NSL-Review - Part 2
It is finals-time! The first two happened yesterday in the lower divisions. Today it is Division 3 turn. Before we dive in, here is a reminder on the Bo7-format:
Playoff-Format
Overall the rules of procedure are rather involved (see 8(a)(iv)-(x)). But here are the most important facts: In Season 7 the top two teams face each other in a best-of-seven finale. Both are allowed to reduce the map-pool once, before picking the maps, which are to be played. Further the winner of each division can choose to either pick sides (marines or aliens) or map first.
Division 3
Finals
potaTAW and GIEF ROBOT raced head to head to the pool-positions in Season 7. In the end TAW losing two rounds made the difference and put them to 2nd place behind GIEF. In week 3 of Season 7 the two EU teams encountered each other and departed with a draw. Now they battle it out in the finals.
The replay is available on Hefty's channel (here is part 2) - I had the honours to co-cast.
potaTAW vetoes Summit first, afterwards GIEF ROBOT takes out Docking2 from the pool. A custom map created by Mephilles, one of potaTAW's players. Finally GIEF picks Aliens as starting faction and TAW replies by setting Jambi as first map.
Round 1 (Jambi) (23rd minute)
GIEF ROBOT starts in Waste Recycling and Sparriz goes gorge to put up a tunnel to the right side of Jambi. TAW presents a very aggressive start and forces the game into the direction of low economies for both sides. It pays off, as they are able to kill the tunnel and the gorge - basically denying Aliens a fast expansion over the north side of the map. However, after the lerks hatch, Aliens can slowly conquer more ground. Maxamus and Hun Solo escape TAWs rifles with a slither of health more than once - but never die. TAW increases the pressure on the Waste Recycling hive and puts several lifeforms in severe danger. In the end the tubers kill only a fade, but had chances to cripple the entire lifeform-lineup of GIEF ROBOT. Noteworthy is the rather late setup of phasegates by marines at 14 minutes. potaTAW pushes the Hive again at 20 minutes, however, the gate behind them gets destroyed. TAW doesn't give in easily, but eventually loses to the economy Aliens built up in the north- and west-part of the map.
Round 2 (Jambi) (58th minute)
GIEF ROBOT performs a substitution: Koro leaves and Deathcore swaps in. potaTAW starts in Pipeworks and Vindaloo sacrifices his PRes to allow Kmacg the gorge-commander-role. After a quick battle in Gravity and a feinted base-rush the path is clear to setup the tunnel in Bay-Wing. GIEF ROBOT shows a less common strategy by researching mines and shotguns early. The early game shows no significant advantages for either team, until Lerks, played by Skyice and Mephilles enter the field: their first two engagements look very promising, but Maxamus brilliantly lures Mephilles lerk into a mined vent and takes him out. As GIEF applies more pressure to the Aliens they also open their lanes to TAW's res-biting: soon Marines drop to a single RT. The tubers slowly expand over the map, while CellarPhantom's and Preda's fades keep GIEF ROBOT's expansion at bay. Very similar to the first round Marines have to give in eventually.
Round 3 (Nexus) (1:24th minute)
The robots choose nexus - the second custom map of that evening. Sparriz goes gorge again and GIEF ROBOT decides for a tunnel in Enclave - right at the RT-spot. Marines scout that early, but react well and leave it be: quickly TAW captures the north side of the map and sits on 5 RTs early. Aliens are not lazy in their expansion either, though, and we see a high-res-game develop. A sudden push to the tunnel at 4 minutes leads to a dead gorge and lerk, however the tunnel stays alive. At 7 minutes Kmacg surprises us all and builds an ARC-factory to mount a practically unreachable ARC in Marine-base. It easily takes care of the PvE and the tunnel in Enclave. On top of that Marines also spot a freshly dropped Hive in Exchange and in less than 2 minutes Aliens loose structures worth 60+ TRes. In the following a res-exhausting battle over the control of Green Path unfolds, during which robots' fades enter the field. A lack of a second IP decides the battle here. With the gate gone GIEF ROBOTS trail for expansion is blazed. Marines never really recover and struggle hard to place any gates on the field. As the Onos pop potaTAW loses their base.
Round 4 (Nexus) (17th minute on second part)
GIEF ROBOT digs deep in their strategy-repertoire for this round - and catches potaTAW off guard. The game starts unspectacular until GIEF finishes their Exosuit-Research. By that time Aliens have lerks up and are close to Fades as well. Maxamus (Minigun-exo), Prommah (Railgun-exo), and Koro (Welding Marine) slowly approach the Alien hive and proof to be unstoppable in doing so. Two more exos deny any opportunities to baserush. As they appear at the hive Aliens hit Fade-res. But Prommah's Railgun proves to be deadly and reliable. Lifeforms die left and right and the exos finish the Hive quickly.
Round 5 (Mineral) (35th minute)
It is TAW's pick again for a map and they choose a third custom map: Mineral. GIEF ROBOT starts in Drill Site. In the early game potaTAW manages to kill Maxamus' lerk early. The second lerk - played by Hun Solo (or should we say Cpt. Blackbarred?) survives through most parts of the game. Especially from 6-8 minutes TAW accomplishes some good res-flow, while staying aggressive on the Aliens. However any phase gates to secure won territory are delayed to 12 minutes. potaTAW misses the opportunity to setup a triangle connecting their main-base, Generators, and Repair. Instead we can see Maxamus' gorge-vent-show in Generators: first his bile destroys the ARC-factory, afterwards - from a second vent - the mounted ARCs, and from a third vent also the gate falls to his secretions. Knowing that this is their last chance potaTAW does not give in easily. Several attempts on establishing phasegates are started and they even get the hold on a fresh hive in Production. But in the end Aliens' economy forces them down. GIEF ROBOT wins the finals 4-1! A rather decisive result, given that most rounds had been very balanced and could have gone either way at any point.
Lineup - GIEF ROBOT
SupaFred (Lead, Com)
Deathcore
Hun Solo
Koro
Maxamus
Prommah
Sparriz
Lineup - potaTAW
Mephilles (Lead)
Kmacg (Com)
CellarPhantom
Preda
Skyice
Vindaloo
