Drunken_master
Six years. It has been a long time since the last Nations Cup – the latest major 4v4 tournament on a competitive scene that has otherwise entered a golden age in recent years.
The scene has changed enormously since then. What used to be a precarious business model where a few wealthy patrons would fund the large-scale events they wanted to see has turned into a professional ecosystem sustained by Microsoft’s prolonged support. The physiognomy of the scene has changed, too. In 2017, the third Nations Cup offered more than five times as much prize money as the largest 1v1 event. In 2018 and 2019, King of the Desert 2 reached just over one fourth of the total dotation of the Escape Champions League. In 2020, the balance was reversed – and the two S-tier team events comprised less than 20% of the total majors dotation.
Many factors contributed to this change in direction. Due to the multiplication of events, tournaments had to be condensed in shorter timeframes – ensuring the availability of fewer players on a key weekend is easier. The game’s performance itself was not beyond fault. On release, large team games on Definitive Edition caused issues to all but the most powerful of hardware – not to mention the dysfunction of the critical save and restore feature. Most importantly, however, was the tournament hosts’ perception of the audience’s taste. Team game tournaments were deemed too hard to follow, or not to have the same appeal as a 1v1 competition. Even the community favorite Battle of Africa only saw three iterations, while King of the Desert had five.
Yet there has always been demand for team games. Despite being frequently criticized on the forums, the team game ladder has twice as many active players as the 1v1 ladder. Events such as the 2v2 World Cup and Return of the Clans were hugely popular, and the Black Forest community has turned their own niche into a successful and popular tournament franchise receiving funding from Microsoft, and preparing its fourth installment. Playing with your friends remains at the core of the Age of Empires 2 experience, and after the football world cup, there was perhaps no better time to organize a new Nations Cup.
With an entirely community-funded prize pool of more than $13,000, 155 teams representing 58 different countries, and more than a thousand signed-up players, Nations Cup 2023 is already, and by far, the largest event in the competitive history of the game. The competition has already started, splitting teams into four level-based leagues, offering everyone a chance to compete against teams of similar skills. All eyes will be on the main event, eventually crowning a successor to Brazil B – but teams who don’t make it so far will have chances to participate in the Silver, Bronze and Wooden Leagues.
Now, without further ado, let’s have a peek at the group stage of the main event. Eight different groups of four teams each will play a round robin phase for the next few weeks, allowing the top two teams in every group to continue in a double-elimination 16-team bracket. Thoughts and opinions are my own and could of course be completely wrong as the competition picks up!
Of all the teams in placed Pot 4, China B is likely the strongest, the one line-up none of the favorites wanted to draw in their group, and the clear dark horse of Group A. Unbothered by their low seeding, weighted down by a mediocre team game rating, the Chinese team made short work of their qualifiers. They field players with years of experience, and a propensity to revel in messy, chaotic games. How they will adapt to the diverse map pool of Nations Cup – they dropped a game on Arena to Russia B – remains to be seen.
Poland, on the other hand, comes into the main event with a versatile roster. Helmed by top player Barles, the Polish team shines on all maps, from open to closed. They opened their campaign with a convincing win against New Zealand, and come in the main event as the second seed of Group A.
Argentina, of course, should be the heavy favorite to win Group A. The core team has essentially stayed the same since 2017 and earlier, are playing together often, and are in great shape. They will have strong competition however, with a dangerous Polish team, and the maverick China B roster. I see Poland’s versatility on all maps enable them to just edge out China B – but their set could go either way.
Prediction: 1. Argentina A 2. Poland A 3. China B 4. Mexico B
Seeded in pot C, but undeniably one of the most anticipated teams of the event, Norway qualified to the main event without breaking a sweat but faces in Finland potentially the hardest possible draw of the group stage. Carried by the dynamic duo of all-time greats Viper and MbL, the Norwegian team has shown its quality on closed maps, but the relative weakness of their third and fourth players – in comparison to other top-tier line-ups – could be exploited by teams as strong as Finland.
