If you have not checked the native competitive scene during the past three years, chances are you might assume things are just where you left them at, with the powerhouse Apis Europae in the grand-final of yet another tournament. But that's where the comparison ends. Since then, Bannerlord launched its Early Access (it did!) but failed at convincing the community as a whole, with an unfinished, clumsy product, nowhere-near ready for competitive endeavours. The first Bannerlord Early Access Skirmish Tournament(BEAST) received a rather positive answer from the community; with many teams registered, yet at the same time was given the cold shoulder by a large portion of the oldest and more experienced side of the competitive warband scene which deemed the event unfit of their interest & time. Instead, a group of individuals - mostly from the Malta team - saw an opportunity to revitalize the native scene by hosting the Warband Revival League (WRL). The project, quite ambitious considering the huge lack of activity in the community overall, was largely teased throughout different media and succeeded at gathering the community together once more, with 26 teams signed-up across three Divisions. The WRL aligned most of their tournament ruleset and format on the ever successful Warband Native League's (WNL) - which last two seasons in 2019 and 2020 were part of the main reasons holding the native scene together - but with a different approach to the playoffs and knockout-stage.
Though the best teams of each division were given the chance of making a deep run in the WRL, the conclusion of this tournament holds no surprise, as two Division A teams await in the grand-final. On the one hand, the tournament's favourite, Commando Oida, a squad assembled for this WRL with some of the finest players still active in the scene and which has looked untouchable since the beginning of the competition. They will be matched against the old dogs from Apis Europae which - unlike the past couple of tournament they attended - have opted to join this event with a rather traditional crew, with little to no recent addition to their roster. On paper, this grand-final look rather one-sided, as OIDA has been uncontested throughout the whole course of the tournament, dominating the whole Division A during the first stage only to cruise past their opponents, Knights of Malta and Irish Rebels, in the quarter and semi-final respectively. As for AE, they lost to both OIDA and Redemption (another Div A team) during the first phase of the tournament but still managed to qualify for the knockout stage. After having convincingly defeated Espana, their anticipated semi-final rematch against Redemption ended-up defaulted to them as the latter couldn't field a team for that match. Though this situation gave quite the easy ticket for AE in that grand-final, it likely didn't please the veteran squad as it deprived them of a proper important match, one which could have given them a good idea of their real strength before their rematch against Oida.
In this grand-final preview, we will try to delve further down in this confrontation between Apis Europae and Commando Oida, looking more in details at their respective runs in the competition, the maps picked for this final and the statistics for each squad.
Ever seen a Juggernaut? Cause you might just be looking at one.
With two finalists of last WNL (Frontline Tactics & Unity) being currently inactive, chances were high that a couple of teams would form based on the individuals from both rosters. Habimana - who had been instrumental in Unity's success earlier this year - played his cards right and managed to assemble a colossal force coming into this WRL. He kept a large part of the Unity roster but also added several excellent additions from the FT line-up such as Gibby, ErroR and Janczar. With the remainder of FT being mostly split between Espana (Charlini, SirAlecks) & Irish Rebels (Kiano, Ciiges), it quickly became very evident that Commando Oida would hold the No1 favourite spot in this tournament, with any pretender for the crown eventually having to look at them as the ultimate final boss. In fact, one could argue that they already had a well-trodden path into the grand-final after their show of force during the group stage. They merely dropped 15 rounds out of five matches against the best opposition of the tournament in Division A, one statistic which is telling of how dominating they have been in that particular stage. Far from slowing down in the next phase, they obliterated The Knights of Malta and Irish Rebels to qualify for the grand final. Their result against the latter (10-4) could have been the starting point for a discussion about a potential slow down from OIDA, but eventually, you have to look at the way that semi-final unfolded, with OIDA being uncontested on the first map (6-0) and winning the first round of the second one which literally closed the match in half the time of its actual duration. There is no two ways about it, OIDA has been untouchable in the tournament thus far and will be coming in this grand-final with the odds largely in their favour.
Brian
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K - 66 / D - 26 / A - 56
- Rated 6th as the player with the most assist.
- Rated 4th as the player who gets the first kill most often.
