[WSC] Grand Final Preview | Unity vs Frontline Tactics

[Tardet]

GRAND FINAL: MATCH PREVIEW​ UNITY vs. FRONTLINE TACTICS​ Times change, excellence remains.​     The Warband Summer Cup, hosted by Dume, SirAlecks and Charlini saw twenty teams clashing for the the 360€ cash-prize but more importantly, the indisputable title of champion. Coming out of a five-week group stage, eight teams battled in the playoffs so they could reach that that highly sought-after spot in the Grand Final. We are happy to present you Unity and Frontline Tactics, the last two teams still running for the first place, which are about to face-off in that ultimate confrontation. Both structures had very similar path throughout the competitions where they showed themselves dominant in any of their matches. Reaching the semi-finals, Frontline Tactics had a small edge coming against The Castellans but not many could have predicted in which manner they took down their opponent, not dropping a single round in what was supposed to be a close encounter. On the other side, Unity went on to face Apis Europae and the match held on to its expectations. After a tense first map which was closed in favor of Unity, Apis Europae could not make the difference on Verloren, and for the first time in warband history, won't attend a Grand Final. Frontline Tactics and Unity were two of the four favorites teams at the beginning of the tournament. If seeing them reaching that stage of the competition isn't a surprise, taking down two big names such as Castellans and Apis Europae is still an achievement any team would dream of. But the most difficult tasks lie ahead of them and if both teams have now settled their names in the history of the competitive warband scene, only one can pretend to be the true and only champion. The real battle, is about to begin. UNITY​   Team Location: France Roster Strength: 14 Past Opponents: Apis Europae - Ferocious Trident Wielders - Tilde Turtles - Belediye Şövalyeleri - Knights of Malta - Lumbridge Losers   Online placings in the last few months - Warband Monthly League | 1st Place - European Championship Fives | 9th-16th Place TEAM PRESENTATION​ They have done it. After falling short so many times to reach this very final step, Unity have shown that they have had enough composure to break the curse and they have never been so close of achieving their one and only goal, the victory. Paulo, their captain, could have never dreamed of a better comeback after a one-year break which prevented Unity from attending most tournaments. The good form shown throughout the Warband Monthly League was the premise of something bigger. A team built to win tournaments. Alongside their francophone core, Unity have recruited a couple of excellent European players, such as Kane, Menethil, Khefren and Ciiges who have proven to be a huge part of the team's success within the WSC. In the past, Unity had already recruited non french-speaking players to fill their gaps however their composition for this tournament is slightly different as EU players represent nearly 50% of their roster. With Brian and Thorr, who continue to be a dominating pair in the competitive scene, Caius and Kellerman, who, despite the many years on the scene, keep on performing at the highest level and MouS and Maximou, who appear to be solid players the rest of the team can rely on - Unity has everything they need so that their dream of claiming their first major title comes true. Despite having the capacity to play a three rangers set-up, I doubt it's an option Unity will fancy unless they intend to catch Frontline Tactics off-guard. In any case, such a set-up can often backfire so it is to be used with caution. On Naval Outpost or Verloren, they should be fine with two archers or crossbowmen in any case. Along with Menethil, who appears to be their main ranger, it is yet to be seen who Unity is going to choose between Maximou or Kane as their secondary ranger. Both have shown strong performances in past matches but Kane eventually scored more points during his match against Apis Europae. Regarding their infantries, Kellerman, Caius and Khefren should be capable to hold their ground in any situation, all being quite in form recently and forming a formidable trio. They should be joined by Thorr and Brian on close maps, those two potentially switching to cavalries if a third or fourth