The UK and Denmark will have a tough task ahead of them if they want to make the final rounds of the main event. Captained by the all-confident King_Boo, the British roster has breezed through their pre-tournament showmatch and qualifiers. They will be extremely well-prepared and have excellent team synergy – two qualities that make them potentially dangerous outsiders for this group. Denmark, on the other hand, barely edged out Japan to make the main event in one of the most closely contested matches of the qualifiers, and come into Group B as the clear underdogs.
I see Finland easily winning this group, but their matches against Norway and the UK should be a good early indicator of the form the Finnish line-up, which we haven’t seen in the tournament yet, finds themselves in. Norway should take the second spot ahead of the UK, but their set could be close.
Prediction: 1. Finland A 2. Norway A 3. United Kingdom A 4. Denmark A
Hera had initially declined signing up for Nations Cup, instead contributing to the prize pool, but eventually changed his mind and completes an astonishing all-star Canadian line-up. With the veteran slam and timeless legend Chris, mentalist seemingly coming out of nowhere to sign up, and new talent such Tiggerr and silverstar, Canada can, on paper, field an extremely strong team. Back in 2017, their individual skills were already unquestionable; this year again, what remains to be seen is how well Canada will function as a team.
Group C is completed by France B, who pulled off the only upset of the final round of qualifiers by beating Finland B, and Italy A. Of the two, Italy presents the most serious challenger to France A and Canada. The Italian pros have always shined in team games – Kamigawa, Vodka and Rise are the reigning 2v2 World Cup Silver League champions – but might lack the depth of field needed to challenge the very top teams. France B is very much an underdog in this group, and while it is unlikely they will make the final phases, the matches they play against top teams will serve as good practice for their eventual run in Silver League.
Prediction: 1. France A 2. Canada 3. Italy A 4. France B
The other two teams present a more consistent front, with an emphasis on excellent team play and good preparation. Sweden has looked impressive in their showmatch and through qualifiers, dispatching a strong Brazil D team without issue. Australia, on the other hand, qualified at the expense of France C in another dominant display.
I believe there is no harder group to call than Group D – but it also means the sets should be very close and exciting to watch. Virtually any combination of teams at any spot is possible. Australia A, on paper, seems to perhaps lack a star player like all three other teams have, and I see them finishing last of the group. While seeded technically last, Sweden is the team I back to win first place in the group. Captained by Ganji who is hot on an excellent showing in TTL, Sweden has more than demonstrated their qualities in team games and could benefit from a very open group to advance further in the tournament.
It is then a toss-up between Spain and Russia, where I believe TaToH’s direction and star power could end up making the difference and letting Spain take the second place of the group – but any result is possible, and this is a group to watch.
Prediction: 1. Sweden A 2. Spain A 3. Russia A 4. Australia A
Another stacked roster is Vietnam A, who, despite signing up without their best two players (ACCM and BacT), still ended up getting the 6th seed overall. It will be interesting to see how they perform; Vietnam has historically done well in team game events but struggled in recent times to adapt to new metas or diverse maps. Missing their star players hurt them, but the remaining line-up is still incredibly strong and should easily take second place in the group. Whether they can give China a run for their money, however, is another question.
The underdogs of Group E are Czech Republic, who qualified against Romania – losing Arabia – and Vietnam B, who easily defeated Uruguay to make the main event. Both will face a stern test against the favorites of their group, but they are also skilled players with years of experience with the game. Most of them are veterans, who have played together a long time and developed great team synergy. Interestingly, both teams have very distinctive playstyles; the Czech roster seems to prefer closed maps, while the Vietnamese team excels on both open and hybrid maps. This should make for an exciting set, where I expect Vietnam B to eventually pull through by winning the neutral map.
