RedBull BattleGrounds
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by qxc




In terms of interest for the new features coming with Legacy of the Void, Archon Mode has taken a distant third place behind significant balance/design overhauls and the core single player story -- itself a conclusion of sorts -- set to tie together the Starcraft story. Out of all the features and changes set to redefine Starcraft II, Archon Mode has been viewed with some skepticism - on one hand, it's very fun to play. On the other, there is some doubt as to whether or not the format is legitimate and appropriate for a competitive setting. Not a question to be answered right now, to be sure, but this weekend's conclusion to a long-running premier Archon Mode tournament might give us some hints.

Red Bull Archon Mode LoTV Tournament showcases many old faces, including some of the most successful players of all time, in constellations bringing together players both of very similar styles, and champions of widely different styles. How would Bomber's top-of-the-line macro fare if he possessed MMA's micro and game control skills? In Archon Mode, this is a question easily answered.

While many of the qualified players have not seen incredible success of late, LoTV’s vast changes may be a means for rebirth once more as a champion.

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An explanation of stats:

Micro - Overall control
Macro - Overall macro
Adaptability - Ability to effectively change strategies and decisions on the fly
Legacy - History of performing well at events
Abuse - How effective these players are at revealing things to be patched.
Multi-tasking - Effectiveness of multi-tasking.

The x-factor - Why some of this might be totally wrong
Style - Aggressive/Defensive/Reactionary etc...

HuK & MC

Nickname: MC-HuK’s Paindom

Both of these players have been around for as long as Starcraft 2 has been played competitively and both have won major titles at their peaks (and, in the case of the Boss Toss, not only at his peak). Although MC retired recently after a string of poor results and HuK largely stepped back from playing to pursue the caster life this year, both have already surged back to strength in LoTV. Apparently, the time off was good for both players, as they dominated Santa Monica with deadly timings and an eased familiarity of LoTV’s many changes.This coming weekend may be the spark needed to reignite both players’ careers as players once more.

Style - Aggressive & Timing oriented.

Stats:
Micro - 10
Macro - 8
Adaptability - 7
Legacy - 10
Abuse - 10
Multi-tasking - 8

You couldn't find a team more aligned in play style unless you took MC and paired him with a clone of himself. Both are renowned for aggressive timing-oriented styles that punish players for making the slightest of mistakes. With laser precision they are able to leverage brief windows of strength into game ending attacks. With a game as rapidly changing as LoTV, few players can be prepared for the various bludgeons they conjure seemingly from nothing. While I would like to analyze each player’s strengths individually, this archon is one of the purest in that there is no obvious line where HuK ends and MC begins. They regularly take turns trading micro and macro depending on who has a build order in mind. Regardless of who does what, expect a balance patch to follow in their wake. While excellent at finding powerful new timings, we did see a few moments of weakness in the previous stage when their early aggression was not effective, and again when they were caught being too predictable by Crank & Alicia.



The x-factor - While this duo showed incredible play at Santa Monica, it was also during one of the shortest lived patches before major changes were made. With the latest patch killing some of their best strategies, will they adapt or be left behind?

Bomber & MMA

Nickname: BOMMA.

We don’t really know anything about Bomber or MMA in LoTV, especially not in archon mode. No one really knows how long or how hard they’ve been practicing LoTV. Fortunately for them, the latest patch reset a lot of timings and will allow them to catch up in skill relatively quickly, since much of the practice pre-patch has been lost. Neither player has participated in any archon mode tournaments so their experience in that regard is limited. While both players are champions, no team here has shown as few games in this format as these two.



Style - Multi-tasking & timings.

Stats:
Micro - 10
Macro - 10
Adaptability - 7
Legacy - 10
Abuse - 7
Multi-Tasking - 10



Bomber stands out as a more macro and timing based player who often takes significant risks to huge advantage. When Bomber wins, he crushes his opponent with ease and when he loses, the reverse is often true. Bomber is well known for his stubbornness in choosing unorthodox builds, sometimes to the point of almost defeating himself. Years after marine tank had all but vanished from TvZ, Bomber would continue using that style [E/N: in Bomber's defense, it must be said that his liking for old builds played a part in his 2013 victory over Jaedong in WCS S2]. Although he has a tendency to choose strange builds, he never seems to run out of new strategies to punish unsuspecting players. MMA, on the other hand, has been the epitome of Terran whenever he is playing well. He is adept at denying scouting, skilled in setting up multi pronged attacks and well-versed in maintained aggression, apt at keeping the pressure on until his opponent’s bones crumble. This archon feels like a slight clashing of styles, as Bomber is generally more timing based and MMA favors more multi-tasking and harass builds. That said, they have incredible potential to showcase a large variety of styles and strategies due to the difference in the players’ styles.





x-factor: Bomber & MMA are incredible Starcraft 2 players and may require very little practice to be equal to the other teams at the event. Will they be able to make up for their lack of experience in LoTV & Archon mode and come out on top?

