherwise you like look straight ahead.
Obviously you can compete for some of the angles on all of three of these points, but for the most part like it's a pretty linear map, right?
And so maybe you're thinking you have a better chance in that kind of a mirror on this kind of a math layout, but that's all the cope I have, Jake.
I don't have that hope in that.
I mean, second barrel was once linear and then came jetpack cat who can fly your Bastion into the enemy spawn like somewhat reliably.
So, um, that's the-
Aerial linearliness? Like, I don't know what.
I
Love to see that's you they're gonna roll out with okay a man Freya set up. That is interesting one
Yeah, just an interesting one indeed I mean we saw a little bit of straight at the work of qualifiers
But it's not like a meta hero by any means I
Mean this is me
It's a flexible comp that you know looks to play a lot of different matchups the we hang
I'm curious to see how the poke matchup goes between Wu Yang and Mizuki.
I mean, GK style I think is a lot more current flavor of the month.
Actually, I like the Cassidy over the Freya here, and I'm curious if Aid can maybe show
me something really impressive on the Freya, but it's like Cassidy can just be straightforwardly
very powerful here.
Yeah, I think there's quite a bit of pressure on Katya to actually find a pick with this
Freya and this Wu Yang gameplay now.
They will obviously have some time they can purchase with these May walls, and obviously they still absorb some of this damage,
because we still have a skirmish here to just kind of kick things off here.
But, you can see at the end of the day, they're playing Freya, they're playing Wooyang, like they need to get picks right.
Glad they agreed with the Freya pick, alright, okay, we should see Freya come back into the mix.
Haven't seen her so much recently, a wall on Ziyan puts an extremely low,
the support is clean from GK and they waste no time in immediate re-oppression.
Max that was Mizuki Aura and this could be kind of the test for Lui Yang. How does the heal compare in these extended trade fights?
Both teams
I'm testing this corner here for the time being
DJ they will have a coordinated push here with them
They won't as well and the added healing from the Mizuki himself. Let's see how close the back will fair a little bit, but it's free
I suppose we're looking for that peak
Rachel by it. Oh huge it and then the Bola comes in for more now
May starting to get on top of the odd lab that gets a trade off that that's all
gk are gonna find in this one can see up hold in the line beautifully there the
wave from Zox exactly what Vestola needs to be a certain HP turn the fight and
then some big connections from aid I mean if you it's not like a day there
like free hairs about as mad as it gets right if you hit the double bolts you're
You're going to pretty much essentially secure a pick right and so Katsuya
Good job for the time being but you gotta keep up that
All right Russia available for both teams early may well comes out
He shuts down laughter once again, but the rush is out. It's too late to back down now
GK need to find something out of this
Fluxes exchange for both sides yachts slammed into the floor for Stola cleans him up
Finn will not find one but has the TP back just to stay alive with the Stola looking to run rough shot here over the attackers
but things better of a deep dive.
Aetho kills Ben, and so now, hey, maybe we do have the time
to maybe clear out something like that.
May on the flank, but man,
if Aethos keeps finding these opening picks,
it's hard to see how GK can find their way through.
I mean, Aeth's picks has already done favors as well
for Katsuya's ultimate economy.
GK, that time, they dropped the Katsuya rush,
but Gala can hold onto this
because his Freya players secured one of those picks,
and it's only the Stulller with these barbaric fluxes.
Katsuya looking great from the sequence.
Their defensive rush comes out.
Alfie, though, has that ice block. The Sanctuary's gonna come out.
Made ultimate into the Sanctuary, but is the damage well-to-getting good enough?
Over the top to hold on!
Big stun connection from the title blast as Freya goes deep into the backline.
And here we see, I think, really, the thought behind the strategy.
Controversy, right? You know, the opportunity to let Freya get incredibly active in the enemy backline.
Heroes like Nuzuki don't really have a way to escape that option.
I mean, that was a nasty play by AID.
I think AID knocked down like three or four people with the title best,
and then it just cleaned up with everyone stunned on the floor for a brief second there.
So, Katia, they used a lot of ultimates there. 50 seconds to go.
Alphys going to take a swap over to Tracer. AID just another one.
This could be ending. I mean, Katia,
looking to push up deep into the spawn, AID wants to find more.
They don't have any ultimates to work with. They're way easier.
But even Alphie takes one to the face instantly sent packing you got put so much respect on aid right now
But it clocks running down. There's no opportunities
Okay, the wind condition for DK here really is to build the casunerosh
But you've got to be so careful just to see a aid is always to pop off like crazy
And they got to go get the plugs to building towards them as well
The rest of the way they could shut this down. You can have to find your way through
Bolt impression here in the front line. Vistula gets low but the cleanse protects him.
Flux comes out but Ziad has enough health to tank it.
Finn though does not without the cure code. You are in massive trouble.
A Bolt is blocked by the SIG shield. Tracers into the back line trying to put some pressure on
and actually does shut down the enemy player. So finally DK,
gonna get an opportunity to roll this cart more and Vistula in deep behind.
Here he desperation teleport in. But the Flux surely enough from Ziad now to close this fight out.
And to turn the road to Alphie in the back line this tracer made a massive difference in the fight
Yeah, help out big time and as you get those picks in the overtime as well
These bombs are not going to be able to see as a GK. It finally
Get over this first point and add two minutes thirty to the time bank as they head it towards second
Yeah, this tracer thing is gonna do up the world of pavers against this Freya from a but a lot of tools to navigate still
For Alphie is which take these side idols
Yeah, I like the tracer a lot here. The Wu Yang is a very greedy choice, a lot of damage coming out from the Wu Yang
But it's not the best offensively into a tracer
So Katia, staying on the front foot, staying aggressive, big connection from a shop that labbed a
Just a hair off there, on the Bola.
Sanctuary comes out, hold the line, Sigma may have overstepped into this, because the Sanctuary is just too much to fight for.
He cuts down, gets cut down rather off than a one-on-one fight.
Tidal Blast comes into the Sigma, but it's gonna struggle to get an actual connection.
Yeah, no stuns come through from that.
Zox finds Labrador, and unless Alphie can get something done in the back line, this may be a hole that's turning very scrappy to the gun.
Yes, very scrappy, and GK are actually finding the pixel part here as well, so we're gonna be able to be cleaned up here on the cart,
and GK are going to keep rolling here, and that was a really expensive fight for Katsiya as well.
That's where you would have liked to make that stand on the defense,
instead with GK a flux in hand building towards this katsu rush in this very
difficult choke to kind of re-take here Jake. GK are looking like they're gonna
head towards the third point. Alfie you see we can get down on the flank don't
have the resources to deal with this tracer it's gonna be the sports force
fight him off trying to hunt and peck on the back line. It ends up going over to
the payload now because with the katsu ne rush on point it's a very short rush but
maybe good enough. Desperation flush comes out with Zyoth a beautiful
to him from Finn, keeps the Sigma healthy and Katsuya, I mean a famously difficult
recon test but he came right back into this after a very tough first few minutes.
Yeah and Katsuya just haven't got anything going on the second point there are
lots of ultimates invested they can't get the value from any of them and now
they find themselves here on the defensive third point with essentially
needing Aida to pop off to buy them some space to buy them some time so they can
set up this defense accordingly. GK though, still keeping the pressure on here
to be through.
It's getting wild under this one, Flux from Ziad, gets lensed from Gala for the most part
protects the Stola who looks for Roti back to the point but GK punishing Symmetra on
the movement and Alfi happy to be the one taking a bit of pressure onto the carton of
beans.
The rest of GK looking out the a 15th streak for Ziad, he really gets this one rolling
as the fight work now on Sigma which changes the game completely here on this third point.
And this has gone from a horrible starting circuit to a fantastic finish for GK, 1-minute-20.
They're going to keep moving this payload and see how it's going to take this high ground
as well, building towards double support ultimate GK here.
Now, trying position to close out this map, first before they couldn't get anything going
on 1st point, Jake.
Pressuring this high ground is crucial.
The fight's going to take place up here.
Suzuki holds the line, they back off for now, that Bola just a little bit too threatening.
GK want to continue to push the cart, but with Aiden full control of this high ground,
your flank feels so exposed here, who opportunities.
Not too many bolts connected with the Sanctuary that can essentially ignore that flank now.
The rush I'm able to really use from Upkut Sia and GK.
Snatching victory from the Jaws and Divini are going to cap with almost 30 seconds, 40
seconds of extra time.
What a comeback for them, I mean this looks like a full hold in the making, but instead
We get a payload successfully delivered, so GK, all right, staying faithful to the composition.
They get it done.
I mean, the team play was just off the charts on the second and third point there.
The fact that they managed to survive a couple of those fights on the second point and carry
on that momentum, then you head on towards the third.
You win this one relatively easily with double support ultimate.
I feel like GK there really got things going when he came to the team work and chemistry
and helped each other out, making sure that that same composition popped off.
Meanwhile, Katzia, on the back foot, they couldn't find the same picks they did on the first point.
They were always like one step behind and forced to invest the ultimate in a pretty uncomfortable position.
They just couldn't find their footing on second or third at all.
I think Alphie's tracer was such a heads-up swap because it took Aide from being in this position to be
constantly aggressive, constantly forcing the duels and pressure on supports that are kind of locking up into that field of fire
to now having to deal with the tracer behind, same for the Wuying, right?
Like worrying about something, distracted for something.
And the composition of Kassiya didn't feel nearly as strong
with that kind of a complication in the mix.
I think Kellex too, with the sanctuaries, was massive.
I mean, fight after fight, when you see a commitment in from Kassiya,
the sanctuary comes down and you're just not really able to continue
to fight in that location.
So Kellex, great time and great positioning with those ultimates,
really mitigating the opposition.
Yeah, I mean the Sancho is a game-changer. It just changes the battlefield quite massively and so definitely
Big ultimate to keep an eye out for as it gets deployed
It's going to be Kassia. Stale on this Wooyang here on the attack them to start things. I'll see over on the May 4 and now
So Kassia will have some more room to operate with that they didn't have on that beacon's light dimension
So let's see if Ape can get things going again on the DPS3
Yeah, Symmetra for course. Spin a comfortable one for him. See how he pilots it here. Definitely a point where Symmetra can make a world of difference, but not necessarily an easy one to pilot. With May Cassidy on the other side, I mean one big misstep and you could just get run over.
I'm in a little engagement here from GK, but it's going to be absorbed from Katzia and Katzia now.
Take some space, perhaps, on the back of that failed engagement.
You see them. They're getting some wider swing angles.
Stola pushing forward with the Symmetra teleport as well.
He's poking him very hard into Stola.
Little counter pressure comes back his way though.
He has to kind of juke away, but this high ground position is beautiful for the signal.
Nice push.
A lot from downtown on to Lava, and now the defense starts to crumbles.
Ziyan desperate but without this Cassidy they don't really have a threat, meh.
I spot from the garden to delay what feels like the inevitable.
They're going to commit everything actually and hold on.
That's a much earlier rush from Finn.
His team taking more damage proves to be a bit of an asset for now.
Liff is out on the Sanctuary.
Keeps him stable.
Ziyan dropped from the Sanctuary.
He's going to be healthy and stabilized and
slapped his back into this one but a better rush for Gala.
Major opportunity to step up Tidal Blaster onto this Gala.
Dives into the back.
I mean, those actually all the way through the blizzard and stays up to beautiful piloting
Kostola and eventually DK just run out of gas, they had to use both the portal to it
so defensively that Kassia just stayed in it long enough to get the win.
I mean, first of all, what a crazy fight that was.
And the Lairing, the Ultimate Lairing was fantastic from both teams making sure you're
going back and forth all the time, the blizzard trying to counter the title fast.
So Kassia really had to work to secure that teamfight win, but great little bit lane from
both teams back and forth here. It's going to be Katzia now rolling on to second here.
As far as this Symmetra wall is available, it's going to be a game-changer in these
kind of Seima competitions.
Once again Alphie back to the Tracer.
Zox, we've known a good amount of damage, but a great clutch from Zod for a very awkward
Symmetra wall. Now Alphie is deep into the backline, picks up two kills already.
Tracer just eats them alive and as this Symmetra wall starts to expire we're going to see
to lean up on aisle 3,
and see a couple players left trying to get a cheeky counter-kill.
Okay, a teleport forward does get them a kill onto Labnett,
but, by the way, hold on, finds Finn?
No way.
Yeah, I can't have counted out.
I can see him this fight, but they come rolling back eight times
to make it to the kill.
Okay, Bob, all right, okay.
Okay, they just 2v4'd?
It's 2v5'd?
I don't know how that happens.
Okay, this...
That should not have happened, G.
You should not have taken the Stoll at a circuit, Royale.
That's one of the classic mistakes.
And now, based on the desperate retake,
Althea has to be a massive hero here,
but stepping into the arms of a Sigma
with a prepared, riveting flux
is not where you want it to start this day.
Big Bull is right in the back line, gets cleansed off,
and with Gala shutting down Althea,
there's not any tricks left in the book here for the defense.
Flux will just ensure no touch can come in.
The Stoll is just farming the stats.
Yeah, and that's the rush as well, committed by GK.
trying to defend this second point, but that too before Jake, if Kassia end up pushing this payload to the finish line,
that is the fight we'll be talking about. They kind of changed everything here on this second point.
Kassia instead of regrouping, they can safely push this payload through, get lots of time added to the bank as well,
and set up accordingly. That's a bit of a horror scenario for GK here with four minutes to go on this defense.
Yeah, GK need to make a solid hold here.
They need to run the clock down even if this does go to overtime you want a reasonably fair shake in that final round
See what else you can get done over to the symmetric just recognizing. Maybe it's too valuable here
Hey, it's continuing to do whatever he wants on the fray a super aggressive move
threatening TP, but it feels like the cake hesitant
They don't know what to do here immediate rush from gala early putting a lot of pressure defenders have to come in
Sanctuary is available though, and that actually stabilizes Yacht on the point once again the Sanctuary is proving to be a powerful position for which to play through the cores.
Simba deployed the rush as well, it's too much for TK to step up to the plate, and we'll be getting a 3-3 extra time cap here because fully torques Sim inside the overall raid.
You are not fighting through that.
Wow.
I mean, it's so difficult to retake, right?
Because if you're a GK, you committed a Kitsune rush on the second point cap,
you don't have the Sanctuary readily available to drop.
You have to build it up instead.
And at that point, Kitsune, they have double support ultimate
with their own orbital ray, their own Kitsune rush.
And like you said, just beaming damage with that Smitra in hand as well.
So, so difficult to retake.
Look, it honestly came down to that two versus four fight, Jake.
Like, that was a huge game-changer and how that entire attack unfolded.
Yeah, it should have been a cleanup.
You know, maybe you give one kill back the other way,
but just the individual playmaking was really nice, right?
That Gala and Vistola were able to battle through it, making individual plays.
I feel like overall this map is like a tour de force for Vistola.
I mean, I would say like last stage wasn't as vast, you know?
I don't think he was like, you know, I started to think of him and I,
okay, maybe this is a player, we'll be seeing him at the top anymore, you know?
but this could see a roster.
I thought coming into this they were the underdogs
and they improved me drastically wrong.
I mean, this is not completely one-sided,
but certainly it's clear who's the stronger team
on the server right now.
GK need to go deep into the Strapbook
and maybe more than that, deep into their hearts here
and pull out a huge performance.
We need bigger individual moments
because Katzia is kind of winning all of these Scrapfights.
Yeah, just a low-in-minute for GK here on this offense.
Say look to push the payloads forward and this is where picking up Kellex becomes really important to this team
To be able to rally the troops here keep calm
If you can get off to a good start here, maybe cap the first point
You can make something happen in overtime here on circuit rail. So GK
Still very much have to believe that they have an opportunity to close out the staff
I like these swaps from GK something a little bit different a deal and memory better options for putting pressure onto aid in the sky
They recognize the spray as a problem of big main connects as well without the signal though the top line is gonna be weak
We'll see how force is able to take advantage of that, but it feels like a pressure from multiple angles
Really starting to overwhelm these defenders some good folk back the other way though
Yeah, they're setting something up here with Seattle and Diva, but quite low for the moment try to get this made effect
So
Seconds, Johnny. No time.
And the damage is pouring in. Not healthy on this D.Va.
Does have those perks available because of this overtime.
Some damage comes in, but the Stola's shield is proving to be a huge problem.
Coming towards this ultimate trade, Emery.
Override protocol, over the top. This has to be huge. B connections.
Shots landing on the backline. Is he gonna be able to finish for the kill? Not quite just yet.
It opens up the rush, but they need to win quick, but Stolas fucks, slowing things down.
The portal's coming in in moments for Kassia, but they've already lost the Sinetra.
God, they're not gonna find the opportunity to get the rush out early, so GK, so well played tactical movements there.
It costs them only the rush and the override protocol, but in overtime, capping first and rolling things forward, you will take that.
Yeah, I mean, suddenly you look up Kassia's 3 minutes 50 and it's not much to take into account because GK, they're rolling the payload.
But that's what matters here on second point already. They will build this over the raid.
Alphie is going to come up on the Sniper Ultimate as well here, so a lot of great win conditions here for GK.
They can out sustain this kit's universe coming from Gala at any second now.
Yeah, the rush is going to be a huge problem, especially with Sigma just dying.
And of course, already shuts down Alphie. Cassidy though, hold on. Steps through the Zim shield.
Absolutely Alphie downplay here from AID.
And of course, getting healthy, getting energized, he's into the backline, cuts down Kellix,
Starting to eat these players alive one by one and the push stomps here can see a
Feels like a foregone conclusion right it come back in sweep the field with some heavy ultimate deployment
Gk. I mean they've they've set their mark. It's winnable, but only just barely it feels like we need a massive hold on first point
If not just a full hold to get this one. Okay, but I feel like a
Jake tell me if I'm wrong. It's a pretty holdable first point though
Like how many times do we see three minutes drained of the time bank and then you just have to win a deciding fight
I feel like this is doable. It's it is Johnny
I'm worried because I think core sim is gonna be the thing that puts it over the top, right?
We've been talking so much about aid and the stola just fragging out you can see in the stats here monster
Numbers being put up from those two, but I think the sim gives you
Some inevitability in this kind of a map right where are you really gonna fold first like eventually?
the sim wall gets deployed right on the payload and it's really brutal to try to
fight through like it you know you just get isolated trying to touch the payload
and if you can kind of have the perfect ultimate economy I agree it's always
winnable but that's asking for so much here from this defensive gk like they
need to constantly stay ahead in ultimate economy and what I'm worried
about with this ember pick is like yes emmer is gonna do strong sustained
damage and be like a keyfragging presence but is it going to give you those x-factor solo
kills that another hitscan might need that here?
Yeah, it's harder to make that happen when you're facing the same field and other people
to find a click on aid.
The window here doesn't find anything.
It's going to make the swap accordingly over to the Freya.
But yes, GK, they definitely need an x-factor here.
They need someone to step out, make some mechanical individual place to help out that are ultimate
Call me as well the execution here Jake will have to be perfect on the defense
Yeah, a lot of pressure on this yard. Hey, this is the whole full-on stack here. Just
Someone's got to deal with it
Oh, the book is aggressive
And already things falling apart Johnny may be more than eight is instant. The moment he gets an opportunity
He goes deep into the back line. See I actually hold on staying healthy
The map flip has been amazing from GK. The fact that they're still live here is unbelievable.
God, starting to run low, surely they can't keep him alive this long, but those ports have done massive work.
And now, hold on, stepping into the center.
On the cover stand.
I don't know that you want this fight, Vistola.
He's forcing it now, trying to get the cleanup, but out of here is not true.
No way.
No way!
You have to fight!
GK, disgusting!
That should not be allowed to happen. They were both one.
If you're Vistola at this point, you're like screaming, like how do you not clean up these frags?
How to win a GK back into this one because that is that is disgusting. That should just not happen for GK
Split focus right there trying to get a little too much thought around the map, but the individual plays
I think you've got to give that a fit. I mean massive work on Kiriko to keep that fight
Just keep Alfie and Zyoth alive and they deliver the damage in return
Now though some big ultimates to come out so it's still anybody's game but GK two minutes off the clock. It's winnable
So that's coming out, 8, can't quite find a defense, could see Norsha's from both teams
so Jake.
The lift is gonna be BRUTALS!
YAAHH!
He's down and without the tank, how did he hold this frontline any longer?
You can see him wasting no time trying to swam forward, core his TP, spoon in the backline,
cuts down one.
He does trade his life in the process, but the Stola is gonna continue the streak.
The flux is just perfect, right, lifted and you just don't have a way to keep Ziad up,
to use the cleanse already from the massive pressure coming in from the rest of Katyaan.
Now it's desperation. GK have to get out, have to get a fight on this payload, but Katyaan
might just try to deny it, right? Playing forward. You gotta walk up through a lot of pressure.
Yeah, early Fox here. The teleporter has to be good as well to get towards this payload contest.
Final boss comes out here. Feel a lot of good ultimate here for GK.
All the sim walls isolating the payload though. Somebody just step up to this point and it's
So difficult, Ziad, taking the challenge.
Hold on some more, they're keeping him up,
but only just barely, surely can't last any longer
at the point someone else can last.
Hold the mantle, over at vertical,
over the top, he's putting down some good damage,
but it's just not enough.
Beautiful, Sibwalt, front cores,
immaculate positioning, get Katzia the win in OT.
GK made him wear for it,
but in the end, we're still 2-0 up in the series
for Alcatzia, GK came into the series,
we thought they'd be the favorite,
but they've been anything but heroics from pretty much the entire team.
Like everyone is finding big moments here.
For instance, I could see a team like Gala with a lot of first picks,
Aiden and Vastola doing massive damage, cores.
I'm really impressed by the sim.
Like the decision-making with the walls, the TPs has been very much on point
and fearless like shades of Ubi.
Yeah, 100% and we get the opportunity to learn about some new players here
in OWS, players who got in their fair chance in the Saudi Ely.
but perhaps not as much here on the main stage of OWCS, but coming up a clutch big time for their teams so far.
It was just a little bit too much for GK there to try and get back towards that point and try to deploy the ultimates.
At the end of the day, they had to overreach and that was punished, like you said, by Kors on the Symmetra.
You get a great wall, he deployed for his team as well.
And well, so what we talked about at the start here, Jake, you go to Secret Real with Vistola on the other team.
It's a bit of a concern.
I mean, Nostola is back in his lane comfortable, showing what he can do.
You got to look at Zox and Corsiz, like, wow, okay.
We saw those players coming to the lineup, we're like, yeah, but how good will they really be here in the OWCS?
A little bit, maybe untested, but there's been more and more incredible players coming out,
not only this odd evening, but the country in general.
It feels like EMEA now.
It's like this is arguably the biggest generator
of talent in the region.
Massive to see yet more new faces joined
and put up a huge show.
I mean, still, series left to be played,
but I mean, up 2-0 right now with the team
as good as Kitsiya, it's hard to see GK
bringing this one back, but if anyone could do it,
it probably would be them.
They have the flexibility to make the adjustments.
Now it's clear that you need to make those adjustments,
that this is, I think, beyond an individual play issue.
This is a strategy that is just being executed better by the opposition.
Right, so maybe now you have the opportunity to move away from that strategy
and pick something that's more in your lane.
I mean, Alphay was amazing on the Tracer on that map as well.
So if you could just put Alphay on that Tracer and play to your strengths,
I still think that GK, they have the smallest chance of a reverse sweep here, Jake.
But I'd like people to keep in mind this GK team in Stage 1,
they were very up and down.
Like, they had that mechanical skill, they had that prowess,
and Syad, obviously, a fantastic tank player for this team as well.
So they have the talent required.
If they can just get onto the right heroes in stage one,
we very much saw them execute on their best heroes possible.
Stage two, though, Meta is a little bit different.
Kat Vastion, Sigma, it's not really the compositions
that GK probably want to play at the beginning with.
Yeah, they're going to need to find something here.
It's tough because it feels like coming into this,
like they obviously came in prepared looking to play Sigma.
I mean, like the draft says it, the map picks say it.
This is exactly the strat they wanted,
and it's just come up short for them,
especially a better pill to swallow
when it happens in the mirror match, right?
When you're like, uh-oh, this is the strat we came to play
and we're getting gapped in the mirror, you know,
we're, it's hard because you could try to change your strat,
but it feels desperate.
Do you really have the, you know, confidence in another style
if you didn't prepare it?
That's going to be what's asked of them.
GK going to ban the Bastion.
I mean, this is a map where that cat bastion style can be monstrous,
but you can see it respond and get rid of the Lucio,
ensuring that one of those big threats you mentioned for Kalex is not going to be available.
Yeah, this is a big hit to GKE sports.
There's no doubt that Kalex would prefer to be on this Lucio,
but definitely has tried to diversify the hero pool.
The last couple of years,
it's been a necessity with the hero ban system here
that someone like Kellex who is primarily a user player has to be able to play some other heroes as well.
And we've seen, you know, the Juno B, the Croyd and such.
But this is going to make things a little bit more difficult here for Katzia.
But you're kind of new, right?
Even if you have to reverse sweep, the Lucio Band will come out at some point.
And so you deal with it now, you get maybe a map in on the table here,
and then you don't have to face that ban anymore for the rest of the series.
So you know this was going to happen.
It's not a surprise to anybody.
Let's see if GK can navigate it.
You could also bring out the Juno here and still bring the speed if you wanted to push the tempo and like play a faster pace style as a way to, you know, hit a change up.
I think it's one of the classics, right?
Like, hey, you know, like the series not going amazing for you, let's get more aggressive.
Let's play a faster comp that lets us, you know, just be just take control of the series, whether we win or lose.
At least we do it on our own terms with Bastion and Lucio off the field.
I mean, since to me that maybe we're looking for some kind of a Juno rush.
I mean, we don't see so much of the Sigma-Mazuki on Misabi.
I think the pace is just a little bit high on this map.
I do expect to see maybe Sim looking pretty effective here, though,
with how good Khoris has been on the hero.
You've got to consider it, and I wonder for Alfie,
what's going to be the response if that does come out?
Could it be a Pharah? Could it be a Sim Mirror?
A lot of questions to be answered, and so far,
not so much in the answer department from GK.
Yeah, I think the Symmetra from Khoris
will be especially scary to Syod,
because I think Seyad probably wants to play the D.Va,
but then rolling out with that, you know, on the first fight here for Vunasapi,
against the prospect of facing Asimutra, then you're like a little bit hesitant,
probably have to flex to a different hero instead,
and already you're taking some of that pace away from GK that they like to play with.
And so there's a lot of scary heroes in this meta for GK
that they have to kind of build their composition around
to give themselves the best chance possible in any of these kind of engagements.
And so, I'm already a bit of a thinker for GK here in what they kind of want to roll out with.
We've seen a lot of Mauga in promotion and relegation.
I'll say that, Jake, but I'm not so sure we'll see it deployed here.
I'm not bad as a Mauga here on RuneSompy, and I think it's a solid map type for it.
I will say I think a player like Vistula is probably more likely to look something like the D.Va.
You know, maybe Rematra also could be a consideration on RuneSompy.
a lot of decisions, of course, for the players to make,
and not so much time in which to make them,
because we're coming down to it.
This could be the final map of the series.
If Kassiya can continue this streak of dominance,
yeah, they're gonna be running away with this one, 3-0,
and pushes the map type that I think a lot of teams
kind of go to as like sort of a last resort of, you know,
it's comfort, it's kind of deathmatch heavy.
Maybe you can rely on those individual mechanics,
players like AlphaE to deliver for you,
but when I look across the field of the supports
for, you know, the opposition for Katia.
It's been fantastic for them.
Like, God has found so many kills in this Jericho.
Like, fighting a lot of key looking at the, you know,
that 2v5, they pulled off on Circa.
It was insane taking a look here at this Katia roster.
And, wow, I mean, what an impressive opener
for Corsons Ox.
Yeah, I feel like with Vistola in the next air as well, Jake,
the meta will kind of come and go, right?
You know, you have Vistola and he's as good as it gets
when it comes to heroes like the Sigma
and a couple of other tank heroes, right?
But you kind of are meta dependent.
And I think in stage one, we saw that maybe Katzia,
they were struggling a little bit to find their footing.
But with the Misuka compositions we see right now,
I feel like this is the time for Katzia.
This is their opportunity to really shine here.
And it coincides with the top three teams in the region,
being able to qualify for the mid season championship
if they can get top three in the stage two playoffs
in a few weeks time.
You have to qualify there first,
But the point being, Kassiya here, a real good opportunity for them with this meta and this roster,
go for a run and qualify for a major tournament.
This is a big win.
Kind of start you on that path for Kassiya.
You know, a dominant 3-0 victory here.
You know, obviously we're literally, it was the definition of too early to make a prediction,
but this kind of a showing here makes you look very competitive when you're talking about that qualification
for mid-season championship, right? Like GK arguably is the most threatening team for the third slot.
For Kassia, a 3-0 win here, you start to ask questions about can they compete with VP, with TF, right?
Can they, you know, show us even more? Because he looked like a well-oiled machine this one.
He's definitely going to light a fire under the players for the rest of the stage as we roll out
here on Runasapi. It's going to be that D.Va from Seagod Steel, but he'll be under a lot of pressure
pressure from Corsimetra and Estola on the signal.
Can't see ya, but he broke, don't fix it.
The strat has been working for them all series long.
Maybe Lameda on the Soldier, could be a bit of a difference maker, he's always looked
fantastic on this hero.
He's a peek into the Sigma and it takes a lot of pressure.
So does Yad though.
No longer.
As your Sturdners get overwhelmed, the frontline just crumbling under the pressure can see ya.
Sweetness now, surging forward over the opposition.
And it's, just a team wipe man, like this is,
not with a bang, but with a whimper,
could see a dominant showing in the front line,
GK just crumbled.
That's not a good start for GK.
And now you're really worried with this payload,
or both rather, keeping it pushing forward here.
And it's really going to round this corner quite already,
They're going to take some space, I'll out eight to get some of these peaks going.
You know what to rush forward here with the Symmetra?
Point the poke and fall for a little bit, but no forcing the arrow of proof coming here, Jake.
If their frontline just feels so weak, Katsiya...
...with this Cassidy and this...
...Sigma there, completely unafraid of pushing forward some big rail connections, but from Lambda...
...for an opportunity, Sims off the field can actually...
...cleans that damage up.
And he's gonna cost him his soon double support plus Sigma though.
Still a winnable proposition for Katsiya.
Zox, dancing away nicely here on the Juno, gets a little bit of love from Gala, and Ziad
needs to get a resuit, but Vistola is starting to overwhelm him, he's just too healthy to
support, keeping each other alive, they're just lacking damage, Zox just barely gets
the better of that 1v1, and Vistola actually might find a ton of clean up kills, a late
frag onto Ziad as well means this card is gonna push forward, not just to the cap, but
beyond. Once again, Vistola and the supports man, the dynamic duo, brawling that without
He's just owning it, like it's just, he's so comfortable, he's getting permapoketed by two supports, get the D.V. out of the mech, clean up the rest, and Katzia are just rolling, they got five ultimates coming up here, they got all the angles played with me, love that, has to pop off here.
Oh, and a couple rails don't connect, maybe one more, but they can't quite find the TP away.
That I already find Kellex and Lavage doesn't find much of anything with this OC okay,
a little shot, he's gonna take down Quartz, crucial one to hit, and we're self-destruct over the top.
That's him though, they back up for just a moment now, I'm gonna re-engage with the
Flocks and the Orbital Ray, but a nice little TP away from Alfie, he's gonna keep him healthy.
Zox actually gets caught up by Kellix and Tiana, so nice dancing from GK staying alive through a big storm of ultimates
and eventually, Nostola is gonna go down, gets just overwhelmed by sheer numbers, so GK pouting that went nicely,
not falling apart here in a crucial map 3, but already a lot of push against him.
Yeah, they managed to survive that one, luckily the crucial headshot pick on the course and then finished well with a great cleanse to survive that flux.
GK at least stabilize for at the moment, but
You've built up this orbital ray need to find a fight win here because they're under so much pressure right now
For TP is around here sim walls traded
The other team looking to get too aggressive. I like this
No getting the team deep out into main calyx has to open the orbital ray
He's in a little bit of trouble with the ray actually starts to overwhelm
TP back from a stays alive and it looks like rage is baited
but the whole lab that does catch a parting kill onto Aiden,
that's massive and ensures that there's going to be at least some amount of counter-push for GK.
Yeah, these dives are so tough for GK.
You can see the orbital ray speed ring deployed by Kalex as well,
and Sead and Yang managed to find that one crucial pick.
But now you have to keep doing that.
Fin is going to build this Kitsuna rush,
and that's going to help fighting in this very checkpoint-oriented area here, Jay.
Big damage coming in for Super Low on the Symmetra.
great jump in the supports though keeping him up front line is proving to be strong but this
okay carry rush is just too much and you can't win a front line trade into that so can see a
maybe a little bit overconfident in the strength of their style into the katsune rush is taking a
head-to-head trade and they cannot stand tall through that one now lab another oc to work with
and this time a lot more space from which to deploy it it's going to be a little bit of a mad dash
to the part where Patsia, but they do not want to expose their flank here to this OC.
Did I?
Oh, nice channel. Get some big damage on the D.Va. Forces that self-destruct out.
Resuit is going to come from Ziad, but the bot is being kidnapped now, Johnny.
Being kidnapped, indeed, here, GK scrambling to rotate according to me, but I feel like they
have to go for a bit of a regroup here instead. Great shot there. Overclocked, poked there.
Oh, big left on the OC, they didn't get any damage, but beautiful cleanse!
Keeps left in the fight, still a challenge to be had, got a holding onto this rush though, and GK know it, they're playing scared, baiting the rush out though and kiting away massive into this one, and if they've done just that,
If they can just stay alive here, this is a huge win for them, still a rail available for Zox, and they're still wasting no time, wants to continue to keep his foot down on this gas pedal,
Alphie goes for the Simwall, but over the right comes down, they might be able to step through the wall, he does, takes down Kellix with the help of the Damage Amp from that Juno.
Alphie in the backlines healthy, but Khorus commits to the Simwall, feels that this one is winnable, GK flipped the map and steal the bot away, taking damage across the lineup though, can they stabilize?
Down the wall, they would try with the rush.
Yeah, great rush there to give them some sense of momentum here. Just a battle of sustain here. Huge missives being destroyed there by the Jino and GK. They're built to support this now, Jake.
This fight is so incredibly close, Alphie though finds the stolen, that could be the difference maker. Trades is life-for-it.
3v3.
Rates continuing to come back in fast, the orbital rays, Yacht still alive, it's just
going to be a little bit too much, and that went for GK.
Puts them right back into the driver's seat in this game.
I mean, I don't think they're going to take the lead here, but certainly they're going
to find themselves in a much more comfortable spot.
Still forward spawns for Katsya.
I think they missed the forward spawns there on Cassidy and Juno, so a little bit of extra
card push for GK.
Yeah, and this is a pretty neutral fight.
Gala's going to build towards the Gatsudo rush, but will take a little bit to get there,
So, opportunity here for GK. Flabda can find a crucial pick with a well-timed rail.
That could be the difference that put GK in the lead here. They have the opportunity here, Jay.
Try and get on top.
TP deep into the back line. Is he gonna take this? Chilling a lot of charge here on this D.Va.
She does get the shot. Ziyan pops the sub-strike and instantly deleted out of the suit tanks now off the field.
Game becomes a true deathmatch. A finds two and a third.
And that's gonna be just fourth and enough. Okay, we hold on. Labda finds one, but has to be so careful.
Aiden not holding the angle. Beautiful. This rubber shot to slow him down, but...
Hunting. See how...
He's coming back into this one. Seems like it's gonna be a pretty much a stalemate, right? It's Labda's way.
It's Labda's way. He's gonna be okay. He's gonna be okay.
Yeah, it's gonna be all right.
So a bit of a back and forth here. A bit of a reset as well. That was just a crazy...
And a couple of fights there for either team, but Labda has this overclock available now.
Tatsuya is stacked up a lot of old players in the room though.
So he has to be big, Labda needs kills at the back of this one.
A takes the challenge, fearless confidence here.
You can see why.
Now stepping up with the Katsune rush, starting to overwhelm this frontline.
Labda doesn't have a slide to get out of this one.
A would take him.
Now, soaring forward for more.
Vistula with a lift.
Does he want to go for the Rabbidic Flux right now?
Continue this punishment.
Cards gonna start to roll forward sooner rather than later and I just rock to the face slows the odd down and Vistola
Playing so confident here with a big bank of ultimate behind him you would see why the lead now continues to expand symbol comes up now
Alfie, it's a nice one makes this a very awkward dead-eye
Can't quit get through the shield to deal damage
Lint is out, but I don't think it's gonna be producing any kills just a little bit of card progress
Ultimates run try though turning into a bit of a deathmatch but Finn with the rush is gonna overwhelm
Vistola just getting cooked right now
He's gonna be able to get TP'd out of the boat. This corner becomes a quarter of dunes.