Prediction: 1. China A 2. Vietnam A 3. Vietnam B 4. Czech Republic A
Chile’s main contender in the group will be Mexico A. This line-up has proved their team game level on the ladder and during a promotional Nations Cup showmatch – soundly beating a Spanish team deprived of LaaaaaN but helmed by TaToH. Led by KingstoNe, one of the most improved players of the past year, the Mexican team is well-rounded and seems well at ease on a variety of maps – one to watch for.
Seeded in Pool C, Taiwan A is the third team of the group… and yet another credible contender for first place. Despite their relatively low 1v1 ratings, the Taiwanese pros are a force to be reckoned with in team games, with strong showing in tournaments such as the 2020 2v2 World Cup and community-organized events. Taiwan A plays almost daily, and excels on Arabia, Nomad and water maps. However, concerns could be raised about their ability to play well on closed maps – which could eventually be their demise in this tightly-contested group.
Last but not least, Brazil B completes an impressive Group F. Led by 2017 champion FeAge and timeless expert Alive, Brazil B will hope to follow in the footsteps of the 2017 “B” team! They qualified for the main event by easily defeating Argentina C, and will be a close underdog in Group F. The team will face stern competition but could certainly create an upset in this very unpredictable group.
Prediction: 1. Chile A 2. Taiwan A 3. Mexico A 4. Brazil B
The rest of the group is very open. Seeded in Pool B, USA A has an unusual team profile, allying 1v1 experts to team game specialists. This very vocal team is certainly not lacking confidence, and they qualified for the main event by beating Argentina E – who had upset the higher seed in their bracket. Competition will be stronger for the American line-up in this group, where they will have to show their ability to work well as a team on a variety of maps. While Germany appears to be the favorite, the Americans could potentially clinch the group’s second place, aiming to make the top 16 of the competition.
Argentina B should be USA A’s main rival for the second place. The Argentine line-up is impressive, featuring Capoch and Twigg as their strongest two players, and not a single member below 2k1 on the 1v1 ladder. They qualified after a tough set that saw them eventually defeat Taiwan B in a closely contested series featuring the longest game of the tournament so far. That win, however, came without Capoch or Twigg – a sign, perhaps, that Argentina B hasn’t showed all their cards yet.
The Indian team led by Dragonstar completes Group G. The promising clash that could have opposed them to Netherlands A – the closest on paper of the entire qualifiers – did not happen, thus preventing us from judging India’s current shape. They are, however, a frequent fixture of high-level team games and could pose a challenge to both American teams. Regardless, they come in the group as an underdog, and I expect India to finish last of Group G.
Prediction: 1. Germany A 2. Argentina B 3. United States A 4. India A
In Group H, they will face the interesting case of Austria A. With the surprising sign-up of Liereyy, perhaps the best flank player in the world, and the rapid improvement of FreakinAndy – recently signed up by mYinsanity – Austria has become a fearsome line-up that could cause problems to any team. They should excel on closed maps, and be dangerous on any, but how much Liereyy will play remains to be seen. Without their best player, the Austrian roster remains a strong team, but will likely struggle against other, more consistent teams. While I do not see them upsetting Brazil A, Austria has a credible shot at making the top 16.
Recovering from the tragic earthquake that hit the country, Türkiye A made it to the main event after a straight-forward victory against USA B. The Turkish team allies high individual skills to an excellent team chemistry developed through many months of playing together. The team has little in common with previous Turkish delegations to older Nations Cup, with most players aside from Kasva and Cyclops having really stepped up with the release of Definitive Edition. Lacking perhaps the star power of a Liereyy, Türkiye however presents a more homogeneous roster than Austria, with more team game experience.
The final team in the top 32 is the roster of Germany B, who plays a lot on the team game ladder under clan tag “LACA”. Germany B was on the winning end of the only same-country derby of the qualifying round, dispatching the new Chapter-One Punch alliance of Germany C in a clear 3-0 victory. They are all good players and have a wealth of team game experience under their belt, despite having played only a few years (although some claim to have been Inca rushed on Voobly…). Germany B is a solid team, and while upsetting Brazil seems like a tough ordeal, they could potentially cause issues to the other two challengers of this very open Group H.
