Week 3 preds!

Hi there! Another week and still no forfeits. Excellent job!

Once again, TrC did half of the preds, big thanks to him!

-Bacillus

Bacillus' group A preds

Ninelegends - Take Over

The match of the week!  Neither of the teams has dropped any rounds so far, but it's inevitable now.

Ninelegends have been rusty, but still solid this season. The lack of long term activity is still clearly visible, but so is the huge amount of high level play experience. In general they don't perform as sharp and dominant as they've used to, but still the game itself goes smoothly and displays great amount of organised game control: The chambers are built on the exact moment when possible, the marines save phase gates quickly and there aren't any moments of panic even if some momentarily setbacks occur. All in all NL is enjoyable to watch as a well rounded team right now.

Take Over is looking pretty good. Franky is still on fire and s4druid seems to be the hottest slightly newer name in the league right now. The rest of the team hasn't been as spectacular as the dynamic duo recently, but still their overall effort has been more than enough. I haven't been completetly convinced by Beefi's comming in the past, but the first two weeks haven't brought up any bigger problems. This week his skills are going to have the real trial by fire as the opponent is on roughly similar level on individual skill.

This match should be good. Ninelegends showed some moments of weakness against Tuxedo Men, but they also demonstrated the top tier ability to keep their game together in the few surprising moments of pressure. The ability should come in handy in case they leave even a bit of extra comfort space for Franky's marine performance. Sublime's lerking might prove crucial to keep 9L in the game on aliens early on. Ninelegends also need to bite more than they did against Tuxedo men. tO's alien rounds haven't been tested properly yet, so I'm just predicting them some trouble in case wltrs decides to join the game with his boomstick loaded.

No matter how rusty 9L may seem occassionally, I think their game is still cool and solid. I can't see them falling apart this week either. Still, 4-0 seems unlikely and 2-2 wouldn't be a disappointment either. My final word is 3-1 for 9L, probably more than slightly biased for them because I really like their general play style.

250 de Ping - Team Pron

Team Pron's performance against Keen Edge was a little controversial. Their alien rounds were decent, but the unnecessary crashes and plugin kicks made them really work for their points. On marines they did damage and got lifeform kills, but still failed to threaten the 2nd hives in any notable way.

250 de Ping seems to be in the same situation as we saw them last week: The individual play looks pretty good, but once the opponent puts some pressure on, the 250 pinger's strategy and teamwork crumble. A good example was tO's fast LMG push to cargo node on veil: Once the marines got in, 250 just kept bleeding lone skulks to LMGs and failed to gather a proper skulk force before the node was gone. Getting some more discipline to teamwork and strategy would make them a much more formittable team.

Neither of the teams have taken any marine rounds so far. I think Pron has a little better chances to take one this week, especially if Bigbanana is back in the chair. All in all, the match will either be decided by a quick veil marine win or a long chokepoint 2-hive war on metal.

My bet is 3-1 for Pron as they manage to take the veil marines.

Keen Edge - Tuxedo Men

Another matchup without any marine victories so far. Hopefully we'll see some this week.

Keen Edge faced Team Pron last week. They managed to do some damage on both marine rounds, but especially the veil marine round felt like a disappoint after a promising start. The alien rounds have been solid so far, although they lost quite a few lifeforms against Pron.

Tuxedo Men surprised me last week. Overall, their match against 9L went as expected, 9L taking the 4-0. However, both Tm's veil marines and origin aliens had some moments of good pressure and I could see them taking winning rounds with such play against some other teams.

It's a tough tough call. Both teams look even all around and it's going to be decided by the shape of the day and lineups. Despite the lack of marine wins so far, I think I even expect to see marine draw on veil this week. Metal on the other hand is going to be a pretty certain alien tie in my opinion.

My pred is 2-2. Veil is going to decide if either squeeses a 3-1 out of this. I can't see any marine wins on metal unless either team slips back in alien teamwork.

TrC's Group B preds

Two Team Squad vs Newstyled Return

TTS improved a lot from their first game and got some decent teamwork together against korea but timing and priorities were off quite a bit. Now they will be facing hardest opponent so far and with currect level of play their chances of getting a round is minimal. Newstyled is desperately fighting for a spot to div1 and losing points here is unacceptable. Skill-wise Newstyled is way above but TTS's hope lie in alien lifeform performance
and mass resource towers.

