I chose this match as my first (of hopefully many) reviews, because I've played with both teams, and I feel that IX has put together a fairly good team from the halls of funranked, and hopes to stand against a team that I expect (and hope) to see make it to the finals. Despite having only 4 players to IX's 7 (and the sometimes-annoying compliment of 'watchers' on a neutral host...a.k.a. lag-contributors)...WTC players are not shy about the absence of key players, as each player on their squad is key.

WTC vs. IX: Lichen Flag Rally

WTC's captain, Duckface, spends nearly half his time in the three minute P.T. strategizing the application of the WTC battlecry - which reveals that WTC has already determined how they will trade and play this match. Duck also takes this opportunity to "GORE-style" 40% of the units. Meanwhile, IX seems to have waited until now to determine who does what...which lasts until about two minutes into the game.

The trades are fairly standard and similar to each other.

WTC trade

IX trade

Despite opting for 2 wights for pus, IX gholer Guildenstern fails to pick up his large pus at home, which proves costly later. About 1 minute into the game, IX's captain; Bartek - recognizes this error, and tries to call Guild's ghols back home to gather it up, but it's too late...or goes unheard - his ghols are already tagging IX's first of too-few-flags. With IX players still asking "who does what" about 5 minutes into the game (3 min PT/2 min gametime)... IX player Pamphagus denotes that "whoever reviews this film will have a laugh." My laughter is held off as Bartek shares with his team that WTC has a heavy mid, and IX has virtually nothing there to meet it - so it now comes down to WTC's cap to decide how and where to overwhelm IX and win.

WTC has dispatched two pus ghols and heavy wars directly to IX's temple, which is proving to be the winning move in QR1, and IX's forces there are quickly and easily overwhelmed. The IX duffs do get off some good shots against WTC's advancing wars - but correct micro managing of the WTC ghols and wars takes down the duffs and tattered melle. The flag is won before IX even loses their units there - as they failed to keep the battle at the flag - giving Bartek time enough to get his archers and warriors there to support the assault.  By the time he does arrive, the flag has been lost - and he is clearly angered, and almost decides to avenge the death of his team's units - despite the futility of fighting for a flag that's already gone down in history. His wars takes a direct hit from WTC's duff, and that's enough for him to wheel around and live to try and effect a positive outcome elsewhere.

By this time, WTC is up at 79% to IX's 59%, and they have adequate forces going to each of the flags that need to be won or defended.

Duck commands Warp to wheel around and help beef up the D on the WTC temple, and give up his fight on the IX corner flag, which is is nearly winning. Warp's already figured this out, and vows to return - to finish what he's started...arriving at the WTC temple at just the right moment to wipe out Bartek's crossing army.

IX realization and desperation

With WTC having won 5 of the 6 - and IX having claimed only the 3 they could get to before fighting ever broke out - they stand at WTC: 66% - IX: 43%. It all comes down to WTC's remaining units converging on IX's corner flag with a perfectly placed Carpet Bomb assault from Duck on IX's defending duff, and a nice pus ghol attack on IX's defending archers. WTC widdled IX down to 7% by game end like a scrimshaw pirate with nothing left to do but get scurvey and fashion a MWC statue out of a walrus penis (one of the few mammals to have a large bone inside of his unit).

WTC vs. IX: Caer Terries

This game is over almost quicker than it took to clear out PT chat from my up arrow cursor. Both teams trade for identical units; max souls, fetch, trow, serks - and a few mauls leftover.

WTC PT chat, again - calm and collected while IX makes it up as they go along

Both teams send the bulk of their stuff mid, while WTC sends out serks on each flank, to surround, tag, and come in from behind if and when needed. Surprisingly, IX gets and keeps the mid flag island, and it soon becomes obvious that at least one player on WTC has suffered massive lag, reportedly due to water and a poor choice of graphics settings (and probably contributed to by host-audience). As a player who confines himself to the crapshoot rabble games of funranked exclusively since the inception of TFL, I take a small amount of personal satisfaction in the following game chat thread.

Under rating funrankers while lagging is a fatal combination

After IX is in a clearly dominant position, WTC still gets a chance to showcase effective battle selection with thier few remaining units - and is able to reduce IX's %s by a handful, while tagging and keeping 2 flags, then suiciding their units to end the game with 2 flags intact - not a total loss - but surely one that is felt to the core of Duck - as he humbly concedes victory with a gracious gesture of charity towards his opponent - more elan than any "gg" ever typed.  

Way to be a man

IX keeps 60% and the majority of flags, gaining them a good foothold going into the final, critical game of CTF.

WTC vs. IX: Grilling CTF - camp and win, because that's why the game is played

Duck packs a lunch and gets ready to go to work

This game was a big surprise to me, and an even bigger surprise to WTC. While both teams trade similarly, and the now customary WTC battlecry is launched at 0:00 with aplomb - IX is now showing bolstered confidence fresh from their win on Caer, and echoes back:

It's not smart to anger the beast....or is it?

Oddly enough, or perhaps with great foresight and cunning, IX sends absolutely nothing to mid or scouting flanks - opting instead to camp their entire 100% on D. It takes a while for WTC to realize this, and they all start deliberating the option of mirroring the camp, and winning overall as they now have the overall lead...or manning-up, and directing their anger over the last game at an all out assault on IX's home.

Unfortunately, the timing and execution of their flank pinches is not flawless - and they manage to take out only one of IX's protective flank squads up high. The frontal assault proves to be too much for Z, as he faces superior numbers of ranged units higher than he can get - and his compatriots are starting to lose their battles on the rear and sides.

Bartek of IX finally sends a trow around the map to scout and contest WTC's flag - showing he is also capable of manning up...

WTC realized their mistakes, and IX starts to pull the winner's jersey over their shoulders

... but after taking quite a few arrow hits, and opting to kick WTC's satchel loaded duff on home D...

WTC defense is too much for just one trow

As you can expect, WTC is not happy about their choice of attacking uphill while holding the overall lead...and Z lets it show....but - again, graciously - Duck distills a bit of humility and grace...and tries to calm the savage beast that is WTC.



These games were fun to watch, and a surprising outcome from my point of view. I still expect to see WTC make it to the finals, and I take pride in every victory that IX can find along the way - as far as they can go.