Prediction: 1. Brazil A 2. Türkiye A 3. Austria A 4. Germany B
The scene has changed enormously since then. What used to be a precarious business model where a few wealthy patrons would fund the large-scale events they wanted to see has turned into a professional ecosystem sustained by Microsoft’s prolonged support. The physiognomy of the scene has changed, too. In 2017, the third Nations Cup offered more than five times as much prize money as the largest 1v1 event. In 2018 and 2019, King of the Desert 2 reached just over one fourth of the total dotation of the Escape Champions League. In 2020, the balance was reversed – and the two S-tier team events comprised less than 20% of the total majors dotation.
Many factors contributed to this change in direction. Due to the multiplication of events, tournaments had to be condensed in shorter timeframes – ensuring the availability of fewer players on a key weekend is easier. The game’s performance itself was not beyond fault. On release, large team games on Definitive Edition caused issues to all but the most powerful of hardware – not to mention the dysfunction of the critical save and restore feature. Most importantly, however, was the tournament hosts’ perception of the audience’s taste. Team game tournaments were deemed too hard to follow, or not to have the same appeal as a 1v1 competition. Even the community favorite Battle of Africa only saw three iterations, while King of the Desert had five.
Yet there has always been demand for team games. Despite being frequently criticized on the forums, the team game ladder has twice as many active players as the 1v1 ladder. Events such as the 2v2 World Cup and Return of the Clans were hugely popular, and the Black Forest community has turned their own niche into a successful and popular tournament franchise receiving funding from Microsoft, and preparing its fourth installment. Playing with your friends remains at the core of the Age of Empires 2 experience, and after the football world cup, there was perhaps no better time to organize a new Nations Cup.
With an entirely community-funded prize pool of more than $13,000, 155 teams representing 58 different countries, and more than a thousand signed-up players, Nations Cup 2023 is already, and by far, the largest event in the competitive history of the game. The competition has already started, splitting teams into four level-based leagues, offering everyone a chance to compete against teams of similar skills. All eyes will be on the main event, eventually crowning a successor to Brazil B – but teams who don’t make it so far will have chances to participate in the Silver, Bronze and Wooden Leagues.
Now, without further ado, let’s have a peek at the group stage of the main event. Eight different groups of four teams each will play a round robin phase for the next few weeks, allowing the top two teams in every group to continue in a double-elimination 16-team bracket. Thoughts and opinions are my own and could of course be completely wrong as the competition picks up!
Group Stage Preview
Group A
Argentina A: Monoz, Nicov, Fedex, Lucky Rox, Gary, DeaKer
Poland A: Argh, Barles, Dziamdziak, ElNoniro, JackK, Zastosy
Mexico B: Keno, MostMilk, Tatakae, Puerco Black, LordEnvidiates, Caguamas, HGB, Hunab KU
China B: Bad Koala, Ming, jibatong, StrayDog, iBUYPOWER, Dooidy, xiaoxiong, DragonBo, Autumn
Of all the teams in placed Pot 4, China B is likely the strongest, the one line-up none of the favorites wanted to draw in their group, and the clear dark horse of Group A. Unbothered by their low seeding, weighted down by a mediocre team game rating, the Chinese team made short work of their qualifiers. They field players with years of experience, and a propensity to revel in messy, chaotic games. How they will adapt to the diverse map pool of Nations Cup – they dropped a game on Arena to Russia B – remains to be seen.
Poland, on the other hand, comes into the main event with a versatile roster. Helmed by top player Barles, the Polish team shines on all maps, from open to closed. They opened their campaign with a convincing win against New Zealand, and come in the main event as the second seed of Group A.
Argentina, of course, should be the heavy favorite to win Group A. The core team has essentially stayed the same since 2017 and earlier, are playing together often, and are in great shape. They will have strong competition however, with a dangerous Polish team, and the maverick China B roster. I see Poland’s versatility on all maps enable them to just edge out China B – but their set could go either way.
