The clock’s ticking on ESEA Intermediate Playoffs, and tonight eXtv’s serving up all the back-capping, air-shotting, and head-scoping excitement we can sink our teeth into! Since their narrow loss against division favorite and Playoffs’ yet undefeated LASER BEAMS (14-2 season) on cp_snakewater a week ago, Washed Up Gaming have been sitting pretty in tonight’s home-team position waiting for the best of the best in Lower Bracket to climb their way into this match. the dinosaurs are visiting, and we can bet Washed Up Gaming are gritting their teeth, waiting less-than-patiently to see if they can get back in the kitchen for a rematch against LASER BEAMS in the Championship.
Click the jump for match info! Now with results and demo links!
Match info:
Washed Up Gaming vs. the dinosaurs
Map: cp_badlands
TONIGHT, Feb 8 @ 10:30pm EST
Tonight’s defending team, Washed Up Gaming (splash), has yet to play cp_badlands (Week 1 map) in Season 10, having won their first three matches due to forfeitures. the dinosaurs (saur), however, spent Week 1 enjoying 5-1 victories over playoff peers Mayhem and Leviathan Gaming on this map, so this should be interesting. This map is an “oldie but goodie,” and both teams should know it and their strategies intimately by now, so I wouldn’t put too much stock in Washed Up Gaming’s opportunity for preparation during their week of down-time.
At mid, the dinosaurs are more likely to move forward aggressively, positioning themselves farther from their teammates than Washed Up Gaming are. This “clustering” on the part of Washed Up Gaming won them cp_gullywash mid battles (Week 7-1 when they defeated the dinosaurs on their turf 3-5), but with cp_badlands middle point’s height advantage, they’re likely to find themselves falling back to their second point or risk losing their main force to dino spam and focus fire. If Washed Up’s combo (usually medic-soldier) takes cover behind their crates at mid, they will lose ground at the middle point. Although splash scout relic has demonstrated excellent timing in assisting both picks and blunt-force attacks, he will likely find himself in over his head if he plays offensively at the middle point. Considering the aggressiveness of sauruscouts, he may find himself better off defending -unf, splash demoman, and hoping that stickies can do the damage his soldiers may not be able to if they have to fall back to the choke point.
Additionally, with the sprawling scenery and height changes cp_badlands has to offer, this is a serious “back-cap” map, and Washed Up gaming does occasionally move too far forward with their entire force. If Washed Up Gaming’s main force is taking a lot of damage, and if their demo has received too much attention (which means scouts may be protecting him), I could see a quick 4X scout cap on their spire and immediate sprint to their final point at least once during this game.
Long-shots aside, I’d expect the dinosaurs to win significantly more mid-point battles than the last time these two teams met, and since the dinosaurs managed to come back from their last point even after losing their entire force at middle, I’m guessing the dinosaurs will come out victorious tonight.
p.s. did I mention that the dinosaurs account for half of #1 team LASER BEAMS’s season 10 losses?
My guess: Washed Up Gaming < the dinosaurs 3-5
Well, the match is over and results are posted. Shhhh, no spoilers! If you missed it, I have a couple links for you:
Download the STV demo
-or-
Skip it and see the results