DRG & True

Nickname: True-RaeGu.

DRG is another fading household name in Starcraft. His days of greatest glory were some years ago, and the last few years have not treated him as kindly. That said, he was nearly unstoppable in his prime and has made a point of showing that even though his championship-winning days are past, he remains a force to be reckoned with. If DRG can reclaim his former strength (or even simply maintain the strength he has shown in Proleague), this tournament could be his first step back onto a champion’s path. True, on the other hand, has shown higher level games in more recent history, but never found the same peak as DRG. While True has no championships under his belt, he has been appearing and placing highly in almost every major tournament in recent history, including a 2nd place and 3rd/4th place finish at two separate Dreamhacks. Hungry as ever, combined with their solid performance at Santa Monica, these two look primed to be early champions of LoTV.



Style - Reactionary

Stats:
Micro - 9
Macro - 10
Adaptability - 8
Legacy - 9
Abuse - 4
Multi-Tasking - 10

Description: DRG & True play a relatively conservative style that leaves little opportunity for timing attacks. They tend to favor a consistent build order that errs on the side of caution while relying on their superior multi tasking and decision making in later stages to eke out wins where lesser players couldn't. They are incredibly persistent in scouting to tailor their transitions appropriately. Runby attacks are hallmarks of both players, able to punish opponents who lack sufficient map awareness. If enough damage is done, these attacks can act as great setups for a barrage of follow-up timing attacks. While their openings may be conservative, around the 8 minute mark, their play seems to coalesce into something much sharper. Neither player is stranger to cutting drones or upgrades off near-invisible signals only they can pick up. With their dual killer instinct, expect this duo to be able to convert even a slight early lead into a devastating attack.





x-factor: Of all the archon teams we’ve seen so far, DRG & True were the most well rounded. They understood each matchup well and did not rely on gimmicks or surprises to dominate. That said, they barely poked the boundaries of what’s possible in LoTV, while others -- like HuK & MC -- crashed through those same boundaries..

Violet & Masa

Nickname: The Infested

Violet’s string of dominance, like many other players at this event, concluded some time ago. Unfortunately for him, his recent success in WCS may be one of the deciding factors in his performance at this event. As he was committed to HoTS until only a short time ago, his total practice time for LoTV is probably substantially lower than many of the other competitors. Masa, on the other hand, was knocked out of WCS a bit earlier and so has had much more time to get up to date with the current patch. This is also the only team that contains players of different races.



Style - Multi-tasking & timings.

Stats:
Micro - 9
Macro - 9
Adaptability - 9
Legacy - 7
Abuse - 7
Multi-Tasking - 8

Violet has long laddered on his off race in HoTS. One of the most interesting decisions for this team is whether they will choose to play Terran or Zerg, and what race they will pick based on who they’re playing against. Provided they do not stick to one race, this will lend them a level of unpredictability capable of upsetting their matches. Both Violet & Masa play a timing and harass based style. Violet has long been known for roach timings and general roach/hydra play, while Masa has favored heavy multi-tasking and drop play. Both players have shown a great deal of flexibility in choosing builds most appropriate for their situation accurately and consistently.



x-factor: If both players have have had enough time to prepare for this event they have a good chance of doing well. LoTV is the great equalizer in many ways, as a great deal of skill is lost when so many parts of the game change so drastically at once. That said, there’s been so little time since Violet’s finish in WCS that he may not be able to get fully up to speed or ahead of the meta in time for the event.

Predictions: Initial Matches

DRG & True 3-2. Violet & Masa:
I expect Violet & Masa to pull off innovative builds as well as try to counter DRG & True’s reliable, fairly predictable style. While this will work for a game or two, in the end DRG & True’s superior knowledge of LoTV and teamwork will pull them through to the next round.





Huk & MC 3-1 Bomber & MMA:
HuKMC have too much experience and momentum coming into this event. Expect several unique and powerful builds to take BOMMA off guard in decisive fashion.

Writers: qxc
Photos: Red Bull, Blizzard
Editor: Zealously