Yeah, swings back in for a second flyby here on the D.Va. Picks up a kill feed.
Gala finds one trade, but GK hold the line once again.
Yeah, these teamfights are so well fought by either team just going back and forth.
But that is going to be the final ultimate. They cannot tip-sip things in GK's favor. Still here, though.
39 meter disadvantage with a minute 30 and the series-owned of the line here. Love the order to drop slow.
So, GK forced a forfeit so much positioning here, Jake, in the back of this poke.
Ziad doing so much to keep this Labda alive, and I think it's going to bear fruit.
Huge performance from the D.Va.
Had to even step up for the body block there to keep this Sojourn alive.
Now Orbital Rake over the top of the couch, waste no time, and he snaps up Labda before the fight can even begin.
GK playing one back, they punish him for standing so close,
and maybe Ziad now can mix it up deep into the back,
because a lot of pressure down on these supports forces a ton of response here.
Pops this up strike when he eventually loses the suit.
But K'tsia are so stable they don't drop a single player through all that chaos.
I'll be starting to get energized.
I still have a mage running low on the health bar.
Sin needs to get this kill. The tank has to go down.
And eventually he will, but Aide is back in the fight and he's found another kill.
K'tsia still very much in this one with the rush.
GK committing everything with 30 second of the clock. They cannot back down from this one.
With no tank in the mix, Katia is still going at it on the back of the Symmetra wall, but this might be a limit too much when this expires.
See, Yab drops really low here.
Oh, barely keeps them back in place for now, but 3k, they just need to restore these health bars. They're also overtook available here for Lada.
Okay, one connection. Can he get a second big hit onto aid? Can anyone finish that kill?
Huge one to five, but the supports get you in first.
The unfolded desperation has to hunt it down, but the dead eye keeps him up.
Last fight!
Kassia seals the deal and Kassia holds the line. What a life game from AID.
This guy took the series over from front to back, from the cat bastion to the Kassity in the front line.
Domination from AID. Truly one of the best games we've seen from him in quite some time.
Kassia revitalized with these new players in the roster.
Yeah, like you said, on so many here as well. It was Frey on Circuit.
Cassidy here to kind of closing south and I mean taking down the soldier like that with just a couple of things to the head
That is a big difference make your love the 21 and 4 but stuff in his tracks on the back of AIDS
Cassidy and wow what a run of sappy Jake
I mean that was amazing back and forth by each team there the ultimate layering was near perfect and
I think we're treated to a great first match even though it was a 3-0. It felt really competitive throughout
So the gameplay from support too was incredibly high level in this series.
I feel like we really saw that on RuneSaw.
We saw so many fights, clutch saves, keeping players into the mix.
Really, really well piloted from Zox and Gawd.
Yeah, I couldn't agree more.
I could see I definitely came into the stage with something to prove and they did just
adapt.
Their cat fashion was looking clean, very well drilled on that first map.
I think best dollar sigma was just like diffing, right?
You just mentioned it as well.
The new members from Kotsia,
they were slotting right in there in their opening match
and they impressed.
For GK though, something you brought up a bunch of times,
Jonny, they played really well.
Like team fights were there.
Like the old layering was great.
Like they made a competitive on these last two maps for sure.
So if you're a GK fan, like don't take this loss too hard.
We still have four more matches to go and plenty of opportunities to make the top three in order to qualify for the mid-season championship.
Yeah, yeah, I feel if you're GK you probably feel a little bit demotivated because you were just under so much pressure from the Symmetra and the Sigma from the Stola as well.
And then A it is just popping off on the hitscan roll to kind of go with it.
Like, how many times on that when Asapi, where GK's timing, like, a little bit off,
maybe you took a little bit too much poke early on in Seat, like, lost all the armor before your fight didn't kick off,
your force didn't engage at all times, and they did a good job.
For the most part, Jake, in surviving those damage and, like, re-engaging,
but it's so difficult to pull off this D-Vice like in a meta like this.
Yeah, they tried their best, but Vestola with free reign on the Sigma just devastated them.
and the support did great work to keep him alive
through a lot of these chaotic fights.
Core's fantastic on the Symmetra,
and this was like a win that you can really build on.
What a cut-see-up, right?
This is the, you know, that you showed real competency
on the Cap Bastion.
Core's with a bit of flexibility.
For the most part, though, the Sim.
And honestly, it's something you either have
or you don't, right?
In terms of a really top-level Sim,
you know, what it adds to the team,
the threat that you have as a unit.
You know, this is dealing like, for Core's,
It's like, maybe you gotta start banning Sim against this guy, which, you know, that's the advantage you've got to play her like Yubi.
It's like, you have to ban his Sim, and he's still pretty solid on the other characters.
And we saw that a little bit on the Echo, you know, turning around the very first control round to kind of set the tempo for the series for our Kutzia.
This was definitely a great first showing, I feel like, for both of these teams, 3-0 at the end score for Kutzia.
And I'm excited to see if they can continue on that trajectory.
Their next match is going to be against VP in week two.
So not actually tomorrow, right?
Yeah, tomorrow against one, two, three, four.
So yeah, I'm excited to see if they can keep it up on such a level.
But Kat Basch and definitely a worthwhile band,
perhaps a little earlier in the series,
Johnny, for the next match.
Indeed.
I feel like there's so many fears to ban here as well.
It's actually quite a viable meta, but it's a bit of an unusual meta, because you have the Sigma Musugi compositions, you have the Cat Bastion, and then you want to target Ban Lucio here and there.
It's a very versatile meta, but some off-compositions that we didn't see at all in Stage 1.
What else do you think they have back up in their sleeves still? Because they have some pretty flexible players.
You know these are somewhat tried-and-true compositions like they're playing a Sigma poke look that other teams have run
You know they're playing the cat bashing, but they're tailored to their unique strengths from Katzia, right?
They go with the Wu Yang and the Freya on Circuit Royale. I don't think I've seen that before
I mean that's a really innovative look, but it works
You know it takes Alfie going to the tracer to make it competitive, but still it feels like they have the answers
so when I see a team that's sort of taking yes an established meta, but
kind of tweaking it to be just what they're the best at to provide that level of comfort.
It's hard to innovate and establish meta and the fact that they can show those little adaptations
to make things just that little bit better, it makes them look like a really intelligent
and threatening team.
I don't think this is going to be a team you can download with just one set of pants.
Yeah, that's what's going to make it so difficult to go up against them and strut against them.
Let's see what our winners have to say.
Socks will be joining us for a quick chat.
Socks, welcome to the show.
How do you feel right now?
Thank you.
I feel so happy.
Like, trying to scrim, like so much in the last days.
And a little bit like losing some scrims, but maybe like we won 3-0 and I hope we keep going.
I lose scrims and then get the dub in the real match.
You know, that's how it goes.
how it goes. Sox, what's it been like for you to integrate alongside Cords into that
Alcatzia roster?
I mean, I was like, I want like before to play with Cords so much, and I'm having that
time with him right now. He's been like, so on heroes and he can help the team so much.
He's been like the same as, so on hero, he can like do everything with Cero, and he played
good, so good today and I'm happy with that.
I mean, this is a huge win for you guys with GK and Alcatya being third and fourth last
stage.
Like this win puts you in a really strong position to be one of those teams qualifying
to the mid-season championship.
So my question for you, Zox, is what's the goal for Alcatya at this stage?
What is the, how high do you think you can get in those rankings?
I think the team have huge expectations for getting 2 out of 3.
We can also try hard to get to 1 out of 100 short.
And I think if we keep going like this and playing our heroes and what we are strong on it, we can do.
Qualifying for the mid-season championship would obviously be a massive deal.
How motivated are you now to just like practice and give it your absolute all here in stage 2
to potentially qualify for the mid-season championship? You feeling hungry?
For me, yeah, for sure. And for me, I'm not gonna lie, it's
it's it's feel like a dream for me to qualify to the season championship because I didn't like
play on this like high level or only with Gen.G but I didn't like play so good. But right now,
I feel like this team helped me a lot.
Gano gave me huge thoughts on trying to play different heroes.
So I think we can do better and we can qualify so easily.
Well, Sokse, it was a huge performance from you and the team.
You definitely belong here in OWCS and we're so excited to see more from you
and Alcatzia in the next couple of weeks.
of weeks. Thank you so much for taking the time and thank you for coming around.
Thank you Al. We said that. Of course. So yeah that was Sox from Alcatia, one of their
two new members who's proven himself today with a really really great opening and matched
from him and the squad. Also analyzing the background, the bed was made. Really nice.
Take the tree in the back, take the water bottle on the table and you know it just looks like
He's got it all figured out, he's got his stuffs in the room, I can appreciate that.
I don't remember a single thing about this room, not a glance.
The devil's in the details, it's very important.
So is Overwatch to me in general, you know, that's why you gotta look at it from all angles,
all aspects, you gotta see everything and we're gonna see a lot in our next video.
you
you
you
you
you
We never choose
Always wishing for something to come true
Why can't you do
When baby you know that love got you
Love got you, love got you
I always wish for something to come true
What can you do?
Well, baby, you know the look of you
Hello and welcome back!
So here joined by Jake and Johnny, we're about to set the stage for our second match of the day of the Lost
match of the day as well.
Twisted Bats going up against Virtus Pro.
The second and fourth seed are rather placed teams from the champions clash in Tokyo,
which is the first and the second seed from EMEA in stage one.
What a series to have an opening day, Jake.
I mean, we're starting it off hot here in the stage with a crucial matchup,
likely for the number one spot in EMEA, right?
With these two teams and at each other's throat historically.
I mean, you got to look at TM coming off the back of a monster performance,
kind of coming out of nowhere to get a top two in the Champions clash,
and nearly taking it all home against a crazy raccoon
that honestly looked unstoppable for the rest of the tournament.
So, I mean, TM have to be riding high, but in the regular season,
I give Virtus.Pro a very strong puncher's chance at this one.
Yeah, it's a twisted-minds team that will turn up on playoffs with UB in the mix,
and they'll just surprise everybody with the symmetric gameplay.
But it's also a twist in my scene that has J.Woo on the roster in case they want to move away from that metro.
And obviously we don't know just yet here on the broadcast which of those two looks they will throw our way.
However, they did take down Virtus.Pro in the tournament as well.
They established their dominance and continued as the best team in EMEA.
So Virtus.Pro, if you're looking hungry for revenge here against the best team in EMEA.
I'm sure they do.
and stage one team rolled VP in week three, it was a 3-0 score and they knocked them out of the
champions clash in the lower bracket semifinals 3-1 as well so VP definitely coming in with a sense of
revenge no changes to the Twisted Bind roster as you can see why change what's working so very
well for you uh yeah I mean Twisted Bind listen they've looked untouchable the like last stage
quite generally, like even though VP was like the runner-up, they were the second best team,
there still seemed to be just a tear gap even between the number one plus the minus and number
two to VPJ. Yeah, I don't think this is a team. You can never take lightly, I mean top to bottom,
best in class, across the board. We talked so much about Quartz and J-Woo, what they can do as
individuals. I think any Overwatch fan is going to be well familiar with at this point, but it's
It's just across the board, right?
Even when you look to a player like Funny Astro and Simple,
they're going to be very much top tier
in terms of what they're going to be able to put out.
And then TVNT has had an even better year this year
than I think the last, where pretty surprising,
because he came into the scene looking amazing
and has only continued to level up over time.
So, for Tristan Mines, it feels like if they're playing their best,
they can be just about anyone in the world.
For VP, this is going to be kind of a bellwether match
to see, okay, just what is their level in the immediate stage?
Yeah, VP, looking at their roster here as well. No changes. Johnny, what do you feel
like they should have been working on in this short break in order to maybe
perhaps come out on top this time around in this region?
I mean, I feel like this is a team that obviously they've had a few months now
working together and they've been improving throughout. But this is still
Llandon being integrated into with his roster, Kevster on to the hitscan role as well had an amazing
tournament of champion slashes like hopping off on the hitscan role. But it's also like young players
like Ice Nome, it's going to just keep improving over time. So I don't think this is really, this is a
Virtus.pro team that need to do any like, drastic changes to their approach overall. I believe under
the coaching of Smash, Virtus.pro are going to continue to improve with the hopes of eventually
especially competing with the likes of Twisted Minds
in the Korean opposition on the international stage,
maybe as soon as Mips is in championship.
We look at predictions for this one.
It will be a wild overcook to predict anything
other than Twisted Minds.
They've just looked untouchable.
They looked just very flexible.
The individual talent, the team as a whole.
It's just no one was able to really scratch them.
And they made that clear in the lower bracket run
in Tokyo as well.
They were just so close to win it all.
So, gotta go with Twisimines for this one.
Yeah, I mean, for the past year,
this has been the best team in the world, you know?
Like, I don't think anyone else has had
such an amazing run of top flight results,
incredibly consistent competitive performances
and different looks.
So, TM, have got to be the heavy favorites,
but I agree with you, Sohye, I think there's always
a chance for VP to maybe improve
and make this one interesting.
Yeah, I'm going to Twisimines as well.
Honestly, the graphic we showed below earlier,
it was kind of damning.
It was more damning than I thought it was. 0-3 record for Virtus.pro. 2-9 in maps against Twisted Minds so far this year.
That was kind of like, I knew that Twisted Minds were the better team, but I wasn't like, whoa, they just dominate Virtus.pro.
And so that's definitely worried me a little bit here for this Pro Chance, going into this one.
Just like, yeah, Twisted Minds, they are by far the better team of these two. It's not even close.
Also, quick, uh, click upon it to use to the chat as I was, uh, spamming my mouse right there, trying to bet my channel points.
You did? I heard you clicking. I was like, what are you doing?
People were thinking, people were thinking I'm playing like Cookie Clicker or something.
Cookie Clicker.
No, no, I'm betting my channel points like every reasonable person right now.
Well, I obviously go with Twisted Mind. It's gonna put my channel points where my mouth fits or like whatever.
Either way, all the money's in, all the channel points out there, let's see what's going to happen on this server, guys, please take it away.
I'm begging you, Jake, you talk.
Thank you, Zoe. I'll do the cast, Johnny. You can focus on your gambling, you know, get those channel points in.
I can't imagine the payout is particularly great for T.A.V. in considering there's a record, and they take us to Ilios.
I'm also curious to see what kind of style comes out of T.A.V. because J.W. was back in the lineup, but this was, you know, in the Champions class, they felt,
Okay, look, it's just not working playing this style with J-woo kind of matching what the other teams are doing.
We have to bring out the UB Sim and I mean, the last match we just watched as an indicator,
Sim looks incredibly relevant in the meta right now.
So the choice to go to J-woo is an interesting one.
See how it plays out for TM.
I mean, this is Ilios in fairness.
So maybe there's a possibility of some hybrid roster looks.
J-woo is also, I think, one of the most exciting young players right now.
I think it's just sort of the nature of TM that they had an even more threatening look with the Symmetra comp.
but J.Woo on individual playmaker heroes
is always going to be a pleasure to watch.
Yeah, and I think if Twisted Minds want to become this World B13,
you kind of have to do it with J.Woo in the mix as well, right?
Obviously, you won the World Finals last year
with UB's playing Symmetra.
You got second place in the Champions League
with UB playing Symmetra.
But you'd like to be finishing in those placements
without the need of playing Symmetra as well.
And that's kind of what we saw in the pre-season bootcamp,
actually, with Twisted Minds.
They did come out on top, with J-Woo in the mix as well, going head to head against the likes of Falcons, Crazy Raccoon.
But I feel like any opportunity you can get of just continuing to improve with J-Woo in the roster over Yubi,
I feel like that's a good move on Twisted Mind's part.
And also I want to remind people at home, this is a Twisted Mind theme that in Stage 1 regular season,
they were listening to music while they were screaming and playing their opponents.
And so they're coming into this one, quite calm and collected.
Tm rolling out with a hot dive comp and they're going straight back to spot and they see Capashin
They're like, you can't die back. I'm like, fray against you, Hassan. Wow.
It would have been wild, it would have been wild. It's not gonna come out though.
It's gonna be Capashin nearer, but a Maga and a Reaper are the choices for Tm, so they want to really push the pace.
Aiznom is gonna get tested.
Aiznom is definitely going to get tested. Kevser opportunity here on the Tracer as well.
poke and fraud and get on top of Simple and Jaewoo in this one, but right now she's just
about to slow me to turn over.
Tempted rock here out of Eisner, but that creates an opportunity for Jaewoo and TB2T
MT to get on top of this Sigma.
Isle of Wolt's line for now, now pushes forward into Jaewoo's reaper, forces a lot of cooldowns
out of the frontline, but the cap does come through, so TM getting the most out of what
they want out of this gash in and over the top.
Nice defensive cleanse, kind of keeping him alive though, but a big stop for the Maga might
just overwhelm, bashings off the field now, down to a low numbers engagement, and Kevster
and I's now finding kills down to the last few, but with the Kierkoff.
Keep it to the center here.
Oh, there's no way to command this right.
Surely not.
Oh my, tanks through the poles even.
He's going to eventually run down, but the Kevster does.
Okay.
Get that clean out.
Yeah, and that's where this pro coming in, like the second half of this fight, they're
just doing a lot of impact.
Kevster on this tracer having so much impact.
A little bit of a change up of course here, you know, Cyclops playing the Bastion Kevster.
Over on the tracer, he's so fantastic at.
It's going to be about his pro in control here.
Red ultimates at their disposal.
See how Twisted Minds try to retake this one with the aggression from Laga.
The Cap Bastions are relatively quiet in that one.
Cap-Nap though is available for funny astro.
Blue sports into an aggressive position trying to put some extra damage down in the frontline.
A rush comes out, front land and fix it with the catnap.
The other team able to profit much of it so far, but just in mind, starting to run most,
starting to run out of gas, cage fight comes in, no eyes on him.
Does he have the support to do this? For now, the answer is yes.
And BP, once again, in the deathmatch, finding the better of their opposition.
Jayman will find a couple of kills here, but surely even the way the third kill came in,
maybe this is one of all, but the rest of his team is on respawn.
It's surely just a matter of time.
Oh, there's a stick.
Oh, what's that?
Oh, he almost dies in his own pulse.
That is way too close for comfort.
They're back here, though.
They got positioning on the road to the point here.
And that gets in rushing out.
That damage that Aizan was meaningful, right?
It was too low to hold forward.
And with the rush coming in, simple, it's going to ensure an easy flip.
I think VP, though, going to be alright giving up a flip in exchange for a rush.
Kepster in the back room with the pulse on the zone.
Just in mind, so the bank is dry now.
And I stopped stepping up to the plate
Yeah, I guess they're really going to put pressure on the simple here. Susu deployed as well
So Ketzer is doing work in the back line here setting up for this fight, but just in lines
Being wary here all for his pros aggression. We just swing going with ports any second here
Bastions winning in the sky a little bit of a duel here. Kepster coming in on the flank though
Maybe you can work a pick onto this Kiriko simple sends him packing post-haze the psycho actually wins the fashion duel this guy TV and T
now in bolt desperation mode trying to trade out with the sigma the support
is good but it's not good enough kevster sing tracking there onto the cap for a
cleanup yeah but it's profiled real comfortable with this sigma composition
tdmt can't really get anything going with this maga being poked a lot to kick
off these fights doesn't really have a great cardiac overdrive timing and so
caught off guard a little it's been psycho coming out on top of this bashing
dual so far 80% accounting for this problem they got five
ultimates in the back.
the cat coming into the ceiling but okay they won't be able to touch the point in that one and
all right what around for VP? Yeah we're just pro looking fantastic so far with ice playing at the
Sigma here, good coordination not overextending themselves, Kevster doing work on the tracer
all to me while 11 and 0 from Kevster that's what we'd love to see doesn't leave the lobby in damage
because that's ice known with 7400 when twisted mines I mean you could make the argument maybe
that Mauga look it's not going to be their best look possible. They'll be
feeling a little bit uncomfortable there on the ruins and they get a better
attempt as we move towards Lighthouse and well for the remainder of this map
itself. But it's definitely a good sign for this pro team that hasn't really had
any good record here against Lizzy Mines. Yeah as the Divas come out looking to get
potentially a full mirror here. Uh-oh Psycho got kind of left behind on the
batch. He's gonna be a little bit late to the party. That actually gives Quartz
position here on the lighthouse itself see if that affects much in this this
fight starts to break out trying to keep an eye out for the tracers here as
well as J-Wing Tepso we'll be battling this will be fastened
it's posturing for now turret mode comes online Zyko has aerial control here
oh my connections are crazy Zyko absolutely beaming with the tank form
Like I don't see
Yeah, in this in this matchup
You don't see we'll take that perk because of the aerial duel, but then Cyclotus is maybe I'll just get every shot
And even a boob of the map to get that extra old charge. I still see 60% already
Funny asked her in a little bit of a dogfight here up in the sky. He's gonna have to head back to the spawn
Yeah, I feel like that's a really interesting tidbit you bring out there as well
We seldom see these passions go towards those missiles like you said because it's more difficult to kind of get the
advantage in these aerial jewels, but Saiko making it work. That's one time though. Can't
you kind of keep that up for the remainder of the map? I would argue to Saiko at this
advantage for these kind of jewels right here.
Yeah, of course, trying to force the duel right now, but I like that from Vixx, it kind
of kites away. Lies at this time. Now there's a tank form advantage if Saiko wants to use
it. I'm also working to clear off this Higer. Knows the enemy is taking a real strong position
there, Jericho. Uses that Blink, J.Boo with a recall out as well. Skills being forced
One by one here, but still no kills on the fight.
You two, use Tier 4 Simple. Twisted by Thunder, a lot of pressure here still, and J.Will drops low as well.
Kepster, just a thorn in their side for a time being. Just feels like we're in control here, Jake.
It said does go down. Tries to get a little bit too much out of that, but maybe the damage is done.
The rest of the team fighting incredibly well. Artillery from Psycho stabilizes the health bar.
TvT desperately trying to get any kind of a pick off any kind of a trade
But all he's gonna get is a delayed kill off the side. Wow
Beautiful little chase from that's there every single point of damage that could be dealt is found
Actually blink maxing right there
Trying to live outside the angles there, but this is a very strong 70% already Jake like they haven't lost a step here on Ilios
They've been looking fantastic so far to send mines
They have the ultimates available, but don't really have any positioning.
Where does pro they just get like strategically the one step ahead right now?
Comes forms out from psycho and quartz
Focusing on that count will try to avoid the one-to-one of this guy so far the strategy is working in simple
Ghost town the carry without the rush not gonna be doing much of anything
What's also stunned by the catnap and fix it gets to kill the sky that is gonna be a map win here
Surely TGNT with one HP in the south front is not going to be able to get this one done.
Full desperation, and yeah, no touch can come in.
Wow.
And okay!
Alright.
80% increase in the maps won by Virtus Pro over TM so far this year after that alias.
Um, channel points better?
How we can channel points better?
Is channel points better?
Is channel points better?
I bet cancel is funny though.
I'm trying to stack.
Oh my god.
20 and 0.
That's your castle nuke?
Wow.
That's a scary stat line, what a creative play, this is for sure an intentional strap
from Psycho and Fixa, they go to tank form, I can't believe he kills force out of the
sky, we're hitting like every single shot, we're on quartz POV and I just can't believe
the enemy Bastion is tanking him and that he's actually winning, but then the rest of
the map they avoid the duel in the sky, they recognize okay look your regular form is going
to be a hard to fight in the sky but the tank form is incredibly powerful at dealing with
somebody like Kiriko or any or Tracer even right any of these heroes that are on the
low ground it's probably more reliable to get those fights so these connections look
how many shaggots there's six of them! Dude that is backfill is crazy I was like I hope
we can get his POV because that is something wild that he just did that's a that's a frag
It's a fraglipping beat. If I'm twisted mines, I don't want any of this smoke now.
I'm like, okay, look, you beat the hell out of us on Ilios, we don't want any of that.
And look, okay, Cope maybe twisted mines, you know, coming off the back of Champions clash,
you're thinking like they're taking it easy, but meanwhile, where does Pro,
they might have been the team that is just intensely practicing, like working really hard to improve themselves.
And it seems like that's really paying off right now.
That was a tactical masterclass, just like the positioning, both on ruins.
And then, like you said, them navigating the third mode from Toast and Mines themselves.
It feels like for this pro, they had a really good understanding of the game and how to play that composition.
And that lent them, you know, 2-0 win here on Elyos.
Yeah, I feel like this is a VP team that looks to be growing.
You know, I honestly don't think T.M. played like a really sloppy game.
Like, they were showing a lot of their signature playmaking, a lot of their aggression.
But VP were just able to dance around it incredibly well.
To see the tracer go deathless, I mean, that's a standard bearer performance from Kevstar.
It really sets the tone.
And for J-Woo, I mean, he's got to be sweating just a little bit after that map, right?
You know, the way Champions clash went, that you got subbed out, obviously, there's like a bigger strategic point.
It's not about you as an individual, but for a young player like J-Woo to be going up against Kevstar,
I mean, this is a critical kind of a matchup to be winning.
If you want to really, you know, lead the way for your squad and show that these flanker looks
can be a massive strength for TMS.
We saw on stage one that they absolutely can,
but we'll see if that comes to fruition as Rialto is the pick from T.M.
What do you make of this, Johnny?
Yeah, this is an interesting pick from Rialto.
You know, quite a few options available, two-tistered mines here,
but I feel like you just kind of have to just dash the dreams of a replica
of what happened on Helios immediately and maybe try to get rid of this
Jetpack cat Bastion composition, rather.
that Virtus.pro look so expert on. I feel like twisted minds, they just want to be in the flow state.
You know, play the classic EMEA compositions, don't overcomplicate things,
don't add all the verticality that the Jetpack Hat brings, if can be here.
But they're definitely going to be on the back foot for the rest of this series.
Not quite sure if they deferred this ban to Virtus.pro who get rid of the AR first.
I mean, I think TM just like this map and they're sort of flexible that
rather than coming into it and thinking like there's some whatever crucial hero
we need to get rid of, they kind of keep a little bit of control over the the
band phase by being able to respond. So okay, yeah, Laurie's ban, yeah we're gonna
get rid of the Sigma as well. And I will say for TM, the Sigma is what kind of
destroyed them. I think about Crazy Raccoon. They took Crazy Raccoon to this
map the first time those two teams matched up and Crazy Raccoon just
obliterated them with the Sigma, Mizuki, Pope, Komp. It was just not really a
contest. So for TM, I don't think they love playing the Sigma. I think for TVNT, I think he prefers to
bring a little bit more pace with his tank choices. And so by banning this right now, I think TM
ensure that this one's going to be a little bit more of a comfortable magic. Yeah, maybe you feel
like, well, Virtus Pro, they can either kind of play the Jepet Kat Bastion or they can play around
the Mitsuki itself. So we'll just get rid of the one that they don't protect ban for in a scenario
like this if you're twisted minds you're kind of facing two devastating
compositions that Virtus.pro could be really good at and so you know what's
the necessary point of like removing one of them if you just get the other right
that'd be a bit of a waste of a band there so in this case removing the
Sigma ensures that Virtus.pro won't go to try and shame that again so when it
comes to that slow approach either. Yeah, and Paisnam has impressed me right I feel
like his time has gone on for him as a player not only the stronger does he
seem to get and the more coordinated with this team as they look to gel this year, but also
as individual plays. The flexibility looks fantastic on the Sigma. I mean, not many
think players are going to feel great playing a Sigma into twisted minds of all teams. Try
to run you over, trying to just kind of obliterate you on those right flanks, but the frontline
held strong for Aiznom, especially on ruins. It looked to be a huge asset for the team.
So taking that away here, I don't think it's going to exactly worry Aiznom, but it does
I mean, we're likely to get something like a D.Vamir I would expect here on Runosopy, which is going to be more comfortable for TVNT to be sure.
This is a crucial map though. I mean, you're not going to be able to get this one done, I think, with kind of like cheeky comps or weird plays.
This one's going to be more straight up. But if you get the win here for VP, it really starts to look like your series.
100% that would be a change in how we perceive these two teams in the region itself.
I'm quite curious to see what the Virtus.pro decides to roll out with here for the most
part right now.
It's going to look like Cycle will be on this May.
We'll still play this Mizuki, but with a Ramatra instead of the Bandai Sigma in this
case.
And I feel like Jake, this is a Virtus.pro team that has the opportunity here to flex
their muscles a little bit.
We're in a bit of a meta right now where a lot of stuff is viable, but not the conventional
lose your carry as much you can play around that it may be this is where
vortus pro when they have psycho and kevster they have land on in the mix
here as well this is kind of like a good opportunity for this pro here to try and
get a compositional advantage of our twisted minds team I think what to play
a little bit more conventional sorry to be played here j. wujic's a nice school
of the head on the scouting mission it's gonna have to take a little swap off the
I'm going to consider how they want to approach this. It will be the Pharah.
For VP, it's a rush comp, but with no speed utility from the support.
So a little bit of an interesting choice. Tm are going to like to go for a pretty heavy range poke setup.
Kepster absolutely lights out in Champion's Clash. Can you repeat that here with the pressure from J.Woo in force coming in?
Yeah, I think it will be quite a scary prospect for this pro here in, better of late, 20 seconds when Twisted Minds are able to take some of these angles.
with these angles, you've got Hope coming in from the MRA, Hope from the Mora as well.
You're not going to have a lot of mobility on the side of this Pro SMP, a bit of an engagement
takes place here, but after this initial engagement, how do you deal with this poke, Jake?
And if I just play things slow, not give any opportunities.
Oh, he hit a greedy peek from J.Boo, maybe expecting to get healed a little bit quicker there, but Kevster
shuts him down with a delayed two tap, finds another head shot just before we come off the
the B.O.B. and IZOM really get into the business now to the frontline.
Bormund's IZOM is going to have to back off and play this corner, but in this hold, which
really scary, J.W.G. goes over to the tracer, maybe he's going to try and break things up
in the back line, but it seems like a scary one, he's trying to break through, someone's
going to heal Kepster, okay, they do get him stabilized back up, that was way too close
for comfort, but a rush has been built up by land.
The Envers Pro needs this kind of stabilizing incoming fight. Overwrite protocol comes through. Big damage dropped here.
Lannung counters with that rush for the time being. Of course, doesn't really have the angles here.
It's getting to me. Big hits in. But a much later rush from Symple should dominate this high ground.
How will VP elect to fight this? They're gonna drop down and try to flip the map and maybe play a little bit under.
TVNT looking to break through the shield, but eventually Aizan is just out of resources here on the point.
Full energy Zarya overwhelms the defenders and at this point for VP, they're just trying to die fast and avoid a stagger.
But I think it's too late for that. This is going to be first point cap, VP, a little sloppy to die up the cart and not get a recon test here.
Unreal.
And Twisted Minds do their part on the offense as well, draining the resources from the defense, keeping the pressure on.
And then when the opportunity is there to strike, they do so, take out Virtus.Pro and this slower Ramattra composition in V.
and twisimized now here on the high ground
They're going to come up on our post grab combo, but Landon has to sues to available for that as well
Dead eye from Kevster
Zone some players away. Here comes the ground with the sanctuary make it very hard to get follow-up and Kevster shuts down J. Who on his way in
Damage coming in cross the board and Kevster gets tested and passes man simple
Thought he could get a cheeky little swing there, gets instead just a bullet to the head.
And VP, I mean, they didn't recant his first point, but that means they brought a lot of ultimates here in a second.
Feeling quite comfortable on this defense for the time being.
You know, a well-timed blizzard here could just like, put, just a nice under-tank as well.
It's just going to be a nemesis for...
Eyes, no, just dominating here and it's clean up from the rest of the team.
Jake, we talked about Champion Splash, Kevster.
One of the best damage players in the game. It doesn't look like he slowed down to start off stage 2 here as well.
He's playing his best Overwatch right now.
No, I mean in this style from VP, even without the speed, right?
Whenever they find that opportunity, they sense weakness in the frontline from TN.
They just immediately dive forward.
J.Woo is far behind with the pulse bomb.
Getting a little bit pressured by Fixa, who's kind of happy to take these trades.
Oh, wow! Wow!
Fixa!
Okay!
Just a little gap in here.
And now, if the annihilation comes out, I think this might be a little bit overeager for Heizlum.
He's gonna fall back.
The override protocol also just uncapped you, right?
A little bit deeper the peeks there.
So, VP, maybe a little bit of overconfidence in this one, but still, the stairs hold looks comfortable for them.
Yeah, and this is where Tristimine's need a double support ultimate.
We cannot close this gap, but a lot of pressure at the beginning of the first...
Oh, sorry, uh...
Sorry, I'm getting overwhelmed. Maybe he gets a bubble just in time and they're over the rave stabilizing?
But it costs him his life, he has to hit so much, now the freeze comes in, and you're just out of bubbles, out of life.
But Rosh provides a lion's share of the value there, landing huge impact on him on the character of that fight.
100% that support of Nathril is so much worth for this pro.
And that was a good opportunity for Twisted Minds.
It felt like the right timing for them, but for this pro, don't let them take their turn with the support of Nathril in hand now.
Who's in mines? Once again, competing here for space all towards the high ground. It's going to be a better from chemistry
Thinking about getting a little bit of a peak here, but ultimately just buys a little bit of space
Russian grab available fix that has to find the perfect sanctuary here TV and T's looking to slot in a grab
For maximum impact may well up in his face hiding away from the rush for now
There's gonna be an opportunity to send this grab and he's a little scared knows the sanctuary to come out defensively
Oh, forced upper-fix action. This is huge.
Tm now, fall back. They're gonna wait at the sanctuary and go for the re-engage.
No proper response to the grab. Just some incredibly tanky players,
and it looks like the grab is good. Hold on, may wall.
Stabilized players for now. The follow-up's not there.
It just stays alive. Eyes on now. Hold that point.
He's a ton of support, and he's gonna get it now.
The rush comes out from landed. Go time.
Four. Burst. Oh, Tm?
Forts has to find something from this override protocol.
They need some kind of a kill, but the rush to stay is just too much.
Oh and Quartz goes in, quite a bit too aggressive and Kepster punishes him with some toward that mistake.
Could be Virtus Pro here.
All those ultimates coming out on top, finding the picks required.
The shot twists the mines down and surviving that override protocol, surviving the Graviton Surge as well.
Just a great job ever to spot buying themselves enough time to turn that fight around.
And that's final pick on the Quartz there.
That's the difference maker that allows Virtus Pro to press the gas.
There's going to be a Freya swap here for Quartz.
I mean, we've seen a little bit of Freya here today, Jake, but I don't know.
It does look good against the Cassidy at times, but this is an awkward spot, maybe you can look to play around the outside.
May is going to be a huge problem here at Psycho's Blizzard.
If this isolates to somebody like TDNT, this fight is done and dusted.
I sound like the annihilation as well.
It's hard to see how TM can win this one. They have to play for these support ults, but they feel so far away as overtime starts taking.
I mean, you're running into a blizzard and annihilation. This is so brutal. DV&T lives as long as you possibly can, but, you know, the kills are just an inevitability.
the Virtus.Pro get this one done with some beautiful, aggressive early game fights,
staying in charge of the ultimate economy, finding individual playmaking.
I think a lot comes down to the moments like those Graviton surges, like, do we see any
grab value at all this game, Johnny? I mean, every time, whether it was the Sanctuary,
whether it was the Maywall, the Rematch, you're just being tanky, it just proved to be too
difficult to get those grab connections from TVNT.
Yeah, like you said, the Sanctuary at one time, and then J-Woo dropping to Kevster as he approached with the Pulse Bomb,
and then the second time around, I mean, that was great play by Voters Pro, you know, dropping the Maywall,
they dispersed as well, trying to move away from that Graviton surge, so it was only really Fixa that was caught in it,
so good job by Voters Pro surviving that one, and then flipping the tables onto Twisted Rines, like this is a Virtus Pro team,
I'm just playing really smart Overwatch right now.
They're having the edge when it comes to the back and forth,
taking their turns and securing some of this ultimate value.
Twisted Minds trying to force it a little bit here at times.
And for Team, that's got to be a frustrating one, right?
Because, you know, a very similar style is what really put you on the back foot
in the Champions class would kind of forced you to, you know, go towards the Symmetra.
And here once again on Realto, I mean, they make it a little bit further this time, right?
third first point and a respectable push into second.
So an absolutely winnable position and TM picking this map,
they know how strong this defense is.
For VP, how are they going to look to break this?
For now, it's the Cap Ashton and I love this look on offense.
Right, the ability to break these defender setups
by just hitting from completely unexpected angles.
Ooh, okay, that's a little scary for the outro.
Oh, my God!
Okay, that's so close.
All right
All right
Great stuff Kevser will be over through the tracer here can maybe combine the cap and license on this bastard damage
What I assume I'll be forced to stick on the car through the Ramatra
Just make sure you have some cap. Okay some extra open the charge here for J. Woo
Yeah, the car cup on is non. It's gonna slow your roll
Tiana being really aggro. They're not letting this cart roll for free at all
Which is massive because I think this cap bathroom with the ram is really looking to just kind of distract you with the bastion
Wow, you know, your own Ramatra pushes the part, but the pressure coming in is going to be pretty heavy on eyes now.