Prediction: 1. Argentina A 2. Poland A 3. China B 4. Mexico B
Group B
Finland A: Villese, Valas, Zuppi, TheMax, Rubenstock
United Kingdom A: King_Boo, Capy, Nick, steak, darvoi, Fanjita, JBR, Hallis
Norway A: TheViper, MbL, Kellar, buddy, Tor, Aksminator, vevi, Cong4ever
Denmark A: Good_luck, Kongen_42, Emil, Chrazini, SaladEsc, streetpete, Dobbs351
Seeded in pot C, but undeniably one of the most anticipated teams of the event, Norway qualified to the main event without breaking a sweat but faces in Finland potentially the hardest possible draw of the group stage. Carried by the dynamic duo of all-time greats Viper and MbL, the Norwegian team has shown its quality on closed maps, but the relative weakness of their third and fourth players – in comparison to other top-tier line-ups – could be exploited by teams as strong as Finland.
The UK and Denmark will have a tough task ahead of them if they want to make the final rounds of the main event. Captained by the all-confident King_Boo, the British roster has breezed through their pre-tournament showmatch and qualifiers. They will be extremely well-prepared and have excellent team synergy – two qualities that make them potentially dangerous outsiders for this group. Denmark, on the other hand, barely edged out Japan to make the main event in one of the most closely contested matches of the qualifiers, and come into Group B as the clear underdogs.
I see Finland easily winning this group, but their matches against Norway and the UK should be a good early indicator of the form the Finnish line-up, which we haven’t seen in the tournament yet, finds themselves in. Norway should take the second spot ahead of the UK, but their set could be close.
Prediction: 1. Finland A 2. Norway A 3. United Kingdom A 4. Denmark A
Group C
France A: Sitaux, Cl3m3nT, Margougou, c.salette, Ciskhan, Babaorum
Canada A: slam, Hera, Chris, Survivalist, Ra, Tiggerr, silverstar, Marauder, mentalist- France B: Poséidon, Lighty, Kedaxx, PLP, TheSniper, Shenshenko
Italy A: Kamigawa, Vodka_L, nanimaren, Rise, Shades, salsiciotto1999
Hera had initially declined signing up for Nations Cup, instead contributing to the prize pool, but eventually changed his mind and completes an astonishing all-star Canadian line-up. With the veteran slam and timeless legend Chris, mentalist seemingly coming out of nowhere to sign up, and new talent such Tiggerr and silverstar, Canada can, on paper, field an extremely strong team. Back in 2017, their individual skills were already unquestionable; this year again, what remains to be seen is how well Canada will function as a team.
Group C is completed by France B, who pulled off the only upset of the final round of qualifiers by beating Finland B, and Italy A. Of the two, Italy presents the most serious challenger to France A and Canada. The Italian pros have always shined in team games – Kamigawa, Vodka and Rise are the reigning 2v2 World Cup Silver League champions – but might lack the depth of field needed to challenge the very top teams. France B is very much an underdog in this group, and while it is unlikely they will make the final phases, the matches they play against top teams will serve as good practice for their eventual run in Silver League.
Prediction: 1. France A 2. Canada 3. Italy A 4. France B
Group D
Spain A: TaToH, LaaaaaN, m0re, Moneimon, ReyO, Tomate- Russia A: WaRRioR, Vinchester, repard, Dark, Good_Game
Australia A: robo_boro, Chris, Socksyy, Noszombie, Rayzor, Z4Ge, MrDoDo, tulendeena, Shed, Zain
Sweden A: Ganji, mratin, SleepySwede, Spaden, Sostratus, Kr1lle, Slaktarn, Meandor, Bullet
The other two teams present a more consistent front, with an emphasis on excellent team play and good preparation. Sweden has looked impressive in their showmatch and through qualifiers, dispatching a strong Brazil D team without issue. Australia, on the other hand, qualified at the expense of France C in another dominant display.
