EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/VI1dD1Y.jpg)
Introduction
The WCS Europe season 3 premier league is about to begin, but before the ro32 matches start we take a look at the two Protoss champions of season 1 and 2. MC and StarDust won season 1 and season 2 respectively and are now looking to win their 2nd WCS title in arguably the most stacked season of WCS Europe this year. First we will be looking at how these two were able to end up with a 65%+ map win rate across both seasons with completely different play styles.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/gSET5WT.jpg)
As they are sitting at number 2 and 3 in WCS points, awaiting the global finals, we look at how they were able to gain the majority of their points.
Clash of styles: Macro vs All in
It would not be a surprised to anyone if I said MC’s play style is aggressive, unorthodox or unpredictable. This is the MC you either love or hate for many years. Whether it is immortal heavy pressure against Zerg, the cannon rush versus Protoss or the immense variety of all in build orders against Terran, it can’t be stressed enough how frustrating it must be to play against MC.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/FPrI4NP.jpg)
A fallen Terran warrior at the hands of MC
StarDust, as not many people would dare to admit, is in fact one of the most solid macro players you will come across in Europe. Having given the nickname “CheeseDust” many times it would surprise many people to see how successful StarDust has been relying on taking the game to the later stages. With his defensive play and lack of difference in build order choice there is no doubt that many players have taken his nickname to heart and were not prepared for his play style.
Both are undefeated in the matchup as far as matches in WCS EU go and are Zerg slayers in their own way. MC’s tore through players like Golden and Nerchio with 2 base all in that often times included immortals and lots of sentries. Also infamous for his use of the Sangate which he gives a spin of his own to it. The only two maps that MC lost versus Zerg players were against sLivko and Nerchio in 20 and 37 minute macro games, showing that stargate openers aren’t the Bosstoss’ best suit and macro games something is that he struggles with.
StarDust is on the other end of the spectrum, with an average game length of 19 minutes in PvZ he shows that his comfort lies with the macro style. Playing defensively and reactively, Stardust does what MC failed to do with stargate openers and late-game transitions. While only losing 1 map to a roach ling rush from Bly, he lets all the Zerg players in WCS EU bite the dust with a 8 – 1 record.
This onslaught on Zerg players is not unexpected as both players have both stated in multiple interviews how they prefer playing against Zerg, even Europe’s best.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/0AHTu6v.jpg)
"I really want a Zerg because my PvZ is not bad. I want vortix or snute" - MC
The difference between the two is even bigger in PvT. Even though StarDust has only played 2 PvT series, it is notable that he went for a macro opener in all 6 games. Solid robotics opener to ravage Happy in season 1 and some tricky openers against ForGG to make sure he was in the driver’s seat in all of the games from the start. MC has a whole arsenal of PvT build orders, to predict which one he will pull out to devastate a poor Terran challenging.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/ByLEOrG.png)
MC's average game length in won games: 15:38
StarDust's average game length in won games: 19:15
MC's average game length in lost games: 20:52
StarDust's average game length in lost games: 12:33
If we look at Habitation station over the time it has circulated in tournament map pools, more specifically in the PvT matchup, the voidray bust after taking the gold base as natural is one of the most used all in builds prior to popularity of gold-lifts by terran. MC was very fond of that build, not only in WCS EU. Jjakji was the first victim in WCS Europe and with MC’s control he was also able to pull it off on Alterzim Stronghold against MMA. With 3 bunkers and 8 Widow Mines MMA was able to return the favor immediately on Habitation Station, which was the next map.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/X3kRESV.jpg)
Perfect defense
Face off: MC vs Stardust in season 1
I don’t think we can get a more iconic series than the one played out in the ro8 of WCS Europe season 1. It highlights perfectly what this paragraph is about. StarDust showed some great decision to take game 1 with a well timed attack off 3 bases. He made the crucial mistake of taunting the Bosstoss by dancing his colossi moments before winning the game. This unleashed an untamable beast who would lay down the cheese hammer upon StarDust. With a powerful cannonrush-proxy2gate-blinkimmortalallin 1-2-3 punch MC closed out the series with a 3 – 1 score in less than 34 in-game minutes. MC then went on to defeat Jjakji and MMA to claim the WCS Europe season 1 title.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/JfPPpYi.jpg)
"I'm really happy and maybe I will never forget this time" - MC
Stardust after training in the CJ house
After WCS Europe season 1 StarDust’s visa expired and had to head back to South Korea to renew it. This gave him the opportunity to spend some time in the CJ Entus and learn from the likes of herO, Hush, Sora and Trust. When he returned to play his ro16 matches for WCS season 2, we saw a new StarDust. It’s fair to say that after his 2013 Dreamhack Summer win StarDust fell off for a while placing relatively low in some of the tournaments he attended. Those times were over as StarDust aimed for more than just a high placing in season 3.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/P9CtOaz.jpg)
He also added
"I hate MC because MC was the best (best player in WCS Europe), but I hate the best player because I want to become the best, so he is my enemy"
StarDust vs First
11 Gateway
14 2x gas (2/3)
16 Cybercore
17 Pylon
19 Stalker + Warpgate (chrono on both)
23 Stalker
25 2x Gateway
25/26 Proxy pylon 4:40
26 Stalker
5:45 3x Stalker
14 2x gas (2/3)
16 Cybercore
17 Pylon
19 Stalker + Warpgate (chrono on both)
23 Stalker
25 2x Gateway
25/26 Proxy pylon 4:40
26 Stalker
5:45 3x Stalker
This was the prepared build order with which StarDust was able to take 2 quick map wins over First. The quick stalker was able to deny scouting and get a proxy pylon up fast. First’s responds was to go for a safe blink opener in the first map, as StarDust may have predicted. Blink couldn’t complete fast enough though and StarDust was able to overwhelm him with stalkers. In the second game First tried a DT rush but StarDust’s stalkers killed all his probes and made a proxy robo to prevent any crazy baserace scenarios.