Yeah, you should be able to survive that for the time being though.
But Twisted Minds, you're gonna have to either pick off Tester here to buy some extra space,
or some pressure on the cycle here for the time being.
But it's probably still moving this payload here.
Twisted Minds kind of caught inside this little house area.
Look at this angle though bashing kind of has a cheeky peek on them from behind quartz trying to challenge back the other way, but
It wasn't such as night is over here
He's holding the payload, but this is gonna be a lot of damage pumped into TV and T
This is gonna be a crucial fight for jwe has to go back to the team the map control starting to slip away
And the kills come through cycle takes down quartz now. It's up for jwe to do something with cap passion
Hovering in the airs outside. What can you really do at this moment, Kevster?
Blood in the water for him, looking to get this chase down, but Psycho just tank-formed over the top for the kills.
I mean, this one, they just got picked up. He says, Johnny, I mean, this is just an outplay strategically from VP.
Yeah, Twisted Mind's struggling to find those picks, try to make those plays peeking out here and there.
Just looking like he's going to be a very tough contest there as well. Twisted Mind's...
We're gonna go for it with the Moga here.
Okay, there's a few seconds.
The support is coming in, but the rush is gonna be overwhelming.
Sanctuary on point, but it doesn't matter.
VP are gonna fight inside it and happily.
K.Woo, just delaying the inevitable. The ult trade's not bad.
Going for this fight, you're running a little bit of clock down, but...
And man, VP, it's like sort of a slow and steady, but you have four minutes going into second point.
And still, I don't know what the answer is gonna be for this Cap Bastion.
flanking you and then to very much the same strategy available here on second
point going over those right side rooftops. Yeah it's so scary at any time
this bastard can't come through like they're doing right now they're just
shooting to some of the back here hurting them into this house and look
where's pro they're gonna keep pushing this payload for now to some lines forced
to engage here over the way but it's not enough. I don't know hold on does go
down see if this artillery forms good enough it's not enough to get Psycho
out of that one, does fall off the map, but that's a late kill on a simple. It is nice and even later
fine on the capture does kind of slow down this offense and Aizan is going to go over to the D.Va,
recognizes that the mobility is just going to be too valuable against this model.
Yeah, at least we're just pro, they don't have to go all the way back here, they can push up a little
bit, just in case they want to wait for their spawners. Aizan's contesting here, dropping a
lot of armor actually, has it slow it slow a little bit, he needs to pocket a reset here.
Yeah, definitely needs to slow this one down, you not want to lose the D.Va suit early, and with
with J.Boo and Quartz battling here really nicely.
I'm interested that Kevser holds a little fight
with this one.
They really want to play the Virte Callity game,
but I feel like Quartz now has a strong position
to hold the line in this series.
See what he can find.
He's on the low guard on this cast
and he could be flanked and hit from all sides.
Definitely going to be a lot of pressure
out of his simple crumbles first.
Now peeking up under this high ground,
maybe a little ill advised.
Quartz knows he has to do something with true heroics,
but they're just not enough to do K-Trite is out,
but Mav is not going to win that one, the ball won't go in the cycle he takes through if a buddy Astro gets the cleanup.
That's a standstill moment. That's a standstill moment.
Furious losing Marmek right there, but this is now, Twisted Minds having to go for a bit of a last fight attempt here.
Khorz only has the Jedi to work with. Obviously in Virtus.Pro they can't really push here without their D.Va in place.
But one fight, two minutes, fifteen to go here for Virtus.Pro.
Twisted Minds really been on the back foot this entire time against this vast new composition.
Aizan, over to the Rematra.
Wants this matchup.
Face-trading into an enemy Brig, but Landon with the Rush could just break the back of this defense.
Quartz needs to find something here.
The Rush is still being held by Landon.
D.Va starts to get low, but as OT is now forced, you've got to stay in this contest.
Quartz, dead by Suck Connects, but it's not enough to kill Kepster.
And the Rush on the point is just drastically outvalued.
And they have nothing left in the tank.
And Verbus, bro, with a dominant win on Twisted Mind's map pig.
This year, everything is topsy-turvy in EMEA today. VP came to play, battling potentially for the number one seed in EMEA up 2-0 in the series right now.
Wow. Wow, what a series from Virtus.Pro.
Your channel points are not safe. They are not safe.
I'm 1600, okay? So it's not a big deal.
The betters are starting to count the bills. They are beginning to count.
It's not what you want to see as a Tm better.
This is a team that can make a comeback happen, but that is a lot to ask for because this is a VP team.
Like, how do you beat this? They just have the tactical download.
Tm are running with what has been so effective for them in the past, and they are still one of the best in the world at it.
But this is a VP team who has spent the last month essentially preparing for this just to be tm
Yeah, course just wasn't able to kind of play his game here on the Cassidy and when you get course opportunity to try and hunt down
Some of these targets he will find the pigs in the server when you're playing with this Missouki
Like I don't have a lot of mobility to peek around these corners
And you can get all the pocket you want but the bastion the tracer is just going to be overwhelming for a twist of mind's team that
can't really contest this aerial kind of composition here so Twisted Minds are
struggling big time in this meta to adjust so far, Kevster popping off Psycho
doing great work on the basing here as well. This is a if you're watching for
the first time here you might be thinking like over this probably are
this fantastic great team and they are but Twisted Minds they should be the
top dog in this one by far. It's really interesting as well to see this a little
bit of a roll swap for Kevstar and Psycho, although not fully, right?
Like Kevstar is clearly still the core headscan for the team and Psycho is still the flex player.
But because of both of those players incredible range of hero versatility,
that they can go to something like realizing, hey, maybe in this comp, maybe Psycho is better on the
Bastion.
Kevstar and the signature Tracer, it's hard to argue with that.
You know, that's one of the things when it's like, what only disappointment from how good
Kevstar is at Cassidy is that he's not going to get to play Tracer as often.
But in the Cap Bastion comp, it feels like it fits perfectly.
It's not like the Bastion is playing a conventional hitscan playstyle.
If anything, it's a little bit more of that zany positioning that you almost want your
flex player to bring.
And then you just have one of the best tracers in the world from your core hitscan and capster.
So, VP, I think finding something here that not many other teams would be able to replicate
to their same degree of success.
Yeah, and maybe this is where the pro needed.
They needed a composition like this to like really flip things on its head,
Twisted Minds dominant team when it comes to some of the Lycio-Kiri,
some of the Wu-Yang that's been played in the past year as well.
But this Bastion-Cat thing, it's really changed up the meta in professional play.
In Virtus.Pro, they're reaping their rewards from all that practice,
thinking about how do we best get our engagements off.
When you play this Cat Bastion, you saw that on the alio,
so just one step ahead of Twisted Minds.
And then as well here, the way they're beating down,
Twisted Minds who are kind of stuck in this house area.
Whereas Pro, they feel like they are by far the better meta team right now,
and it's Twisted Minds looking for answers as we go towards Hollywood here,
which we haven't seen in quite a while.
Yeah, no one picks Hybrid, and really nobody picks Hollywood.
So, this is an interesting one.
And the Bans, once again, it just...
It feels like me and the surprise team don't want to ban Cat Bash in here.
Me? Is this going to add for it?
I guess I could see Kevashin not working on third point.
Maybe first point is actually a little hard to Kevashin because there's not so much room in the enemy backline
to actually play behind the defenders.
Yeah, maybe. I feel like on the second point it might be a little bit exposed.
That could be quite scary depending on if the defense is set up or not.
I feel like Vicky and I have the opportunity to play for the Sigma now if they want to as well
The Sigma ban was deployed on the alto.
That's right, like, same match ban.
Maybe you can just play, like, pretty safe, play default, play meta.
You obviously have the advantage against twisted mines,
so I think you're quite comfortable, regardless of whether you're playing the bashing cat
or if you're playing the Masuki Sigma here.
It's a twisted mines team that is kind of, like, forced to look for answers here.
That's a good point.
I'm a huge believer in the Sigma on first point, at least.
I think second, they can get a little rocky.
You may need to make that diva spot, but first point, attack and defense.
It's a very full-holdable map as well like that the first point defense with the Sigma comp can get brutal for the attackers just
Getting picked the pieces by spam all the way through the choke point and all the good presents quite a few of those
You know your your for Tm. This is a must-win map obviously and
VP I feel like they're still gonna have more or less everything that they would want in this series
No, Symmetra does mean at least there's not like these like crazy cheeky
you know teleport into your back line with the you know may or something and
just overwhelm you but it still feel like the options are pretty wide open I do
think I just don't think we'll see cat fashion at least as much on Hollywood I
think there's enough bunker rooms and like places with you know vertical cover
close to the cart where yeah I feel like course gonna have is these weren't cut
out for him on hitscans to be able to show that now yeah and maybe you were thinking
there's a little bit the Symmetra back to be kind of like you said the thing that
shakes this game up and so getting rid of that as well you're at least forcing like a very you know
conventional kind of approach there and maybe that allows you better to play these angles and pick
apart the composition that's worth offering because what you don't want is for this pro to
kind of like flip the script either with the Cality of the Cat or with the rotations from the
cementer teleporter itself and now maybe you can like get back into the game of a Twisted Mines a
little bit but I'm gonna flip the script here Jake and I'm gonna say that I actually think that
that this is a good thing for those in mind
that they're facing some stiff competition in EMEA here
because this is a team that I think really need to figure out
how to overcome some of these problems
with J-Win the mix.
If you just, you can give your thoughts on this,
but if you're just dominating your region
and you're buying me out with music as well,
like that doesn't really like benefit you.
Like overall, as you get to the international tournaments,
you know, maybe you can have a bootcamp before
you play Korean teams, that's fine.
You level up that way.
But I feel like having a team
is pro here in the EMEA region, it's really good for twisted minds because it ensures
they have really good practice for the rest of the stage going into the Mises Intervention.
Yeah, I think across the board you look at EMEA, this is not just a one team region where, okay,
TM can upgrade international results, but the region overall may be not as much. No,
like there's been more and more competition and I think having a team as strong as TM,
it has lifted other opponents to now be serious threats then, like you keep practicing against
this, you know, world champion roster in Twisted Minds, you get better and better.
And we're seeing the fruits that from Virtus.Pro.
I'd argue we're seeing that in the last series from Katzia, right?
Like, you know, there's room for motivated players, hardworking teams to actually rise
through the ranks.
And I would be surprised if we see more and more like really top level global teams coming
out of EMEA.
You know, I think this is going to be especially with a win if VP can get it here.
A statement for them about their ability to compete on that international stage.
If you can be a team here, you know, we saw sparks of that greatness in the Champions
Clash.
The Mid-season Championship in Paris could be an amazing moment for Virtus.pro.
Yeah, if you're a Virtus.pro, you lost to Sadavision and you lost to Twisted Minds.
There's not a lot of teams stopping you from reaching the podium, so to speak, at the Champions
Clash, right?
And when we move over to Mid-season Championship, it's going to be three teams from either region.
It's a much bigger tournament, right?
And then you start to think, okay, the third team from EMEA, if they're scrimming Virtus.pro,
if they're scrimming Twisted Minds, they're going to have a lot of great practice leading
into that tournament as well.
And maybe we could see a team like GK, I could see like really take it to some of these other
teams in the region as well, and maybe EMEA fully establishing themselves as the second-best
team region here by far.
Yeah, I mean, just the eye test, the games are so competitive.
this series which has been pretty amazing for Virtus.pro. I mean like I don't think
they've ever played this dominantly into TM but the level has been so high I mean
punch and counter punch fights going so deep down to the wire but Virtus.pro has
had that edge you know whether it's the Cap Bastion feeling like it is getting a
lot done or just Kevster and Psycho getting it done on a classic look.
Essentially a mirror here but TVNT thinks he can get a little bit more
mileage out of the ram. He's not once again it could be a challenging spot to
play Sigma with Maywall you know isolating you you can find yourself in
really awkward spots you know I just don't have any of this yeah ice towards the
mace here so many walls will look to be deployed here to try to get advantage
with some ice towards the high ground here Javelin definitely he wants to go
there but of course he's gonna pick up your bike, kevster, but I don't think that will end up in the middle of the game
yeah of course trying to get a little bit cheeky sticking around in the angle
Instead just got his head taken off
TV and he also sticks around and this is going to turn into a full clean up now
Gotta get out of this one. I mean simple trying to get a clutch counter kill back. It's gonna have to teleport back to the spawn but
Quartz is on notice this I mean, I don't this is like the quietest series reports
I've ever seen this guy's always putting up numbers, but faced with Kevster on fire right now
I feel stuff even for one of the goats of the game right now
Yeah, so I'm looking like the game is necessarily suiting him right now and J. Woo as well
You know a mechanical
God here has been forced to flex over to this may and please do mine. So let's figure things out here
And we got flux and kitchen or stuff. Oh here. What's does find a pick here Jake?
lift is out
That I from Kevser isn't able to connect cleanse stabilizes things for now
We rushed to put on the point land and just a little bit too slow it too
just gets it online though and they're gonna commit. Trying to hold on to the spawners gonna
come back into this one. TDNT also starting to drop low. It sounds like it's gonna be mostly a
recent capture. The wants to change the status quo takes a big peek on the high ground. The dual
with ports is crucial to safe scurrying. Stabilizes TDNT even through the blizzard and now a counter
blizzard comes on. Everybody freezing on VP J.Boo. Great connection from him. Forces VP up into the
high ground up there. Actually still holding on still trying to stabilize TDNT. Too much gas in
in the tank for him, no. Still has the annihilation, doesn't seem they'll need it.
If he's still alive with three, Isem's gonna go for the contest once and maybe get just
like one more ultimate force out here if he can.
BigSas going to come back here, approaching a Sanctuary as well.
Just a nice, they have the ultimates here, but we're just broke. They want to make it
expensive.
And they do get that annihilation out, so well played by Isem and the crew.
Taking that annihilation off the field definitely gives you a little bit more comfort coming
into the second point, I mean ultimately I think that fight is mostly decided by, see
I'm just taking so much more spam on the way in that simple has a faster rush and Landon
doesn't have one to respond but I mean the level of play between these two squads is
just peak right now Johnny.
Yeah and this is why I want to see Quartz really come to live here on the second point
you have the high ground secured for you as well so pressure on Virtus.pro now here to
approach the payload and try to get some space of their own. Quartz need to come alive in
this series if they're reversely should be possible get the high ground control
vertus pro playing down under it's an uncomfortable spot to be
I stomp steps out he's a lot of damage on the cross no cover from ports over the
top it's not a place you want to find yourself big set past about the sanctuary
just to stabilize and this looks there's just struggling they're moving through
the low ground I mean they have stopped the cart for now the force just has free
rain on the cart landing simple exchange brushes but every inch that payload moves
was an inch who aren't gonna get back.
Kepture has to defend, looking up in the sky,
trying to brawl into this one.
The flux mis-prevised on TDNT was able
to slip around the corner there.
And Virtus.Pro running low in ultimates.
Maybe Cycle with this blizzard could turn the tide.
This is quite big actually.
Does it actually freeze anyone?
TDNT just barely explodes up and he's so far out.
Now J-Boo has to play his life,
but Cycle does run it down.
There's no assistance left.
Of course, still up on that high ground,
but down here in the lowers, it's Virtus.Pro.
Raining Supreme, maybe even a catch.
Yes, they will. On to TDNT.
Or it has to commit in and try to find something, but massively violent from Virtus.Pro.
I mean, that is a...
I mean, you can't ever state how incredibly awkward that kind of a fight is to play
with somebody like Quartz just raining down damage from above.
Yeah, they make the absolute most of it.
They're contesting the card, buying themselves enough time,
and then the ultimate layering is on point as well.
Obviously the Sanctuary, maybe a bit early, you think,
but that obviously allows the rest of the team to build up the Blizzard
Uh, and the flux did better as well. I still wouldn't get another pick up to J.Boolt.
I would buy even more time for Virtus.Pro.
And they find a way to, and they take some of these awkward fights and make them worth.
Quartz and Kevster are just battling right now, these hitscan tools.
It feels like neither of them miss. It's like, you're just,
if you stay in the sideline for more than two seconds, you will be dead.
Whoever you are. I mean, the raw aim on the server right now is, uh,
pretty rarely matched in competitive Overwatch.
This is such a
So difficult retake though, and you can't have to push the payload here like worked indoors area right here
But I mean testers got a dead eye available. There's rushes so many ultimates to chew through with 90 seconds to go here
Nice little vortex of TV and TV makes it awkward to play that high ground. They're gonna try and just
Force the flip onto the high ground. Maybe now seems like the cart push is the better choice for now
This is good push though. It's kind of hard. Yeah, how you have to play the attack here
Totally isolated, beautiful catch now, a duel up in the high ground and Kevster dominates!
Delete Scorps without a lick of damage coming back the other way.
Disgusting.
A sight to behold, this guy is on fire, Johnny!
He picked up all that momentum in the Champions fashion, he did not get any of it back up.
They're thinking about a spawn hold here, I don't think it's wise for me to be, but you can see why they're starting to feel it.
I mean, full confidence. It is a 10 ultimate fight, no on the cards, Johnny.
How is this one gonna go?
Kevser is coming for the crown in the EVA here, Jay.
I'm just saying, he's coming for the best hip-stand in the EVA crown.
10 ultimates, like you say. Anything can happen in fights like these.
Just a blob.
Yeah, absolute chaos, ready to be deployed. Neither team wants to make that first misstep.
Tristan mines, of course, having to force something.
Even she's trying to make a big plus, comes out.
Oh, pulls Astro out of the Sankspurion. Just go back and gotten from those two ultimates.
The Blizzard is out from J.Woo, but Cycles was very comfortable waiting this one out.
Even if Dead Eye thrown it from Kevster, a Russian landed just to ensure the kill.
I mean, it's overtime.
There's no way back into the fight.
Twisted Minds, he viscerated.
And Virtus Pro, where was this team hiding?
They're making Twisted Minds look like chumps.
This is a team that we're talking about as like choke artists, like, oh, can't quite get to land or fix us sound barriers, all that.
That is just so far away. Landon. Landon. Look, we hyped up Landon. We hyped up Landon in the offseason.
We said this was an amazing pick up for Virtus.Pro, and surely he's had a part to play as this Virtus.Pro team improves over time here.
But this is just an insane glow-up from the second best team in the EMEA.
We're now confidently just making system mines look kind of bad.
I'm sorry. Can we show the stats again?
Aiznab is doubling the next player in the lobby.
Are you kidding me?
This secret damage is disgusting!
What is that?
He's literally doubling the next player in the lobby.
More than.
Well, actually, okay, technically Quartz is, you know, slightly more than half.
But it's that's that is
Top 8 warrior. I mean that is bonkers
It is nuts
TVT has not had a good goal of it. I mean that was a 10 ultimate fight and
It was Canada's twisted minds face planting with the sanctuary and losing two members early as well
And obviously you don't you have the position of disadvantage because the defense has the high ground but still
So, for twisted mindstanders, that's just so disappointing.
Invirtus Pro now here.
Oh, surely not.
Surely not the signature Kevster opening window pick.
That would just be insult to injury.
I'm going to keep it rolling with this Sigma.
It's hard to argue with.
Funny answer is going to go over to the Wu Yang.
Maybe try and put a little bit of extra poke damage down,
recognize the sanctuary value into flux.
It's not the best.
I'm still quite scared if I'm TVMT here, though.
I don't have a lot of tools.
And as the Ramatra here in Virtus.pro, they will have a pretty easy time grabbing this
high ground as well for Kevser home to Cassidy.
So twist in mind, so you kind of like have to make something happen because over time
Virtus.pro will lose composition, they will kind of just overrun you.
Maybe, I mean, FUNNY ASTRO is poking really nicely, but IZDOM spells weakness, opportunity
to push forward, really putting the screws in the back, IZDOM is actually going to step
up and just run down FUNNY ASTRO, full dial-in is from IZDOM, he's looking for more, second
support potentially on the cards, just a sliver of HP and symbol dots on them, he's hunting them one by one, man!
Lysom, just eat them for breakfast, Twisted Minds, they're falling out of the series,
Virtus.Pro about to put up a dominant 3-0 beatdown on one of the most storied teams that EMA has ever produced.
We are in for a doozy of a stage 2, so it would seem Johnny.
I mean, this is essentially over. This is...
Yeah.
...twisted mines, blast grasps here, 76 meters to protect them, the second point.
Trying to make something happen here, but already quartz, stop so low, they're rushed from London as well.
The rush is just devastating, and they're trying to hold, quartz is stuck in the corner, every pulse is lifted.
I mean, Burduspro recognized, I don't know that there's even gonna be a retake here.
Another 5-0 team-life, Zip came in through in the rush himself.
And maybe there's a last touch, simple enough to go over to the Lucio and this is, I mean it starts to look rocky.
They got some ultimates, if they can get a touch off, this fight is winnable, but I mean, I's not in his farm and stats here.
He's not necessarily conserved in the end of the game too quickly, you know, he's uh, uh, oh wait, did they wall, did they wall, did they wall?
Okay, the touch comes in fast.
Well, that's just good and I guess I'll go all the blizzard. It's just a place a couple point man
It's it's one of the classic weapons of overwatch
Does take a shot back man actually gives a new lease on life at TM
Okay, you can find the trade though
Not over just yet TVT cannot leave this checkpoint and kept us just
Raining down fire and fury from above the support though does get in just in time
The Kevster is refusing to yield this position.
Maybe someone could take his head off?
Okay, that could have been massive,
but Kevster just still holding his position.
It's a massive deal.
Just in mind, they're not out of the woods yet.
Yeah, they can't really dislodge him.
I mean, Fonny Astro is poking on the Lucio right now,
but best of luck in that duel.
J-Woo tries to be the man to kind of save this high ground
and remove Kevster, but Kevster just moves behind,
picks off Fonny Astro.
Or so, returns for Tixar.
Opportunity to go with the rush and the lift.
IZNOM sends his opportunity.
Lift connection is good.
IZNOM is better find two on the play.
And TM, it's not even close.
Verna's pro, disgustingly dominant.
Three-zero victory.
This one came out of absolutely nowhere.
I mean, when, I believe there was a chance,
but just a devastation, a decimation
of one of the best teams ever from this region.
I mean, this is a head scratcher.
I I am stunned
Thirdest pro 30 no one had this on their banger card
This was a beatdown this was not close there was not a close map in the series
I mean maybe that too is like a little close. It's not that close
It's not that we're coping to call it close
Never do they get to a one or even a two-fight margin like TM or three fights away from a win in any map
Have they ever had a game like that literally against anyone in the world?
Like maybe Crazy Raccoon in the earlier Magic Champions clash, but
questions have to be asked after this.
Yeah, I'm quite shell shocked.
I can't believe how to say mine's lost this match, the way they looked in stage one and just
tore through the competition second at Champions clash.
And here you are in your first match in stage 2 and you go 0 and 3 against Virtus.pro. Wow
Yeah, this is
This is crazy. The one day I'm actually betting channel betting
What in the world?
I am the big man
I'm the biggest man
You're just clicking and for what?
For what? For maybe a counter-currency. I don't know but man
We're talking about how there is, you know, the tear gap between Twisted Minds MVP, all
of stage one, that just no one quite get to the same level of Twisted Minds.
It looks like we've got the team names kind of, like, the wrong way around from that statement,
because we're just probably at the ground running.
Like, they made this cat fashion look like their meta, it looked so good for them, and
the ball really was in Twisted Minds' core to find an answer, which they didn't.
when we went away from that meta, they still just couldn't quite tag. Also, of course, helps that
Kester is having just like a lifetime performance today. No, that's just Kester. Come on, that's
just Kester. He keeps doing it. Like, at this point, we have to, it's the new normal. This is
Kester's Hitscan era, which is, it's crazy for me that like a player who's been this good for this
long now just has an even higher height that they're able to show us. I mean, incredible stuff. Also
I also think Psycho's Flexibility is really on a sply.
Look at those giving, as a foreign player, that makes my heart sit.
I want to talk about Ice-Dome though.
I think, you know, in the past, we had questions about Ice-Dome and how it fits in.
I think Ice-Dome had like a nominal blow-up, just like this last year, like the amount of heroes he's been adding to his repertoire.
And just the level of play from Ice-Dome has really been impressive these past few months, and especially this year.
Well, young tank players with lots of potential, you know, it's hard to come by.
And we looked at Isenote, we came in towards for last year, we're placed in a stola on the team,
and Smash investing all these resources with, you know, playtime and whatnot to try and get Isenote at speed here.
And it's finally paid off here, where Isenote was this great prospect in the EMEA,
and now is just playing his best Overwatch as well in a Sigma meta like this.
I think it's really difficult for twisted minds here to like ask them to come up with answers,
because we pretty much already in the meta.
And right now, it looks like Virtus.pro,
they're just a better meta team.
There's no answers to that,
because I necessarily get good, son.
So Virtus.pro, they're definitely looking
like the best team in the region right now,
so confident on the best compositions there are.
Now, is this a sign of Twisted Minds resting
on their laurels?
Like, are they falling behind in the meta?
Is this the issue here, Jack?
I mean, it's hard to say, you know,
whether this is TM slowing down
or VP just massively picking up the pace.
I think until we see more, right now,
we got to give a lot of credit to VP
for just really getting into the lab, right?
You know, like a lot of these meta picks
were not really meta until we actually got
to champion the strategy, at least not in EMEA.
People were playing a little bit of a different pace,
a little bit of a different style
that was more suited to TM.
I feel like VP, to your point, Johnny,
that you just made this, they made this meta their own.
They look fantastic, they look incredibly drilled
and comfortable across the range of options
that the meta presents.
For TM, it's more of what has worked for them in the past,
but they seem to be falling behind the times a little bit.
Yeah, I think, I think you pretty much hit the nail
on the head there.
And I'm sure this is gonna light a fire under them though.
And they are still obviously considered a top dog
in the region, even though VP did not make them look like one.
So let's talk to our winners.
We should have Psycho joining us for a quick chat, Psycho.
Welcome to the show.
Huge congratulations.
This was unexpected I think for many of us
because we just always saw you as like the team
that trails just behind twisted minds.
But today it looked like you've downloaded them.
You look like the better meta team,
the better team in general.
Did you expect to topple the EMEA giants
in this fashion today?
Was that on the horizon in your screens?
Any telltale signs?
Well, first and foremost, thanks for having me.
I really, I mean, I said it to my teammates,
I said it to my friends before,
like the script is already written, you know,
like I knew we were gonna win this match,
like I was 100% confident we were gonna win this match.
Also as VP, we just honestly, after champions clash,
we're even like doing that bootcamp during champions clash,
we like really leveled up.
Like everyone saw our match against Twisted
during the Japan Major was like very close.
One can argue we should have won, you know,
like we got full health on Realto.
If we win that map maybe goes the other way.
Yeah, credit to Twisted, they're really good at adapting,
and today there was no chance.
The script was already written.
I love that.
Saiko, I just want to ask you, it feels like stage one,
the meta in what we saw in the regular stage
was very different than what ended up
being the meta at Champions Clash in playoffs, right?
With the Cap Bastion, with the Mizuki Sig,
both really showing their prominence.
How did you guys come off the losses in Japan
and come back so much stronger?
It feels like you guys are honestly a way different team than we even saw just a few weeks ago in Champions clash
Yeah, I agree like I'm not sure how it happened
But I mean we just leveled up, you know like stage one and champions clash like in my mind
I'm like if we lose to Twisted like it's okay, you know because we've only been a team for a couple months
They've been a team for a year. They won world championship. It's okay
We lose but now like this stage I went into it thinking now it's time to beat them
You know now we have to beat them because there's no more excuses
You know, we've been a team for a while and now it's our time and I mean, I was right, you know
It's only regular stage. Obviously we have to keep the momentum going and hopefully we beat them in playoffs as well
Sanko I want to hear a little bit about the meta
We saw you play the Bastion composition and they were perfectly on Rialto, but also on Ilios
Jake was losing his mind at some of the rockets you shot on Lighthouse against the enemy Bastion in the sky
That was peak overwatch right there
But tell me a little bit about the practice between Champions Clash and now, like how much do you actually study how the composition works?
Because this looks like the meta composition by far now. This is the best composition, the Sigma look and sometimes the Bastion with the cat.
Yeah, honestly, I mean, I started playing Bastion yesterday in scrims, you know, like it was like, on the far right.
Okay, all right. Well, here we go. Pro players now. I mean, you guys, genuinely also, and on Ilius today, I picked the wrong perk by accident.
and then I just come out and I'm like,
you broke my perk.
It's the first time ever that it happened to me
that I picked the wrong perk on any hero even,
and it's arguably the worst thing that can happen,
but somehow we just made it work,
and that's just how it goes.
We're like, oh, they're so smart!
Oh, wow, you're playing so well.
I was trying to find an explanation,
so that's like, no one takes this perk in the mirror.
Yeah, no, mid-combs, I was like, okay, guys,
I picked the wrong perk, this is a disaster, okay?
Jack and Joey tried so hard to make this seem like the big brain plays like
Gord had to mentally be broken when you took him down in the sky with the tank form
that was like we were on his computer when it happened and I was like he just
keeps hitting the shots
Oh but who's in the cinema, I'm so excited to see more of you in a squat
What a phenomenal start to your stage too. Thank you so much for taking the time for a quick chat and best of luck in your next match
Thank you guys so much. Bye. Bye
Goodbye, psycho. This is so funny
Weeks of practice
Hero swaps and everything I started paying it yesterday. Oh good
Tealies though like they just knew and sometimes you just know I wish he would have given me that intel before
of it by Channel 1, because I've decided to point.
Rotis Pro, sitting on top, this is a great start.
And honestly, Johnny, I think you mentioned that,
as you guys were setting things up for map 2.
You guys talked about how this is so good, though.
This is so good for the competition.
We needed a team to actually, like,
not just push, twist the bind, but actually make it lose,
make them, like, force them to level up in this competition.
Because ultimately, that will make the rest
of the competition level up as well.
Yeah, producing is learning.
And when you have an opponent like Virtus.Pro,
that means that you can take this opportunity
to level up, of course, because now you're going from,
like, oh, let's take each scrim.
Like, it's a good time, and we're sharpening some more
mechanics, we're making sure we're playing the game
like we should.
But now, instead, it's like, OK, we
got to add one more scrim block to our practice.
We got to maybe add some more board reviews to our schedule,
because this is really good feeling for us to review.
And I think that in turn will lead to Twisted Minds
leveling up as this stage kind of progresses here.
I have no doubt that Twisted Minds,
there's at least second best team in the region,
you can say now here,
they're going to qualify for mid-season championship.
But it's all about being your best
come-to-mid-season championship playoffs.
And I think this could be good for Twisted Minds,
but they get some really good efficient practice
leading into that.
Yeah, Jake, your thoughts after these two matches here
in EMEA?
You know, I think it's exciting to see some,
little bit potential change-ups in the standings. I think after a win like that,
maybe other teams are gonna look at TM and say, hey, you know, while you're
spending that time back at the drawing board trying to adjust, maybe we can
sneak a win off you as well. Obviously, you know, it's not so easy to do what VP
did. They made it look a little bit simple and straightforward, but it is
obviously anything but against one of those teams as good as Twisted Minds. But
just EMEA looks incredibly competitive. My prediction, this is a very early
prediction, I think we're gonna have all three teams who qualify out of EMEA make
a deep run at the mid-season championship.
I think actually all three, whoever they end up being,
will end up making competitive runs.
We could even see a world where as a region overall,
maybe EMEA is the best.
Yeah, honestly, like in 2025 already, right?
Obviously EMEA still the reigning champions,
world champions that is in Twisted Minds.
So EMEA has been on the up and up,
so it's really on NA, Zolosh, China to catch up
to the rest of the competition here.
Also, a quick note, even though series has already passed,
the silver to share it because Trevor put in the work from production. He checked this for fun out
of their own curiosity. So this is in fact the first match win for VP against Twisted Mines since
2025 stage one EMEA regular season. They lost every single head to head they've played since that
point. So I love that. I absolutely love that. The ball is now in Twisted Mines court. So let's see
what they do with it moving on here in our three weeks of ground robin play in
the groups now that's it for Jake and Johnny on the other side of this next
break we're going to have Moxie and Molly and I'll be kicking off NA with
Dallas Fuel against Space Station Gaming don't go anywhere you don't want to miss it
Bye y'all, great cast guys!
you
you
you
you
you
You
Broken pieces on the floor
Like you've been walking on shattered holes
I can't believe I didn't see
But now I'm making nothing but a memory
I think it's time to die
So I can move on
Then I'm the wrong guy
You're not the one I know
I think it's time to die
So I can move on
Then I'm the wrong guy
We've been blinded for too long Now we've got no strength for good
And we've gone, you've got me real close Time to run, time to run
Get my broken heart in line We're moving on, moving on
Moving on, moving on Moving on, moving on
Moving on, moving on Moving on
I'm moving on and on
I'm moving on and on
I'm moving on and on
I'm moving on and on
I'm moving on and on
I'm sick and tired of you
I'm sick and tired of you
All this time I've been
nothing but a pain
There's no more
I'm trying
We're through
How this story ends
And up to you
So I can move on
Then on the wrong track
You're not too long again
I'll take a step back
So I can move on
Then on the wrong track
You're not too long
You're not too long
You've been blinding me
For too long
Now we've got the space
For good
And please don't, you got me
Real close, can't you run
You got your heels close Time to run
My broken heart and mind Moving on, moving on
Moving on, moving on My broken heart and mind
Moving on, moving on Moving on
My broken heart and mind Moving on
I
Know we never choose
Always wishing for something to come true
Why can't you do
Well, baby, you know that love got you
Love got you
Love got you
I have to choose
I'm always a shit for some
Until I come true
What can you do?
Well baby, you know
I look at you
Look at you
Let it go
love got you
love got you
love got you
guys that would be the scheme kill
Jeff's is mad to get tree down
That was impressive
And to get the touch here comes the game cycle with three
Oh, buddy.
There's the tabular limit drag off with the pickup close.
Oh, the can.
After that, through the rescue.
Just in mind, looking to close out the series here and take over the trophy.
Kors has done it so many times before, and they'll do it again.
Here at OWCF 2025 World Finals Champion.
I'm so excited. I'm so excited.
I mean, following that matchup as well from the last one of the EMEA anything can happen.
do that you today. I'm so excited. How are you feeling? Oh, I'm so happy. I'm so excited.
I mean, following that matchup as well, from the last one of the EMEA, anything can happen.
Apparently, anything can happen. There's been so much time between Japan and the matches today.
Meta probably hasn't moved all that much, but a lot of these teams we haven't got to see
for a very long time. So excited to see what they've been cooking up in the back rooms.
Yeah, I think it's the same thing, I mean, a lot of these teams have been going back
to the drawing board, North America, I don't want to say necessarily disappointed, but
I think that they wanted to have a bit of a more consistent result.
And now that you have had the time.
They have disappointed.
Did they disappoint?
Maybe I'm just too NA-brained.
I want to help you, okay?
No, I see, I care about NA, obviously, and that's why I'm disappointed.
You're like a disappointed parent, you know, and that's it.
I mean, you know, I'm not
disappointed. You know, I'm
disappointed. You know, I'm
disappointed. I'm not
disappointed. No, I see. I
care about any, obviously, and
that's why I'm disappointed.
You're like a disappointed
parent. You know, and that's
not angry. We were just
disappointed. We wanted to do
better, and you know, have the
qualifications to go up to
get a stable education and
The Cafe, uh, acquires the Extinction roster, who ended up winning the promotion of Rodegation to join us for another stage.
So congratulations to artists, formerly known as Extinction, and now the Cafe, which I absolutely know.
That's good. So, uh, they haven't changed their roster, that's it, though.
I mean, they've not had, like, the best run, obviously, in stage one, finding themselves in promotion and Rodegation at the very end of it.
They were off to a good start against Team Liquid, out of all teams, right?
like they played a really close match and we're really excited to see more from this roster for
stage one. But then it just they kind of fell off. What do you think they should have been working
on in the time from then to now? I mean, I think it's fair to say, right? All of these teams,
I have to have been working on the Mizuki composition and the cat compositions. If it's the cat
cast or if it's the cat bastion, something that we'll be seeing from EMEA as a whole and even
career as well, who've still been playing that matches is that those two comps are very much
here to stay and you can't simply play around the bands by removing them out entirely.
Yeah and then also of course a big thing to note is that Team Liquid are breaking their
all-american roster streak. They have imported a Korean tank, Korean coach and a Korean support
player. Both the tank player and the coach face are coming from on-site gaming. Support player
Kidd is actually made a short appearance in the pre-season bootcamp for a Chinese team,
all gamers. What else do we know about these new additions, Molly?
I think had experience playing on, at least TAC has played with some of the players that were
currently on Liquid before. A lot of these guys have been in ODBCS Korea, kind of around the
block there. And I think for Liquid, they're obviously the team that has the biggest changes.