I believe there is no harder group to call than Group D – but it also means the sets should be very close and exciting to watch. Virtually any combination of teams at any spot is possible. Australia A, on paper, seems to perhaps lack a star player like all three other teams have, and I see them finishing last of the group. While seeded technically last, Sweden is the team I back to win first place in the group. Captained by Ganji who is hot on an excellent showing in TTL, Sweden has more than demonstrated their qualities in team games and could benefit from a very open group to advance further in the tournament.
It is then a toss-up between Spain and Russia, where I believe TaToH’s direction and star power could end up making the difference and letting Spain take the second place of the group – but any result is possible, and this is a group to watch.
Prediction: 1. Sweden A 2. Spain A 3. Russia A 4. Australia A
Group E
Vietnam A: Badboy, SongSong, saymyname, TieuQuy, Fish- China A: Yo, Lyx, Vivi, Tim, Mists
Czech Republic A: Somero, Skull, Dratek, Ovenka, pren, Janik, K0ty, Klobaska- Vietnam B: BuloaSaky, Hope, ThisLove, Sat, Wiki AoE, Fast, gahaphanh, Chip
Another stacked roster is Vietnam A, who, despite signing up without their best two players (ACCM and BacT), still ended up getting the 6th seed overall. It will be interesting to see how they perform; Vietnam has historically done well in team game events but struggled in recent times to adapt to new metas or diverse maps. Missing their star players hurt them, but the remaining line-up is still incredibly strong and should easily take second place in the group. Whether they can give China a run for their money, however, is another question.
The underdogs of Group E are Czech Republic, who qualified against Romania – losing Arabia – and Vietnam B, who easily defeated Uruguay to make the main event. Both will face a stern test against the favorites of their group, but they are also skilled players with years of experience with the game. Most of them are veterans, who have played together a long time and developed great team synergy. Interestingly, both teams have very distinctive playstyles; the Czech roster seems to prefer closed maps, while the Vietnamese team excels on both open and hybrid maps. This should make for an exciting set, where I expect Vietnam B to eventually pull through by winning the neutral map.
Prediction: 1. China A 2. Vietnam A 3. Vietnam B 4. Czech Republic A
Group F
Chile A: Wisepii, Whitecourt, Neromelnick, Sobek, Noisick, Felipe- Mexico A: Uzzi, KingstoNe, LobodelaNieve, MrOsoVC8, themariach1
Taiwan A: Dragon, GKT_cloud, z403051215, DemonSheep, Albis, Prydz, sora kuma
Brazil B: Alive, FeAge, RiuT, Logan, God, TeTo, Putzito, RookStar, MestreDosMagos, Wonderziin
Chile’s main contender in the group will be Mexico A. This line-up has proved their team game level on the ladder and during a promotional Nations Cup showmatch – soundly beating a Spanish team deprived of LaaaaaN but helmed by TaToH. Led by KingstoNe, one of the most improved players of the past year, the Mexican team is well-rounded and seems well at ease on a variety of maps – one to watch for.
Seeded in Pool C, Taiwan A is the third team of the group… and yet another credible contender for first place. Despite their relatively low 1v1 ratings, the Taiwanese pros are a force to be reckoned with in team games, with strong showing in tournaments such as the 2020 2v2 World Cup and community-organized events. Taiwan A plays almost daily, and excels on Arabia, Nomad and water maps. However, concerns could be raised about their ability to play well on closed maps – which could eventually be their demise in this tightly-contested group.
Last but not least, Brazil B completes an impressive Group F. Led by 2017 champion FeAge and timeless expert Alive, Brazil B will hope to follow in the footsteps of the 2017 “B” team! They qualified for the main event by easily defeating Argentina C, and will be a close underdog in Group F. The team will face stern competition but could certainly create an upset in this very unpredictable group.