- Rated 6th as the player with the highest k/d ratio.
- Rated 10th as the player with the most throwing weapon kills.
Throughout the years, Brian has established himself as one of the very best European players of all time through a sheer display of constancy at the highest level of competition. Alongside his brother Thorr, the Luxembourgian has won several major trophies, always acted as a key player in any of the teams he joined and often found himself one of the highest-rated players in several of the tournaments he attended. Though OIDA is filled with superstars of equal excellency, there is no doubt that Brian will once again play a role of paramount importance in asserting dominance on the battlefield for his team. Though he has proved himself to be an infantry few could match against, it's as cavalry that he has been the most impactful as of late, and therefore that's the class he is expected to be mostly playing in this grand-final.
Error
K - 68 / D - 39 / A - 33
- Rated 2nd as the player with the most 1h weapon kills.
- Rated 7th as the player who dies first the most.
- Rated 9th as the player with the most spear kills.
One of the oldest players in the OIDA line-up, Error's capability to remain at the top for so long has always been an ability praised by many. He is one of the last representatives of the old polish generation which heavily contributed to ranking Poland as the number one warband nation for some time as most of his old teammates have gone missing throughout the years. Error's unparalleled experience is always a massive benefit for any team, especially in a grand-final. Be it in open or close environments; he has shown being capable of striving both as a survivable infantry or as an insatiable and unstoppable butcher, cutting through the enemy ranks with ease. Though he eventually may have tried himself at cavalry, the job he does best is undoubtedly as infantry, and I expect OIDA to fill him in such role on both maps.
Gibby
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K - 58 / D - 33 / A - 42
- Rated 5th as the player with the most 1h weapon kills.
- Rated 10th as the player with the highest k/d ratio.
Probably one the best illustration of the young guard's rise within the native scene, Gibby has shown an almost limitless range of skills throughout the numerous years he spent in the community, from caster to captain by way of content creator or tournaments host. But ultimately, that's as player that he illustrated himself the most, starting primarily as a duelist to become of of the most feared infantry of his era. One of the prominent architects of FrontLine Tactic's dominance throughout the late years of the scene, Gibby eventually joined forces with his old enemies from Unity in this WRL, a powerful association if there ever was one. Due to OIDA's extensive roster, he was spotted playing as cavalry during the tournament, a class he seems to affectionate more and more as matches go. In the grand-final however, that's as infantry that I expect him to be the most impactful, showing guidance to the rest of the team through unmatched mental fortitude and pure display of brute skill.
Habimana (C)
K - 70 / D - 49 / A - 30
- Rated 10th as the players with the most 1h weapon kills.
- Rated 10th as the players who die first the most.
- Rated 1st as the players with the most spear kills.
Habimana's presence as a primary figure within the top commander tiers on Native is not something which goes back way in time, but the recent success he had in the WNL8 coupled with his team achieving a back to back grand-final speaks volume about his quality as an in-game leader. The job of taking over a Unity team which had always been under Paulo's management wasn't necessarily an easy one, yet that's where Habi was able to prove that he could undoubtedly tackle with the other top tier leaders of the scene on a regular basis. His tactical abilities have been put under the test in more than one occasion, and this match will be yet another chance for Habimana to strengthen his position as a top tier leader, this time against the old-school leadership of AZAN. If Habimana's role as an in-game caller prevents him from acting as the regular team's carry, the numbers he posts for tournaments are still impressive and testify of his ability to lead by example in more than one occasion, making him yet one more individual threat to deal with on the field. The Austrian has indeed shown to be one of the best spearmen of all-time, getting a ridiculously high number of kill with that weapon and will undoubtedly be a thorn in AE's side throughout this grand-final.
Janczar
/ K - 88 / D - 29 / A - 45
- Rated 5th as the players with the most couched lance kill.
- Rated 7th as the players with the most assists.
- Rated 3rd as the players with the highest k/d ratio.
- Rated 5th as the players with the highest damage.