It's how well can they fit in the roster. They will be playing from Korea for the first couple
of weeks, just until they can get settled in here on NA. So seeing what they can do, how well they can
slot into this roster, especially Kivis, is going to be what we're looking out for.
Yeah, obviously playing on a bit of a ping, never going to work in your favor, but we're so excited
to see out for our team that we can take it, right? Because they've now already placed third in the
last stages, playoff in the Champions Clash. They were not representing NA. That was, as we already
talked about Dallas as well as SSG and NA struggled. Can this new team liquids what potential be like
the NA hold to flip the script on the international stage?
And it feels like NA is wide open at the moment, right? Because even the teams that went to the
first stage LAN did not perform with the new compositions. So you can't be like, okay, well
obviously Dallas Fuel and SSG have a huge advantage against others because they've already played the
to play the passion and the
cap. No, even when they went
to Japan, they tried to move
away from those compositions.
They tried to do their own
thing. Dallas feel even broke
out the old school Anna Genji
Nano blade on Toronto with
Winston dive as well. So I
think for all of these teams
involved, the ones that we
haven't seen and even the ones
that we did see somewhat more
recently, it's still going to
be everything to play for a
total if you excuse the very
sort of common phrasing
It is straight up just an absolute Wild West outfit for anyone to sweep through that first position
Which makes it so exciting right if we're looking at all three weeks of competition that we have ahead of us
I thought can happen just from week to week as the teams are figuring things out figuring out the meta
Figuring out themselves finding themselves for a bit on a mission there here Molly
Yeah, and they're there
They're on the move and I think it's going to be a lot of quick switches
Like you're getting used to this meta within the course of three weeks
And then you have an even bigger change that will be will be coming out
And I think it's kind of crazy too that our very first match is the top two teams from NA
That's what we get to start with so I think it just adds to more of the anticipation that we have in this mid-journey
Yeah, and if what just happened in EMEA has been an indication
And as big as possible, we do have three weeks of action ahead of us for these teams to qualify
for the mid-season championship, which is happening at EWC in Paris, and the top three
will make it out this time.
So there is definitely an opportunity for the middle of the pack teams to also end
up in that top and represent the region.
Yeah, there's all to play for.
Adaptation is definitely going to be the name of the game, especially because everyone's
going to be watching to see what exactly everyone else is doing, right? We already got to see
the benefit of having one specific composition that everyone thinks will be the meta, hiding
an actual strategy, playing it and catching everyone by surprise and giving them like two
days to try to work out how to play it or play into it. And I feel like America with
her experimental teams weren't even in stage one, right? We had teams trying to run the
Domino, for a little bit we had the Winston dive, even though most regions moved away
from the Winston because he was being outpaced and massively outperformed by things like
the D.Va and the Mauga. There's very much always been compositions cooking.
For the side of NA, they played this really weird widow joust on Nekobase as well, between
the Fuel and SSG on the last day before they even played the Bastion Cat. It was Bastia
cat widow dueling it out. We've had some brine stuff coming on out from their side too. So I feel like America always throws these surprises our way.
That's good though. I love to see that because they cook and we eat because we get to enjoy the fruit of their labor.
Now of course there's going to be another wrench thrown into the works here because we're going to have a new hero coming out in just a few days.
Sheam is the name, dual wielding, the care of pistols,
using this omnidirectionally vade dash, with an over help.
And of course, the joy ride ability, like where she yeets a motorcycle at the opposition,
this is surely going to be a game changer, Molly.
Oh no, I'm so excited to see this come in, especially in more of these flanker compositions.
I think it has the potential to shake up the gameplay, take the spot of a tracer, potentially.
And I think if there is a region we are likely to see her it feels like in a white be the one that's look at that. Yeah, there's so much that this kid has to offer that can play very well in some of these faster compositions.
Which players do you see taking to her very quickly?
to her very quickly I think zero might be good yeah I could see like zero being
being good at it that the problem is as Molly said just that right you're
competing against tracer tracer has been met her another which like literally
since the birth of this game for a reason she's able to do so much you can go
you can take one-day-one deals with the backline you can play the objective you
can try and take space for the rest of your team and yourself sufficient as well. So being
able to just rely on yourself, your blinks, your reforcing, playing health back means
that you're not taking resources from the rest of your team. I feel like she might have
a place that I think it's going to be sort of like scaling up. When she gets her perks,
especially phases of death, like the perk where she gets all sub role passives from
the DPS category is absolutely insane. There's some really broken stuff that you can use,
but that will come at the cost of having to play her until she hits that power group.
It might be one of those scenarios where perhaps if you're going up against a tracer where
you just feel like you're not going to win that tracer duel, perhaps this is a pivot
you can make to just do something different. I'm definitely very excited to see if any
of the players dares pick her up already because she will be available for play next
weekend in Oda Busies, so we'll see if we get to see her in action on the upcoming matches.
Now also, quick note regarding a map pool for the Round Blob and it's the same as H1.
The Nian Chang Cha map is also released alongside Eixion and that one will be the map pool for
the playoffs, so another thing to mix things up for our teams, Molly.
Yeah, I think adding in some new flavor, especially to the hybrid game mode will be really, really fun.
It looks like there's a lot of cool angles that you can take on that map and can slot really nicely in
with some of the ones that we currently have such as Hollywood.
Yeah, now here, look at our schedule.
We are kicking things off with an absolute barnabarader, Dallas Fuel and SSG,
says G the two teams that topped the region just in stage one back at it to determine who's
going to be the top dog for now. Afterward we're going to have Team Liquid going up against
this guy who once again came through in promotion and relegation matches and are rejoining us
here for stage two. Lunex will be taking on the cafe, which is of course a familiar roster
to us as well. I'm going to see who's going to cut them out on top at the end of the day.
Now, here on your screen you see our drops, so we hope that at this point everyone should have
connected their Twitch account to their battle net account in order to earn them. Currently,
I already got the waffles. Some I'm done. I'm sorted. I don't care about the loot box. I just
wanted the waffles. But yeah, these are the drops available for the entirety of our group
safe so listen you're not getting them today you'll get them tomorrow or next weekend you're good
you're fine you're chilling we're chilling as well as we're about to head into such a good
opening match for this very region guys we're starting off with such a stacked one let's talk
about the two teams right and starting with Dallas Fuel uh yes they have a top draw internationally
but we did saw them dominate in an A last stage they were so highly anticipated entering Oda
that. And then they can't
first without dropping a single
batch. That's exactly what we
wanted to see. Yeah, this was
sort of like the redemption
arc. I think for a lot of
people coming back to a bunch
eSports getting to see the
field return to the former
glory that this squad this
name tag was able to carry a
lot of people got into eSports
or even wanted to aspire to be
on teams like this, and it's
wonderful to get to see where
are now in, especially Xiong Jun, I think was one of the main breakout stars for the
America's V1.
Absolutely. Now their opponents today, space station gaming, they came second in the regular
season with a full one-match score. Not a great record against Dallas Fuel as a whole,
having lost all three encounters they had thus far this year. Moni, what do you want
to see from them today?
I'm really, again, kind of curious of how this support line is going to play out. Are
Are we going to get the Mizuji?
Are they going to lean into this more Anna Yari playstyle
that they can kind of pull out?
And how is that going to compare to the deep yes?
I guess going to be a match of styles.
Are they going to get really creative with their thing?
Do they want to march to the beat of their own drum?
Or are they gonna fall back to what has been
more quote unquote meta as of late to take out that as well?
Well, all these questions and so much more
will be answered in just a few minutes
because we're about to head into our first series
of the day here in N.A.
So please Molly and Moxie, take it away.
I feel like we'll get the instant answer
when we see the band draft.
Especially when Dan is still picking earlier, say Molly.
It's like if you don't ban a bastion or a cat,
I think we both know.
It's fair to say you don't need to see the future
to know what composition will be locked.
especially with that being the band draft. Okay, D.va out for the first and then SSG going for a second band onto Tracer.
So she'll have the opportunity to go for a save on one of those roles and they opt out of it.
And taking the D.va out has been one of the main ways of trying to keep that Bastion Cat in check,
which means that I think we'll be having an aerial dogfight in the skies of Ilios to stop things off.
There's no way we're not and you're not picking Ilios without the intention of pulling out the cat bastion
It's not something that the Dallas people enjoy
But it's something that they have gotten pretty darn good at and they themselves are very confident
And they have the best player in every role in the region and they want to show it with the specific composition
My only question moxie is what are they gonna see the tanks play because there is a real angle for
I was gonna say wrecking ball at first with the cat bastion
Maybe a Winston later on in the game. We see for now what they are rolling out with
Are we getting a throwback to the flying pig? Oh, there's some more here, Moxie
We are, we're getting flying roadhogs
So Space Station will actually use Admiral's Teva to put Hawk on the high ground
So now you can get into a good position to potentially hook our chronic old
Mino as we can see Dallas feel just wanting to try to safeguard the cat bastion not going to face tank the roadhog
Yeah, but that unfortunately means that Luke Mino is the one to face tank all of the rules of damage
That's kind of the hard part with Roadhog you sit there
You have like a big circle radius around you of do not enter
I don't get the man it's gonna be difficult to actually take him out killing one last roll through for us as she gets first
Well, that's the thing about the War of War, right? It's really good at being able to anchor that space as opposed to Kelen being able to be in, then I was lethal.
All those takes look mean if I'm totally out. Space Station got the capture, though, Molly, and Dallas Field will eventually have to resort to just walking onto the points.
The engine with that castee could very well be able to shut down some of those flyers, and that should allow them to find the flip.
Especially with the Bastion out of the picture, and you're not really worried about sticking Sun Joon in the open as much.
Hook now gone, Helen. Look into the space. I think the only difficult part is dislodging him from the point.
You're gonna need more commitment, but no, Sun Joon! Throw him right around the pillar!
Those are the zoning tricks, so Fuel will still get that first cap, but they're not fly out of the woods.
Yep, the classic, the zoning ultimate. Fuel will be able to find the playpuff at the back of it.
Ultra Violet. Not going to have one side to kick to nearest just yet, but we'll be able to get it online before Dahlskill have a good answer.
And that should be the flip right back.
Yeah, a bit of a whip there on the catnap, though.
It doesn't really matter much.
There's been a lot of focus from SSG on the song,
on the CJ, those two immobile heroes of the Dallas Fuel Club,
and it makes it so hard for them to stay on the plate,
which Dallas did hold onto that for a couple extra percent.
Yeah, that's one of the things that you have with the wrecking ball.
A lot of really good show potential,
especially when Tom's able to get his perk.
You get that soap shielding as we do have the dog pipe.
We can see that one bastion actually utilises the ultimate to get the extra shielding to
try and survive, but still gets taken down.
In the space station now, Nika positioned to hold onto the space a little bit longer.
We'll probably use things like the artillery strike from Leafwood to try to interrupt the
one-sided rush from CJ, which Dars will be wanting to base this next engagement on.
We're going to need to get to this point fast, especially with Hawk just kind of vibing
on the points.
Those for the hog, Helen, is a bit wide, though, so with the- not a ton of resources, either.
For SSG to work with, at least ones that can get significant amounts of value, mainly in these Bastion trades.
Helen drops the line on the point to try to stop a push.
Gah-ha! The drag's all extracted to the explosive field! Pop goes the pig!
And there's not much else that SSG will be able to do without their tank.
That's how fast that will feel. Can clean up if it will be closer to 1.4.
Yeah, Space Station though, okay, we're having some more of their players that can play a little closer to the point to get that stolen fur.
Ultra Violet burns out the Suzy to survive, so you don't actually have to play out of this fight.
CJ having that one side of Kitsune Hirosh, but Space Station, they've got 0.0% to play with.
They can win one of their own, so you can play some a little bit of time to save a Space Station's approach with the dead eye.
There's Kelin which for a swing by, but so far no one's playing close enough to the well, and it's the whole hog.
There's actually doing the whole work. The Space Station in this fight right now, Katnatt, Lordwog Ultimate, Death Blossom all falls on top.
Does not matter that CJ has one-sided rush. Space Station just have too much damage and totally overwhelm the fuel.
Yeah, can't quite use a Gatsudai rush if the whole hog is shoving you out of its radius, so...
I'll be saying, SSG, taking round number one, and I gotta say, in terms of these Katnash duels, they have been running the ship with it.
I mean, what's the saying? When pigs can fly?
Space station, you won't be able to pull a map of Dallas Fuel!
They always get the one, though. It's not like they get, like, squished every single time they're playing Dallas Fuel.
They just struggle to close it out. I think the later we get into the band phase, when Dallas Fuel
start to find their rhythm, is more when we see that falter, but it's a really strong start on well.
Do you think Roadhog sticks for the rest of this map?
I mean the wrecking was really good here because it's a lot easier it's not just
around like well where you can try and push people off it's on the actual
approach itself to the point which is where Kellan's always been able to
mine so much value but I feel like because space station can literally toe
walk into position to just set on point and hold the space for space station it
will stick because now he's up on the high ground if Kellan tries to go
for the roll around, he goes directly into the hook and just gets melted.
Speaking of getting melted, RIP sugar free, we will see you on the other go.
Actually, a swap there, lethal taking over for the hit scan, and it's actually enough
to take Helen out soon, and Dallas Fuel don't have a great way to get to this point,
although SSG was scared of the Bastion at this time of invention.
We'll get on the objective and see what happens.
Oh no!
the hook on Sun-Jun. Unfortunately the cast involuntarily overextends its dog's position
and Space Station is able to remove their hit scan which also now removes a big counter
component to sugar free on the bastion so you can already get to see Space Station be
a little bit more aggressive in how they set up that tow. Want to look for the flyby with
the turret formed to challenge Chronic who should be able to actually survive the damage
coming through but from lethal and sugar free of the drop of a toy is right for the additional padding of that
Kellen gets the book. He's always been looking for boop secured and point secured along with it
The question is how well can dals hold the space when space station decide to press w?
Well, you have a zoning dead eye. Sondre loves those. Definitely got to see the last round. Hopefully can get a little more
Value just chewing away the catbush this time. And if you're feeling fast the gamma lssg, you're gonna be trying to be into it
Yeah, you can see a leafle just being towed. This is a really good way of also stopping Dallas
Field from trying to catch the space station mid approach. Luke Mino taken down via dead
eye, chronic falling shortly afterwards. Space station already with a two player advantage
in this fight. Just have to make sure that Nolan gets pushed away by the ball off of
the map and Hawks already being able to scout eye count position which means that it's fully
safe for the rest of the team to walk, find the flip and keep ticking that percent up.
It's going to come down to these support ults now and how can you use these consumerists to engage but heck UV already has his moxie
Ask me tricky for Dallas. Yeah, I just want to go now
They have to walk directly into UV so they'll fish for a little bit of poke so that CJ has the match
Hawk at least not close enough to the whole box to be able to prevent it that counts
Just not having fun on this wrecking ball of sugar free being able to totally place this position
gets the ball low enough, Leafle catches his disengage before he can get out.
Soon as he finds the trade onto Sugarfree, and Admiral might go down as well.
And they think it's winnable, but Rushmire comes through from both teams.
Okay, we're gonna fight this one on the point bastion.
That turns into a ground bastion.
It's not for Dallas to move back off, they don't want to play into it.
Catgap from Admiral doesn't really connect with anybody there.
We're just gonna get back to point and safety, but not even out of safety anymore.
Maybe more of this in my field. He gets so focused on that and so on.
And he takes the cat down. His whole hog is so scary, smooth.
The sun's gonna stay on the map. The beast is in the deep.
To back him up, walk at this point, goes on my feet.
It looks more and more like SSG can take this away.
Hawks just needs to stay on his feet.
He's been below the treble digits for quite some time now.
We'll scoot on out to safety.
It's SSG.
Wanna stay there with me, you know?
Catnaps just to get the touch in on to the point.
don't have a clean win condition,
Hawke's in the small room, can't quite get the basket.
Ubi is there to assist, and a celebration dead eye there
from the lethal.
He'll zone this objective further,
one more pesky rodent to deal with,
and this map is as good as done.
SSG starting this map out on a good note.
Yeah, that whole hog, it's perfect.
When we have that rush mirror go out,
and then both teams are getting trades here and there,
you can see the Dallas field are looking to secure the flip,
and then whole hog pushes everyone off of it
and allows SSG to continue with possession of the point,
which means they take up to 92%.
One kill here, one kill there, no ultimates left.
For Dallas Fuel, they quite literally run out of fuel
to be able to close out that fight.
And Space Station walk away, they're very clean,
and I would honestly say dominant.
Like, even though it wasn't 100 to zero,
It still felt like the fights SSG1 were more easily one-sided than the ones that Dallas won, right?
They really did have to kick and claw and scratch their way for every bit of point percent that they could pick up.
Like, pork killing. Like, what do you do into that? As an answer, like, you might be able to get an off-boop onto, like, the Cassidy or the Kiriko,
but you can get hooked. You can get flashbang. The Kiriko can just teleport away.
There's not a ton that he was able to accomplish and even if on paper that can work
We did the classic and I can cook thing where Hawk rolls out on the road hog and just kind of shuts that down
He just played more as a zoning unit for this SSG team
And it helps them control this point and get them to such a high percentage and stop this wrecking ball from
Existing and assisting with the rest of the calm
it was total monopoly of space right for the initial roller especially on
lighthouse you sort of get to see the team split. Hawk gets grabbed into
position so he can look for very early hooks off onto Dallas field but then you
also have the Cassidy playing inside cage so that you're playing right next
to a health pack but you're also covering the ground that Dallas would have
to move out of cover away from where Roadhog could see them directly into
Cass's line of sight when they're actually trying to cross from main onto
the point itself so you're scouting out where the ball is coming from you're
calling it out to your team to make it very hard for them to try to work out
exactly where and when the ball can look for those boobs as we can see that
Dallas feel they've decided to take us to new junk city so one of those points
on first especially where it can be somewhat harder to successfully pilot
the cat bastion this could potentially be the first time that we really get to
these teams try to operate the Mizuki composition with that May, the Symmetra, and the Sigma.
For the tank lineup, it would be very interesting as both of those teams in mid-season didn't really
opt to go fully for the Mizuki composition, so I think this could be a clear difference maker,
and a good indicator that shows what Dallas have been working on in the time where we haven't yet
seen them. That, and I think they developed a small cat allergy after that first map, and that was
Like this is kind of the pick you go to when you don't want to play Kat Bastion.
I have just had word we are not in fact going to New York City.
We are going to Toronto.
Roll back the Kat allergies.
This is very much Chilla Kat Bastion map.
Ignore anything we said in the last two minutes.
Let's try those again.
Tracer equal, guys.
Tracer equal.
Immersive Overwatch 3D experience coming soon to a battle net client near you.
you. We're off to Dorado instead,
which means that, yeah, this
will continue to be a dog fight
unless Dallas decides to take,
like, the step and initiative and
ban one of these components
because, like, that's the good
thing about the cat bastion,
right? You can't just do, even
if you have initial ban, you
can't do the save one and cover
the whole composition. If you
save a DPS, a support gets
I think if you are the feel here like oh well we have to play against Hawke's Diva that kind of sucks
but I think it's like
How can you work around this cat fashion differently?
You've seen a couple teams like try something like an O even on this map for more of a poke focus
But since tracer unless we see that you taken away by Dallas this time
I have a feeling that you really need that pale in presence in order to get through most of this map
like you're looking at the
tank and you're looking to try
to help out that cat bastion
fight to make it lopsided. So
it's like a free versus two
instead of a two versus two.
But like you said, it sacrifices
that payload presence. And
that's why Tracer, even though
we have like constantly new DPS
coming on through where you
could argue that the power
creeping Tracer's held her own
for years decade even Tracer
has been able to remain
remain thoroughly at the top of meta as there we go there it is you can save one
roll but you can't save both Dallas feel ban out the jetpack cat so the bastion
best friend jetpack cat is broken Winston will be the retaliation ban from SSG
to force a diva dive mirror that's directly targeting Kellens here at all
because as we said the last time we saw Dallas feel play this map they broke out
old-school overwatch dive literally like the very day one dive tradition of
Winston Genji Anna and I'm so much sad that we don't get to see it here today
and no Kellen special at this point in fact this is very far from the Kellen
special Sigma will be rolled out on the defense for more of a poke focused
approach and I really do like this I mean between Wu Yong and Sojourn getting to
set up with Killen on this high ground. Sohnjin can just vibe on any of these roofs to poke,
and this is going to be SSG. They're going to have a hard time playing something like a tracer
to this comp. Well, also with the Mizuki, right? Because this is just how you suffocate the healing
aura of the Mizuki. You're not letting the Mizuki get close enough to be able to build up the
percentage of that aura, so we'll have a look and see what space station decided to actually run out
with if Admiral's just going to stay on the lifeweather for a little bit of a scout,
Or if you'll be sticking with it as lethal rolls out on the fray it to try to keep this far in check
I mean flashbacks now. This is the guy who kind of kind of brought this into existence initially
It's gonna stick with it, and I think it can have some
legs here
Especially with the brief positioning getting hawk potentially to contest the high ground
So I just living through the hope that we'll see how that actually works out as I think Sunshu is a big counter
to a lot of where Admiral is going to want to go, is there already some difficulties moving up this high ground?
Oh, but Leifle though, with a good few shots, trying to control that high ground has to dual-ight Stonjan,
so Admiral actually goes with the Freya to pocket and also get a better LOS with the pedal, catching Dallas Fields disengaged.
Leifle goes low, but Lifeweaver's right there, so you should be getting healed up.
But Dallas Field though, despite not taking any losses, they've had to back up all the way into Square,
way into square which is actually giving space station a really good angle with this prayer they
just have to be very capable of that damage on the poke both the far the soldier and the woo yang
as well every time space station tried to swing one of these corners if there isn't attention drawn
by that prayer someone just explodes it really do much about lethal and i think that's where
the same gals do have to back off like even more because of the ant matrix out in guv and that's
That's just the purpose of it, force them to play around this fountain as they've managed to help map like psychological damage Dallas Field here.
All the way back to one fight territory, all this objective is so much over extension into the backline, lethal nails him.
Now being down on the counter, that big source of damage, you gotta rely on this big box from Dallas to get Dallas back in this fight.
But it's so hard with the over health, game from the tree, and all that damage is gold and poi.
Hawks can just pull his own flanks out, especially with rocks being gone, they'll go ahead and do that, makes this point can be secured, squash goes killin', and that should be it.
Or a SFG, a Masterclass, is the reward.
Yeah, beautiful combo as well, lethal with the bowler shot directly into Hawks' flocks.
Jallis have zero answer for it, they were giving up so much space, they sort of wanted to take advantage of having that one-sided Kiriko, one-sided rush,
and space station are able to stay totally through it.
Luke Mino will have tidal blast that's likely going to be going out onto Sooyoung
who's might actually swapped off of the power since you're losing control of the space.
You'd have to play into an already set up lethal with all of the angles developed so
you can see that Navus Sooyoung's not there to keep lethal's attention and that task is
diverted instead to Luke Mino who has the support is trying to just pocket his tracer,
get close enough to drop onto lethal and fully push the Freya out of having the off angle.
The maze is living, right? You're sort of playing like an off-tank role. You've got walls for additional cover, so that you don't have to be as worried about Chronic getting up to sniper shots when he has that fully charged up rail.
If the fight turns into a goal portion of staging, you've got them a block to be able to live, and Dallas feel like zero answer to the blizzard as well.
they're not wanting something like a sim to be able to TP straight out of it.
So, Space Station are just trading positions of both the May and the Sigma
to push the payload forward when Dallas Real run out of contestants.
On the actual objective, Tree will block a huge aspect of that choke.
Flux from Hawke is totally one-sided,
and Dallas Real just had no answer to it yet again.
That will be second point in blistering pace.
Yeah, and really four minutes to work with here.
And it's a Space Station, they're winning the frontline
because they have to talk in sugar-free on their respective heroes.
And they're winning this kind of side duel.
Sonju plus Lupino on that win was nowhere near enough to contest just lethal.
So now that you go to this point, I think the Yardy Swap is really going to help it.
You have to stop the bleeding somewhere.
Yeah, like Ellori is great when you have set up
and you're not constantly being pushed back
so you can put your pile on super deep on your side, force the attack,
into having to greatly overextend to be able to break it.
and if they don't, just have that constant heal to generate it for why you can take an off angle,
have all of the damage of a DPS to get one of these players. Soon as possible, at least bleeds
out the lamp, which allows Dallasfield to start gaining ground. In this fight, they pick a QV,
they get lethal, they won't get more because of the life grip, but when you're defending
Kurt on Dorado, you just need one fight win to fully take out any approach for the attack.
like even though there's three minutes left for space station here, Dellsville can easily turn that into an OT.
Yeah, and they're going to have to. It feels like a lot of time, but because of how long the setup for these flights can take,
it really can bleed out fast, so consolidating the resources is going to be key.
Scouting out as well, space station's approach. Like if they don't scout IUV going on this off-angle flank with Amp,
or sugar-free trying to close up distance and get full as it in before Dallas Hill can take out the May.
It's going to be really problematic because space station will just walk point and out of stubbornness and sheer force of will refuse to lose the fight.
That sounds very SSG of the walking line. It works with their cost of distance as well.
A lot of patients though from Dallas, they're not really pulling the trigger on anything.
They're sacrificing a good amount of climb, like a rather SSG is, just to get to a fighting position.
But there's the atmatrix, and it is a beautiful UV on the back line.
Nobody expected him to be there scouting, did not happen.
And all of those ults that he needed, the flux gets shut down, or at least it looks like it did.
Kellen still comes up with two.
He might be able to hold onto this, but his utterance advantage,
I won't really pay off too much on this point.
Kellen, a one-man army, now with reinforcements,
better just keep Tal's fuel on their feet.
Yeah, I close the spawns from fuel,
So the trades are felt that much more painfully on the side of space station as you said it takes so long for the attack to walk back into these fights
As long as Kelin stays alive the special cg on this Kiriko
You can just TP right back into fight and take a position and see on Jin as well on that tracer too
Chronic now on the ash is going to be looking to try and punish space station having to stack inside Adnore's aura
Plus the fact that they swapped UV onto the Kiriko off of a bad bad tea sacrifice is that you should have Suzu
So Pulse Bomb likely won't find a kick, but you're still boxing PlayStation to one specific angle trying to bleed out that utility and sending Captain Sun for the actual kill.
I didn't hit anybody, I hit the shield but I got in there.
From Pulse, make sure that Captain Sun doesn't get value.
Do you believe someone needs to get out of the point?
That was fuel, this payload is moving away pretty fast, the committee wants to stop them from touching.
But if that doesn't do it, the Blizzard is certainly real SSG, playing their cards right out the door of that fuel.
On that last section of attack and they're out of those resources we needed them to kind of extend out to.
Not telling here you don't really have a chance in keeping this point contested be a full cap for SSG
23 seconds on the clock.
Dallas Field just tunnel vision.
Yeah.
Fully in that one room like they're doing so much to set it up.
There's so many stages.
That's a wedding cake of tears of fight staging that you have to go through.
You're like, okay, we go in with pulse bomb.
They're shopped off a bank, they'll have the SUZU, so we have to now bleed out SUZU with pulse bomb,
then use captive sun. They'll all be stacked up. If we kill one, we kill multiple. And space station
just read it perfectly. They catch the captive sun with shield, and then they have maize blizzard.
So all they do is split their team comp to have enough players occupy the attention of
Dallas Fuel, and then walk the rest of them with that maize specifically onto point,
and use the blizzard because no one from fuel is in position to stop it. It hits the ground,
it activates, they get the kills, even if Dallas Fuel get to play close to respawns.
Because the kills happened at so many different stages of the fight, there's no chance for them
to get a full regroup and Space Station game the system and get the full push.
And you could really see it too reflected in the stats. In one death on sugar-free,
the entire time. Like, is the impact of that made? And you can't hold the front line consistently
if you're Dallas Fuel except that one pop-off play we got from Kellen with the flux on third but
now that we have the sides being swapped sugar-free is on that tracer so it's more about contesting
that payload now not as much in the front line and it feels like Dallas Fuel this is closer to the
style that they are comfortable playing against. Yeah Dallas Fuel likes to go for very much front
to back hammer damage home angles to make you uncomfortable holding your position. Chronic also
lots to go for this Widowmaker pick as well which is why you're seeing well not seeing anyone from
space station everyone's very wisely pretending that no one is home no one wanting to swing into a
widow headshot and have the tilt factor hit the comms and it's chronic not having any challenge
decides to take more space it does eat a waterfall and then at the end but yeah i mean this is cheap
you can't play any at this high ground it is this chronic territory you are not allowed to enter
And that's an ancient hiding dungeon on this echo. Like this is a booger form of poke and angles that SSD
Can't really go through. It's not until we get to this choke that I think Dallas fuel will start to struggle
That's getting these angles is a lot more dangerous chronic
Yeah, Kronex trying to take advantage of like CJ baiting his position that because he has TP and choker free has a milling
right on top of chronic which takes the little I that's one way I guess for the
tracer to rewind history and when the cinematic one versus one
Sunjun it goes low goes down and like you said this is the breakpoint for
Dallas fuel right previously they were able to take so many angles space
station couldn't play the high ground because the widow would just use it as a
play field but now they have zero control of actually policing West Bay
station hold, which means that chronic is off of the widow onto the cast, much more problematic,
but that traces have to deal with. Plus, if you can bait space stations players into trying to jump CJ,
you hit them with the flashbang and they can't simply use them at the ability to creep away from the pipe.
And it has to be if you're going through the point, it's going to be off the container.
If you need CJ to walk you towards SSG, you're likely to put out a tree or something to stop it.
Won't be full shot, that eight shield, grace and curse.
Yeah, and they've already lost all the high ground positioning on second as well, which
means no way of bullying Dallas field from taking space unless you win out the 1v1.
So young John despite having Duke Luka not able to get the ultimate often time for the
second life and that brings up we've all to just get from everyone from Dallas girls
give him a sickness shield so that he has all of the cover acquired and send sugar free
out into the positions of all of the rest of Dallas feel squishies who are running because
they can't keep on top of people.
It's an edge best case scenario.
You get back to this high ground.
You're forcing Sunjin to use the dupe,
the zoom of Lee to swap off this point,
but you have the high ground at your disposal.
Just no ultra-violet.
So, it'll be a slight reset for this team
if they get the support back.
That's a good way of just taking time
off of Dallas Hills Bank.
There we go.
Sunjin off of the echo.
Too easy for Lee to be able to shut down
onto the tracer.
As we'll see the flank route,
he'll swing all the way to the right.
has to do like lethal but he takes a few shots that could actually have already
been recall forced out early that's a TP as well from CJ which means that lethal
is going to be looking to try and land bowler shot right onto the cart and
they've been able to just totally fend off fuel's position for the most part
they're trying to take cover away from this fire just under bridge so that
lethal doesn't have line of sight but that will only work until you're on
corner. I think you need to get a better combo to work with.
Look at the full shot, there's a good reaction there, out of Sonju.
Alan also could have been in flux, it's sort of a kind of help to work with.
Don't really matter, I think you have the life script to get everybody out of the way of that,
but what do you have to deal with Sonju if you're still kind of lurking?
Alan has all this free space to work with on the point.
There's gonna be a box to try to stop this one out, he's gonna get flash banged, it won't matter,
matter, he dropped down just round this tree, won't be enough to sustain unless the reinforcements
come back quickly. Now this Fuel is looking for a wincon. They're using this Katsune rush,
seeing if they can commit, get it across the line, here and now, and when the tree's gone,
it feels a lot more likely. Kellen, going out of the world as best as possible for Chills,
stop the title blast. There's not really any clear win condition, and I guess as she
you're getting back to this fight significantly faster and it feels like
that was fuel should need to take a reset.
Pulse bomb from Soongin should go on to lethal to be honest who's actually come
back on Bastion. No cap but he had so much burst damage was up on that right
side angle totally on Marx and you can see the Soongin's trying to work out
exactly where he wants to land his pulse bomb but they're moving the Bastion's
position with the pedal platform. He's trying to get this damage onto Ultra
Violet but Sugarfree's already killed CJ so that has to be push-aborded and you're running out of time if you feel
Like if you're Sunjun you don't want to use pulse bomb while you're waiting for your Kyroko to regroup
You just have to hold your position and wait for an opportunity from the rest of your team
And Kellen's in there. He's not providing a mega pack in the back. Sunjun try to fake him out and he'll break some ankles and blow a badminton
While he's at it, that is what's more valuable with the Kyroko being back in the fight
But it cost him his recall and therefore his life
else people now are never really with the tools they have out there to disposal, which is not working out for them yet.
And also while it's still on this high ground and you just throw out these shots, he'll win the race to the Gravitic Flux.
Don't really want to pop that now if you're telling, it's a total reset to us.
Yeah, still engine going down means that you just don't have the tracer to spare on the fight to go mock our UV.
So he just gets total freedom of space. To play that high ground position, he's got his perk unlocked.
He's shooting at three orbs instead of one, which is always going to be doing so much damage.
Like, you could see Darcyl trying to develop angles, get Lukmino in a good position to swing from the side
with that captive sun, which he will have for this next fight.
And Space Station don't have a Kira code to be able to suzu it.
So this could be a big combo. Flux captive sun.
They'll feel a close-knock, but they just need to be able to totally break Space Station's hull.
But Captain Sun goes wide, chasing at the bastion, and flux goes down on Space Station's tank hull instead.
But it doesn't matter, because you have the life-script to get them out of danger.
The only thing Dallas have going for them is that kick-on to Ultra Violet.
The studio rush now has to force the hand of Space Station,
make them back off, force them away from the cliff,
and look, Meno gets into the close-bomb in the back line.
Both that and the pilot are gone.
fuel they're running on fumes right now it has to be a clutch plate one of
consoles you're doing the best but SSG just has the numbers moxie they're up
to match points. Space station 2-0 lead on Dallas fuel rewriting history right
here as EMEA ended with a surprise America we're starting with ours right
right now, but like you said,
it's the same story of Ilias, right?
Every fight that Space Station win,
it feels so much more comfortable,
as opposed to Dallas Field,
where it feels so much more costly.
Leafle as well, just as his namesake suggests,
absolutely unstoppable on that fray.
It took so much resources to go out and clear him,
and then you were just trading really valuable players
to not be able to have those to swing the objective,
which meant that space station could just dig their heels in
with that sickness stability.
And it really did feel from start to finish
that SSG were the ones in the driver's seat.
Like there was some cool pop off plays from Dallas
here and there, but other than that first point attack,
it just felt that the better composition
is the better understanding of how to play this map.
Well, SSG, like it's a battle of the coaching right now.
The idea to pull out this main
on the Natalie that unmatched the life weaver
from Admiral. That's something you're not going to see anywhere else, likely, and it
works so well. Dallas Fuel didn't know what to do about it for the most part. They just
kept staggering. They couldn't get the positioning or the picks that they needed to win these
favorables or duels.
Yeah, I mean, the Lifeweaver also simulates the Curico as well right now that you have
Purify on Poll, which is honestly one of the biggest bucks to Lifeweaver kit. Like, now
Now if someone gets stuck, you just pull them with Life Lever and Pawsblum instantly goes
poof, so even if you ban I think Saikiriko, that cleanse is still going to be able to
save those players.
Honestly, the move that I want to see from Dallas is banning out something like the Sigma.
I think like the fact that SSG anchored their whole composition around the Sigma so much
was just shut down on that side.
I think you go for potentially the May if they find themselves unable to ban a tank or you go straight for that stigma as
As we said in Kellan in his hero pool normally as towards more dive-orientated tanks
We don't see him all that often on more of the static anchor tank place
Thinking about the maps that you could go to that are left is like you don't want to play catfish neither
You want to you want to stick to something potentially back to a new jump scene for real this time
But then you have to worry about the sigma the main from sugar-free
And it's not exactly something you want to I think put so June on it this potential pop off on other heroes
Well, it's the NBC or a bossa. This is a cap bastion map for sure
You do have of course the chance to ban the bastion if you want, but it leaves the sigma open
It leaves may open all the rivers that unless Dallas fuel decide to match. I fear for this is being a space station sweet
Well, we'll get a Dallas ban on sim
Which is targeting out that mizuki composition that we've seen in the past with the same may
Mizuki, it's not the sigma ban
So maybe they want to go for something like a mauga
I look right if you want to be able to fight fire with fire
space station want to play for a stability composition where they just don't die.
Mauga is one of the best answers at being able to just also hold his own ground and refuse to die
as we'll get a ban on the ball coming out from the side of space station which, yeah,
fair. The ball was problematic for them to have to deal with on the side of Ilios and Flashpoint
is a very strong wrecking ball map off of the speed that you can reset into those fights.
That's a lot of really good environmental positions that you can play minds to be able to totally clear and zone a team off of the point to
Alive the team to flip it can be really detrimental for players to have to deal with and obviously if you're not going to play the ball
And you have the opportunity to take it away and you grasp them
This is feels like
SSG again, they don't get the same deny the wrecking ball
Why not run it back something similar if you did on that
match like I honestly though I'm kind of curious what they're cooking up because so far boxy each of the maps that we've seen
SSG have some niche strat
We're just not gonna see on other maps likely. Do I think it is these Sierra?