Prediction: 1. Chile A 2. Taiwan A 3. Mexico A 4. Brazil B
Group G
Germany A: PhilippHJS, Running, Nili, chaos_2_win, Target331, Annotoph, JorDan
United States A: Influenza, Daniel, Hasan, Inc, Eli, TheBloodless, Scotty, T90Official- Argentina B: Biry, Twigg, Levi, Carbo, Capoch, VarVarus, prisma
India A: Doomster, Dragonstar, Hellrazer, Stackers, Av3stan, Gravity, Morty, Mystigan
The rest of the group is very open. Seeded in Pool B, USA A has an unusual team profile, allying 1v1 experts to team game specialists. This very vocal team is certainly not lacking confidence, and they qualified for the main event by beating Argentina E – who had upset the higher seed in their bracket. Competition will be stronger for the American line-up in this group, where they will have to show their ability to work well as a team on a variety of maps. While Germany appears to be the favorite, the Americans could potentially clinch the group’s second place, aiming to make the top 16 of the competition.
Argentina B should be USA A’s main rival for the second place. The Argentine line-up is impressive, featuring Capoch and Twigg as their strongest two players, and not a single member below 2k1 on the 1v1 ladder. They qualified after a tough set that saw them eventually defeat Taiwan B in a closely contested series featuring the longest game of the tournament so far. That win, however, came without Capoch or Twigg – a sign, perhaps, that Argentina B hasn’t showed all their cards yet.
The Indian team led by Dragonstar completes Group G. The promising clash that could have opposed them to Netherlands A – the closest on paper of the entire qualifiers – did not happen, thus preventing us from judging India’s current shape. They are, however, a frequent fixture of high-level team games and could pose a challenge to both American teams. Regardless, they come in the group as an underdog, and I expect India to finish last of Group G.
Prediction: 1. Germany A 2. Argentina B 3. United States A 4. India A
Group H
- Brazil A: miguel, dogao, GoKu, F1Re
Austria A: FreakinAndy, FreakinChris, Liereyy, LB10, teutonic_tanks, Bambinity
Türkiye A: Dr.Kozmonot, Kasva, Yax, Ubetnir, rono, Cyclops, Umut- Germany B: Acro17, Terz, Madtomski, Wes Iwobi, Panik Panda, Mr.Dobbsn, jpg, Django
In Group H, they will face the interesting case of Austria A. With the surprising sign-up of Liereyy, perhaps the best flank player in the world, and the rapid improvement of FreakinAndy – recently signed up by mYinsanity – Austria has become a fearsome line-up that could cause problems to any team. They should excel on closed maps, and be dangerous on any, but how much Liereyy will play remains to be seen. Without their best player, the Austrian roster remains a strong team, but will likely struggle against other, more consistent teams. While I do not see them upsetting Brazil A, Austria has a credible shot at making the top 16.
Recovering from the tragic earthquake that hit the country, Türkiye A made it to the main event after a straight-forward victory against USA B. The Turkish team allies high individual skills to an excellent team chemistry developed through many months of playing together. The team has little in common with previous Turkish delegations to older Nations Cup, with most players aside from Kasva and Cyclops having really stepped up with the release of Definitive Edition. Lacking perhaps the star power of a Liereyy, Türkiye however presents a more homogeneous roster than Austria, with more team game experience.
The final team in the top 32 is the roster of Germany B, who plays a lot on the team game ladder under clan tag “LACA”. Germany B was on the winning end of the only same-country derby of the qualifying round, dispatching the new Chapter-One Punch alliance of Germany C in a clear 3-0 victory. They are all good players and have a wealth of team game experience under their belt, despite having played only a few years (although some claim to have been Inca rushed on Voobly…). Germany B is a solid team, and while upsetting Brazil seems like a tough ordeal, they could potentially cause issues to the other two challengers of this very open Group H.
Prediction: 1. Brazil A 2. Türkiye A 3. Austria A 4. Germany B
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