Though he may not have played among the top for as long as his teammates, Janczar's rise as one of the best cavalry of the late-era has been one of the most entertaining things to watch. His time among Mikstura, then Malta, later on, gave him the perfect spotlight to showcase his unique abilities. It wasn't for long before he was eventually gotten a chance to play for one of the very best in Europe, Frontline Tactics, where he made for one hell of a powerful duo with a good friend of his, Error. With FT being absent for this tournament, it was no surprise him and Error joined this new team together and have since both heavily contributed to its success. His playstyle is probably best described as meticulous, the pole missing very few of the opportunities given to him while showing rare survivability at this level of competition, making him a key performer for his team and one of the very best (top 3) in the whole tournament. Though he may not have yet the same 'name-value' than other players in his team, a win in this grand-final could very much be the chance for Janczar to establish himself as one of the best European players of the last two years.
LaPache
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/ K - 52 / D - 28 / A - 30
- Rated 2nd as the players with the most 2h weapon kills.
- Rated 9th as the players with the highest k/d ratio.
The German player is, without a doubt, one of the parts you want to compose with while assembling a top team. LaPache has been instrumental in many of the squads he played for, not shining through flashy plays necessarily but rather by a remarkable efficiency in battle. For this tournament, LaPache's statistics are still indicative of a high-level player, but his impact often goes much further and cannot always be highlighted by numbers. In a team where it's not always easy to juggle with the different egos and visions, LaPache holds this mature, calm & collected figure which certainly strengthen the group as a whole. You can count on him to be a shield against adversity, one which does not break easily. In OIDA, LaPache has been seen playing both as infantry and cavalry, and that's two roles I imagine he could switch in-between during the grand-final, depending on the composition. In the eventually AE gets off a good start and threaten OIDA's foundations, I expect LaPache to be one of those keeping things levelled on TeamSpeak and reminding the team of its qualities and strengths. In that sense, his presence tonight is merely inestimable.
Matt
K - 80 / D - 23 / A - 63
- Rated 3rd as the players with the most headshots.
- Rated 1st as the players with the most assists.
- Rated 2nd as the players with the highest k/d ratio.
- Rated 2nd as the players with the highest damage.
Matt is the kind of player who strives by an unbreakable confidence in his abilities, and thus far, the tournaments he played at the top can only comfort him in that sense. Through the recent years, he has become the go-to ranger of many Tier 1 squads which saw in him one of the essential factors to contend for the titles. He proved he was worthy of this trust by winning the WNL8 title with Unity and will aim at confirming such a statement even further in this WRL. His capacity to frequently switch between a team's support, causing extensive damage through each round and a massive, untouchable carry, making decisive plays for his team makes him one of the most dangerous rangers of this era. He is undoubtedly one of the factors which could help to tip the scales even further in favour of OIDA and a threat AE must provide an answer to if they intend to run away with that match as giving too much room to Brit would prove an unforgivable mistake. With only two main rangers in OIDA for the moment, Matt is expected to play the full match and will be one of the players to keep an eye on in tough situations.
Maximou
K - 70 / D - 28 / A - 58
- Rated 2nd as the players with the most headshots.
- Rated 5th as the players with the most assists.
- Rated 2nd as the players who get the first kill most often.
- Rated 9th as the players with the highest damage.
Much like his British equivalent, Maximou is also a player who trusts in his own abilities to be a game-changing factor for his team. Through his time in Unity, he has turned from a sharp but slightly inexperienced ranger to one of the most famous players of the scene. On top of being one of these rangers who almost never miss, his successes as a duelist make him extremely hard to be taken advantage of in melee. You may eventually be able to prevent him from shooting, but you can never be sure to take the upper hand in a one on one combat, making him one of the most survivable rangers there ever was in the scene. His recent achievements ( NC2020, WNL8 ) and the remarkable statistics he posted in both tournaments largely explain the success his teams met. Maximou is one of the assets you can rely on in almost any given situations and his improved synergy with OIDA's other ranger Matt - with whom he played the last tournament in a similar composition - are one of the reasons why OIDA's holds the status of huge favourite coming into that match.
Thorr
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K - 53 / D - 29 / A - 41
- Rated 2nd as the players with the most throwing weapon kills.
- Rated 6th as the most teamkilled player.