Probably not but I think that this is a little closer to the quote-unquote standard that we were expecting coming into this first week of stage two
Yeah, I mean the Sierra over the sewage like no way not happen in proplex
the game. So the game is
not a bad game. It's not
a bad game. I don't think
that's why. Sierra's
problematic. I know and
ladder. But the thing about
like the order tracking from
sears that it denies a
headshot opportunity. At
this level, pros don't need
auto tracking. They already
have the skill on their own.
So, yes, the air is just
spawn, babe. It's actually
the tracer that your players
or walk goes with the Diva
not eat things like that Sigma Rock so
Kellen will be able to really be pretty
annoying for Hawks to have to deal with
but what Dallas Fuel have to deal with is
Cap Bastion, Unmatched, and there goes
Chronic. But you'd rather have a dead Chronic
than a dead Yuuki if you are Dallas Fuel.
So that is something I'm up to. How do you feel about the dead Kellen?
I don't like that. I found the Dallas Fuel fan, I don't like that. That's why
you're very happy. You have Luke Mino and CJ to
heal him up. So he is okay to come back to it.
And this is risky, Moxie. You're relying on like
pure, almost like mistakes from SFG,
with what Admiral and lethal in a bad spot for them to get picks.
And we'll for now get them the first cap.
Yeah, it feels like you're almost baiting Chronic.
Like this poor guy, I don't think,
is going to get a lot done.
He's just the sacrificial lamb.
The Dallas Fuel extend out to the Cap Bastion saying,
go for him, not our support so our stigma can survive,
and we can just play the objective.
As Lord Siongjian, up to you right now,
He's scouting out at the cabastion. They know that lethal setting up for a swing by and 200 wants to get the jump on UV
He's already posed a lot of those cool down from the cure code including the TP and he's got blanks in the pocket
So you'll actually be able to stay on top of UV's position and take the cure code out
Yeah, but it's while that was happening
You didn't work with your support as well. These will take that full bomb like a champion
And this is kind of the scary part of the space station thing the creation is great, but only if you three of them
And how do you play retake as well, right?
Because like, Syclar is great when he's set up in position.
And you'll at least be able to use your shift to try and absorb some of the pressure from
Leafle's drive-by, but Lukmino's just scouting out with those orbs trying to get accuracy
markers.
Seonjun will look to threaten the back cap to divert attention from space stations so
they don't just throttle Dallas Guild's walk.
But it's going to be really costly point percentage wise and also play wise this walk takes so long
Space station have so many positions and angles to play against you
Dalles you will just have to try and walk on to point and find something some form of flip which they do
Have to cap to just stop space station from getting three point percent in this fight
Yeah, I can get you to final flight territory and the fact they did that without either support and somehow product is alive
It's not gonna last longer, but he's buying a crap ton of time by making hot
People go this way to get the clip because he's he's on the other side of the map
Yeah, it's literally just like the carrot on the stick here
They're gonna chase me most of the sugar please good
And all you can do though chuck this in the portals. I'll make sure Helen stays alive knock down
Talks and a little bit of a message in space station. They can't like get the touch
It looks like that was you over getting smoked
But in reality, they are the ones who know the importance of the point.
It's not the elimination to break half-map to get Helen into the middle of the team,
or to self-destruct to re-enact, but it will be denied.
And it is so callous in control of this point, and how poor a lonely cat with 20 HP
won't do the trick. Tell us, pull it together.
There you go. Overwatch is, after all, an objective-based game.
And that's exactly what Helen knows.
He uses every part of Sigma kit to just push space station off trying to have that contest in the OT
Rock is used flux is invested all to just try to force space station off of that point as
Hawk actually off of the diva goes for the Sigma to match it and this is the composition that we were expecting
No banter was the Mizuki, not the May, not the Sigma
We knew that space station if they faulted with the Katbassian would be falling back onto this one
and it's about how Dallas will comply around it.
So you're in a zone where that pulse bomb could be a great way to stop things off,
but up against Karko, you have to pull Suzy first.
Or Ice Block, or any of the other things, just keep falling out.
When Dallas is on the blank pulse bomb, just as- yeah, you just don't cross here for two seconds instead.
Almost a ton of blast there for a loopy, you know, he's on one heck of an angle right now,
and that has kind of hurt his team.
They don't have the health bars to work with, he's going to be just kind of left on himself
to be the playmaker. Now do the trick on the Solidole, like who we are, getting in there,
getting active, and Lukmina, for the Fendle, this pick can't have.
I mean, it's a great flank from Lukmina, right? Where if it's way in gold, because it's really
putting Space Station at a total, we will lose this fight choice. They can't back away from the
Wu Yang ult, because it's coming through from behind them. If they try and back away from the
Wu Yang ult, they run into the rest of Dallesville's whole team, and Fjord will be able to pick up
both the knockback, the explosion, and the point off of the back of it. As Sugarfree has the blizzard,
UV can potentially proceed to match that rush mirror so space station can just close that
position up onto the point, and they can look to overwhelm with the advantage of having double
support ults up. I think you're terrified, but Sugarfree, if you are in the Galaxy field right
now, it'll be both sanctuaries. Once the blizzard going out, you just don't stand a chance. It's
The advantage that SSG had in that fight zone, although it was a good rush, it's hemped from CJ. Dallas thought to be happy with their victory.
Well, it's also the shutdown onto Kellan, right? Because what actually ends up happening is that UV holds his own rush.
Instead of the Kirikos mirroring, they shut Kellan down so he can't use the flux in that fight. You do delay the problem now,
so Kellan still holds the flux to be able to interfere with UV's rush placement.
The problem is that Dallas Field don't have the position to use it aggressively.
So a space station can just take the fight with all of the angles available.
Lifa with the power slide has the ability to scout out through his rotation,
get back to the rest of his team,
and then walk and use flux to hold fuel in position long enough that they can't get the touch on point.
With this play happening so closely, y'all are cool.
You can win the fight, you can commit outcomes you want.
You just have to make sure so-and-so you can get the touch.
But since he's all the way up there, well, the rest of your team is getting bulldozed.
in the front line, SSG.
Maybe with that result, it's a good pose from Sonju.
But he's looking at a 1v5 situation.
Right now, 1v4, he did already check 1 off his bucket list.
It just seems too many attacks for one guy to accomplish SSG.
Gonna have to come back here.
On to the point of gardens, these are the swaps
that SSG really had in the back pocket.
Yeah, slight influence of RNG there as well.
Like, the fact that the point's closer to space station side of the map
Kellen even went for the swap on D.Va to be able to have the boosters like you're not wanting to play D.Va into something like the May, right?
Because that primary just blitzes through your defense matrix. The rock blitzes through defense matrix.
You're purely using it to try and get players in the fight and keep O.T. in play.
So now that you lose your opportunity over to the Sigma, you go as lethal clicks through Steele and Gym because,
D.Va's still, they've gone back to this crossfire setup. They're going for the Pharah, they're going for the Sgt.
the one team's trying to overwhelm the angle that space station will look to stack on with,
but they're just getting ripped apart one by one before the whole team's in position,
which means that the whole thing crumbles. It's usually good time to do, and he's the one that
has to try to contest these off angles and has not been having a good time either before the
tracer doing it, and you just can't push either into lethal because that is what will happen. You're
You're going to use your head, beautiful shot from Ned and SSG, they'll take you right off the back of it.
Yeah, Sugar Free just occupies Kellyn, so there's no sick shield in the way of the OC,
which means that Luke Mino gets the one that you absolutely want.
And Phil now, at least with all of the incoming damage, they've got double support altered Vantage up,
so they can go fast. We're just like that engagement tidal blast that has been the bread and butter of this re-encomposition,
but if they don't go fast, Space Station will have point
and also be able to kite back on tier.
Luna uses the tidal blast, but where's the forward movement
from Fuel that just held at the boss?
I mean, they move forwards, but they can't, like,
go further than that because they hold it so early.
Like, that's all you get.
Now the blizzard's in your face.
Helen is bird-frozen once more.
And, as you see, all they need is that blizzard
to close out this flight.
It is falling apart from Dallas Fuel.
They're over commitments from before.
Come back to fight them here, they get the flip off the Katsune rush, but it seems like this one will be short lived if that says G, just turn right around.
There's no fault in him.
Lukmino got jumped by Hawk, who decides that Cybler can apparently be a dive tank, just as Flux onto Chronex, so that he can't try and build up OC.
And for space stations, you have to invest the Sanctuary from Admiral in a fight that they've already won.
So, Space Station will have it for this next one. Luke Minow is off of the Wu Yang because he's just being walked upon by Space Station players.
So, he goes for the Juno, so he can both deal damage and also use the Speed Rings, try and get Dao's Fuel into a position to be set up on point and cut Space Station off
before they're in a position to use the first support ultimates in this fight. But there's a cost to that, Molly.
And actually, going for a character you're yet to play, do you have no perks available right now?
No perks, no ult charge versus the two support ults of SSG.
I don't see a world that was Dallas Field when this was chronic, it's like an insane shot off, like it has to be at what's play.
And with the sanctuary interface, you're just not pushing this point, you don't want to mess with that play at all.
It's a bit early, I think there's an opportunity for it, in fact, Kellen sees it, and a great suzerain from ult or Violet nullifies the damage,
and it's just a trade of ults with nothing to show for it other than a dead CJ.
Yeah, I mean the sanctuary at least bullies Dallas feel off of the point so space station taking off the point percent
Hort catches chronic before OC comes through students looking for the flank drop down
We're powered into space stations players who use it, but the so-so
From you the keeps them up
Farer falls and space station. They'll just close up the space brilliant chain from Admiral to collapse onto Kellen as well
Dallas feel just to get from choke
Might have to part with the OC, but if they use it too early, Space Station will just
cut back to quiet. Use one-sided rush and OC to hold the space. You'll head over time.
You won't have a support ultimate to shut down this Blizzard. This is all up to Chronic. This has
to be a clutch. And he's already touched solo. He can't be in this fight. He's gonna chase down
lethal. Going to the OC, but the diff's from Chronic. It's there. But the rest of the scene,
he has no support to fall back to. It's fight or fight territory. Or SSB, Blizzard up, or Sugar
I know he's not this objective to deny Kellen a consistent touch he's caught up in it once more
Iconic as much as he might be this one is too tall of a task in an upset
SSG will claim the win in a sweep
Well, we said America was the last stand as a new sheriff in town
space station gaming
Comfortably, I think it's fair to say, complete the 3-0 versus Dallas Fuel, who just totally extinguished.
Like, there were moments where we got to see the old Fuel, but it just felt so few and far between.
Like, they were trying to take these crossfire positions, but someone just got picked off before the whole team was ready to actually capitalize,
which meant that they were just isolated one versus one that Space Station always seemed to get ahead of,
even if they lost someone early in moments like this.
It still felt like Space Station were the ones capitalizing. It was one kill in comparison to free.
Yeah, and you guys hit on this throughout the last three maps that we saw between those two teams.
Like, whenever Dallas Fuel actually came on top in a teamfight, it was costly for them.
It was scrappy for them. Overall, SSG was just absolutely the better team today and for that
I feel this means back to the drawing board. They just did not seem as comfortable in what
they were playing and as sure in how to play it as well. While SSG really were just being able
to force the tempo, force the compositions, they made adaptations that just worked for them.
It overall just looked really, really smooth. A fantastic performance here from SSG and their
opening match, Molly.
It's a fantastic showing for them.
And you can see like what they were cooking up between this break of the
champion's clash, they had a finished seventh, eighth there and had all this
time to work with.
And I think sugar freeze may was a big highlight for me, especially in this
map, Kellen just was not allowed to play the game for most of the series
because of him existing.
And I like the direction that SSG is going and getting this win as early as
they did too, is incredible for how these standings could play out further in the playoffs.
And this is what we wanted to see from SSG last stage as well, right?
Like, they were very, very dominant, but then, I don't know, something in the Champions
clash, maybe it was the meta, I'm not sure, like something just really didn't click for
either of these two teams, but now SSG, they look comfortable in what they play, they look
comfortable in this meta.
You can tell that there's been a lot of time, I think, for them to work out, like, how to punish what Dallasville liked you, because this is what we talked about.
Dallasville didn't really adhere to meta in Tokyo, and they're still sort of trying to veer away from things like the Bastion Cat and the Mizuki.
And you can feel that space stations sort of understood that they would be trying to put Kellen on, like, the Wrecking Ball with the Ilios pick and Hawker's for the Roadhog.
They even have things like the Cassidy to be able to put more pressure and not allow
Dallas Fielders easy openings.
Then going to Dorado being able to play the maze so that you just out-sustained the crossfire
pressure from both the Sgt. and the Pharah, and then that Mizuki as well from Admiral.
Like Sugarfree was the star of Dorado, but Admiral on that last point being able to use
the Sanctuary to totally suffocate out any opportunity for Chronic to use the OC, and
a live space station to have a match of their own and just send in the OC one versus one
from Leafle's end to just keep Chronic totally locked up in that fight. They were just totally
playing Dallas' own temple against them.
Yeah, and it looked good. Now if you're done with this, what's your take away from this
first match, Molly?
I think it's similar to what Machi said, back to the drawing board. I think there's still
team that wants to play to their own strengths. And while I think that can work in sub-maps,
it's starting to get solvable. And SSG just showed us that they clearly do have the answers.
If you're not willing to deviate at some point in time, even if you're the one that
might be trying to force the tempo, well, as soon as that starts getting thrown against
you, that is a big red flag. Hey, something needs to switch, whether it is compositionally
or more just so maybe how these teams are playing,
more support over to this talent,
having a clear direction of what these fights can look like
into these more frontline heavy clumps
is gonna be definitely something Dallasville will look at.
Yeah, we're gonna see Dallasville back in action this week.
Tomorrow they will be going up against the cafe.
So let's see what they have in store for us
and on such a short turnaround to kind of get back
into the mix because you really have to consider it's just three weeks of group play. That's
not an awful lot of time and you do want to get those victories that are must wins and
I think for Dallas like the SSG game could be considered as such especially with them
always having the upper hand against this squad.
Yeah I think the vulnerability for Dallas right now is that space stations show how
to beat them and they showed how to beat them early and it wasn't a very specific composition.
was more about when you take
your turn like does feel
wanting to go for those very
long flanks and set up for so
much space control meant that
if you just hit first if you
hit in the half stage before
does all in position and you
take that decision away from
them. Everyone is just not
going to be able to peel for
things like your support
because your DPS is so far out
on a different map entirely
honestly for some of the
spacing that they were
playing. Yeah, they got
exposed there a little bit.
one match week. Next week they have to gear up. They will be facing off against also the
cafe and Lunex. But these are two teams that, you know, that's again must win the scenario.
So the next big test for them is going to be a team Liquid in week three. So they do have some
time to keep on meshing, keep on ramping it up. But for now, an absolute phenomenal showing in
their opening match. We do have UV joining us now for a quick chat in a winners interview.
UV, welcome to the show. Congratulations on the dub.
Seems like you and the squad finally got Dallas Fuel's number.
Talk to us about the preparation, because it looked like you guys had such a good idea
of what Dallas Fuel wants to run and how to shut it down.
Yeah, I think we have a good understanding of what Dallas wanted to do, but more so I think
every time we lose this roster, it's like we're losing ourselves.
Like we have a lot of really talented players on this team,
And I think that I got that we like understand kind of like how like swapping in this like game works
Like I feel like teams have been swapping a lot more this 2026 season
And I think we've like let he's been helping a lot with like the comms like leading a lot which has been like helping release some pressure from me
I feel like we're making like a lot more like proactive plays and like we're catching the other team off guard and like making them feel the pressure now
So what was it like having to adapt from the meta that was sort of developed in Tokyo to having to play through it now because you guys were playing things like the Mizuki composition and looking much more comfortable.
What sort of went into being able to play that comp in the downtime where we haven't really got to see you guys since.
Yeah, actually the meta is pretty similar, but there hasn't been a patch since the Japan Champions clash.
Especially when the Kat Bastian is not available, teams are finding their own different comps.
There's so many characters in the game right now that there's so many chances for you to swap to something that works better for your team,
or makes more sense into enemy tanker supports or something.
Yeah, and then kind of on that note too, there was a lot of, you know, niche picks like the Roadhog for example coming out there on Ilios and Lifeweaver being played a little bit by Admiral is just kind of something that, you know, are you guys feeling more experimental or you wanting to kind of adhere more to that quote unquote meta or you really just kind of focusing on how far these limits can be pushed.
Yeah, I think we're like definitely just getting more confident like trusting our picks.
I think we wanted to play hog like when we, everyone knows that like we're gonna get Diva
Band on Ilios.
So we've talked about this like hog on Ilios thing for a while and it's never, never quite
made it out of like the final day nerves.
But today we managed to bring it out, play it full confidence, get our cat flying him
in the sky.
It was a great look for you in this squad.
Now give us DD's scrim box intel, like how has it been going in preparation for stage
two?
see that SSG roster, how does it stack up against the rest of the competition this stage?
I'm looking forward to doing a lot more international scrims actually, EU especially.
We've been doing pretty well in scrims our first couple of days, like when we started like adapting
this new like comp switching and like either like more proactive styles, like we aren't doing this
well, but especially these last couple of days, we've been like really solid and confident,
bring a 100% effort in every month.
It's shown on the server. I'm excited to see more of that. We love when teams get creative as well,
so bring more of that for everyone's entertainment. We congratulate you once again for the DUP.
We hope for many more to come and have a wonderful rest of your day.
Thank you for having me.
An absolute pleasure, as always. This is a great start for SSG heading into stage two. Once again,
a reminder we have the three top teams of each region who will be making it through into our next
LAN event the mid-season championship and that means more opportunities for teams like SSG
and Dallas Fuel and Team Liquid like make the cut right so it's gonna remain exciting to see
how teams learn and adapt along the way. Now final thoughts about this first series like
Like, what does that tell us about the meta we're seeing here in the DNA region, Moxie?
It's up in the air. Like, I feel like it's going to be a team-based basis, where if you play to your strengths, instead of adhering to just a overall meta, you're going to be in a much better position, which makes me very excited, because it feels like we're going to be seeing a lot of different compositions and heroes.
Yeah, I love that Molly, you know, like when teams have a very clear identity, which just
makes it overall, I love Mary Interesting, especially when we're heading into those
bandfaces.
I think it's the North America special.
It's something that we're going to see more often, and it's more a battle of the coaching
staff in a way.
How are these coaches getting their players comfortable with coming out with these picks
as UV was just talking about and adapting to what works best for them instead of what
you're told you should conform to. So we're breaking out of the chains in this region and
I'm very excited to see especially with a certain team as ready to go for us coming up.
Yeah we cannot away. We do have Team Liquid's new imports in action after a short break. We'll be
talking about this guys as well but first we have some season 2 battle pass codes that expire
with season 3 on Tuesday. So how about you use this break wisely and grab one of the codes that
is on your screens right now, people do it quick, because, you know, like they're gone,
like literally they're probably already gone as I'm finishing this sentence, I got along
with it.
That's what we got middle, but you always go middle, like everyone tries to go top
or bottom, middle is always the last one picked.
Yeah, but see that's what Jake said, he pointed that out, so I feel like this time
you
you
you
you
you
I've been wondering these places Trying to find my ride, know I'll be alone
And I've seen too many faces Now I know it was here all along
So don't try to deny it.
You know we ain't leaving here alone.
When I'm with you, I'm flyin'.
I just want you here, that's all I know.
Got this feeling, got me breathing.
I'm not giving you up on my side.
When I'm stayin' on the grindin'.
Welcome back one and all to the OWCS Zoey here joined by my new favorite M&M's Molly
That's right Mitch. Amat, you heard that? You heard the correct? Is Mitch even with us anymore? Like I don't know. Who is stopping around?
Why do you think he's so like he's dying?
Now you said he's a busy guy. He's a busy guy. I get it. But you know what? I'm happy for it because that means I get to hang out with the two of you.
And we got another match on our hands that we want to break down. Let's chat about Team Liquid and this guys.
Guys, starting with Team Liquid, we already touched about the changes for this roster heading into Stage 2.
Yeah, that's right, they imported not one, not two, but three Koreans for Stage 2, the tank attacks,
Port Kivis and Coach Faze. So of course, there's three existing synergy here from Faze, Coaching,
Attacks, previous team, and then him having been a tank player before as well. The big question for
attack. Well, we got the
answer now, which is that
attack is not starting. In
fact, it will stay on the
starting lineup. But I think
for me, it's how like Kivis
will be able to fit into this
roster since he also really
played for onsite, but he
actually dodged playing with
attack. Attack play the OWCS
iteration of onsite. Kivis
that. Yeah, I think that's
what I was there for the
2025 soup cup was where he
was playing with them. But
obviously trying to put a new
support player into a roster
like the trustful exercises.
The bane of every support
players existence. The dreaded
double support all at the same
time. Moments like those are
going to be big giveaways to
see how well you adapt into
Is this art of these upgrades, side grades,
downgrades, where are we at?
I think for Kiviz as an upgrade,
I think having an experienced Flex support player
coming into the roster will be big.
I think it might take some growing pains
to get to that point, but a game against DSG
will be a good testament to how well
that has been going so far.
And I think in terms of attack,
I think that fills in some of the gaps that Infected has.
I think he's one of the tanks we haven't seen
as much flexibility when it comes to those traditional off tanks like the Diva, the Zarya, for example.
So if those end up being really strong, I think attack can come in to cover for some of those places.
Yeah, I think it definitely is helpful as well here to have a coach transfer with them who is familiar with the players
and has a good idea of how they should be integrating into this roster.
In fact, it feels more like the NA part has to integrate into probably the way that FACE
was playing it before with the two Korean players, but we don't know.
We don't know for sure until we get them on the mic and are able to chat about it all
in a potential post-match interview.
So now though, let's talk about what went down between these two teams last season,
not last season, last stage rather, way back.
We had the famous draw between
Netsune Liquid and Disguise
in stage one.
But I'm sure that NA
is in a different space now.
I mean, the net has moved on.
Like, when's the last time we got to see Vanda?
Why?
She'll be used to play
since she got nerfed.
And that sort of answers that question, right?
It's been since she got nerfed.
It was the last time
that we got to see her.
Yeah, that sure was an esperance, uh-huh.
It sure was.
Now, ladies, I do not envy you because today you have the utmost pleasure of casting Kivis versus Kiwi.
So there's that.
But yeah, Kiwi, new player for this guys here, replacing Lepp, who's already shown a lot of promise on the UK World Cup team.
And of course, you've probably seen Kiwi around as well,
in collegiate, proficient college,
where he's playing alongside the likes of Graves and Hydron.
For those who are not familiar with Kiwi,
what do we need to know about this player?
I think Kiwi, traditionally, is a flex support,
and I think putting him in with Skyl
opens a lot of opportunities
for some of these more aggressive backfights.
However, he can play main support as well, but it's a quote-unquote boring main support.
He's very consistent. He's in the right place at the right time.
You're just not going to typically see these huge boots pop off kind of play.
So I think adding him to the roster adds both the experience and some of the flexibility
that could be very helpful for this guy's on the stage.
I think if we're looking at predictions for this match, though, Team Liquid, the obvious pick just across the board,
like they are supposedly the stronger team,
unless previous results of today,
you know, I might be eating my words.
And what a joy that will be,
Molly, you're going with actually Moxie first.
Sorry about that.
I think I'm in agreement with everyone on the desk today.
I think we're all expecting Liquid to pull this one out.
Now, Molly.
I'd be insane not to pick Liquid.
I really want to believe in DSG.
I want this to be closed.
Heck, we've had two complete opposite reverse sweeps
of what the desk has predicted.
could happen, but if you didn't say that,
I'll read a problem.
I'll point that as I'm sending it over to Moxie and Molly
for our second series here in NA.
OK, so we have two teams that have very different looks
from the last time that we've seen them.
We're also moving away from Ilias.
So we have a different look at both our control map
and also our meta as disguised, ban i,
the jetpack cat after Liquid go for a first fan on Tracer, therefore, merging to protect
their DPS roll and safeguard the Bastion. So, Molly, yet again, we're deprived, declawed,
if you will, of the cat Bastion, and if we do see a already decided meta composition,
it would have to be the Mizuki fusion.
You say deprived? I say both of these teams just stepped into the kitchen. We're about
to get something crazy. I can kind of feel it from this matchup. But yeah, I think if
the, let me look at this, it is actually a tack starting. Wow. We thought it would be
infected to start the match. He will be in this lineup. And if it is kind of the Sigma
Diva sort of deal, I mean, this is a great setup for Team Liquid to play bally, to play
fast and match. And kind of what seems disguised wants to play as well.
Okay, let's see the synergy QE obviously already played with tread on the great
Gvr UK over which World Cup team as well as zero rolls out on the far
So very similar
I look to what we've been seeing a lot of the time for city center on Oasis take all of the angles take all of the space
I'm a lot of the damage interlain so that the bunker composition trying to play on the low side of map
simply cannot allow someone to go into a free space to try to find a pick as
all that's a big chain but a good Susie to be able to save for certain chain
plus wall RIP because there's a Susie on the line so he just on that one
it's even like but I think just having this for a in Zara like look at DSG's
health bars right now they are getting out pokes like crazy they're corraled in
this room and Zara's just waiting for someone to poke their head out chain and
And that, I don't think you're ready.
Yeah, and Zero having a lot of space as well means
that you get to play outside of where PGE can see, right?
So, traditional cast hits can counter of the power,
not really fully viable in this instance.
Great chain there from Vega with the follow up for Zero
to be able to capitalize on the player
who's just fully stuck in position,
concussive interlock it, connection builds up Farad,
and Team Liquid comfortably have retained
point control as well disguised
Without a support, without having that Katsunera, I just have no option to be able to push out the small space they find themselves boxed into.
It was a great pinch from Liquid, he had both supports plus block it, he had a corral there, where Attack just pushed the opposite angle with Tread after he got chained, and it gives them up to half of this cap percentage already before a lot of these major ults are online.
Kiwi goes so hard. That's another thing about this Kyureko and the Zuki Composition. Not a lot of good, fast heals.
This guy knew, like you said, blocks that I'd mostly block, though, with things like the May Block. Works for when the ultimates are in play,
but once they're done, so do other defences of disguised, and there'll be Rocket taking a little bit of a tumble onto one of the cars off of the flashbang,
And Liquid just continue floxing disguised into this position. They've got the support ultimates to be able to mirror.
If you're disguised, you might actually have to pot with one of them just to be able to get out of your own spool.
And that hurts. And that's the devastating part about this position. From Team Liquid, you have all of these tools to work with,
and you have some force disguised. You play into your hand and look at the blizzard. I can't help getting caught,
But a fantastic launch from the back PGE didn't know what hit him
This is kind of the fight to scousal looking for. Had to invest very heavily to go ahead and win the fight
They had the advantage and shiny buttons and they don't even need to use all of them to get this fine
Which will be key because they're getting the flip at 99%
Well, the good thing for this guy is now is that you're not boxed into a small space where you can't see the far
Right the back news for this guy is that liquid a one fight when away from walking off with this run
So what they can do is play for time, build up ultimates, come in with a one-sided ult fight
as opposed to skies who will have to part with one ultimate at a minimum, unless they can find
some clutch opening kills off of PGE or a rocket here. And as Zehra on that far up trying to get
space, you can see Tree is already taken to the high ground, which now actually takes away some
of the safeness of Skyline Kiwi to play from. Okay, but there's that pick on Zehra. I think that
going down is kind of worth giving up the high ground otherwise that gets a little sketchy
from the start but yeah it made a source of damage for a team like but not there they're going to
take a soft retreat but they get to maintain this positioning. I mean your wedding dessert comes back
so you can try and like crunch disguise to make Tread have to choose where to use the secure to
block up Tread to block him Zera. PGE looking for a dead eye gets dipped by tree cut down mid ultimate
And this now means that Tread has to part with Flux instead, but he's taken down in his ult too,
and Liquid are tightening the hold. They should be able to find the flip off of that.
There it goes. Otey's in play. Can't disguise clutching out. They've got players and the Blizzard
on the field. Rock comes on through, but no time to stop the maze ultimate, and attack goes. Moe goes down.
Kibi got two. In the back, everybody tried to jump on to him and Rocket in this backline,
But that's the benefit of the Mizuki. It's a hero. He's spent a lot of time
grinding out what we got to see in the Overwatch World Cup, and it's clearly been
keeping up with that. In DSG, they're gonna get this back to Final Fight
territory. Scarlet will have Rush, but Attack can try and take away some of that
bite to it with the Flux. No good combo online just yet. Azur is having to be very
careful about how he takes this in on that fight. It does not want him to get too
by PGE. There's a rush engagement, flux to counterplay it, dodges the rock so the
ult does not get cancelled, now you're relying on a good suzing moment or you
just have your signal absorb the damage and heal it right back up as Liquid
lose Vega. No sanctuary, QE's is one sided on the point absorbing over the projectiles
including trees, potential, dead eye and Liquid just have to wait for its fall but
all of the players fall around it and they'll be waiting to next round as
disguised walk away with city center. I think we're cursed, Moxie. Anything we try to predict
it's not. We might need nexusism on the desk. DSG is playing fantastic, like PGE in particular,
really steps you off. At the end of that round, I had to take out Zara as much as he did.
That opened the door for other things to happen. Kiwi is tied for the most Elans in the lobby,
which is not a common sight on a Mizuki too.
So things really are going well for DSG.
Once they dislodge this positioning,
that seemed liquid hat.
So I think that this first fight
is going to have a lot of impact
as it does appear we are on gardens,
getting to that high ground,
getting that setup and seeing how this will now fair
with a swap.
No, no, no swap.
Sarah is gonna stay on the far up.
Yeah, just some TP, right?
Like you said, that high ground role light,
so sought after you want to be able to go for that high ground position because now Zera can just
play the off angle, play that little Cuddy. If this guy tries to walk onto the high ground they
go directly into the far. Zera as well, he takes a few shots of damage from PGE, a rocket, can play
mega health pack, does not rely fully on his team, helps the concussive to be able to rewrite back to
his whole backline as Kiviz goes down early and Liquid now lacking that Kira coat, not going to
happens like the Susie Vader as well not great at burst healing off of just one half bounce
like we're just not having that sustain can't stand up to disguise when they decide to just
warp point and brawl. I guess that's a pg. This guy is having a day right now as he just
published. That's what eventually figures it out. DSG having this kind of high ground is terrifying
if you are Xera specifically. I think it would just seem to be costing us no. I mean is it at this
this point that we see the Pharah like swap, unfortunately for Liquid like what would you
swap? You banned the Tracer! So would it be an Echo that you have to go for? Like there's
no way that you roll out a Vendetta with the nerf that she's had or a Venture because you
just don't have a way of getting on top of this guy's backline. Plus the Cassidy would
just be too problematic so you're sort of like force your hands are tied with the Pharah
Echo pick from your own volition dead eye from PGE dodges the rock which would have
punted him off the map ultimate will continue
Zerah is trying to find the knock but they find that one golden pick to open up this fight
Skyl falls so no one sided rush and Liquid get an M
I know without Skyl, PSG is rumbling and if you're watching it all the time throughout that fight
the damage Zerah was able to do now that Star Wars is significant which I haven't dealt with
3rd point PGE yet. That is a problem. This guy has to go. He's still getting these kickoffs and
is keeping DSG in a close position to continue this fight. You know, coming up on these ultimates,
you still have the one-sided shoot a rush. Tree doing his best to slow down the momentum,
but the main wall in his face makes sure everyone can get off to safety.
Packed now. Sign of cut this out with the Rabbidic Swax. Looks for the angle, but everyone's
Inside the sanctuary still gets three yikes about the tree to sleep
Down is a bearable and style
Without that tank though that should be the nail the coffin
Yeah, as there are just has the patience of a saint in that fight wait site sanctuary wait site sazer
is a wait-side TP as well to get a free barrage right onto Skarl's back, and it also allows
Team Liquid one-sided Kitsune Rush in this next fight. Now, usually the equation, 1 plus
1, Rush plus Sigma Flux on the enemy side, he calls no Rush Advantage, so we'll have
to see if Liquid can actually convert the Kiriko Ultimate into a fight wind, as so far
Treads just bouncing, threatening walking onto point before Liquid decides to use that
which is allowing PGE actually all of us to upset the flank.
You get scouted all now, zero entry, able to see exactly where the castee is coming from,
but there's the flow!
Woah!
And Treadjust too low!
They use the Sigma Ultimate before Kivis uses the Ultimate,
and this guy is now down without that engagement option.
Just have to reset fast.
That is some insane discipline from Team Liquid, and Kivis has not pulled that Katsuni rush there.
And a bit of a risk.
It does force DSG though to make these emergency swaps.
Lucio Doomfist out on the field don't have the tools to work with there's back at sooner. I should be what we were hoping for
Tread does not stand in the chance in the middle of it
Street will go ahead and back on off let PGP use his dead eyes first
To kind of get on this point still and you don't quite have the body numbers
On the objectives, we're gonna go ahead and finish this one out in around three
University is where we find ourselves headed to but who's read up on
the best way of taking their opponent down is liquid. It feels like they took a little bit of
time to like hit that boiling point, especially with the Pharah composition, and it really does
feel like who wins this first fight just totally determines the tempo, with the Pharah being able
to suffocate out your walk with all of that damage, just fluctuating the health bars, or the Kasti
having the room to be able to shoot the Pharah before she can get behind cover, which has very
much actually been the story of Pharah through the matters. And I think it makes a lot of sense to
have like what DSG are doing, dedicating a lot of those resources to PGE, making sure you can go on
these flanks. We're gonna run it back for a third time, but Zara will get to this high ground. DSG,
Propton Border is lower approach in the small room, which is exactly where Pharah wants you to be.
Yeah, you're wanting to try and use that may well, right? So you have additional layers of
cover and if Liquid try to close up into Small Room you can look for wall isolations on your players
but it comes at the cost of just allowing Zero to thump those rockets in. To so many players
that Zero actually does go down which means that Small Room becomes a lot safer for the team to be
able to take cover into. As you can see PGE just making sure there's no returned attention from
Liquid trying to flank behind and get a hit onto Disguise's backline. They'll be able to pick up
the first cap and that keeps their position much more in check as there's actually a lot of like
kills coming through in this fight which will massively influence the amount of point percent
that disguise will be able to take off of a one-fight win. They're not looking at 10 percent
or 15 percent. Liquid will have to wait for a full T-Roy group. You're looking at 30 plus before they
can even walk. Liquid got antsy and that's the punishment that they get for it. Maywall is out
early, so I think that is kind of the sign of a we need to go right now. PGE is chunked low,
so somewhere for Zera to get closer to this point. The problem is this Katsune rush advantage.
Skyle's gonna have it up, but no time, give us nowhere close. We get out from tree now,
shove people into the corner, just force-fighting all of these cooldowns. Now if PGE's turn
to look forward, the target's rather just give his team time to heal up.
I mean, that's a life-skill.
To hit that rush at the same time as Kiv is,
but I said, rush me off on both of these teams.
No second-support, all advantage.
Attack of so low that they're standing.
Tret comes out with that flux.
Attack looking for the rock cancel,
but only finds the shield before looking for his own.
Oh, that was risky. Tret still had a rock,
but he's able to dodge it by floating higher,
and attacks actually land.
This guy's tried to use the Sanctuary, but that just does not absorb the damage of the impact from flux
And they lose out on Mizuki Alt-Mira to have it to absorb the follow-all in this next fight
That's gonna hurt
We're seeing that kind of the the change of these fights is if PGEverse is there, whoever P2 off first
It's kind of just Jovert might be the same for the case of Tree who just tanks one too many gunais
You have to go to the side now. The chain is great, but the Suzy plus the ands are better
better. Yeah. It's just too early. Like you use the
far. Oh, you force a lot of resources at least and then you try and yeah, you lose the far
like that is the issue, right? Safe with the shift, carry with the Suzy. There's just too
much protection and liquid. They're just trying to run away. And by that far, Zero's
trying to come back on the sim of all things so you can rejoin your team, try and walk
on Tread, melt through the shift with that beam as PG is just going to be able to hold
the space with disguise to work the dead eye liquid have to wait it out.
But Mael is gone, and you can't get sneaky with these TP plays, especially with the dead
eye.