player is needed in such class. Not to be forgotten, Bruce, who didn't attend as many matches as the rest of the team, should be back for that match as infantry. Paulo and Ciiges complete the Unity roster, being their two main cavalries on every map whereas MouS will most likely be kept in reserve as a back-up player. FRONTLINE TACTICS​   Team Location: International Roster Strength: 11 Past Opponents: The Castellans - Polish Eagles - Aequalitas  - Men of Borr - Eat What You Kill - Trinity   Online placings in the last few months - European Championship Fives | 2nd Place TEAM PRESENTATION​ Initially created for the Battle of Bucharest LAN tournament, Frontline Tactics has come a long way since their disappointing exit in the online qualifier. From a team built to perform in a 5v5 format, FT has changed and grown, not only in size but also in maturity. For the core of players who attended the European Championship Fives, that second place finish certainly left a bitter taste in their mouths after the amazing run they had throughout the tournament. Coming into the Warband Summer Cup, it was to be expected that Frontline Tactics would be aiming to do just as well and adapting to the 8v8 format was a simple necessity for them as proven their easy run both in the group stage and playoffs. For their second final in only a few months of existence, Frontline Tactics are slowly but surely comforting their position into the top, a major title indubitably putting them as the number one seed for the time being. Their roster is built on a small group of active players who all get to play their role in matches. Charlini, Sir Alecks, Dume and Sparta have all continued their current good form shown in the NC17 and make a good part of FT's line-up. The team also have a strong proportion of German players, namely Firunien, Eder, and Rainbow, some of them having played together in the past and all used to play at the highest level. Fietta and Peter bring to the team even more fire-power. If the latter is not being presented anymore, Fietta - known firstly for his dueling prowess - has proven he can also be a deadly infantry when evolving with the right teammates. Last but not least, Frontline Tactics also gather two of the best tactical minds of the scene, Oliveran and Rayden. Both have a huge experience in term of leading and are also extremely competent in their respective class categories. In a similar fashion to Unity, Frontline Tactics can also rely on a strong ranging department. Without a doubt, Rainbow and Rayden are their superstar when it comes to archery however Sparta shouldn't be underestimated as he has been performing on a decent level so far, though he certainly won't be the one expected to make the most difference for FT. However, he has also proven to be a reliable infantry if needed so he could be seen switching to that class during the match. Speaking about infantry, their main core consists of Oliveran, Charlini, Sebe and Fietta and considering they're arguably on an equal footing with Unity infantries, melee combats will surely be an important part of the final. But FT's strongest strength certainly remains in their cavalry as they possess two of the best players of the scene, Peter and SirAlecks. They will be accompanied by Dume and Firunien, who have made enormous improvements this year and deserve their place in such a line-up. They may not be expected to carry as much as Peter or SirAlecks, however they will be needed to keep FT alive and kicking, more than ever. UNITY LINE UP PAULO Cavalry [Kills: 39 - Deaths: 36 - Teamkills : 1 - Played: 5] The former leader of Legend has come a long way. After so many years of hard working, it seems things have started to pay off for his team. For this tournament, Paulo left his role of main ranger as the team possessed enough of them to play as one of their main cavalry. Paulo is going to have a lot to do to contain FT's cavalries. But the young captain knows that this might be his best chance so far to get this major title and he is not ready to give it up that easily.   