This week's maps:

ns_veil

Well balanced and open for various tactics as I mentioned in my earlier predict. Most regular tactics were seen last week and I except to see the same this week.

ns_metal

Very big map! Not the most popular one but still played in ensl officials. Map seems balanced no extremely bad hives and it contains important strategic point at mineral. Being a big map PGs are very handy as res nodes can be far away from each other. Fast lmg rush to mineral is popular.

Round 1: ns_veil

TTS as marines

TTS has to trust the shotguns and they will start with 2 to 3 shotguns and push to the nodes likely the cargo. Aliens start with 2 RTs and MC as chamber. TTS attacks crumble slowly to the early resistance and rest of the game is TTS trying to cap res nodes and the game ends when first fade (phil) is up.

1-0 Newstyled

Round 2: ns_veil

Newstyled as marines

1 shotgun tactic with armslab. Phil takes the shotgun and heads to resource towers. Aliens go with 3-4 nodes with fast lerk and fade. Phil's shotgun is too devastating for aliens and nodes drop down quickly. After some capping and res saving marines push to the hive and game is over.

2-0 Newstyled

Round 3: ns_metal

TTS as marines

Fast motion tracking will give TTS the advantage against skulks and TTS will go for late game. Leaving nodes untouched is plain madness thus TTS will try to take em down with 1 SG as well. Aliens continue with same tactics as last round fast scouting and early attacks work until motion is up. TTS's hope is to take lifeforms down fast and wait for HA but I'm afraid it maybe impossible and game ends to mass fades.

3-0 Newstyled

Round 4: ns_metal

Newstyled as marines

Marines rush to mineral with 3 LMGs build the node and head to the closest resource tower. Aliens go for mass-RTs again and the first ambush is going to be crucial. If aliens manage to keep the nodes up fast fade and lerk will give the favor and control aliens need. But if not marines will easily take control of the map and the flow wont change this will be my bet.

4-0 Newstyled

Notable players:

Newstyled - Phil (all around)

TTS - none

Stray Dogs vs U GO?

U GO? has been active lately and will most likely take the second spot in their group as their gameplay has improved a lot. SD had a "lucky" victory as you might say it, against TTS and they were even more horrible against Saunamen. They will be facing brute power that almost equals Saunamen's and I dont see how they would even get a round as long as comm doesnt forget to mine ip or jump out against fade. Still everything is possible in NS and their chances lie on taking down the comm (almost literally).

Round 1: ns_veil

Stray Dogs as marines

Shotgun play is important again when teams are not equally skilled and we will probably see 1 or 2 shotguns. Aliens go with the mc basics but any other tactic would be good enough as the skill cap is too large here. Marines never reach the res nodes and after succesfully capping few nodes fade comes in to the play and pushes marines back to the base. Last attempt to rush somewhere is with shotguns is made but lerks spore is too much, marines fall one by one.

1-0 U GO?

Round 2: ns_veil

U GO? as marines

To end this quickly U GO? LMG rushes to the nodes and hope to take down the gorges before rts go up. Aliens best chance is to mass rt but somehow I dont see that coming and they will go with 2 rts only. Nodes drop down quickly pressure team head to hive while the "the less important ones" cap the nodes. Spawncamp is initiated at 4min.

2-0 U GO?

Round 3: ns_metal

Stray Dogs as marines

Shocked how their SG pushes failed they will lmg rush to the mineral. Successfully capping the mineral but after leaving for heating or supply they meet the first resistance and wipe. Meanwhile aliens do 2 rts and MC surprise surprise. Capping nodes is too much for SD and they will never have more than 3 nodes. Lerk is unusually aggressive and it works as marines try to protect the very little res they have. Second hive is up early and with the fades U GO? finish the round.

3-0 U GO?

Round 4: ns_metal

U GO? as marines

Expecting mass nodes marines LMG rush to the nodes through mineral. Aliens go with the mass nodes and 1 of the node is powered down before its even build. Alien play is in disarray and marines take the rest of the nodes down easily. Marines will probably set 1 guy for main hive just for spawn camp as it is a form of pressure aswell. Game ends quickly only spawncamp remains.

4-0 U GO?

Notable players

U GO? - Almaty (CRAZY LERK) Multivac (fade)

SD - Dogo (True skill)

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That's all for this week's preds as Saunamen - Demonic Soul was already played and finished 4-0 for Sauna. See you soon with more coverage. Keep the activity going!

-Bacillus