That can be this time for some old fashioned walking cowboy on the field, yes she forced
back, but Tuneirach will be there for Skyle, just to tap it, Tuneirach's tree, takes him
out first the doors wide open for team liquid if they can keep attack on his
feet they'll do just that tree and zara picking up the brooms and pithing team
liquid another chance big kill from tree that getting that kill onto scarlet is
huge like you said it shuts down that kids doing a rush is pte actually
swaps onto the soldier instead of the Cassidy so power slides to be able to
try and work around some of the angles that this Sigma is shielding on the side
attack to swap the shot as well we'll be able to catch onto so many players from liquid building up
towards that oc when liquid don't have that mizuki to be able to absorb it. Skies, and once
trying fall side this gives me an image that got one more fight to be able to play with. Tread will
open up with an engagement flux mirrored by attack but we're waiting for the Kiriko ultimate. Both
of these teams very much are trying to poke the other way and again with a chicken at the moment
Molly
The mirror and rocket shuts it down
We saw this match up like oh, this will be a sweep no problem. No sweat the PSG say, uh-uh, we're at least taking one
Sometimes 1 plus 1 in Overwatch Mask Class does not equal a window, it equals a wall.
Oh, what a bay from disguise. Like, it's so clean because what it does is it takes all
that coaching that you have drilled into you and it turns it on your head. Like, literally so many
times this is a board player, if you have like a Curico Ultimate Mirror or a Lucio Ultimate Mirror,
you are told, do not ult first, ult second, so that you're all outlasts your opponent.
And so disguised, they commit the Cardinals in, they use Kiriko ult first, but it's because
they're baiting, they're baiting the second rush and they're withholding the melee wall
to totally shut it down. And it plays like that, which is just like so perfect, because
they literally turn what you're taught for hours upon hours upon hours, like it's muscle
memory you can't get annoyed at Liquid for doing that right because nine times out of ten in those
situations that is the correct play. It was that this was the one outlying position where the
Mawel's up and disguised turn what should be a fight win for Liquid against them and abuser.
I feel like that was a common theme throughout this match even seeing those tats at the end
Liquid had drastically more elims than what we saw from DSG, and I think that was the nature of the fights that they were winning versus losing.
If we saw Liquid come out on top, they were usually steamrolling, but if it was DSG, they found these kind of off mix most often on Tezera.
That duel with PGE, at least in the back part of that map, often went his way.
way. So when we get to see kind of these smaller pop-offs, and I guess better understanding
from DSG how to play around the May and the Sigma on the objective, it even starts to change.
It is an objective-based game. After all, Moxie, the Elans will help you get there, but it
won't get to the point if you're not on it at the right time.
Yeah, and that's also now going to play like so much havoc into these next fights, because
if you're liquid now you're getting paranoid now like am I reacting the way that I should or am
I reacting in a way that's being baited by the enemy for them to take advantage of because
predictability in these games it means death like it means that teams can just force out
ultimates and kite away as opposed to using the ultimates to match it which means that you get
put into an ultimate disadvantage situation which no team wants to find themselves in as we find
find ourselves for the first time today. They're on the NA side of things. Headed off to New
Junk City, which yeah, both of these teams are putting socks into. That Mizuki May composition,
I feel like this is a no-brainer to head to what, but the fact that I think the liquid
we saw so much issue with the May, I would like to see it matched or I would like to
see it removed. I think he needed to be off the bar on this map for sure. I think having
Zera on something, I guess where he-
Tracer?
Lay?
Staple?
Or just like-
Here's the good thing, the ball-
They've used the Tracer then!
They can't ban themselves out of Tracer!
And Rocket is the Tracer player as well in this situation.
So if you put Zera on that, the Mei is also gone.
So it's almost killing two birds with one stone in a way,
avoiding that matchup entirely.
Of course it would just depend on if Zera is able to get value
into a comp like a Mei, Cassidy, Mei, Soldier.
That can be difficult to approach from that perspective, but we'll see how this ends up going is even this though
This is a team liquid map pick
Bsg it's going to hit all of the strengths they had and I really like the Zuki ban
I feel like Kiwi was running away who with that matchup from what we're able to see and it also opens the door
I think for either some more shootout potentially or even I mean jetpack cat is available
Yeah, I want to go that way
Yeah, I think it's just about opening a door and more about a skylight.
If we get to see the Jetpack Cat fly on through, we'll have to see.
Like, for us to point New Junk City, it's a little bit more enclosed.
So maybe not the Jetpack Cat Bastion there, but definitely when the map opens up and we go into the more open area aspects of New Junk City,
especially when you have more environmental pull-off potentials with things like the Cat Map,
I feel like it's almost inevitable as this guys will go for a ban on to the diva so we still have things like mauga
The teams can play the sigma that was doing really really well for both of these teams
Zarya as well, but I feel like we've been saying a lot less Zarya
Very much less frequently than we had in the past
But I think again that just sort of like goes to show what kind of compositions that we're playing because she works so well
the Vendetta engagement because you would literally just bubble your Vendetta in. She'd be able to hit the
backline so quickly, get a pick on a backline player, build up charge for the Zarya. Zarya would be able to then walk forward and beam things down and they'd die in the space of like 10 seconds.
Now you're in a little bit more of a sustained heavy composition. Zarya, uptime, is not able to burst for a lot of these players or they're just not close enough for the Zarya to be able to walk on or if she's playing against Manga,
Zarya just has her bubbles popped, and then the Zarya herself gets popped.
There's not a lot of survivability for her left.
Yeah, and I do think it will depend on the actual tank player that is in.
And Tread is one of the more flexible people that we have.
I'd trust him at anything, except maybe wrecking ball that could be a little iffy at times.
But I think for the opposite side of Team Liquid is, do you put, infect in it,
to play more of these rolly tanks?
Because he can play the Sigma, he's done like the Moga,
the Ramatra, more of these traditional ground things, more are you going to keep attack,
which since we haven't got word of it now, I'm assuming he's still going to be in the
mix, which puts you in a situation that you're expecting the Sigma, but also could have some
Zarya potential.
Yeah, maybe some Ram as well, if you want to play some true brawl compositions with that
Ramatra, and it looks at the moment at least when we're in spawn, but then again, it's
spawn like things like the Juno, the Symmetra those can change so that you're
just using them for the spawn roll lights to try to get angles in the first
fight slightly faster than your opponent. As it looks like Tree will continue
going for this Cassidy, PGE though moving on to that sojourn so being able to play
around the staticness of a taxra matrioshield where it's a lot less
fluid in comparison to something like that Sigma where you do have to be very
careful about how you play spacing wise up into those annihilations as that's the main
change but Rocket keeps the mate and I like that it was causing a lot of issue for Liquid
to have to deal with especially when it comes to shutting down the rushes.
But now you're the Symmetra so closing the gap gets a lot easier and jumping on people
like PGE also well you just get squashed. You don't really stand a chance. You've got this
Kiri Galucio that we have going on, you know at full speed and people like a little bit
have that advantage with the teleporter on line there. Rocketballs manage to find an icicle
into tree, so attack full stop. Not if he doesn't bring around to Rosie, he's making it slower for
the time being, but shred, he'll get walked on along with style. And we'll just do a push cap,
going over to Tenor and finish it off. The classic in the tank duo, walk past the other tank,
walk on the back line instead, and disguised actually are the ones that we'll be able to
pick up from the first cap. Rocket has been so problematic on this. May just walls behind attack
to try to block out some of the line of sight. Force Kivis to have to TP in to his rematch to
be able to heal which they're no lies threat to close up the distance and take the character down.
But Liquid with the bodies trade will be able to take cap away from disguised and actually hold
on to it as well for disguise to fully have to play retake into them which will be a little bit
bit more problematic, since they quit faking acts by the kite game. They've got this MTV,
they'll have annihilation if these guys get close enough to try to go for that cap, or
they can just go first with one sided rush, as we can see P.J. Lee just trying to work
the angle, find a pick to open up the fight, cheese the ultimate economy the way the surgeon
does.
I'm a kind of a run and down option, and it seems to follow the attack of MO so far.
Not however is a problem, no Zanga, means no speed, but it also means all the shiny
buttons are now pressed for team liquid they need to find a trade they need to do it now and
they're gonna need not a bit because that blizzard out of bucket shuts down the consumer shuts down
the annihilation and that is all it takes one singular may have thrown team liquid for a loop
well i blinked and i missed tree's dead eye as well because he's what yeah liquid went for the
70p dead eye play and it fell on deaf ears and blind eyes as disguise are able to totally absorb
all of the odds coming out. Xera at least has the symbol to try to keep everyone intact, having to
walk into the position that PGE will be able to hold, but you have to be very careful about how
you actually approach this fight since you'll be going into annihilation and you don't have to be.
Something that this guy's do. So they'll pop the loot you off, they'll run past the symbol,
they'll use the rematch or ultimate and they'll just run at Liquid because with the amount of
percent that they've been able to recruit, that was last fight Molly. Liquid have no chance for a
a full team regroup they can try to funnel bodies into the fight but all you're doing
is staggering yourself out of setting up for the next yeah that was there are two things
it's similar doesn't care about number one a monster punches number two if the entirety
of disguise just runs on the other side of it and yeah it was just not a good position
for a team like we have to be in and they're not working with much of this point give us
has to get out number one looks like you got deep into safety but you do have a sound barrier
to work with from Vega, and Tempo beats honestly with the changes to sound barrier a lot from
Miami.
Yeah, Liquid at least you're able to survive, like that was the risk with a tag going down
so late on that last point, they don't lose players, they're able to kite, they do have
that beat to try to get aggressive towards this guy, and you have to wait for the melee
wall though so you can guarantee they connect with attack, as Tree is looking to see if he
can catch someone away from where that ram shield will be pointed.
Hummels, not going to be there for Tread, he's already had to use the Nemesis form and PGE caught with I've covered in the open, it's caught by the Cassidy Flashbang absorbed by Kiwi, who then absorbs all of the rest of the shots afterwards, and Liquid, no ult required, just do a Blood Sweat and Cassidy Neutral.
Yeah, nasty shots from Tree to get that set up.
I mean, it's difficult for Disguise to push into the Sim with the setup there and no ultimates.
I think that was the exception from the last round, is you had tools to work with,
and now, Moxie, they have those buttons that they can use.
Yeah, but Liquid having almost 50% of this point, you can see just like the rotation around to make sure that Disguise
can't get the drop on them and run directly at them with something like that overclocked from PGE.
Zero will be wanting to save the TP to dodge away from the Blizzard.
Palace Light from PGE, Blizzard setup from Rocket, but the SimTP means that no one's home
on the side of Liquid, so Overglop does not find a home in players,
but what it does do is setup Sharp for Disguise to get the point flip.
Liquid biding that time, have all of their ultimates ready to go,
and the moment that OC's done will be the green light.
Warp forward with Dead Eye and make a play for the pointy.
See, just for the angle, it's a block and a monster.
You're not gonna finish that.
Oh, almost got Rocket there.
But it is a good map flip from Team Liquid.
Final fight territory for them,
and they can just run this down
with annihilation sound barrier.
Kiwi will have one up,
but I don't think that's gonna do much.
If Team Liquid will just go,
but it will be the sound barrier.
Ow, with the boot,
prevention of the game,
with Zara in climb, great play from Kiwi.
You don't have that big frontline power
that keeps close off even more onto attack,
but he can't do much.
Tread had enough time to build up to his own annihilation, but it has to be a map off
that huge investment from Team Liquid, which is too little too late, and they're forced
to fight this off into the neutral they have percent they can afford to give, and may be
willing to let over this cap happen, but they have a reminder of their team back in the
fight ready to go, they're gonna try to run this down on their rocket who's forced to
make it.
Xerath is actually on the Tracer now, Tread has the dead eye to try and push the skies
away before Skull gets that one side of Kitsune rush up, Merewa blocks off one portion of the point,
the tree just walks around it, ice blocks from Rocket, Shorley is pulled up by the flashbang,
and Rocket goes down. Skull's ult is matched by Kivers' ult, and Liquid still have that Nemesis
form right inside it, which means that they're getting all of the picks up onto disguised,
We find ourselves tied up, one piece, as we head on to the third point.
Heck, I'm scrappy. Real scrappy there.
At the end, the Team Liquid, and just to pull it together, and largely due to Kivis setting that up,
has been getting more comfortable, since we have seen the maps go on.
It's a pulse bomb now, for Xerob, and sticking it out on this trace with the sin swab.
Definitely thinking about it there.
Not willing to commit, knowing that Recall would have to go out to this team.
on a placement test, Tread is rather low. In his positioning for disguise, you're gonna have to use
something to break through it, and Zera, just the threat of it is terrifying.
Well, it's also buying time for Vega right to have this bubble to build up sound barrier,
so PGE has the OC, but Liquid 1 can kite it, and then live it, the beat, send it back in,
with annihilation, but Kivis is the one who gets annihilated, taken down by the Sojourn.
Liquid get two though, which means the disguised and downed players, Rocket even invested the blizzard, they think it's winnable.
They're trying to just get the kill onto attack on that point, so they can try and secure some point percent scar apps off of the back of all of that investments.
But Liquid are able to totally deny any cap and walk away with the overall fight win. That could cost disguised in the long run.
I see the vision from Rocket. Like if you get attacked there, that bite is blown wide open.
It's a mantra with infinite amounts of health, it feels like.
Yeah.
I'm finding him down.
It was more valuable as well because of how much closer disguised spawns are in comparison to liquid rights.
So if you get the tank, you deter liquid close-holding.
Tree doesn't have a good position to use that eye.
Disguise can potentially find an inn before those ults come through, which now you have to walk directly into.
So yet again, they just they can't actually try to posture up against the Kassadin until Tresor is done
Which means more pulling percentage given away no poke
Skyrim at least will have this rush which should be the flop for them
But they're down PTO reserve finding a really good flank and
Disguise have to know and best treasure just for the extra frames of nemesis forms. They have a defense against liquid
Zera is getting away with Merman right now. He is getting so much value poking at this
backline forcing resources and it clears the path for attack just to march right on in.
The Katsune rush, back of Kivis and this is back a point now. Four team liquid and something
has to be done about Zera. He is doing way too much in these early fights.
Yeah, you sort of feel like it has to be PGE, right, to be able to mark the trace to try
and shut down some of the blink mobility with things like Flashbang, but he is occupied
having to deal with Tree. Skyle has his hands full as well, having to worry about the Tracer
and the Cassidy's angles, and the fact that Liquid have all of the Ultimates to be able
to play with, so as looking for that flank, has the Pulse Bomb good to go. Could be used
just to force the Suzy, but it's also just being used to totally zonite the Sky's positions
at the moment, as if the fight starts now, Liquid are in the best possible position to
win it.
Sarah, you go on the point with Rocket, the main fight will be on the high ground, and
Liquid's advantage here is kind of monstrous, these guys, they're trying to be cautious,
their health bar is already low, and Liquid haven't really done much other than poke,
and that is a big concern.
Yeah.
Well, two players are also just having to look at Tracer below, like, Rocket's looking
at Tracer, so he's not back to wall, and the wall itself comes down Catwalk, which
It doesn't cover enough of the corner to be able to shut down Dead Eye from Tree.
So Disguise do all of that to try to keep the Tracer with pulse bomb in check?
And that just leaves the whole rest of the team open to do whatever they want.
Taking the point, taking the high ground, and Disguise have no good answer to it.
I guess at what point do you consider putting Rocket on the Tracer?
Like, I don't know if that's something you may need to think about.
You don't really have the time. You're relying on this because you need to rush past the Blizzard.
You get to do the point though, but go out and just counter to the Annihilation instead and attack it.
You might as well just knock out the Sound Barrier.
That help melted through the like wet paper.
These guys, look at the clean. I'm trying to clean out this fight.
I mean, you don't have a tank in your face. Surely it shouldn't be a problem, but Vega came up with two final blows.
Zero's still running. He's out of this battling. This shouldn't happen.
That was the fight. This guy's had to win. Tread is on the point completely by himself. Never mind. Rocket will come to support with all these flies to see Liquid was just buzzing around him.
He can't pick one target to focus on. The healing is there and Team Liquid strike right back and take that too.
I mean, you said it yourself. That was the fight Liquid should not have won.
No.
like they lost that tank, B evaporates with the nerf duration that it has now, it's just
that they have so much mobility, they take so many different positions, they just totally
overwhelm this guy, it's like I really wish when we had that first map we had not seen
the tracer band from there on end, because I feel like if Zura had been able to swap
off of the Thara onto the tracer, it would have been a vastly different story on Oasis,
especially on University, as we just got to see a totally different look at Liquid there.
Like, Disguise had no good answer to the tracer. That whole last fight, that whole last point,
Zero literally just sits on the pulse bomb because it has more value being out full charged
than charging back from Zero off of the amount of pressure that you put the whole Disguise into
Expecting it
If Zera it's pulse bomb. He's gonna hit these like it doesn't land it there
But does all the damage it needs to and I don't think it's not just Zera
I think he is the one that is clearing a ton of space though or tree and attack to also work around
If I'm DSG right now, I know I can't found the tracer
You're forced to go any of our map types tracer kind of OP. You're going to be playing for regardless
Again, do you consider putting Rocket to try to match the tracer or are you going to stick
with what you know, what you've been practicing and your own comfort because it got shut down
pretty badly?
Yeah, and it shuts you down from a lot of options too, right?
You can't go for Echo if Tracer's on the field.
You absolutely can't have your backline Juno.
You'll just get one clip found.
So that's already before we even look at Bandraft.
heroes removed as options that you can try to play into. So yeah, that Tracer will be problematic
and this is the problem facing all of these teams. Like even when we see new heroes released,
talking about the fact that, oh yeah, she won't be playable. Will we actually see playtime because
you're vying for a spot with Tracer? I doubt it because Tracer is just that strong. Like she gets
to do so much with so little resource investment from the rest of her team that she is the one
creating all of those opportunities for the rest of her team with zero cost from them towards
setting her up for it. It's really problematic when you have a good tracer player because it feels
like you're fighting an absolute army and that's just the traces and do you then have to factor in
the whole rest of her team. The attention Zera is able to grab is kind of ridiculous and out of
all of these maps I think this is probably the best one to try to work around it and maybe
Maybe circuit. Maybe circuit.
If we're going to play Cat Bastion, this is probably the time to do so, is my guess.
But if I'm DSG and I have two flex supports on my roster, I would also plan to exploit
that on this map.
Well, they won't be playing Cat Bastion.
No they will not.
Solve that mystery.
They bombed it too.
Okay, we're Cat Bastion handers here.
have a backline who puts Pylon down and then takes a UL against Tracer while still having
kills. Like, Liquid can ban that out or they can try to enforce it as they actually ban
the QR.
Okay, they want to do it too. I like this. And that's kind of the other thing about Vega.
I think he's one of the more flexible support players as well that can pull out some of
these decks like, we've seen him on what, the backteast before, we've seen him on things
like the Iyari as well. So we'll see if that is actually the direction they decide to go in.
This is Scream Sigma. I cannot imagine we're seeing anything other than that for a map like this.
Yeah, I feel like it will be the SIG. Like maybe we get to see the run-and-back of the Pharah
as well from Liquid maybe when they're on like the defense. If they want to just be able to
throttle damage towards this guy is when they're trying to like walk up into all of those fights.
but honestly, after the pressure that the Tracer's been picking up, I feel like it's a given.
Yeah, you'll be seeing Tracer pop up at least some parts of this map.
A little bit harder, I think, like off of the rip on the defense to try to play her on first,
especially if disguised or expecting it. And they decide to go the way of clear the Tracer first,
take the teamfight second, so that you're walking five versus four.
Every time, but Zera can do some really smart things.
He just pulls a lot of attention,
comes to the team when too many people are looking at him,
and the rest of the team just walk.
But that's the thing that he was doing on New Junk City,
which was so problematic that this guy started to deal with.
When free players were looking his way,
he just told the rest of his team to take the space that they wanted,
because there's like what, two people to try to stand up to them,
and they just get very quickly overwhelmed.
Just the anticipation of what Xerra can accomplish.
It's either you give him that attention so he doesn't actually do it to you,
And then the rest of his team does or you ignore him and well, you see rolling through your back one
And also why I think this map is good and there are some very bad spots or tracer on this map
The Eardy is incredibly viable and allows you to sort of be in two places at once while being a good
ULT for this tracer as GSG the option at hand see if that is something they want to pull out
It will be for now Team Liquid on the defense on a brig.
It's been a minute since we've seen that.
Yes, I was actually going to talk about this,
because if you have like a Tracer 1 versus 1,
the one thing that you can actually do to influence the fight
for your Tracer to win on the objective
is actually put a brig in.
And like, brig is there to be able to help out the Ana, yes.
But it's also to supply zero with armor packs.
And give Trieve his armor shield.
Yeah, it's a trick that a lot of tracers like use when you're playing like escort or hybrid.
If you have a brig on your team and it's a tracer 1v1, because you have those armor packs,
you can actually hold on to things like recall for a much longer time than your opponent.
As Tree at the moment is just gaining the full 5-star hotel Widowmaker Realtive experience,
Brick Shield in front of you, all of the cover, perfectly timescatching PGE's walkout from attack spawn to you.
Widow duel in 2026.
That's a... we don't get this one all that much.
I bet this backline from Disguise, Juno Zuki, I'd rather not be called it.
I'm worried about that Juno.
I don't feel safe if I'm Skyall right now.
I'm real worried about that Juno.
We literally talked about the fact that Juno just gets one clipped by Tracer.
So as Zerikin claps into the Scals position, and QB's not there to be able to help out,
that Juno will not live long, which is why we're seeing Scals play stacks with the team
in a position that Zera just cannot try to commit onto.
And you also have Rocket in his way.
I'm imagining that's kind of another benefit
of picking this map is you can kind of set these
to after each other and let them do their own thing
and see how that goes.
I think Vega does help Zera before in those duels
than the likes of like either style or TV
because they have to stay so close to Tren
in order to be safe.
But making this long rotation to the higher,
They don't teach 3, but the shot will connect.
Ooh, Juno's speed ring moment.
The Skyl lives by a whisker, but the problem for the Skyz is like,
these rotations are taking a really long time.
We've had, well, a minute of gameplay.
The really old Petspin pull is sights from PGE,
and the cart has not really moved all that far.
PGE also has to worry about attack, just flying in the widow's face,
So sight advantage totally denied by matrixes. The tracers actually get traded. Kiwi is able to keep Skyle alive by taking Zera down. Rocket also falls.
But the fact that Trisa has sights in this fight just means that the Skys have to fully wait for it to pass before they can make a move. And we're down to two minutes remaining.
Halfway through and we've had a total of two. Which is kinda crazy. But Team Liquid are in a much better spot.
I was saying that before Rocket blew up the target that needed to navigate,
and Lisa goes out onto attack, but Sarah comes right back around,
and post-bots stick the damage, this is ridiculous,
and he is going to zolom this one.
Elix is sketchy, and Abby and Rocket blew that flight open,
but Sarah, who would push up that down?
I mean, Warden disguised Kong is actually there to stop the tracer.
The answer is nothing.
So PGE actually bends the knee, gives up the Widow 1v1,
to prioritize more of what the team requires, which is Cassidy, vehicle to shut Zera down
who continues to be an absolute one-man army, sick shield from Tread since you don't have
a widow to contest tree, making sure that everyone from Disguise lives the cross, but
now there's nothing contesting Tree. So the moment that sick shield falls and Disguise
supports the position on cart, well, someone has to work directly at the widow or they
have to play all around the back of Forest, walking on the high ground and taking Tree's
angle away while Rocket plays point. It's a good rotation but you don't really have the time to
do this unless you're going to put things in a terrible spot. You'll still be able to book it
out of there, try and get white, follow him at this time, meaning to protect the rest of his team
and that's sanctuary. Just in response to that rally you had to make sure these stuns
wouldn't result in elims but this orbital ray from style might just be the thing to put more
Well, Tree is untouchable as well, flying from Byron Don Sarkand.
Like, Tread will at least have the six-yup there, self-destruct from attack and vestibulite
on point so that these guys can't just get the check point and Zera gets the pulse bomb
on Skyle.
Tree, uncontested, gets the pick up onto Rocket.
This is very rapidly falling apart for these guys.
They don't have the sanctuary to absorb any of the oncoming shots.
From the Widow, which means that Molly, this has all of the trimmings of a fall hold.
And indeed, there it is, round one complete.
Liquid, totally slow disguised down.
Forced them to have to take these really long,
lengthy rotations, which allows there
to just play full monopoly of the map space.
Boils the whole round down to what, three fights?
Which means that they just get to when the cart moves
close enough to checkpoint,
play off of the main space with the widow,
and take advantage of the fact that disguise
had nothing spare to try to stop Tree.
And the crazy part too is that Treasonly 3 and L, like it feels like he's doing so much more just because he's like existing, the front of this guy.
That's what Widowmaker does, like you can't move up into this space. It forced you to waste half of your time bank just to get in position to take a singular flight.
That was a problem. And now with these sides lit, Team Liquid are still gonna have this faster comp.
I imagine attack sticks on this diva and can deny the space much easier than if you're
tread having to walk around to all these high grounds.
Yeah, this is why we say that, you know, statistics don't always tell the full story.
Cause like you said, if you look at like the damage that Tree did or the kills that he's
walking away with, you'd think, wow, my widow is throwing.
Free and low?
What's going on?
You did nothing the whole round.
when you actually like boil it down with context for the amount of space and time and team fights as
well that you sort of took away from disguised where they're not getting to do poke they're not
getting to heal which means that they're not building up perks as well to be able to like bolster
up what Mizuki and Juno are able to do two characters which very quickly ramp up value
when you hit your perks totally denied the opportunity of having them as they're actually
not going for the tracer, goes for the sim so that liquid can just move positions, totally
around the angles that these guys already hold at the start. As Tree goes down to the
Cassidy, and liquid are slowed. Not stopped, but staved off, which is the start to the
line disguise required.
Yeah, you need to have more stable footing, and that's what this comp screams. It is a
deathball comp with the exception of rocket gear. You will be flying on the same angle,
You're denying attack from taking these poke battles and it is open. All right
That's why you're sticking zero on this to Metra because there's no way a tracer is touching any of those players in that position
But this wraparound positioning is good. Look how tree snuck his way into the backline with the entirety of his support
It decides sure you have the high ground and how are you actually going to contest these players?
He had this playing with fire, just dancing in front of PGE there, and he's still alive, but this is something scary.
Here's the problem that Liquid have now posed to Disguised. If everyone plays behind the Six Shield on high ground, they're away from the soldier.
If one person drops to low ground to contest the payload's movement, they're away from the Six Shield, and Tree takes their head off.
So, Disguise having to be very careful about how they put their players onto the objective
to not lose them early, and let go of multiple ultimates to actually have the confidence to
send attack really aggressively into the bunker setup that Disguise have been able to establish.
Amp on the corner, but Karts already moved away from the full site of it, so all you're
really doing is trying to get Tackage through the window and catch onto Vega who falls at
least on the break, but attack with the boosters, gets the jump on Scar, of course, is I fat
And that vamp is vulnerable. Liquid want the exit trade. They want to guarantee that they get the pick-up on disculse
But this guy just lose players to be able to close hold up on the high ground when the next fight breaks out
Attack's total vision there as well. Like he wanted to get these picks, set it up for Tree, but
ends up losing the mix. As he said though, this is a great position for them to be in.
You have this overclock now to be able to pull out, attack, can stand at the front line and get test-treaded.
now that this guy isn't set up on this high ground floor, you can face take this easier.
You just need to watch out for rocket.
What is the sanctuary as well from QB though, right? Disguised whole defense against the OC,
hinges on that sanctuary. Oh, rocket points the postman onto tree as well to shut down any prospect
of OC. Can't creep in closer though. Semmel from there is still up and active but a big pick up onto
to give us no orbital way to close this fight out for Liquid to combo with that OC. And disguised
hold on, one minute left, could potentially be a fuller hold, especially if they can bleed
out one extra kill here, but Liquid wisely disengaged all of that players. They know that
they get one good crack at this with a full regroup and ultimates in hand, and if it doesn't
work out here, it's the mad dash ramble.
One more chance for Team Liquid with how long these rotations can take, but the teleporter guarantees high ground.
And this is exactly where you want to put Tree.
At this point in time, let's flip the map.
Ellen will walk away from you.
It's night's accretion.
That atatrix makes this scary.
They're gonna hold this out, but Lonkey just walks up the stairs, Tree comes up with two, and he's gonna look for more.
There's a third, and he's gonna set up everybody else for the win.
the way DSG were so close, all it took was Tree coming alive and we get Liquid up to Math Boy.
Oh brilliant, wrap around from Liquid. Like it's a free-stage plan. Wrap around with the OZ,
get enough damage done, foresight the amp from the top ropes after you put enough pressure down
onto SIG and then when you use that OZ like that's trying to use Sanctuary but we were talking
by this a little bit earlier with the Mizuki Ultimate. One of the main problems of it, it's static,
right? So the moment that it goes up, you're really only safe in that one position,
which means that when Tree then changes his position to catch everyone out who's outside of it,
you're just tapping heads for absolute free uncontested while you have your two other players
just keep the cart chugging along. It is a great map from Team Liquid. They didn't overcomplicate
things and I think that helps a lot. You have the raw aim of your DPS in general to pull this
through. Like yeah I think Rocket had a good showing for DSG. There were definitely some signs
of life but at the end of the day it seemed that Team Liquid had a better macro understanding of
how to approach this map, what heroes, how they're using these rotations which are so important
in escort types and can apply to hybrid as well, which makes me wonder, do a DSG want to go to
push instead? I could see honestly like Runa Saffi, maybe come out. I think like what you're
worried about just then though is the fact that Tree was getting the best of those engagements,
like his sojourn aim was warmed up. As we got to see from that last dose, he like the flick that he
was hitting was expected of his caliber. And I think if you got a rune sappy, it would be like M-Ray versus soldier would be the big mix up between the two of them. You're also worried by tracer impact as well. Like if you're looking at rune sappy, that's the home of the tracer flank. If you don't stay on top of Zera's position, your back line is gone before you even walk one inch.
Yeah, and I think you have to keep Rocket on the tracer.
I think it slows Zara down, where at least you managed to trade something, which is beneficial.
But we're gonna do absolutely nothing that we just talked about.
We're gonna go to the body, or DSG, which can go one of two ways.
We've seen teams pull out the cat fashion, which I can highly doubt it for this map.
We can play the poke comps that we have been doing with the Sigma, rely on the May again
potentially, or DSG, or you can go back to some of this die.
And then it's been teased from Team Liquid on, just from attack, playing that game earlier.
Well, let's see what the bands will be. We've already had the Bastion, we've already had the Cat.
Woo, Brig on the side of this guy. Yeah, like, if Liquid go for this break, I'd look again,
as we talked about, it influences the Tracer duel. It also makes it harder for you to be able
to safely dive onto something like the Ana.
But we'll see what Liquid's ban is in response.
They can go for DPS or they can go for Tank.
We've already had the D.Va ban,
so I've never moved out for Six Month.
So I feel like we're going to be having
some D.Va come in play.
Yeah, seems the most probable.
I do not want to see a Tread Ranking Ball.
I love Tread.
That is just, and it's just not a Tread Hero,
And that's okay, you can play everything else.
And Winston's just not it.
So D.Va, comfortable tank for both of these players,
unless we're getting an infected sub,
which it does not sound like.
So this is turns, kind of what we've been seeing,
the entirety of the series on its head.
You're no longer bunkering with this frontline.
You're not gonna be playing the May.
It's about these fast setups, the staging,
the tracers are going to be the pinnacle of the comps.
And I mean, what's your backline going to be?
Will it be Kyureka and Mizuki?
Probably, if we're playing D.Va,
I feel like the Mizuki is a necessity, no?
Especially with no break?
Also, no break, so you would have to choose,
if you want Anna, then it would be like Anna and Mizuki,
or Anna Juno.
Juno gets shredded by Tracer,
so that just would not be a fun time to play.
And then Anna without the Juno
would just be very vulnerable
about speed boost, but Lucio has also been heavily nerfed, and Mizuki just does so much
in terms of damage, but also set up, right? The chains being able to totally lock a player's
positioning down, and it has a whole bunch of range to it as well. That thing goes far,
so you can very easily also like be very aggressive with your positioning,
with the movement speed that you have on your shift, where you can like set up
to start a fight in a really proactive spot, get a couple of good shots in, potentially find a chain,
and then just run back to the rest of your team with very little punishment, the way the Kirikus do
with their swift step setups.
Kiriko Mizuki is easily the safest cop that you can play with what is available, and if I'm DSG,
I like that a lot because I think Kiwi has had the better Mizuki than from what we've seen so far
today. Granted, not as much of it has been coming from Team Liquid. They preferred to do, like,
Lucio, the back, kind of throw Vega, or ever, other than that Oasis, which they ended up losing.
So, if DSG pull that out, I'm looking for how they can kind of synergize that, especially
with transitioning away from, I guess, being more proactive instead of reactive to how Team
Liquid have been playing. Yeah, I think, like, for disguise, they want to play that Curicum
that. And I think it's also
the composition that they've
played where liquid look the
most uncomfortable, and I think
that sort of like speaks volumes
about the fact that Missouki
coming into matter caught a lot
of teams by surprise. It's fair
to say right. There was a lot of
theorizing of like, is this
hiding strategies? Is this sort
of like trolling? Is this a
little bit of the end? But no,
he's very much here to stay. And
I think for a lot of teams,
especially when you don't have a
of a lot of official tape when you're not playing in officials and you have so much time.
So on your hands, where you can like go into scrims, come up with some really good compositions
to catch your opponents, unalways. Like the Kiriko and the Zuki composition with the amount
of damage and how hard it can be to kill is a really good win condition to play towards,
especially if you have the understanding that Xera will be rolling out on that tracer for
your backline to have to deal with, because if you pull resources to deal with the tracer
away from the main fight, that's obviously then going to impact the players who are able
to stack up to the rest of Liquid.
This I think is a very liquid oriented map with the strengths that we have seen from
the rosters so far and we talked about the threat that is like this dive, but Tree has
been feeling it and this is back half of the series, that is something to be afraid of.
I don't know whether to be afraid of Heavies or Vega, 14 Liquid or four Disguise right
I mean, is that- I'm afraid for Tread.
If he comes out on Malga into Ana, he's not going to have a fun time.
I can, like, say this now, if you want to play Malga in your competitive games,
can't believe I'm giving advice to Malga players.
How far have fallen?
Johnny and Jaws are, like, actually eviscerating me for this.
Don't play Malga into Ana unless you have a character or a life river.
Ana's loved playing into Mal'Goth because you just hit them with Nade.
So Tread will actually move off of the Mal'Goth and onto a more problematic hero for the Ana to have to deal with the D.Va,
because that means the things like Sleep Dart, Nade, that has a lot less frequency of connecting,
which means that Skull will be able to hold on to the Suzu for those crucial moments when Zera has ult.
And D.Va is back aligning all things considered, aren't super survivable.
If disguise can collapse, and PGE is just chilling.
and he's trying to poke in and out on this high ground, but that's not the main focus.
The main focus is the supports and Rocket setting up a pinch, and you can't really do much as an Ana
unless you land that sleep dart to stop it.
The team listed are down one, Vega will come back as the Mizuki,
but they've been very slow to actually move towards this objective.
Yeah, because they'll down one of these supports in the fight, right?
They can't really stand up to the ball potential, so you'll sacrifice some point percentage,
but it comes at the cost of attacks whole neck,
Which now means that instead of waiting for they get to come back into the fight, you're waiting for attack, which means that you won't be contesting first.
You won't be giving up one take and playing for second or third contest.
You're giving up the whole of corner, even, in streets, because you just don't have the D. The Mech to absorb the shots from PGE or any of the pressure from Skyl or Kiwi.
Which means that Liquid, they have to find some way of playing retake. They don't have an ult.
Advantage for Bully out of the sky so you're looking at Tree?
Just land an opening shot, but Tread on this D.Va match has been so problematic
with both Xera and Tree to get past.
And after that DPS duo for Team Liquid that's been lining it up, that's their main win-con
and the fact that we're seeing as much pressure on them
denying these angles in that early oak has been huge, like, there you go, there it is.
It's shot in the head again, Pyke PGE, I kind of throw back to map one there.
She's finding both of the DPS as a matter of fact, like this is falling apart for Team Liquid.
They want the space but disguise for the gun yet.
I mean look at Tread as well being so aware of when Nade actually connects from Kivis.
He has so much health in that fight that he gets hit by the purple, totally backs off to the rest of his team.
So he can guarantee preserved mech to have it for this next fight.
One Kivis has that nano boost to give to his team, but like what's the person to give it to?
If you can't give it to Attack because he's in Baby Diva form, Tree does not have OC just yet.
Zera's gone down, so Liquid are having to play Patience yet again.
It feels like the whole of Numbani so far, they've just been sitting back and waiting.
And there's a dead eye now, coming out from PGE.
You gotta get the Floyd across the finish line and attack ones out of Matrix.
And the Floyd allowed her to go for the team, and now we're gonna see a lot of them committed.
And now to boost on to Zera, but everyone's so healthy, you can't do much.
You need to commit me much more than that to make it happen.
Something like Megan gets caught up by the self-destructs and BGE.
Spindling don't win, but it just doesn't matter.
And that was what every single host came out of Team Liquid.
And it was not enough to stop DSG.
I mean, this staggering is ridiculous.
They need to change, and they're doing it.