MENETHIL Ranger [Kills: 43 - Deaths: 14 - Teamkills : 0 - Played: 5] While his Turkish counterpart Rayden has decided to fight within Frontline Tactics, Menethil made the choice to join Unity, and thanks to the experience he has gathered within Freelancers and the Turkish NC team, he has helped Unity reach a whole new level. So far it seems he made the right choice, as Unity were able to defeat the mighty AE, a feeling Menethil already had experienced in the past. His role as main ranger will be crucial for Unity but if he is in good form and can hit his shots, FT might have a hard time dealing with him.   BRIAN Infantry | Cavalry [Kills: 71 - Deaths: 31 - Teamkills : 6 - Played: 6] Years after years, Brian continues to perform at the best level. Capable of playing both cavalry and infantry, it is very likely to see him playing as the latter on the two first maps. Brian has the capacity to make deadly openings in enemy ranks, and alongside his brother Thorr and the other infantries such as Khefren, Bruce, Caius, or Kellerman, he will be a positive force to help Unity reach the victory.   THORR Infantry | Cavalry [Kills: 52 - Deaths: 37 - Teamkills : 2 - Played: 6] Thorr has also performed wonderfully in this tournament, and in a similar fashion to Brian, his aggressive play style is always extremely hard to handle no matter how good his opponents are. If he can form good synergy with the other infantries, and show enough patience to strike at the right moment, Thorr will have a massive impact in the grand finale.   CIIGES Cavalry [Kills: 113 - Deaths: 25 - Teamkills : 2 - Played: 6] After a lot of hard work, Ciiges finally seems to have found his place within Unity. Main cavalry, heavy carry, second deadliest player in the Warband Summer Cup. The young Dutchman has everything smiling upon him, and with the right atmosphere he can deliver to his full potential. A lot will come down to whether or not he will be able to handle FT’s cavalries, because if he can perform as he has so far, Ciiges has what it takes to grant his team its first major title ever.   KHEFREN Infantry [Kills: 44 - Deaths: 23 - Teamkills : 2 - Played: 4] Playing in the scene for years, Khefren has proven that despite having often a reserved  personality, his performance on the battlefield speaks for itself. He has been one of the best players for Unity in the tournament so far, and tonight will be expected to excel at what he does best, slaying his opponents.   Kellerman Infantry [Kills: 14 - Deaths: 13 - Teamkills : 2 - Played: 3 Kellerman is also a veteran from the community, and has been playing within Unity, but also Legend before that, for a really long time. His experience, and the fact he knows what his team is capable of, will be a strong asset when the difficulty starts rising. While he hasn't been playing as much as his friend Caius, Kellerman is capable to do any job he is asked to do, from support to being a more aggressive player.   CAIUS Infantry [Kills: 38 - Deaths: 23 - Teamkills : 0 - Played: 6 Same as Paulo, Caius had to switch from ranger to infantry for this tournament, and he has proven he can hold his ground pretty decently so far. But more importantly, Caius's experience of playing many tournaments taught him that a good atmosphere is the best way to approach an important match, and his teammates can count on him to bring positivity and raise moral when it's needed.   BRUCE Infantry [Kills: 21 - Deaths: 11 - Teamkills : 0 - Played: 2] Missing for a good part of the tournament, Bruce has recently come back and rumors say he might be playing for the grand finale. While Bruce has shown he was capable to compete with the very best infantries of the scene at one point, it is yet to be seen how good he can adapt to this line-up in such an important moment.   KANE Ranger [Kills: 59 - Deaths: 20 - Teamkills : 1 - Played: 6] Second part of the Dutch siblings, Kane has also proved he could perform and become an essential part of the Unity line-up. Kane has still something to prove and coming into the grand-final, he will certainly work on doing his best to show his team they can count on his in the most important matches. His excellent performance against Apis Europae in the semi-final should be something he can capitalize on to gain confidence.   MAXIMOU Ranger [Kills: 36 - Deaths: 12 - Teamkills : 1 - Played: 5] Maximou has improved a lot recently, and day after day he starts to become one of the cornerstones holding the Unity team together. Maximou's potential has not come to its peak just yet, but the young Frenchman is hungry to prove himself and get his first major title, alongside many of his teammates. [td]​