You are looking for an aggressive player, not scared to take difficult engagements and go face to face with the enemy? Look no further as you will hardly find a better candidate than Thorr. While playing alongside his brother in Unity, Thorr managed to make a name for himself through a unique, fearless playstyle which renders him extremely hard to deal with. Though Brian has seemed to focus mostly on cavalry lately, Thorr's kept a versatile approach to his gameplay and has been used both as an infantry (on close maps) and cavalry (on opens). He has been showing no signs of weakness in both these roles and will be looking at giving his team the advantage earlier on. Though sometimes hot-headed, Thorr knows he is part of a well-oiled machine and isn't the kind to suicide himself for a random one on one trade. His aggressions are measured to give him the best chance to make it out alive and thus, allow him to continue being a nuisance for the enemy team, something he has been doing for years now and that he will once more hope to show in that grand-final against Apis Europae.
The legacy Apis Europae created is undoubtedly one of the most impressive feats of arms ever witnessed in competitive warband. Undisputed Kings of Europe throughout a large portion of the native competitive history, they continued to be a force to be reckoned with in the late years of the scene while slowly but surely decreasing their overall activity and consequently missing a couple of tournaments. Yet, each time they came back, they maintained an impressive form, with their last win to date being in the Warband Native League Season 7, as House Tully (composed at 90% of AE members). Though they went missing in the WIS and WNL8, their comeback seemed inevitable, and yet again, we find them sitting at the edge of yet another grand-final in this WRL. Unlike when they played as House Tully however (where players such as eRRoR, SirAlecks or Gibby had joined them), AE's roster stayed true to its roots for this tournament. This approach rendered their task more challenging as a lot of their players were massively rusty or past their prime, which is not a surprise when you keep almost the exact same roster throughout 9 years of competitive plays. During the WNL7, AE (House Tully) seemed to have found a healthy balance with the experience and synergy brought by its core coupled with the brute skill force of their recent additions. In the WR however, they had to operate differently as they couldn't exactly expect to dominate each of their opponents through a sole display of skill. AE can still count on some of the best players who have ever touched in the game playing for them, but the line-up as a whole isn't as decisive as it used to be and this has been showing in the group stage. Though they largely dominated some teams such as Malta or Espana, they also started by a close loss against Redemption and were defeated by a convincing OIDA team later on. Their last match against Irish Rebels was probably a bit tighter than what they would have liked it to be, but they managed to progress through the next stage nonetheless, as the 3rd ranked seed of Division A. As mentioned earlier in this article, they were meant to face Redemption in the semi-final (after having convincingly disposed of Espana in the week prior), but their opponent met heavy roster issues and had to default that match. Going in this grand-final against an adversary which they know is currently superior to them, AE would have probably liked to use that match against Redemption has a way to test themselves against the other team that had beaten hem, but which was arguably much more attainable than OIDA. They will have to do without this opportunity and if anything, this makes the task ahead of them even more substantial, as AE players already experienced defeats against other strong opponent but hardly ever saw the odds so stacked against them.
Anchor
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K - 37 / D - 40 / A - 24
- Rated 1st as the player with the biggest killstreak in a single round.
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With OGL, Anchor is probably the only member of this AE line-up which hasn't been playing for them since the early days. Nevertheless, the British veteran has been joining them in more than one occasion, such as during the Warband Summer Cup in 2017 where he helped them reach the semi-finals. In the all-time list of the most threatening infantry who have ever competed on our scene, Anchor would undoubtedly hold a solid spot as he has proved in more than one occasion that he could compete face to face with some of the most renowned infantry in the community. In this WRL however, he has been mostly assisting AE as a ranger and cavalry, two roles he already played at the top in the past. Though Anchor's versatility is no longer to question, it always feels like a bit of a waste not being able to use his at what he historically been the best and this can felt in his overall impact, decent considering the difficulties AE have been through, but nowhere near its highest.
axL
K - 43 / D - 32 / A - 24
- Rated 4th as the player with the most couched lance kills.
- Rated 7th as the player with the biggest killstreak in a single round.