Oh, it was so costly.
Like, Tree pops the OC.
Liquid know that the sides will run away from it,
so they give Nado Bruce to 0 because Tracer has enough mobility
catch on to disguise players, but you don't get the kills, PD and Rocket are getting all of the kills.
As disguised actually swap off of the diva, so no more dives because you're not going to try and split
liquid players. You go for a ram, you want to just be able to six stack up and one that liquid who's
gone for the exact same swap. Everyone has the same cooldown, everyone's trying to catch someone
isolated too far up with that melee wall, and they found one, Tread separated from the team that
It goes down, and just like they had so much momentum headed into third, but as is often
the case on Yambani, the moment you lose one fight, you have zero space to work with, and
it's going to be back to the drawing board, back to respawn, and back to building a post.
The may is so deadly, like on this choke here, and is it really not wanting to approach high
ground too, too much, unless you're kind of clearing the hitscan out, so the fact that
team with would have the ability to bunker down in his choke it's going to be huge for them
try to go up that may wall what exactly caught anybody off more so just
xpge struggle with some parkour there i think pg actually wants the high ground mode because
he has dead eye so if you actually like force liquid tobacco like you can use the castle but
castle finds may wall kelly finds the long side of the kill feed after attacks done with him
and Liquid just run right back at this guy's like they have so little space to be able to control
and Liquid are not giving them an inch to be able to work with.
Is Numbani spawn camp like the new strat? Is that the thing? Is it might be? I mean people are gonna
fly bolts right now Monty. Yeah and just guys like they're having to swap. PGE is actually on the
hand zone so you're actually getting past the ram shield like Tread's taking the one versus one
one against attack and PGE is just ignoring the tank and trying to shoot a squishy when
they're not protected, which is why Zero comes up absolutely hero play with the Maywall to
totally ice off the angle that PGE was uncontested on. As Liquid back off the spawn, know that
PGE has much more shield break pressure on the Hanzo in comparison to the Cassie, and
they're just slow to the point.
The Sune Rush is out, but only the Rocket's closer for now. Team Liquid are confident that
They can just kite this one out and fight on the corner.
It's a good decision.
You can re-engage with Givys and Sune Rush and your own ult.
That's four of them.
Press at the same time and have the investment considering the time bank that is left, but
at least get them to fight when you're not...
Here comes the spawn camp!
This is what you do if you're liquid.
You force disguised into matching ultimates.
And now they have nothing, which means that you spend the next minute on the attack,
building your ult, which is actually I love this one from Rocket. Off of the main onto
Tracer. If Liquid wants to try and occupy the rest of the guys on high ground, Tracer
just gets past the whole stack on the high ground and goes to the objective. This has
opened up the fight massively, no ult required.
And nobody wants to be in Rocket's face, like I guess you send Tree back there, but if Tree's
gone, well, so should Kucho get out both damage. Hey, this guys we're worried about when they're
trying to get to this point. Everyone's just gonna drop back to the objective. If you have
to forfeit the high ground, knowing the tracer can force the objective. I think this is gonna
rock it. It's now gonna struggle to find, get more room as we've seen him shut down.
You don't have great angles to work with. Everybody on Team Liquid is great at fighting
into a tracer. So it will be a forced reset from PSG if they don't get styrofoamed.
Sarah, find the icicle between PG and Dimon.
I mean it's also the question of like how do you use dragon strike from PGE?
You don't have a grav to sort of get the old school combo off,
rockets off of the tracers while going to the sim, so that these guys can try and play
around just the sim tp. Being able to outmaneuver liquid, PGE actually off of the hands are
onto the bastion, yeah they're just going to go point, set up sim turrets, set up bastion
sentry form and not for liquid when they try to fight Cormac.
But you lost Teeley, like that is just something that cannot happen, Trees still gets a second
and it's both supports now.
On the fight, like that was just DSG, they wanted to run it down.
The only nice part about this moxie is Teeley could run too fast.
Yep, one more fight.
Unfortunately for disguise, you're running directly into a rush, like they're in a rush
at the moment but they don't have a rush of that um, which is the worst possible position
to be when OT is about to hit. You can't disengage it and you can't play to farm up your own.
They just have to take as much damage as possible and get spells all online to match Kivis' because
Liquid have so many options in terms of how to play this. You can hold high ground, you can just
burn all of your alt-quits in one go, you can use attacks just force disguised into burning
for a century and then use annihilation and bloods on the player when disguised for a split
and no one can coordinate damage onto one specific player to actually secure any trades.
And there is the hold as classic Nambani Molly strikes again. So much time this guy's
had headed into third and it all got melted away. You know what, I'm gonna be on the poke in here.
It is third point. It is possible for GSG to stop here as you know it is difficult to push
But then I look at these stats and I am that's a bit tough as a bit tough today and tree in particular
19 and 3 after that map same with attack like they're
Getting a lot more done. I think individually like think about how well PGE was playing for the first part of that map
He's only five and eight like after that snowball fell apart
this guy's never had a foot back in the game and
and sitting in this defense where it is so favored towards you,
you gotta switch something up.
And while that is not exactly what I was thinking,
Tread, I gotta say, one of his best heroes is this hazard,
and it can work to shut down these squishies
a bit better than D.Va if you can play safe enough.
Yeah, the Ana's also open.
Yeah, it's open.
I mean, Liquid, I think they'll probably
veer away from the Ana though,
since this guy has found out the break.
like you can't play Ana Juno here because Trace is in play on the side of Rocket. So I feel like
this guy's actually did a good job in the band draft of being like this is a problem that we pose
if you swap to something that deals with that problem you now have a different problem
on your hands which I think is like the best way that a team can use the band draft to influence
these compositions as Liquid will be starting off with speed ring to get out of spawn somewhat
faster before a tree goes for the Bastion. No cat, but you have so much Burst damage. If you're running
into something like a Rematra, you just Burst through that Nemesis one very quickly. The
further they're playing into this hazard boat, that might catch them on a Wezz. Good jumper from
Tread, looking to just jagged wall someone off, but the jump in from Lickwood, there's so much Burst
damage, and Tread's totally isolated away from any help from Scarla Keely. They're just instantly
down a ton. Yeah, Team Liquid, you're like, Dread, I dare you to come up. Just try, like,
just try one. And that is what will happen. You get Mabel, you get Bastion, and Albuquerque,
well, you can see her run around like chickens without heads, so you can pick them all. This
relative, he's teeny. Come on, a ton of time. It just won't really matter. In fact, I've probably
heard him in the long run. Some people dance those, further spawns away. And, yeah, Albuquerque,
point 14 liquid five and a half minutes. Yeah. And this will hurt your ultimate economy
to like you lost a tank early. You were all split separate direction so your backline
could not get used up. Which means look how far ahead Kivis and Vega are in terms of alts
like PGE will get living weapon up. But Vega can just absorb it with sanctuary and liquid
can use one-sided rush. Skylar's so far away from match, even if this guy's cut out for
fight, that's still not any contested space on card.
No, and I think that getting these slots would be good with the Mei. Like, help you get closer
to the point to make sure you can take these fights, but the Mei wasn't just better. How
does there apply? It's simple, easy. He will pull out his override protocol, and it's a
very little success between the healing and the Suzus. If anything, it helps people like
but get to their sanctuary just a bit faster.
No kills off of the back of the MRA.
Oh, too far away from any other Alts.
To try to formulate your regroup.
In this next fight on,
like trees even getting into position
to scout out with the Nade,
presence on the high ground,
sanctuary on the cart,
to make sure you're absorbing all of the heals
and damage disguised can do,
which means that you'll pick up checkpoint.
No other Alts missed for far.
I just can't play the game at all. He has gone down first every single fight tree
Let's get out of here box. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yes, you can not that's the strategy
Yeah, PGE late with vortex. Oh, that's so problematic
They get a full touchdown boxy like even if they do there's three off the team liquid half
on
Bastion
Is anyone going to be close enough to? I don't think they can.
I don't think they can.
There's no wrecking balls here.
The chain! The chain!
Love can't get past because of the Zuki chain, and Liquid just fully stopped any opportunity for a contest.
We go from one of the stalled eye, like the most stalled-out mambonies we've seen for a very long time,
to probably one of the fastest we've seen in just the history full stop.
I mean, this series, I would say a roller coaster, but it was really just, wow, we're
getting all the way to the top.
We have this anticipation after that map one win for DSG and it kind of just rolled on
down there.
It was a droid ride for Liquid, not DSG.
And this is, I think from, especially at the end, steamroll, Noxie.
This is the potential that Team Liquid has new additions to this roster, will shape up
even more, and even then I think the tackle
has been fantastic in his play today
on all of the heroes that he pulled out.
I got a buzz question here though,
like the one map that this guy's won here,
I think Team Liquid just lose against himself
about that Tracer.
I mean, I have to ask them about themselves.
I'm so happy they won because I'm going to ask them,
like, why did you ban Tracer?
You come so far!
came back with the engines and took that series.
This guy definitely did fight back.
And on Team Liquid's side, new pieces are being integrated.
We saw a lot of action here from Attack,
the infected currently not in the mix there.
So that question remains.
What was the surfing stride look like for both of these tanks?
I think Infected will come for and play things like Racking Ball.
It's like the easiest way to answer that.
If you're going to a Racking Ball map, Infected will play.
play, but Attacked Us plays so many different things.
You can play the Zarya, the D.Va, the Ram, the Malga,
the Hazard.
You can pretty much play as everything,
including things like the Winston as well.
So I feel like Infected is the, if you want to break glass
in case of emergency Racking Ball rollout,
that's when you'll see him come out from the steam most.
Kind of a shame, not gonna lie.
Big Infected found herself, always a joy to chat
with them as well, right after the big three.
So yeah, but I'm interested to see how far the series can take it with attack as well as
kiddies in the mix because it did look like a different look from them, but it also did look
like they had to find their groove a little bit in the series.
And I think part of that question was like how much time did they actually have to practice
before this too? Right. And it could just be nerves, like getting that first game out can
always be tricky. I think you put it very well, kind of lost to themselves it felt like,
as being the rest of the series unfold, but once they hit that groove, once they were comfortable,
and it was this DPS line, running the lobby and an attack as well, looked comfortable,
and pretty much anything that he pulled out throughout the course of the day to day.
And this was a good first showing from Team Liquid.
Absolutely. A team that is trying to make it into the top three and onto our next LAN event.
And we have Tree joining us now for a quick chat after their victory tree.
Welcome to the show, congratulations on the dub and I have to be the one, I have to be
the one asking that tracer band on that one.
But that maybe, was that maybe like shooting yourself in the foot a little bit?
To be honest, the bands and stuff, it's all up to Danny, you know, I, I tell him what
I can, I tell him what like we think we can play, but at the end of the day, I don't think
the bands matter too much is just what we play and how we play.
I think we wanted to play like the Pharah into the May because the Tracer band like
kind of forces them onto that.
Maybe they weren't going to play Tracer anyways, but I think if honestly looking back at it,
we should have either like leaned into more like poke with the Pharah or we just needed
to like talk about it more and figure out how we wanted to play in the Sigma comp because
we were kind of just treating it as if we still had a May and it was like the normal
like Sigma rush mirror.
So I think that's why like we lost that map.
So I think the obvious question headed into this,
you guys have had a couple of changes
in terms of like the roster, you've got a new coach,
new tank player, new support player.
What's it been like trying to organize everything
with the little time that you have?
Has it been like easy to get those new players in
or have there been a couple of teething issues?
I mean, it's definitely not easy,
mainly because like two of them
just don't speak English, they're learning it
and they're doing a lot as well, they're taking classes.
So props to them.
I mean, I think it's always going to be hard to play on a mixed roster initially.
But I think the thing about that is once you do get used to each other and
you figure out how you guys play and learn to communicate well,
you can become so good so fast because just the Koreans are just at a different
level as everyone knows.
So yeah.
And then first game of the stage, you're starting this one off on a win.
I kind of want to hear from you guys.
I know you barely missed out on making it to Champions
Clash past time.
Is there a specific matchup that you
are looking forward to as we get into the rest of the stage?
I don't know if we have our eyes set on one team, really.
We just want to win an A. I think we definitely
have the roster now to be able to do that.
We're playing really good.
And even when these Koreans get off ping,
we're going to be even more better.
So I think not really one team.
We just need to get good by ourselves
and just focus on being better than we were yesterday.
That's the right approach, man.
Now, looking of course, integrating two new players into the roster can be tough, especially
if there's a language barrier, but you also added a coach face to the mix coming over
from Korea.
How has that been like, well, does he bring in different ideas, different processes even
that your team now has to adjust to?
To be honest, for my POV, it just feels like, he does help a lot and he says a lot, but
feels like also he's kind of just catching us up to Korean overwatch, which is always
nice. And I think it goes really well with Cass and Danny, because I think NA has a little
bit different style than like Korea, obviously, and there's like certain things that we can
do really well that like, I think mechanically, skill wise, there's a lot of talent in NA.
And so I think like learning to put those those two styles together and like find the
opportunities to set ourselves up to make plays is something that, as long as it really
helps with or phase and yeah awesome so we get the best of both worlds I can't
wait to see how far Team Liquid is gonna take it this stage and thank you so
much for joining us and best of luck in your upcoming match yeah thanks so much
oh it's great to hear it from Tree and they're starting it off with a 3-1
victory over Disguised so that's a good start for Team Liquid the team that we
definitely see placing a rather high in this region as they already did in stage one and now
with the changes to their roster, I think the ceiling has definitely lifted for them.
Yeah, there's expectation. I think that there's always been a lot of expectation on Team Liquid's
players. Now there's going to be even more expectation because like you heard from Trey,
they've got Korean Overwatch access now, so we're expecting improvement and probably a fair bit of
dive macro as well from that team. Koreans do love their dive.
They do indeed. We love to watch it. We love to see the journey that these teams are taking us on
over the course of a group stage. And now we do have one more match to come. So make sure to
grab yourself a snack for that banger and also of course connect your twitch account to your
bathaletic account and earn those drops. I got my waffle slugged in, loot box getting closer to,
we're eating, we're doing good. I hope you do as well. So as I said, go hydrate,
book your accounts, and we're going to see you after a short break for our last match of the day.
I'll give all it's time
If you can't
you
you
you
you
you
I'm going to show you how I'm
But I stay I stay correct
Let's talk about the two teams though. I'll do next they placed a respectable fourth last stage taking maps off
Was it liquid as well as dollars?
So they made competitive
Series and obviously they did take the victory over this guys as well as extinction which brought them into the fourth
Slot so yeah, they did not have to fight their way through promotion and
Religation a slight change to the roster coming into stage two because tap is out and
Camera should be on me, because I want to make uncomfortable eye contact with saying his name.
As you see, as a sub, in the lower corner, it's not Lich, it's allegedly Lick.
Oh, production changed the camera, just for you!
Thank you. Yeah, so Lick has joined the team, which I'm not sure that's how you pronounce it, but okay.
Players always right. Players always right.
We did, of course, actually see Lick in action in the promotion of Redication
because Lick did play for Consumti alongside Kiri, which we just saw as well, on Disguise.
What else do we know about this new addition?
I mean, Lutics, they always play experimental. It's the thing. They play Domino.
You got to see just that one, the last one, Zed had Domino, that's his chosen hero.
That played domino and continued playing domino, sometimes to the detriment, but I like they're very experimental and I feel that they will continue to be experimental and if there's any storyline that we've had running through the whole day here in NA it's that experimenting with your own matter works so it's likely that we see more domino.
Is that what we want to see?
I think if we are going to expect a team to get experimental it is absolutely that one.
Well I'm here for it, I'm here for it, I'm always up for a surprise now.
The cafe, their opponent, that is the former extension roster, which is actually the team that Lunax most confidently beat last stage.
So subsequently extinction now called a bit of a have to play through the promotion and relegation
That said though, they came out on top not dropping a single map
So it was a very dominant showing to have in order to come back here for stage two guys
Yeah, it's a confident one and also sometimes the feather you have to play extra matches is actually a really good boom
good boom to the team because it means that you get more practice with each other, especially
being able to keep up with the changes of the the matter of being able to experience
things like the Cap bastion as well as that Missouki composition a little bit earlier than
some of your opponents could do the cafe a grace of good.
That's right. So what do we expect to see in this particular matchup between those two
teams?
I think especially if you're the cafe right now you're going to be leaning into a Sigma a lot and gets one of the sniper's best heroes by far
I saw it from them a pun when they played him calling all heroes also a little bit
Last stage as well, but otherwise I think we're thinking like
Hit scan more tracer from Ryan
It doesn't screen may team to me
But I think with the expectations coming out of this relegation stage the cafe shown that they have a lot to prove
especially after that win over DSG.
Absolutely, but yeah, I hope they can keep on rolling up with the confidence that they had in the promotion and mitigation.
And it's great to see them both back here in the mix.
I do have to give this one to Linux, I think just overall across the board.
There was a stronger team last stage and there's no reason for me to assume that things have changed in the meantime.
Yeah, I'm on the same page as usually.
I think Linux have this.
I'd like to be proven wrong.
the fact that we don't get to see these teams in between those stages.
Oh, we've been proven wrong and I don't see no way about it.
Oh, true, that is true. We have been proven very wrong.
So do you know what, maybe it's actually a compliment that we don't predict.
The cast of hers is strong with us today. Let's just leave it at that.
And yeah, I think it's fair to say, Lunax, with the strong performance they had,
and especially not being a partner team as well, I think is even more impressive
that the growth that these players have had. I expect that to continue.
And I have a feeling we'll be seeing a wife.
They got all the way up to fourth place for a within this match against the cafe today.
Not going to discount them entirely, but on paper,
Lumex has the results to back it up right now.
Yeah, I mean, we know that both of these roster is those are grinders.
Okay, like we've been watching these players in tier two and what not for so many years.
It's great to see them in OWCS.
Let's see how far they can take it this very stage as we're sending it into their opening match of stage two.
Oh, memories, Molly.
Timeless, timeless memories.
It's OK, wow.
A little something old, something new, and something
very blue.
We go to Antoxic Peninsula, reworked
Antoxic Peninsula for the first time today.
Actually, it's a very much rarity that OEC teams choose
this control map.
You know, I'm here for a though.
We've gotten one of each control map today,
which is a variety.
And Zoe is very excited about some tanguins as well.
We got a shout out for tanguins.
We can't ignore that.
So I may be sightseeing, but also the screams,
more brawly comp.
We're playing our sigmas.
We're playing our maize, potentially some Symmetra.
Throwing into the mix of Lunax.
And this is very towards their strengths
that Zed will have.
Well, we have a Zuki band actually to start.
I was wondering how these two would play around it,
because they are known to divert from the meta,
That is a good sign that we are on that track.
Cap bastion?
Can I interest you, Molly, in some Cap bastion?
We have to.
Ha ha ha ha!
Hey look, two out of three of these sub maps,
let's be honest, will likely be some Cap bastion,
especially I think from the cafe,
like if they're expecting Lunex to get
up to the old Domina tricks.
Being able to fly the Cap bastion over the Domina shield
can be very, very good at shutting it down,
especially because like last time,
does that find out the hard way?
What happens when you rely on a static domino shield
and you have something like a farer
being able to shoot above and ahead of it?
Like, I feel like,
do they go for the domino or have we moved on
from that experiment?
I'm very interested to see.
Yeah, fashion, I don't think it's a chance to really do it.
That sounds like a terrible idea,
if you have fashion.
I think Sigma is just a much safer choice,
but Sam is just one of those tank players
that he doesn't care whether something is good or not.
He's going to do whatever the heck he wants, whether it is good or bad, the other team has to find a way to deal with it, and I think that is what makes him stand out as a tank player in both one of his biggest strengths and what can be one of his biggest weaknesses if you're a little too stubborn on some of those picks.
Yeah, and also if we do go like the route of the catbashing, what's the second DPS going to be? Because like normally you have your choice of Reaper if you're expecting something like a Malgo and you want to have a DPS who can just like go for tank shred.
I feel like it'll be Tracer potentially, especially like the Mizuki ban if you're not going to be running out on like the Mizuki Kiriko, Sigma, May
Composition, maybe you feel towards Tracer, try and play some of the actual like objective or go get the backline since if you are playing Kappastium
The poor Kiriko or the poor Ana is what she just like left to fend totally for themselves
So it becomes a much harder one versus one to take up against those DPS who do have the mobility to collapse into your backline and force out things like Ana made more defensively.
I think that's why Kiriko's overtaken the Ana when it comes to being the accompaniment of the cat since Kiriko just has so much more self survival, both with the TP but also the ability to actually hit kunai shots and headshot damage before you hit your perks.
in both these teams with the band that we see in place are very willing to play Cat Bastion.
Protecting the Cat number one plus taking away a key component of what people would play otherwise.
And then the Zarya to follow which just screams Zed known as shenanigans at least for a laser beam variety for this first map.
And I think it makes sense. X10, I'm assuming we'll see her as the one that is on the Bastion.
If that's the case, if they're running Tracer, if you're running Tracer with that, you're gonna have Zombo there.
But if you want to run something like a Caste, it's probably gonna be Zombo on the Bastion,
Sicking X-10 onto something where she can kind of pop off in that roll.
If you're Lunix, in terms of the cafe, I think it's gonna be a similar deal.
Of who are you gonna swap in and out of that position?
It's going to be telling of, are you running the faster variety, or are you running the poke variety?
Yeah, I also want to like, what tanks it's going to be right?
I think it's fair to say Sniper, they'll be on the Sigma as much as they possibly can.
We also do have like the Mauga variant. We've talked about the fact that Zeb has liked to have
this personal pick of the Domina. I'm very interested to see if Linux have been taking this
time in between stage one and stage two to refine the Domina composition and make it sort of like
their own team identity comp, or if they are going to sort of divert away from that and go for
something that's a little bit more influenced by other compositions and teams.
Interesting. Yeah, okay, the Zedd Orissa is a classic. It is, you sit into the sigma, it's not
fantastic, but it is decent. If Lunex actually commit to this, I think this will be a very specific
strategy towards them. And whether they are putting Zama on this tracer or keeping him
on the Sim, I think might make or break this comp.
If you look at Symmetra, can have a ton of value,
but he's gonna do neither of those things
and say, let's blow up, Sniper.
Yeah, and then I was actually going to be sticking
on that Lucio as well, since you're running the area,
so there's no Symmetra.
You're relying on the Lucio being able to cut Zep in
and out of these engagements,
especially around Ryan playing that Mable,
but Zep's already fallen very low.
Tries to set up on the point itself,
but you're down all of your cooldowns,
As you're ready, critical health, you'll split from the rest of your team,
try to just bunker up and play around half-fak,
and some of the natural cover reported by those ice balls,
and wait for you to take more angles against Sniper on the sigma,
who also falls low, and actually goes territory to Zombo!
Yeah, the drop down there, not what calculated
where Zombo was positioned behind them.
And we'll just look at the first cat, and it looks real sketchy,
with how Bo Zed thought at the start of that fight.
But the fact he was able to just chill on the low ground,
looks like it wouldn't contest it off. Yeah, Kafei don't really have something to
detach from the fight if the Orisa does want to play it slow, right? Unless you have PDK
just trying to take an angle, but now Reeper's in position close enough to just put the shotguns
right through Sojin, and Zumba takes PDK down, which in turn takes a load off of Zeb in terms of
stress about what the Sojin can do to you in the neutral. Zumba is going low, but Zee's already
got her rush up and that will align with us just push white up against cafe but
it's a good name all that problem right it stops the push for now but that
terrorist is perfect bye bye sniper and great dead running the lobby you don't
practice against the Marissa the cafe are showing why that can be true there's a
classic tier that you can use with loose your boop so like cafe once they use
Suzer. If they try to run away from Terra Search, Neno just boops all of them right back into the
Arista Ultimate. Zomba just hiding out. Sniper has not checked behind them. Oh no. One shot!
We have Deathlossom, but Sniper scouts out Zomba's position. Still has Rock, which means
that Zomba can't commit the ultimate. Spacks up, plays point. He's looking for the Deathlossom,
but you're looking to consider TP spot because you can't do that if you're dead and you're
Priority the cafe is looking at you when priority positioning is given over to the cafe
They don't have some girls the somber for men. I would also hate some of these old
But there goes sniper the blizzard is down, but you don't need to get to use the flux it's disaster now or the cafe
They have to set up they have the resources but the execution is all
Moon x death blossoms out doesn't come up with anything
But you don't need to it's looking to be a clean 100. Oh start off enter
Yeah, it's just the drops from the cafe. Like they're slightly
Uncoordinated the blizzard comes out but SIGs already down so you're not getting any of your follow-up from sniper
You can't combat with flux. You catch Nen why with the May blizzard and then Zee just uses her Susie
And Lucy was home free as Lumex will be able to walk away easily to be honest like a little bit of a rough first fight
Zeb just able to play full survivability though, and from there, 100 to 0.
Yeah, that's an 11 to no battle-cattle. Something I did not think I would be seeing today.
But Lunex are making it work. There's very few players. You could pull it out to you the success that it is.
But this is the thing that we are talking about. He will be the one to break that mold as...
Kathy are running it back, but with Ryan instead on the Symmetra this time and matching the support line.
I mean, this is all just a counter, right? Use the Cassie against the Reaper and use the same against the Orisa.
Javelin's spin won't work against Simbeam, and he'll get so much charge of high-close the next one to five.
They're taking their time. Like, you're waiting for the TP cooldowns. Like, either as a kite, I don't know how to play as a kite, actually,
because you don't just want to go face-first into Zev or Zonga, but it does get them out of that angle.
The purpose of Sniper is on an island. It's on the objective. That is not exactly where they want to be.
the very few cooldowns eventually managed to regroup.
The lunax will still grab the point, even without Zalph there.
Teleporter in and sniper, which would take that one out like the frame.
It was destroyed.
The cafe would be alright to stay in this block now.
Okay, they want to go first with Rush.
The scuffs will have their rush,
the cafe will flank all the way around,
try to play from behind point onto it with the Kiriko ultimate.
You've got to go now, but you're ready to MPDK.
Sniper also gets stunned.
That's Suzu already invested on your rush, and Linux just kite out.
Someone more difficult since you lose Nenway on the disengagement, which means that you don't have the Lucio's features.
But what you also have from Linux is one-sided rush to play back onto the point,
and Zeph's still holding this base with all of the Arrested Offenses. They don't even get the flip!
No DPS, no problem. I have a battlecattle named Zeph. That is what Linux has done.
you throw out all of these fights and still get to die and they have a
tear surge to combo with too. This is rough. Like if Sniper uses that flux, if it's too early
in the fight, Zev just fortifies or Javelin throws and stuns Sniper out of it. Or
X-Ten just uses that for a better angle of dead eye. Speaking about angles, yet again,
Zomber's up to no good. Like yes you don't get a kill, but you're still stalling out
cafes approach, you're getting more point-perfent, you're setting Zev up for the tear surge
I'm forcing out the same barrier from Grape Switch.
Why did the time gap I already stayed could fight on point?
It's already won off!
Dead eyes there, but what do you do?
You found some good trade.
This is still a pretty grand.
Linux don't have the supports to keep this one going.
He'll be a back out, run seven, then why?
It's only a complete sweep of things.
I mean, I just worry about Ryan Simmelhead.
Right, because surely Linux's reaction will just be use B?
Run for it.
He claps on top of cafe, swarms sniper, and then just take point.
Zomber especially like now, swapping off of the Reaper going onto the May, you'll have an extra wall to just totally blank it off Dead Eye from PDK.
When you have that wall, you have a sim wall and there's a lot of blue things we're about to see.
One of them is not X-Men, so it will be shut down early.
I might not even be me in the ultimate, which for the cafe, they would love to be in that situation and that's perfect.
That's another flight, basically, you could just give them a later.
X-Tan's actually going to swap now.
She's going to go for that sojourn, so you have really good pick potential without having to build up ultimates,
but cafe, speaking about ultimates, they're sitting really comfortably at the moment.
They're sort of through the worst of their ultimate economy woods, right?
PtK has Deli to be able to hold the space.
Scop has the rush so when Meno uses Simebrush to push the team forward, it's Deli's symbol
and then Kitsune rush to re-engage.
Hohoho!
All my sketches, edge lines, she's able to stay away barely.
Kitsune rushes now, Scop holds up points and Zeb, well, was a city horse there in the middle of it.
We'll get burned down.
I have to invest from the cafe because when I sit the same, they're fine for now.
Yeah, Sniper will soon have the flux up as well.
You don't really have to worry about saving it to stop the rush because it was a rush
mirror.
What you're looking at is grapes with the signed barrier versus the Terra search which
can strip it all off and X10 who can follow up with the OC.
Linux is so close to lost by territory, if they get those two ultimates online, can really
make a play aggressively against the cafe, but it has to start now.
They have to go before cafes feel comfortable to go first and that's a great start.
Ryan pulls early, Sniper with the Flux, but Lunax just avoids the damage with the Ice Block.
They back off completely juggling. That might go wide to dead.
They didn't jog without that Sim in his face. Well, there's nothing to stop this Larissa.
It lets a bully sink off the map. It's last fight territory in the cafe.
Without a tank, how do you even manage to get a touch to the answer is,
you probably don't, and if you do, X-10 has a wonderful greeting for you.
She's gonna pop the overclock next the two Iran aside shots won't fight land
Ryan already down. That was your only touch. I'll be ludicx taking up one
Oh, it's it's a brilliant bit of tech just that that they used
It was terror search to grab sick out of position into the aerosol
followed by the may wall and
That just means that there's no healing
there's no way that you're going to be able to keep Sniper up and alive.
And like you said, without a tank, KFH just can't contest.
It's about to be OT, you've got Blizzard on the point on the side of Lonex,
Sniper got taken down and is forced to have to swap onto Doomfist.
Of all things, to try to make a play and roll out from spawn onto point in time,
but even if you get onto point, you're playing into your direct counter.
Orisa eats Doomfist for breakfast.
Yeah, I don't think it's really a matter of what, like, he's like a class like in Swapswear.
He just felt that from a, I don't even know, like, what's called, I guess, decision making.
Like, when you're making these drops, when these pushes are happening to engage, Zep is their first.
Nine times out of ten. And because of that, you don't really want to play that close as Sniper on the Sigma.
And it works out for Ryan. They just, it couldn't find a player to consistently collapse upon.
And I think that became a bit of an issue on the back part of the map when Zeb got into that murder range, is the best way I can describe it right now.
So going ahead, I think we're going to determine whether this is just an Antarctic Peninsula strategy, or is this something that we can continue to see from who next going on?
I mean, it's crazy that Zeb was in position first when you're weighing up the fact that Zeb was playing up against a team with SimTP.
Yeah, so so many of those highlights just there
Well, like the cafe trying to get through some TP and then Zed's just there with Javelin's been I'm just
Pushing people off of the map off of the Orisa's spear connections alone
And it's sort of like interfered a lot of what cafe wanted to do right because we didn't really get to see the bait
TPs from the cafe where they threw at the same TP divert the attention of Zed to a position that no one's actually
you're not going to be able to
use it. You're not actually
wanting to play. You bait the
orisa into using all of the
cooldowns and then it costs you
like maybe 10 seconds extra
having that little bit of
patience, but then you can walk
when the orisa doesn't have all
of the cooldowns. Can't just
melt someone the moment that
she closes up the distance. And
I think like that lack of
patience also very much played
against the cafe's ultimate as
well. It felt like when they
wanted to use an ultimate,
convert off of its usage as opposed to Linux, who when they're using their ultimates is very much
like they're in control and it feels like all of their players are on the same page. Everyone's
in a good spot to be able to follow up. Okay, so we're done with BattleCattle. That's what the
cafe want. We're going into Rado. Next minute, this will be Dive potentially some Sigma Bunker,
depending on what we're looking for. But Moxie, if you didn't see any Cat Fashion on Antartica
it's a lot. Despite it being
available and it's somewhat
decent map for it. Do we get it
here on the water with what
these teams have shown so far?
I mean, I'll say this. I feel
like now when we go to these
maps, we can't really discount
tanks when we know that jetpack
cap is in play and could
potentially just lift Arissa
a lot to truly become a
pastel castle.
Like I've seen that happen in
everyone's fallen prey to it, quite literally. Terror search combo with Cat. It's not a fun
time. So you have dropped right on your head. It's very much like a piano actually, being
dropped 50 stories on your head with the amount of pain that it invites. But what we're not
having invited to this map is Sigma and Ana. Sigma will be the first band coming through
from cafes and Lunex with the follow-up ban on Ana. So both the Cat and the Bastion Steel
available on the table for both of these teams, but so far, no one has actually decided to touch up.
Interesting. The Sigma Band, to me, coming from cafe, we're applying to Sigma, they want to play Diva,
they want to play Dive. They don't want any opportunity for a bunker composition to come through.
So I think that kind of clears the way that you want to put Slafer on one of their other
stronger heroes that can be pulled out, as well as make sure that you're not getting completely
shut down, I think, from things like the Ana. So if you're up on Cat Fashion, I think it's
a lot easier without having kind of that more stable frontline that the Sigma could offer,
for example. High redoubt will see you right in the hall.
Do you think we see Hazlip with Luna expanding the Ana?
I mean, maybe a sniper, I guess we don't really see too much hazard from either of these tank
players.
I wouldn't rule it out, but just given like where their past strengths have been, it doesn't
seem like the most confident tank fighter.
Yeah, I mean, Sniper could play something like the Wrecking Ball, maybe the D.Va.
Okay, there's no cap, there's no cap, Molly, but we do have one half of the Cat Ursa.
that was floated. Zed will remain battle cattle bound and riding through the
streets of Dorado. Zonder actually sticks with the Reaper but X-10 takes up the
Freyja mantle which we've been seeing more and more of honestly like it feels
like the nurse to Emory. Being that Freyja is yet again becoming a sort of like
go-to long-range high mobility, very impactful DPS to hold down all of these
spaces.
The lack of damage fall off is huge, and the recent buffs to the cooldowns like the
updraft have been better in helping purchase Blid in some of these dives, which Cafe seem
very committed to, the client, sopping over to this tracer, it's, you know, you were
trying to ban the bunker comps through the cafe, but Lunix are doing it in their own
style anyways.
Well, if you're at the cafe, you do at least have the option of just playing objective,
right?
You don't have to go for the dive.
You can't just have your players on the objective, the problem then is that no one's contesting
this player.
So like Xen's already 52% to her first bowler, which is insane for the amount of time that's
passed within this round and it's purely because Kafe just wants to fight behind the
dealer matrix and push the cart underneath bridge and now Xen the team call onto high
ground to sweep out the DPS while your Tracer pushes the cart.
There's a great reputation here from the cafe, the clear the high ground, it's just
still having to dealt with Zen and getting through, I think, his choke point is where
this Orisa Claw is the strongest and he's still going, he's going to stay for a really
long time to stay up under the wall, but a bit too much combo vision from him, as I
was going swiftly back to the spawn alongside X-10 and because of those late picks, Moxie,
that's just a point.
Yeah, that is point and like what's Linux's answer here, do they keep the Orisa, do they
go for something that can just melt through this diva neck but then like if you go for
something like this R you have to no control on high ground. You can't go for the sigma because
the cafe banded out so you don't really have a great answer into it and X10 just has to be able
to open up this fight with a really good alt cafe though they've got matrix they've got suzer they
should be able to mitigate it especially if it's early on at the start and all of those resources
are available, as we can see the cops don't move and Ryan's just pushing it, slowly with
Zombaxy swapping off of the refund to the tracer, save the one versus one and determine if it does push.
The Kitsune is on top of each other, basically, from the high ground, but it's really only
lunatics who can play in theirs. They have more players on the high ground than what they
have, and come down to the base, right against D-necks with their cute little drop down from
X-Tan. The woman has to get it back, but how long will that live? The Suzu is out to prevent the
full of shot damage, everyone scoots on the way, the lunes are in exactly the spot that they want to be, and they are so split right now.
Yes, they're just holding on as well on the low ground, so you're taking a lot of damage from multiple angles,
but you're preventing Lion from getting free push onto the cart at the moment, and that frees up Zombo
to be able to go deal with other issues that aren't just the Tracer 1v1.
I think once you see that swap over, Ryan's job gets a lot harder, and Zed gets a lot less
frightening for the cafe, especially when Zed just takes it, but he's going in!
That is three players, and at least Sniper eats the pulse bomb, so the combo is not applied.
In fact, all of it. That was another Suzu. They're from Skuff's to make sure they could live in a great set of counter plays from them.
And they can burn on it is the question Zed is in here not the healthiest and they know it
They're gonna try to walk on some area out from men why grapes has no choice but to respond
tank on his feet
Pulse bomb and right knife like melee
Zumba still holding on to it sees the suzu go out can't find the opportunity
PDK is cleaning house triple kill for the cast and cafe are moving
Yeah, a cafe win the fight and because they already won the Tracer 1v1,
Linux can't have the Tracer just stall point, so it becomes everyone dying on point so they
can try and get one more fight. Zed actually does move onto the Zara because this fight,
you're just walking onto the low ground at that diva neck, but that's why the cafe have the dead eye
in the back pocket. PDK just allows cafe to instantly walk back into that fight and Linux
have no answer for it.