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FRONTLINE TACTICS LINE UP​

CHARLINI Infantry [Kills: 69 - Deaths: 27 - Teamkills : 3 - Played: 6] Charlini have started to establish himself as a really solid and smart infantry since the last edition of the Nations Cup. The passionate leader of Frontline Tactics has proved he could build a team to challenge the best and successfully adapt it to a bigger format. Without doubt one of the most lethal infantry in the scene, Charlini also know that matches are won as a team and not as individual and will be committed to keep such mindset within his team.

OLIVERAN Infantry [Kills: 51 - Deaths: 27 - Teamkills : 3 - Played: 6] Since his time in IG, Oliveran played for a few teams such as Irish Rebels or GeesePack and always had an important impact in there. Frontline Tactics makes no exception and Oliveran's tactical mind will be an important part of FT potential success. Out of the four main infantries, Oliveran isn’t necessarily the one with the flashiest play however he knows how important support players can be and will intend to play his role with perfection so his team teammates can shine.

RAYDEN Ranger [Kills: 31 - Deaths: 8 - Teamkills : 3 - Played: 3] After leading successful teams such as Random Potatoes or  for years, Rayden finally joined Frontline Tactics for the Warband Summer Cup. His experience at the highest level possible of competition will be an important asset for FT if they intend to take the edge over Unity. Rayden is also one of the most dangerous ranger in the scene and it is yet to be seen if FT wants to use him as an in-game leader, as it could potentially slightly impact his performance.

FIETTA Infantry [Kills: 26 - Deaths: 19 - Teamkills : 1 - Played: 4] After his short passage in the ranks of Freelancers, a few years ago, Fietta found himself a new home when he joined Frontline Tactics. He seems to fit perfectly in there as proven his solid performances in each of his matches. The Welshman has this capacity to switch between a supportive role or a more aggressive one where he would be expected to carrying. If given the room to express himself, Fietta has this possibility to be a decisive factor for FT.

FIRUNIEN Cavalry [Kills: 40 - Deaths: 27 - Teamkills : 2 - Played: 5] Firunien has been playing in this scene for quite a long time and experienced many situations which would be similar to this one. But this might be his biggest match so far and despite not being considered as one of the very best cavalries, he proved he could adapt himself to difficult situations with ease. Firunien is part of those players doing a lot of the often-unnoticed work but which is of a paramount importance to grant FT the victory.

SPARTA Ranger | Infantry [Kills: 24 - Deaths: 14 - Teamkills : 1 - Played: 5] One of the most discreet player from the whole FT line-up, Sparta has nonetheless proven he deserves his place as much as everyone else and his performance in the Warband Summer Cup are rather solid so far. If he is not necessarily going to carry as much as some other players, Sparta's role, either as infantry or ranger, will be to provide strong back-up to his teammates and he is undoubtedly an important part of the FT machine.

PETER Cavalry [Kills: 44 - Deaths: 11 - Teamkills : 2 - Played: 6] It was a big surprise to see Peter not playing alongside Apis Europae for this tournament but instead, try his luck with a recently formed line-up. If it was certainly not an easy task for him to adapt to new teammates, in a new role, Peter has also proven he can also let other players shine as he no longer needs to prove himself. Nonetheless Peter his still considered as the best cavalry player from the scene by his peers and if Frontline Tactics needs him to start carying like he often did in the past, he can be an unstoppable force to unleash.

DUME Cavalry [Kills: 26 - Deaths: 5 - Teamkills : 1 - Played: 3] Dume has played a lot alongside the three other Spanish, especially during the NC217 where he has developed a natural teamplay with SirAlecks which should be interesting to watch on the battlefield. Dume is an accomplished cavalry player, with extremely smart movements and despite SirAlecks and Peter being the two superstars in the cavalry department, Dume has proven he has more than a role to play in Frontline Tactics.

RAINBOW Ranger [Kills: 75 - Deaths: 22 - Teamkills : 3 - Played: 6] Rainbow's recent performance within GeesePack and Frontline Tactics makes him more and more likely to establish himself as one of the very best ranger of the scene. Being one of the deadliest player of the whole Warband Summer Cup, the German ranger became an undeniable key player for his team and will be expected to continue the good form he showed in the tournament as it would definitely make FT's task a bit easier.

SIRALECKS Cavalry [Kills: 116 - Deaths: 16 - Teamkills : 2 - Played: 6] Certainly one of the few players to keep an eye on in this match, SirAlecks had an impressive rise in the last two years of competition. From an unknown mercenary player, he quickly became one of the very best cavalry of the whole scene and only misses one major trophy to perfect his amazing career. His capacity to carry his team will be a decisive factor furthermore SirAlecks knows his faith lays as much in his hands as in the ones of his teammates.