With Shema and Peter, axL is part of the reason why AE's cavalry department was once considered the ultimate best. At the time, these three were simply untouchable and made for a trio which powered their team through many situations, helping them build their legendary reputation along the way. He was also one of the first to take a step back from the game, and as this break became extensive, few imagined the Finn would be back in the scene one day. To help his team retrieve greatness, he eventually re-enlisted, showing he still very much had it and could still contend with the bests. In the last couple of years, his apparitions for AE have been on and off, very much like the team's participation in the competitive scene but every time axL came back, his impact was largely noticeable. This WRL makes no exception, and though he undoubtedly was rusty at first, he has since them caught-up with the rest of the most active players and been posting good stats over the board. Would he and the other cavalries of AE manage to find their old form, they could very act as one of the winning conditions for AE. There is still a long way to that, but winning is part of axL DNA and no matter the odds, he shall once more be ready to prove why he is considered as one of the greatest cavalries of all-time.
AZAN (C)
K - 39 / D - 30 / A - 25
Rated 8th as the player with the biggest killstreak in a single round.
AE's commander is no longer to be presented, nor does his tactical genius needs explaining , but for those still unfamiliar with the name, AZAN has been the commander for the AE squad throughout all these years, the indisputable mastermind behind the successes of the bees. Though primarily a cavalry, he has through his time as in-game leader transitioned as infantry in the hope this would become more viable with his commanding role. For this grand-final however, AZAN will only be calling (and more likely playing) on the open map, as cavalry. On the close map, M should be taking over. Though he was never considered as a heavy fragger, AZAN hasn't been one of the AE players struggling the most in this WRL. He managed to hold his grounds in more than one occasion which is a good sign as he will be debuting the match on Reveran Village and know his team cannot afford a late start to the game. Eventually, however, his impact will have to be in the calling area. Whether or not he is on point is likely to determine the outcome of that match in a decisive way.
Bloody_Death
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K - 21 / D - 34 / A - 21
Bloody Death, more familiarly known as BD, is one of the many legendaries duelists who have filled the ranks of AE through time. His individual prowesses sword in hand made him perfectly fit for the role of infantry, a position which he has held with a large success for several of the tournament he played among this team. BD also proved he could be a reliable cavalry but with AZAN, axL, Peter and Shema already holding these spots, it's more likely to see him strive as infantry for that match. It's fair to mention however that the german infantry has missed a couple of games and hasn't been able to stand out massively in the ones he attended, eventually raising questions on the level we can expect of him in that grand-final. But to walk away with a win, AE is going to need each and every of its individuals to massively step-up, and this could be the perfect occasion to remind the scene of the great player he still is.
Cleric_Johnson
K - 24 / D - 32 / A - 33
- Rated 8th as the players with the most spear kills.
Alongside his brother and leader of the clan Deacon, Cleric Johnson has often been one of AE's most vocal player through the years, setting his heart on being able to back-up his words on the field at any given time. His reputation as one of the best battle infantry of the early era still rings true in nowadays scene, same as his aggressive, fast-paced style which left more than one enemy wholly outplayed. There is no denying that being one of AE's oldest member, Cleric is no longer in his prime, and this can eventually show on the battlefield. He hasn't been one of AE's most active player as of late, and though the British infantry is still ready to rip into any infantry he faces, his impact can't be as prominent as it was back in the days, understandably so. Understestiming it would still prove a deadly mistake as the thousands of hours he has accumulated makes him a concrete threat even for arguably better players. Would Cleric manage to find even a bit of the beast he used to be, then Oida infantries are certainly in for a ride.
LeRoux
K - 45 / D - 46 / A - 60
- Rated 5th as the players with the most headshots.
- Rated 3rd as the players with the most assits.
Undoubtedly one of AE's most renowned player, LeRoux has been one of these community figures a lot of players have been looking up to. On top of having been one of the best rangers of his time, he made himself a reputation of a wise, fair and kind individual. Such personalities are often crucial to creating the best possible atmosphere in a team but also improving the competitive side of a community, and for many years, LeRoux's impact on the warband scene has been positively felt, while the he kept on racking-up trophies with his team. His loyalty for AE has never been altered, and though the weight of the years are eventually getting heavier on his shoulders, LeRoux continues to answer the call for glory and battle. In the WRL, the Belgian ranger has shown he was still capable of landing some great shots, but eventually, he will need to do even more going against the likes of Matt & Maximou. This battle between the old sensei and the current ranger champions could make for an exciting storyline as the match develops, but LeRoux's importance will also be in keeping his teammates' heads above water as this grand-final is likely to push AE players to their very limits.