It's kind of nasty on the Cassidy
because we're starting to see a good point now
in the Cafe Four Minutes, Moxie, for them
to push on this objective, or we're
seeing a lot of sneevils happen on the early parts of the stuff.
Well, we've also seen a lot of standstills
when we head for the fight.
And with X-10 moving onto the soldier as well,
she's going to be looking at just shredding down
Smythe's mech since so much of Cafe's pushes
have actually been offered things like the defense matrix,
And this D.Va's boosters just allowing a lot more space for PDK to get opening shots in.
Uncontested, as we can see, like, Sniper's trying to do everything.
They're trying to contest Sombra, they're trying to contest the higher ground,
and that means that everyone from Linux all follow the D.Va Mac.
Yeah, Sniper just kind of put themselves in a locker before Ludex completed them up.
So, down a tank, he has PDK is getting away with a legal murder.
Like, I don't know how he's still managed to get as much value as he has,
Without this tank, again, it takes time to rotate Zed to the high ground to make sure he stops,
but the time that is bought, Sniper's gonna be back in this fight.
Well, that's the thing, right? If everyone's following like ducklings, Sniper with the D.Va,
Zed has no verticality to move from low ground to high ground quickly, which allows PDK like so
much freedom. As we can see yet again, this Cassie just in a really bad position for the next half
to deal with its own level of Zed's bubble, that Sombra's able to live with this pulse bomb,
as Sniper does lose their mech and lose the baby diva form and that should slow down cafes, push,
PDK just trying to find an exit trade, goes down and Linux will be able to finally win a fight
outright and establish a close hold. And now I wonder too is how like I think Sniper kind of has
to stick on the Sdiva but you can tell they're having such a hard time competing with these
This type is supposed to hold Zed being Zarya, and the bubbles fall on targets.
Yeah, Zed will have Grav though, so you'll get maximum value if you can matrix.
The Grav connection, especially with Zonbas, follow up on the pulse bomb, PDK buys the space,
and Zed just grabs through the wall.
Sambar from Grave, she literally actually lose X10, she's caught on the disengaged by the dead eye,
and then it's just no choice but to use Sambar and just try and stall on top.
PDK is an animal. I find value out of these dead eyes. If the shots made it look like Nenwae didn't have a
Sound barrier attached to her and that's just point
If there is no touch they come in from lunax what a turnaround from this team and I say PDK is earned himself a cookie
Yeah, you can't even criticize Nenwae for using the beat there, right?
Because like that's literally it if you don't use beat that you're not able to stall
out the fight long enough to take advantage of closer respawns, try to get a regroup and
funnel your players back onto the point. If you die with B, you lose the round with B
still available. You have to make a home-mary play, and unfortunately for Lunex, it doesn't
quite work out because yet PDK has been absolutely unstoppable on this Cassidy. Like, Snipe has
been taking their job as I am tank, everyone shoot me, look at me so seriously, and it's
just allowing pdk to get away with everything and both pts on runix are negative right now like this
is pdk is popping off and ryan's still 16 and 0 even though it doesn't feel like it that's just
how tracer works sometimes i think executing this on the defense it can be more difficult it just
depends on do you have the space to work with because that was likely going to anchor onto this
payload if we yes for snipers I have to like come into brawl distance then right
because like that's the thing when you're on the tack as Diva you can be so
flighty you can be literally like everywhere you don't have to just play
the cart you don't have to just play the objective on the defense though if
your divas not on the objective like that thing will be moving unless Ryan's
able to win out of what one versus five because everyone from Linux is should
So just force the D.Va into an overextended fight so that you can pop Sniper out of that mech.
You lose defense matrix, so it's up to Sniper to just delay long enough for P.D.K. to get a pick.
Okay, actually it just stapled right to the wall there. That is not a place he expected to see at a risk this day.
That one will be haunting his nightmares as he walks back from his spawn.
And as you said, Sniper just will not live on this paper. Not a chance with the Sniper, with the D.Va.
That's for a Sniper to find it over in 20 seconds.
Now will that be a change because like you can tell from the way the cafe through that players on the point the call was made
We've lost the fight die cart stole out
Something changes my composition so that we can walk this next time all grapes is down early yet again
You say something changes it starts exactly the same way as
A relationship for sure with these javelins all of them. It's pretty low
It's convenient to get out of there. The healing coming in from these is so clutched.
We have to touch the bailer now, go to the cafe, give you some time to really just do this, but have no other options.
The javelin spin, the full charge sim game. Zepp is just in there and he is having a blast.
Living his best battle chat of life. Helping 0.5 minutes plus.
I mean Sniper just can't get past Zep. Every time they try to use boosters, Zep just uses
Javelin's Ben. Then when you're tied to contesting point, Zumba has full charge beam. Matrix lasts
all of one second, Neck lasts one second more. Like honestly in the future I will see Aeolus
with the band because Cafe as it is right now they have no answer to it. Like PDK goes
onto the soldier and so you can try and get as much down to jump to the rest as possible.
to make a play for high ground with one sided rush,
but Lunex just leaves the high ground
and put that horn rush on low ground and point
and then use Zeb's javelin spin
to absorb all of the damage that BDK can do.
And now we're chilling.
As this other rush plays work,
I was kind of worried about Lunex using a rush
when you have such a positioning advantage,
but it kept them on their feet.
It gives you the chance to TP Zeb back up
to this high ground, which has the care research.
And that is why you see the players back up
so quickly. Well this is, I'm a blast in the back.
Great shows you how to z-stops that.
Zed's turn now with the Terra Surge with
whose life would be next and no other option
but to just stand inside of it.
DDK now desperate attempt to turn this one around
to roll some heroics like he did on the attack
but it is just not happening.
Zed has been marked from murder right now.
Down he goes.
Lunex, keep rolling and now I'll have the migration.
Yeah, Lunax just play around SimTP.
PDK uses OC, and Lunax play around SimTP.
The only player that PDK reliably gets to see is Zep,
and that's exactly to Lunax's plans.
Fall helps Rissa, Javelin spin right in front of Surgeon's face.
Like, cafe hit, this has to be one heck of a self-destruct
from Sniper, but I really feel like it won't be given
that Zonda has symbol.
And Xen just preventing anybody from fudging like this.
Halo almost goes through that flash of a matrix.
It was the flash of Ryan's life.
Lunix, you don't have a symbol to work off of.
You just have so little space you can go to.
You're self-destructed from sniper, but there is no sniper to re-mech upon.
And that is an absolute stump of a point.
Four and a half minutes to work with.
Oh, that was a gorgeous Susie from Z as well.
Well, great try to get into a position with the self-destruct to Lucio group
Lunax when they were hiding around cart and Z is able to suzer. So I frame the
team before the Lucio group connects which means that Lunax hold their
ground don't get pushed into smith's ultimate. You can continue on this next
fight with Snowball potential like why is the one moving onto me? But Z is the one
with a Snowball potential. Kids, do they rush on low ground? Can't they have no
answer to this they can't fight it out if they do.
brands on they have to get a kill right now
if the closet kicks under these ports you don't have gold so you can easily lay out the red carpet for zed here excuse me the blue carpet
for him to walk on up deny entry to this point and he almost has a terror surge
the pole out slaver now moving to the objective scuff has their own consuming rush but he just
pp up to that high crowd goodbye pdk put out a skewer and he just disordered anything play the cafe
We're trying to be on the low ground.
Here comes Zeb with a terror surge.
We will be denied for now,
what the ice block of you know as soon as he is out.
That's exactly what this plan will be.
It's just the sight of the chillin' in the back line
with the rest of the team trying to deny a touch.
South area are out from menwine.
They have some pill in the overhound.
Do is team for now.
Lunex, walk this one through monumental time frame
on their side.
You have to feel the cap there.
They probably were patting their backs, being like,
OK, we took Lunex to a map where they can't possibly
gain value from Orisa.
And then Lunex was like, eww, do you know what?
I buy it bad.
Let's see the Zubstats.
29 eliminations for Daphne.
OK.
And I also want to put this in perspective.
Zumba was also 1 in 4.
Coming into that route. T is now 22 and 5.
22 and 5.
That is a turnaround to say the least.
And as you said, not a map that you would ever expect Arissa to play on.
And it's almost like Cafe has the disadvantage of playing against Lunax first.
Because going forwards, other teams will know this strat.
Well, no.
And Cafe are just the test dummies.
Yeah, it's like reminiscent of you can't make Reignwork,
but you can make Reignwork with some TP.
is what it feels like because a lot of it boils down to one the fact that
Linux on attack and for Sniper into having to directly contest your
composition which means that diva matrix just gets melted much much faster
Sniper doesn't get the same opportunities to stabilize the way that
they do when they're picking their moments to take fights as opposed to
being forced to but cafe on attack now with the disparity of time bank like
you have to get a good way through first if you want to be able to contest and have a chance of
walking away with Dorado as Ryan actually will go for a Symmetra of his own. Looks like Cafe are
just going to stack their players onto the objective and have Sniper go off into the high ground
just so they can make sure they're pushing point with the little turn bank that they have.
I like that. Because the Symmetra is a Zed, can't exist on the payload as easily. And Sniper went to other things, but they are so in there.
I don't know how they're getting out. The only reason is because Muminix ended up dropping behind. So the map is now flipped, but that's kind of worse for the cafe than the greatest spawns are.
the microwave as well. I think it's less the microwave and more of them. With how frequently
Sniper's mech is getting cooked at the moment. Café at least will be able to do enough damage
to Linux that they force the rotation. So Cart does continue to move. It's out of the position
that the Sims turrets have been. So that they have a little bit more space to be able to
play with and so bring more damage also translates to scuffed, getting that rush up a lot faster.
I think it's a current rush fight between both of these teams, but Caffe having the
baron of that sim damage and the close proximity will be able to cap first and that's like
step one ticked off for Caffe's approach, right?
Now you just overwhelm Lunek for rush and high ground positioning.
Even getting to that second point is great considering the timing that the Caffe had,
but these ultimates I think are starting to take up the Katsune rush plus the Terra
search is real threatening like it's only this protection suit oh no and there's
R and Dev on your tail he wants that cooldown force and he wants it right now
look at the pressure there it goes three players hold on in chunk of damage
there and so is Zamba to follow up taking out Ryan for this last section no
remap possible that's what the payload will be stopped Linux just read it
perfectly. They're like, okay, kaffe are going to try to match rush us. But there's only one
person on card. So what if we just send TP past the whole team and use all of our ultimates on
point? Like, they force Zuzo, they force Kiriko TP, that guarantees that they put enough pressure
on Discovery to force the Kiriko all out super early. And they get to use all of their ultimates on
the objective itself, so you're getting kills and stopping kaffe from keeping touches on point.
but cafe with the little time bank that they had were able to get all the way
into the start of second so it's not impossible that they're able to win this
map I just worry that keeping Sniper on this diva placed perfectly into Linux's
plan because the only thing that's really changing is the fact that we're
seeing Ryan on the sim right so Sniper will be trying to trade that position on
point and then if the diva net gets low you've got things like your boosters and
a 70p to try to work your way around lunex's rotations if you're lunex you don't care about that you just false point
You do whatever you want to whatever makes you happy and that's what lunax have done is
I think you're right cafe are absolutely playing into their hands with this diva pick
But I think the only other thing you would play is the sigma and that's been banned by cafe themselves
So you're locked into this
See if they can get a shot off at the start the next time she'll see nobody I'll be over to
should be passed instead. It's just another payload bunker and I'm pretty sure it's a flashbang.
It's a flashbang. It's Sniper's mobility, right? If Sniper sees the X-Ten will be set up with her position on point,
like you can see how very much cautious Sniper is being with that position.
I'm just allowing women to actually just keep going to the high ground, which means that no one's contesting point.
No one's contesting X10 and she's already been able to pick up PDK
Yeah, it's the pressure of angles the cafe. You're playing a horror game
Whoever just shows up and it's usually him as he's another one on to Brian very low though
You just do not die
Moxie and walking this one all the way through yeah, it's worse than a horror game Molly because at least in a horror game
You get the option to run away
Café can't run, they have to face this head on and unfortunately for them as well.
Their fight was so inside it that when this next one breaks out, if you even get the option to be able to take it off of just riding 70p,
someone has to go on point but you can't just wait around and take damage for scuff to have natural rush.
Lunex will just take the space and fight for you. They can send TP up onto high ground, they can hold the space with X-10's ultimate,
they can use one side of drush, they have so many options to win at this fight.
You can tell Sniper is taking their head out to build off that from Student Rush 4 stuff.
It's really felt, because you gotta trust your family. It is now or never.
Both rushes, they don't talk with each other. That's not what you're afraid of.
If this Terraschord just grabs four, everybody is so unbelievably low.
Zep gives his life for the cause. I'll do it.
For the next, the weirdest map, a weird strategy on Dorado, gets a ton and starts from that point.
that point. Yeah, but like weirds and unexpected compositions are honestly the
best thing to play early on in group stages because no one actually is ready
for it. You can almost sort of like see the exact moments where they're
trying to work out how to stop and shut down the services in combination and
all of the mental maths at the cafe are going through being like okay do we try
this, do we try this, do we try this? That's not working, try this. It's really like catching
a lot of these teams totally off guard. It won't work, like we've already covered this,
it won't work later.
you
you
you
you
you
This is what a traffic hooking like do you put sniper on the Malga?
That is the other option.
Sniper does play Malga, they do help them do it,
but they play it, and because the signal is going away.
Well, they have to.
Yeah.
Like all of the past experience in Colomal Heroes,
all of the tag players in Colomal Heroes
had to go through the Malga mirror.
Yeah.
And it was, honestly, Sniper had, I think, top two Malga.
And it is Malga, so that might not mean a lot,
but in this circumstance, it certainly can help.
It is not a friend of Orisa for sure.
And with the Reaper band,
like that's the only logical thing
I can think of with the Reaper band.
The one thing that I do worry
if like they're trying to go the route of Mauga
is that Orisa's actually kind of good at stopping Mauga.
The fact that she can just like stop critical headshots,
that she can use Javelin's band,
not as frequently as Matrix
but still to be able to absorb some of the self-sustaining that Mauga can use by damaging
his opponents because like we have the Mauga mirror. And then teams try to use Arissa to
be able to shut the Mauga down and she was one of the more viable counters to him. So
I feel like it's not going to be a Mauga answer. I think it might be the Rematra that they
try and use. And then like your answer to the Arissa is that you just shoot her. Very
Similar to when you're playing up against Amalga, you pick Sojourn and then you shoot the tank, build up Braille, one shot the squishies because Arissa, until you get those perks, does not have a shield.
So it comes down to Linux's whole team having to position perfectly around what PDK controls.
It came from the Symmetra as well, so it will be a game of maneuvering or you just get javelined when Zamba picks you up with a slight click.
click. Not a great start for the cafes, they just think denied a first fight entirely.
Oh, Grape's goes down as well. Maybe you get extra trade onto Sombra?
Off of turret? Off of all things. But, I mean, it's Sim, SimTP's back fast, Linux have all of the
pieces to continue fighting. And Cafe will still be waiting for Loto, so they have to
rely on like the SimTP to come back into this fight, which now actually they catch Menly.
Before Lunax can fully reposition, which makes it harder for Zev to stand on point, so Kafe should actually be able to secure the flip off of that.
It was a good call to go in knowing that there was no TP for Lunax at that time, because I'm not coming back from spawn.
Now they have the positioning and a very scary PDK who might be shaping up to how we saw him back on the attack of Dorado phase.
But, yeah, if you don't have the selection, you have to summon Soldier to contest it.
Skuffz will take her out from across the map, and Sniper though, not in a very happy situation.
It's really the microwave of the theme of Riancing. Go away, leave him alone.
Oh, Sintp gets broken here.
The difference now is that Sniper's on a tank that can actually stand up
with the damage reduction off of Nemesis's form block.
Right? Lunex all of that damage while F10 will be forward-facing
unless X10's able to position the team around the ramp.
Skuff's still had a rush match with Zia, so both the Kerakos ultimates go off simultaneously.
So they're still holding, both sides about to burn, so Terasurge for the extra damage reduction
and to pick up everyone into X-Ten's position so she can just get everyone on the cafes and
that was a crucial fight win for Lunax. Lose that, they lose first point.
Disruptor shot plus Terasurge on the rated combo. Four jerseys.
And look what you're going to have to work with coming up.
Yeah, not having a sound barrier yet.
Hurts, but these DPS Ults are going to make or break your team.
This is a massive approach from Cafe through the low ground.
Trying to force Munex onto the objective,
because they're not quite at the old yet.
Ryan knows it.
There's both the DPS Ults out.
Yeah, they go with OC because Zonda has Wolf.
Right, that's the crucial difference, Munex.
They even use Ryan's Ults, man, to cut Munex's angles
to make it harder for X-Ten to try to shut down PDK, so really good fast fight from Caffe before the Sim,
or the Lucio can bother Ultimate's up, gets them the flip required, they only needed one fight win
to be able to pick up that first point, and now you get to move forward with all of your team
ready to position for the second one. The next might be able to get a few good shots off here
as you traverse for a mid, and as Graves will have D, but that one stand up long to X-Ten's OC.
The things we're looking at for the cafe getting that point extra to change that brisky sound barrier.
Great, it will eventually hit the ground, so just overclock, not do it a whole lot.
With all that penalty over health that you'd have to shoot through.
Now the dust has settled, it's kind of an annihilation worth waiting on.
The photon barrier doesn't do a ton against that.
So on this next push, Zamba actually wants to be the one to take the fight to the cafe.
4 Sniper to use this defensively and secure Lunex's first cap.
Yeah, push, cap back, so that Sniper's not close enough to use the Annihilation on point to stall out the cap.
That'll allow the Z to be able to hit this Kutsune rush. As we can see, the cap A tried to use that as first.
Lunex simply disengaged, come back with their own while still holding onto objective.
So he falls out Annihilation from Sniper.
Sniper that's holding onto terraces waiting for cafe to be gone from the same TV which gets the kill on to Ryan
Firstly the javelin connection on to sniper and Linux did all of that Molly without giving up for point
So they're already 50% plus
Even the last objective to resolve enough flips that we next was able to get this is a team that knows how to play the
Objective and play around particularly Zed and Zamba on that point
Yeah, and that gives you a lot of movement being able to react to PDK's OC, right?
You don't have sound barrier, you don't have sin wall to be able to sound up to this.
The cafe will try to get into a position to build it as quickly as possible before Lunex
can build Oldsmite to stop it.
But that does mean that Lunex has the spaces to be cut away from the Sgt.
Oldsmite.
Yeah, you're just gonna run away, you're not too afraid of PDK, unless your neighbor
says that you do not have health bar, cycle those on it, and he's gonna turn everyone
do a punching bag and LVM in the cafe they're looking
I mean more stable I guess but we have a sniper having to commit their annihilation
X stands so close to her overclock but grapes in a position to use sound
fire to defend against it in a way that Linux weren't afforded grapes though
going very low Linux doing everything that they can't try to take this Lucio
down since without the Lucio you don't have the beat you also don't have the
speedburst to try and disengage and rely much more heavily on the simtp which can be easier for x10 to shut down
This grapes has been able to build up his ultimate
You can see making sure everyone's in line of sight for the lucio's ult to connect on to everyone the moment x10 decides to commit forward
Double score does go for the cafe
Plus the sim will just slow down this approach and deny x10
She'll have to slide on out and just wait for the botan figure to go away
Because you have these two night rush, it's a lot easier to go in, but you have to double
commit at the same time, but it's rubble team, so it doesn't really matter if the
spin duel is going to hurt without that extra damage, there is no chance we're burning
through Sniper's health bar.
Now it'll be great, I'll clean up the rest.
Cafe, they took two points now and they only need one more to get the map.
I mean, they just have so much mobile potential.
We're both the sim and the rheumatrist shredding for Rezeb.
one point away from losing this map totally. A terror surge as well as sin wall, you can't use that against Romatra.
You can potentially use the Orisa ult to pin Sniper in place, or you can just take them out before they even get the chance to use the ultimate.
Good, Susie. Coming through, but it doesn't stop the kill coming out onto Ryan in the end.
Simply delays it, which in the long run actually costs Cafe more. Leading more players later in the fight, but Grape's with two.
I'm sorry how it's both supports as well. So lunix aren't exactly safe now
They should get the first cap regardless
Since the cafe are still responding that you can't hold your position
You're down your character. You're down in your Lucio cafe will have the rematcher old smart
But they can just walk on to point know that Linux's back lines totally absent
That is gonna force all the new the photon barrier just to make sure you can keep Zed on the point
But your sports are back out in this climate. The cafe's been forced out, but that's not where that goes.
You lost a nice and close in a pub.
But that's an annihilation in the low ground. Not a place anybody from Lunex wants to be.
It's like, I have no more friends. This isn't good.
Cafe. It's off the back of Sniper. Look at this list.
Cheap fight wound as well, to be honest. If you're a cafe and you're weighing up Ulticon, right?
That was what Terror Surge, Sim War from Lunex's side.
Zonba actually swaps onto the Mei, so away from the Sim, you lose some of that mobility to get Zeb in and out of these fights outside of Nenwai with the speed boost,
but what you do gain is broad potential and walls to try to shut down Sniper and buy yourself Kiting Time against PDK's OZ.
You don't have an ult to be able to stand up to this. Ideally, you want Kafe to get ANSI and try to use it early, but PDK can just hold this and threaten Lunax, put them into a hostage situation,
so they can get more points for some off of them.
And the overclock is free now, and X10, oh, just has the best move of ever.
Apparently, he can't land the shots, even with no good wall in his face,
so they can sooner rush down from the stuff, the cafe surges on forwards,
thinking they can punish Lunet.
But they can get back to the point themselves, and 80%,
who have to use the support all just to get there,
response to Sound Barrier for grapes, but don't be enough,
that ultimate has been nerfed so many times that the overclock just melts it down.
Lunex want to try to hold their own sound barrier, knowing what is at stake for this point.
Should be able to do so.
Zed, from Jammel and Spin, can tank off with the point.
Kronosil get dealt. X-10 is there and she is bringing out the broom in Sweeping Cafe back to school.
Yeah, Cafe used first rush.
Lunex just scatter. They all split.
They wait. Rush ends. They've got their own.
Because he just drops it right on point to let her whole team walk forward.
And Lunex now like so many ultimates to be able to hold this fight and convert it to the round.
Zephyr, Terrasurge, Menloi having the sound barrier, but Xen can start it all off.
Horsing line to have to use that symbol early.
Terrasurge first, gets the pick on Durai and no symbol.
Xen's absolutely unleashed onto this team and she is not missing.
Otees in play too, so Kefei just have to just take the damage.
and Lunex will be able to take one round, meaning that we continue the map.
Shockingly, even after swapping off of the Symmetra, Lunex are still the ones riding this bus, Moxie,
and they're using Zamba's main walls to isolate ideally Sniper's setup X-10 to Barband,
if working so well. Plus, they get priority position on next fight.
I worry for this annihilation as well from Sniper.
Like, how much value is it actually going to get? You've got the 70p,
so you can at least close the distance for the ramp, but Zumba can just defensively use the blizzard,
right on Sniper's position to fall off all of that pressure. At most for Kappa, you're using it
to try and climb first stake of point control and buy time for PBK to build up this OC, but
then why is she's going to have that peak to defend against all of the incoming damage?
And all this for Lunax is they want to isolate this point literally by turning it into an ice storm,
But Zumba couldn't stay alive and screw it, so it isn't one to untrade.
And all these survivability ults are coming out of Lunex,
and it stops the bleeding.
The hole that was left by the Bay, which they somehow get out with their lives.
Plus, they pick on Degrade, who won't be back for a couple more seconds.
They want to take that advantage, and run with it.
Soon they're going to return now.
From these, EDK is getting chumped out.
They should not be able to peek these angles, despite having the overclock to work with.
The cafe, get the first cap, but it will be so short-lived.
Yeah, Linux, just... no one can kill Zab.
No one kills Zab!
Inside that rush from Zee, he lived so long, tanks all of the overclock damage,
and Linux are able to successfully put back now its time for the Malgo to come out from Smapper.
we win here at some point it would be brought out but into the OC and
terror search I know we talk about malice of our ability into those two
ultimates with that amount of lump damage like Sion bar will be that for sure
yeah but if this fight goes long and they don't win it Molly this is lost by
territory all they have they have the common one
Suzu, if you're scuffed you wish you had four Suzus.
Freckles, the future is not thrown at you.
You're starting with the Overclock.
That first course in Sniper's will be the last.
You get the Blizzard, you know,
you get some mini-boss on the point
with the Arraser's combos on,
and then as it says, fight went long enough,
it's when I applied Territory,
you can't pay, especially if you can get that center
on the PDK, you're not getting no touch.
That was gorgeous, I think, from Zed.
Grape's actually got stunned at some point in the fight,
So it must have been off of a javelin for it from Zeb, which then actually the fear of AJAXing the beat meant that Sniper went down
in the OC before Grips was able to come through the Lucio ultimate.
That's what you're concerned about if you're living, that's right, now you're living that fight when you burn the Sourge and all.
So you occupy the Lucio, then you kill the Malga.
And then even when beat connects, Kappa don't have a tank to anchor the composition around, now you're headed into this next fight, two to two rounds,
I don't know about one letting cafe take a fight with our Linux using a
place. You do get Somba on this location fight, we don't often see battles go down here, but the cafe are happy to ball it out wherever the first sniper can get the most value on their Malga pick, and we'll guarantee they get the stage in for Junkyard.
I don't know about that one, letting cafe take a fight without Linux using Alps and making it one-sided.
That's actually a lot of Linux to hit Alps.
Like for Linux, there is a silver lining here. Go fast when you have double support or advantage.
Grape does not have his Sambari yet, but now you're playing into a mage who's about to hit cage.
And you've gotta save a few from this one, but if I think that's why then why do these slides do now?
They were just like, do they rush into them now?
Squash the DPS ult, and the air goes that south barrier, it's Sniper.
Aircreaming close to the stage fight, and if he decayed, and we find the shots needed, it could've come out, but no!
The Dairocert, from Zedd, is a beautiful, everybody's holdin'.
Squash the Sniper to a pan-tank, no-tank fight here.
Okay, now, Lunax, oh, the late kill.
the delay go on Ryan. Yeah, they're not letting Ryan walk off the map to race that fast, like
cafe have to wait for the sim, which means that linux should actually be able to bypass
the 45% that cafe have picked up and that's crucial, because now you're playing this next
fight, down ults, no sound barrier advantage, xen can force it with her OC early, and it
looks like, yeah, cafe will use sound barrier to try to use and just run towards xen's position
but by the time they actually touch point,
all of that extra arm is gone.
Yeah, that sound barrier, that was a lot of respect
to X and almost too much considering the positioning
that they had.
This is Maywall from Zamba, making sure there's at least
a little quarter of the point that's safe
and you're not sticking there.
Seeing that Maywall or Zambia is out.
Kite's fight is still going to get committed
in attempt to shut this fight down,
but everybody from who just jumps right on in,
Crave is the only casualty of the chaos,
And Sniper is out of cooldowns, Ryan is completely blind to the self, it's just dead, brain,
poor, these dear life, and the fact that Nenran built up two of her south barrier in the nick of time,
kind of like territory for both of these teams, but Lunex gets the most recent play.
I feel like Lunex will go early as well, right? 84% already got Kitsunirash.
You don't wait for Skuff to get their ultimate up. You go in, Ryan actually swaps off of the Sim onto the Tracer
since you're going to have to play for someone to get the touch, the challenge, the interception and the body block.
No one is able to get on to point in time and Linux close out the series.
Arisa all the way through and this is one of the teams too that, you know, not being a partner to, but still having the level of potential you have on this roster.
this roster, plus some very unique tank players in both Zed and CardiPan to see them use it
to this degree and have that, I guess, surprise factor is just so much fun to watch. They have
the ability to shake up the meta or even deny it at times, and they really did prove it today.
Yeah, I love that we got to see the Arisa fully come into her own. It feels like we've
been missing a lot of getting to see Arissa in the tank play as of recently, so it's
wonderful to see her back.
It is, I mean, we're seeing the element of surprise, but really it's not a surprise
because we've seen Zepp on that hero so, so, so much.
So if you're going up against this particular squad, like, you can rest assured, eh, X-Ten
is gonna like bust out a reaper, you can rest assured Zepp is gonna rock out on that
you know, it's just like they love to play through their comfort picks.
That said, that doesn't make it any easier if you don't really get practice time
against these particular compositions, which in this current meta are just a little wonky
and a little off-putting and a little bit surprising, really.
It's a big deal, I think, to have the element...
I say, as you said, not as surprising because Zed is a notable whistle player,
but if you can play these wonky comps against someone who doesn't have practice,
I think the chances of Lunex getting an upset skyrocket, especially for a lot of like our team liquid SSG and Dallas fuels of the world.
If they don't have a specific answer to this Orisa teleport strategy that we have going on, they're going to be in for a tough time.
they are indeed I mean listen like cafe did play close here and there right like great attack on
Dorado love what we saw there it's just unfortunate that it was an even greater attack coming out
from moon eggs inside and then a great effort on new junk city getting those two points then
somehow some way a greater comeback from moon eggs to win them up and ultimately in the series so
I do think the cafe has definitely a lot of like bright spots and things that they can and should be
leaning on heading further into this group stage.
Yeah, for sure.
And like you said, we had some really good fights.
They looked really, really promising
when they were on the attack
and they could sort of just like determine
when they wanted to take those fights,
when they could clear those angles
and make Lunex uncomfortable.
It was just when they had to go on the defense
and it was so much easier for Lunex to force them
into taking fights and understand like,
okay, they're trying to play for this position
to have a DPS out of the way here,
but we have a SIMTP
and will just collapse a whole team on one player.
And it just sort of like felt like every time we saw Linux
and from start to finish, like even here,
starting off on control with Zonda on the Reaper,
just interrupting every walk,
which then bled into the setup
that they had for the CymTP stuff.
They just knew when they would be able
to keep Kafei's attention away
from the true win conditional for Khan.
Absolutely.
Yeah, I said X on the Reaper,
And so, of course, my god, my god.
Either way, just as a general thing,
I think that was very apparent from Mac 1 onwards,
that the coordination was just very much there for Lunex.
I feel like on the other side of the cafe,
they didn't quite line up.
Maybe there were communication issues or whatnot.
I guess just like the follow-ups were in there,
like the olds were not timed properly.
So there's also a case to be made about shaking up the rust,
right?
coming into this again another stage so some teams they just have a slower start let's see what the
cafe has in store for us the next two weeks of play but for now let's chat to our winners
Lounex came out on top we have Z joining us for a quick chat Z thank you so much for taking
your time I love the lights in the background so faster I want to believe she just put it up for
for us. Now, I did. I made my bet for you too. Because she knows I'm calling it out.
Yes, I saw the interview before. See, and that's why you're my favorite player. Simple as that.
See, I want to chat about your compositions. I mean, we know that you guys, you like to
play through your comforts, albeit those not always being, you know, according to the meta,
walk us through how your guys' compositions fit into or rather against the current meta
Are there changes that you're able to make or willing to make?
Or do you just want to die or succeed on this hill?
So, I would say that last season we knew that we were a bit of a one-trick pony.
We were really susceptible to Lucio Curiband.
So this offseason we worked a lot on flexibility.
And one of those concepts we worked on was Sim, as you saw today.
Because we feel like it's super strong into the diva,
which a lot of teams have a very good diva player
and we don't really lean into the diva that much.
So, we feel like the Orissa sim type of comps with Zed being on the Orissa, he's just so
good at the Orissa that even though maybe it's not optimal, maybe it's not meta, we
can still make it work, we can still get the wins as you saw today.
And with the sim, like in our bag now, we're able to better counter the diva comps in like
a pretty straightforward way.
So I guess exploring that a little deeper because obviously cafe tried to take you to Dorado after the orisa composition for really problematic.
And we got to see the continuation of this metro and the orisa really putting a stop to the diva.
What about that composition specifically do you think allowed you to be able to shut the diva down?
We think it's just, for like a map like Dorado, we were kind of expecting them to pick it.
So we have prepared this comp ahead of time and practiced it in scrims.
We feel like the diva just has such a hard time touching point into the Symmetra Arissa
that anytime that the diva touches point, we can just like TP our Arissa somewhere and
our sim can handle the diva.
We feel like it's a pretty straightforward matchup where obviously it's a little bit
hard on defense.
soft swap offs in, but on offense we can just like stick to the car and like kill
whoever touches basically and it works pretty well today you know like it was
still an overtime map but I feel like our offenses that entire map were super
clean and that's where like the strength of the symmetrical shines on the
payload maps. Absolutely and kind of going off of this a little bit further so
when you're kind of having these conversations you're coming up with these
strategies that nobody else is really playing. How much are the players really involved with
a lot of these decision-making? Is a lot of the coaching staff that has been leading you there?
What does that communication look like for you guys?
The players, we've done a lot of work this week. Like I said, we spent a lot of the off-season
working on flexibility, so Zomba can pick the sim and even Farr or something like that. And then
just against Scrim, in our Scrims, we basically try to limit us to Rissa, like, oh, can we really
beat these teams on these better comps and you know these strong teams as well.
Does it still work or is it just too hard? And I think it's it's easy because
we're like a very motivated team. All of our players have like a strong idea of
what we want to do, what we want to play and being a team like for a little bit,
a little while now, it makes it easy to find these compositions that work good
for us and ideas that we want to play so we're all on the same page. And in terms
of coaching. We haven't had a coach at a single screen this week. Both of our coaches
have been MIA, so you know, I can't say anything about that. But yeah, so they haven't been
doing too much, not this week at least.
I mean, if it works with Twisted Minds, it works very well. I mean, it's coaches anyway,
right? If you have a good player, let's solid strat. As long as everyone is on the same
page, it can be the wrong book. It doesn't matter. We're all on the same page. So that's
good.
Look ahead at the competition though. Tomorrow you do have Team Liquid coming up. How do you feel like you're stacking up against them?
I assume you couldn't really watch the match they played right before you and go in depth on that.
But like just generally based on scrims and current form, how are we stacking up?
It was actually really interesting because we got the schedule so late this season.
We were basically our two big scrim partners were Cafe and Liquid.
So we both have a fairly good understanding of what each teams want to play.
And our scrims against them have gone pretty well.
Usually we go like even.
So I think tomorrow it'll be like a true test
of like they're showing with their new players.
And I'm really excited for that match tomorrow
because I think it'll be a good one.
And you know, we'll both have some fun comps to bring out
and you know, map takes and stuff like that.
So I definitely think we can win tomorrow.
Right, I love the confidence and absolutely in love
with how creative you and the team have been.
Thank you so much for joining us and best of luck in tomorrow's match.
Thank you so much. Thank you.
Ozzy from Lunex who put themselves on the board for their first dub of this stage.
Tomorrow, of course, the battle continues. This is our schedule.
We kicking things off over in EMEA with Ocasio. Going up against 1, 2, 3, 4.
Off the words, we're gonna have Twisted Minds and TLC, our newly promoted and renegaded team.
A lot of promoted teams, they did not get renegaded in fact.
And of course VP and UK, Dallas Fuel going up against the cafe.
And we're gonna close out the day with Team Liquid and Lunex.
Molly, which of these peaks your interest?
I'm gonna follow the words of Z, the fact that, you know,
not going to invest too heavy in the scrim box, but that these two teams could be familiar with each other.
That match could be, I think, the closest out of our NA games tomorrow, just based on the knowledge that they have of each other.
And I feel like there could be some beef there as well, which I'm always here for that as too.
Oh yeah, we're always here for the drama, and if it doesn't exist, we just make something up.
That's entertainment.
and Moxitya, which one caught your eyes, or even like further in, like, which team are you just excited to see for the rest of the stage?
Virtus.Pro. I think like, Virtus.Pro, right after they were able to hand a defeat to Twisted Minds, like, they've been looking at the team that's been able to excel the most in the midst of this new meta, like,
Ice Nom has been, I think, for me, the most improved tank player.
So far that we've seen in 2026, like every single time I see him play,
it just seems to be improvement after improvement after improvement.
Yeah, no, Ice Nom is definitely a player that has really, really impressed us.
So many more as well, though.
I think really the competition has been stepping it up each and every year,
and now also each and every single stage.
This was a great first day of OWCS action for all of us,
getting a bit of an idea of what we can expect from the competition for the next three weeks.
Moxie, Molly, you guys are the goats absolutely killing it on your cast or duo debuts. Everyone
sent them some love and a lot of love of course always to our production and everyone who's working
behind the scenes to make all of this possible. Big shout out to everyone watching thank you so
much for joining us once again and tomorrow we're gonna have the conclusion of week one right here
at the same place, same time, you don't want to miss it.
Have a good night.
You know we love God, you know
Love God, you
Love God, you
Love God, you
Love God, you