SEBE Infantry [Kills: 58 - Deaths: 24 - Teamkills : 4 - Played: 5] The German infantry was certainly an excellent addition for Frontline Tactics as proven his impressive statistics in the tournament so far. Sebe has a lot of clutch potential and will be one of the player to be locked down by Unity rather quickly in the match. He completes an extremely deadly infantry line-up which is expected to give a hard-time to their opponent.

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CONCLUSION

It is expected to see Unity composition changing between sets and maps, but only slightly. On Naval Outpost, Swadia appear to be the strongest faction with semi-open area favorizing awlpike builds from infantries and cavalries and it being the starting faction for Unity, they could get an important lead quite early, boosting their confidence and forcing Frontline Tactics to run after the score on that map. Verloren is another story. Their performance against Apis Europae was convincing enough nonetheless they scared themselves in some occasions, allowing AE to keep themselves in the match while they could have crushed them fair and straight.  AE getting that round came from big individual plays only, however it is something any player from Frontline Tactics is capable of so if Unity can keep themselves on a reasonable level of pressure and carry on without any silly mistakes they sometimes fall prey to, the match could be decided on two maps only.

Such statement is also true for Frontline Tactics. The team has shown an impressive cohesion so far and the way they dispatched The Castellans in the semi-final should increase their confidence by a large margin. Frontline Tactics players are also experienced enough to not get carried away would they get a comfortable lead and know that a lot come down to their capacity of remaining focused throughout the whole duration of the grand final. What's left to find out is how FT will react to pressure if Unity get a strong start. So far, they have been dominating in all their matches and no team came even close to make them doubt but it wouldn’t be the first time a new team full of skilled players chokes at the worse moment. In such scenario, the experience of their oldest players will certainly help them to keep things under control.

If it comes to the third map, Castellum, then everything remains open, especially considering the fact Rhodoks and Sarranids are both factions which can be interestingly used on that map, providing close engagements where any of the teams could come on top. In any case, this tournament is of paramount importance for both teams as it would be their first major title ever and therefore it is expected to assist a tense and thrilling grand final where all players are going to perform at their best.

The match will be streamed and casted by Greedalicious and Purzelblume. The grand final will kick off in a few hours, at 19:00BST with a pre-talk show including Raven and Nevino as special guests. The match will effectively start 30 min later, at 19:30BST. Will the Frenchmen from Unity finally hold true to their moto 'One Goal - The Victory' or will Frontline Tactics assure their dominance? Find out on Greedalicious Twich Channel tonight!

MATCH BROUGHT TO YOU BY @WARBANDSUMMERCUP, ARTICLE WRITTEN BY @TARDEEET, PROOFREAD BY @JARVISANDPI & @DUCK, DESIGN BY @SCAR​

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[Fietta]

sick

 

[CIIGES of the low lands]

what an amazing preview, great job man

 

[FRA_Peter]

Hype !

 

[KaneMaB]

The most amazing preview so far! Lots and lots of work went into this one, thanks alot for taking the time for it!

 

[Pumpkin Lord]

Going to be one of the sickest finals, equally sick preview Tardet!

 

[Shoxi]

I read whole preview, totally worth.

 

[Charlini]

Great preview man, lot of hype

 

[SirAlecks]

I want to personally congratulate you for this preview and all the amazing work you've done so far Tardet, regardless of the outcome I'm extremely glad that we had you on-board, you made this tournament 10x better. Hype!

 

[Rayden]

well written

 

[Tardet]

Thanks again for all the positive comments, it was a lot of work nontheless I thoroughly enjoyed creating this preview as the match certainly deserved such hype.

I want to personally congratulate you for this preview and all the amazing work you've done so far Tardet, regardless of the outcome I'm extremely glad that we had you on-board, you made this tournament 10x better. Hype!

Merci Alecks

 

[Lone]

Fantastic preview, well written Tardet