M
K - 14 / D - 31 / A - 15
- Rated 4th as the most teamkilled player.
- Rated 9th as the players who dies first the most.
If you were to name one and one and only player from Apis Europae, chances many people would go for M. Arguably the most accomplished duelist of all-time, he has created a legacy on his own as he immortalized Apis Europae as the most fantastic European team. In this tournament, however, M hasn't been having the greatest of time, struggling to find the past level of his in most of Apis Europae's matches. Though the British infantry can undoubtedly be capable of showing a much better face, his team can't rely on him suddenly stepping-up for this grand-final in a way which could make the difference. Instead, I had rather argue M's decisiveness will be in his calling on the second map, Fort of Honour. The British infantry certainly has the experience on his side and though going against Habimana will be no easy task, giving his team the tactical edge could definitely strengthen his confidence and take a bit of pressure off his shoulders. M has faced quite a few challenges in his warband career, most he overcame with the manner. Tonight indeed looks like one of his most significant to date, but if there was one player able to bring a bit of that magic back, no doubt it's him.
OGL
K - 51 / D - 35 / A - 60
- Rated 9th as the players with the most headshots.
- Rated 2nd as the players with the most assists.
- Rated 9th as the players with the biggest killstreak in a single round.
Though he isn't exactly part of the old core of AE, OGL has now played enough tournament with them to be considered a full member of their squad. The time where he was battling against his current comrades seems long gone as OGL appears to have fully embraced the black and yellow outfit. The Warband Revival League also served as a good reminder that OGL also became part of their most consistent players, as he is currently the only ranger in the team with a positive ratio. OGL maintaining his form will be of paramount importance for AE going in this grand-final as they need at least one of their ranger to be capable of contending with OIDA's formidable rangers throughout the whole duration of the match. His good recent performance in the tournament coupled with a strengthened synergy between him and other AE members are certainly among the positive points for their line-up, so is OGL calm and collected approach and strong mental fortitude. The Scottish player has a lot of resources and depth in his gameplay, and I expect he will show it tonight.
Peter
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K - 103 / D - 41 / A - 51
- Rated 1st as the players with the most couched lance kills.
- Rated 2nd as the player with the biggest killstreak in a single round.
- Rated 7th as the player with the highest k/d ratio.
- Rated 3rd as the player with the highest damage.
If some of the oldest top players in the scene have been struggling to keep up with their old selves during the late years, it seems time truly has no impact on Peter. The fact he is still topping the charts for this event and in contention for the MVP title, regardless of the result of this grand-final, is enough to justify his title of the best player of all-time. Peter will be a force to be reckoned with in this match and undoubtedly expected to show the way to his team in a match where the odds are certainly not in their favour. During the Nations Cup 2019, he was put in a similar situation, having to make for a large part of the carry in France's big matches. But much like with the Frenchies and despite Peter's insane constancy throughout the years, he cannot be expected to be the sole reason for his team success in that match. AE has a whole will have to be inspired by his performance and step-up together with their star player. Only then, can they expect to triumph and Peter, to lift yet another trophy. It will also be interesting to see if they decide to have the Frenchman play as infantry on the close map. Since Shema and axL can perfectly handle the cavalry department on their own, having Peter switch to infantry could be a way to strengthen that part of the AE line-up. Not an easy choice to make either way, but one which could prove decisive for the title in the end.
Scar
K - 73 / D - 65 / A - 41
- Rated 1st as the players with the most 1h weapon kills.
- Rated 3rd as the player with the biggest killstreak in a single round.
- Rated 1st as the player with the most throwing weapon kills.
- Rated 10th as the player with the most spear kills.