On map 3 StarDust went for a clever deviation of the build by going for a 3 Gateway expand with a Robotics. This backfired since First opened with an oracle which killed 2 sentries, several probes and was an annoyance for most of the early-game. Later in the game when StarDust moved out of his base without his Mothership Core and got caught out of position, First was able to kill most of his army and win the game from there on.
11 Gateway
14 2x gas (2/3 & 3/3)
16 Cybercore
17 Pylon
19 Stalker + Warpgate
24 Sentry
26 Pylon
26 2x Gateway (4:45)
27 Robotics (5:08)
29 Nexus (5:45)
29 Mothership Core (5:50)
31 Pylon
31 Sentry
14 2x gas (2/3 & 3/3)
16 Cybercore
17 Pylon
19 Stalker + Warpgate
24 Sentry
26 Pylon
26 2x Gateway (4:45)
27 Robotics (5:08)
29 Nexus (5:45)
29 Mothership Core (5:50)
31 Pylon
31 Sentry
Game 3 was dynamic from the start. Both players did significant damage to each other’s economy, First with blink Stalkers and StarDust with phoenix’ and an oracle, making every decision onwards ever so important. While First tried to do damage with his Stalkers, even resorting to Dark Templar later, StarDust’s defense was too solid giving him a big lead and the opportunity to close out the game and move on to the semifinals with very little resistance.
Stardust 2.0
Stardust vs San is a matchup that is a mini-rivalry which has been played out across many tournaments. The two most recent results before these finals had been played were San defeating StarDust 2-0 in the ro16 and San defeating StarDust 3-0 at ASUS ROG Winter 2014. This should tell you enough about how much San was the favorite going into these finals.
Game 1 was played out as a very normal macro PvP game with neither player having a significant advantage from the start. From 18 minutes and on is when StarDust turns on the heat. As San takes his 4th base StarDust maneuvers all over the map catching San out of position. No matter how defensively San played he was unable to keep up and with every move StarDust made he took the short end of the stick and got even more behind.
![[image loading]](https://i.imgflip.com/b7u0k.gif)
StarDust is the red player
Game 2 is one of the only times you’ve seen these two play on Waystation as it was the most vetoed map for both players. The game involved all kind of interesting responses from both sides. Island base, proxy double Stargate and one of the greatest defenses at StarDust’s island and natural expansion is what made this game the most interesting out of the 4.
Game 3 is the game where San fell apart. This must have been one of the only times I haven’t seen an Oracle 3gate opener that didn’t end the game immediately against a 2gateway expand into a Robotics. Even with StarDust initially scouting a Twilight Council which then had been canceled by San was not enough. San destroyed the Nexus and then backed off being content with playing out the game with only a slight advantage. What San did not know is that StarDust never turned off the heat. With some light Immortal Stalker pressure, the 2 Phoenix harass squad and a zealot drop StarDust bought himself enough time to get his 3rd up way earlier than San could have. Slowly getting behind step by step over the course of only a couple of minutes, San had enough and wanted to end this game now. Then it happened.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/8XBZMnV.jpg)
2 Colossi lost at the cost of only a couple Stalkers
In game 4 StarDust went for the 11gate 3warpgate rush again. This time he was more aware of a Dark Templar treat and got the robotics before warping in Stalker aggressively. This limited his aggression but also warrant a solid defense against the Dark Templar counter attack. The game then had turned into a macro game. Even with StarDust committing to heavy blink Stalker aggression, I would say the two were about even with StarDust slightly in the lead which would reflect later on the supply and upgrade lead. San was playing like we were used from him again. Not extremely defense, not getting pulled all over the map and solid defense from any blink attacks StarDust tried. Even when San was ready to attack it was looking great for him. He was ahead in upgrades (+2/+1 against +2/+0 with +3 being halfway done) and had the slightly better army. Right as he hit the 3rd base the counter attack of StarDust was there. By getting rid of his blink Stalker to make more supply for better late-game units, StarDust destroyed San’s economy at his 3rd base and made him unable to reinforce his attack. With this counterattack StarDust wrecked San in one of the most one-sided finals of a premier tournament.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/4YFSyHq.jpg)
StarDust also explained in his post-game interview:
"First game I realised San has a defensive mind. So I try to use that mind and played very risky, but San only defenses, so I'm very far ahead. When won the first game I realised I won [the series]"
Season 3
As we get closer to Blizzcon there is one more season of WCS Europe to go. Both champions are guaranteed a slot at Blizzcon so for them the WCS points are not on the line anymore. Will either be able to claim 2 WCS Europe championships this year? StarDust has quite the ambition to go to Blizzcon and perform well at the biggest tournament of the year.
"I think I'm maybe 99% in blizzcon already. From now I'm preparing for blizzcon. Showing nice skill at biggest tournament, thats my dream" - StarDust after advancing to the finals.
Or could it be San’s turn this time? This is a very real possibility since he is the only player that has defeated both champions in WCS Europe. In the following weeks we shall witness who will become the champion of Europe in the 3rd and finals WCS season this year with StarDust playing in the opening match for the premier league.
Written by @JayPowerSC2