Undoubtedly one of the most exciting personality in the scene, Scar has proven throughout the years that excellency was his way of life. Though even he is no stranger to rust and had to battle hard in order to regain his skill, the german infantry will undoubtedly be one of the pivotal figures for AE in that match and expected to make the difference when it comes to the nitty-gritty. With Peter, he was one of those who kept playing when the European giant went inactive, creating the second biggest European legacy in Frontline Tactics, no less! It's, therefore, no surprise to see him as one of AE's top former and this despite the apparent struggle of his team in the WRL against the top contenders. Scar's rational approach to the game will also be essential as even he knows this battle against OIDA cannot be won solely by skill. In moments of doubts, when the odds were the toughest, players like him always have shown-up, staying true to their reputation and legitimating their status of superstars. Though we already mentioned that this match is not about only about specific individuals showing-up, having Scar ascends once more to his status of Prussian Immortal can only be a joyful prospect for his team, and a terrifying one for the enemy team.
Shemaforash
K - 71 / D - 59 / A - 35
- Rated 2nd as the players with the most couched lance kills.
- Rated 10th as the player with the biggest killstreak in a single round.
- Rated 10th as the players who get the first kill most often.
- Rated 6th as the player with the highest damage.
We mentioned a couple of silver linings for AE and there is no doubt having Shemaforash as cavalry will be one. Alongside axL and Peter, the swede has proven his worth at the top of the scene countless times and on Reveran Village, AE's pick and first map, I expect to see him strive in that relatively open environment. Shema has always been capable to keep a strong form throughout the years and this despite not being no-where as active as he was during his prime. This allowed him to remain a threat for many players in top teams and there is no doubt that the OIDA players will know what the cavalry veteran is capable of. If given enough room to express himself and mistakes to exploit, Shema could very well help building a strong lead for his team. It will also be about taking measured risks for him, but even if he continues his approach of high-risk, high-reward, trading himself for one of OIDA top players could prove a valid tactic in certain situations. So long as he doesn't fall for any obvious traps and can have a lasting impact on the field, he is one of the players capable to pop off at any given time and there is no need to mention how welcoming this would be for his team if Shema was able to go for one of his old amazing performances in that grand-final.
Apis Europae's choice to ban Verloren and Mountain Fortress makes perfect sense as these two are they worse-performing maps, which they lost 6-3 and 6-0 against Redemption and OIDA respectively. Their pick of Reveran Village is probably meant to play around their comfort zone as they dominated Malta on this map in the second week of the group stage; still, it's worth noting OIDA also has a reference match of their own on Reveran Village, against Redemption (6-1). This means both teams are likely to feel very comfortable on it and should make for a powerful opening.
When it comes to OIDA's bans, Legacy Town is not a surprise as it's the only map they lost in the first-stage, against Redemption in Week 2. Considering the factions were the same as what they could have been in the grand-final, it makes sense for them to try and avoid a repeat of that match, where their showing on the Swadian side especially had been uncharacteristically poor. As for their second ban, OIDA could have opted to get rid of FrostHaven, where AE had managed to steal a side from them during their encounter in Week 3, but decided for San'di'bush instead. There is no statistic indicative of OIDA being worse on this map than on others as they convincingly beat Malta on it earlier in the tournament. Which means that unless they felt threatened by AE's strong performance on that same map against Espana two weeks ago, the choice to ban it result probably more to some personal preferences in the OIDA camp. As for Fort of Honour, where the faith of that match is likely to be decided, I wouldn't be surprised for it to be a punish pick from OIDA. AE performed rather well on this map against IR during Week 5, but since the match was streamed, it means OIDA had the occasion to find weaknesses to exploit in AE's gameplan. It's all speculation at this point and considering OIDA's huge favourite role; it could also simply be a map where they feel comfortable to close the match.
If neither of the two teams managed to take the win after these two maps, a tie-breaker will ensue on Winterburg, played out as a mirror of Vaegirs, in an Ft3 format.
Just found a minute to read through all of it - absolute quality work as always Tardet, thank you for taking the time every tournament to write up articles such as this one! And sorry I couldn't help with the icons!
Thanks for a lot of the nice messages lads! The whole preview itself was very last minute, started working on it 3-4 days before the actual grand-final day. There are things I would like to have added but overall it's decent for the time I have and motivated me to get back into the swim of things.
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