I’ll admit it: I had my doubts. And as a self-professed competitive scene junkie, I’m embarrassed to say that.

 

Will NSL Season 3 be able to deliver in terms of quality?

 

I was skeptical at first. But now, with September upon us, I can honestly say that the seeds planted in past seasons are primed for sowing. NSL Season 3 is shaping up to be the best yet! It looks to be a season of grudge matches, with old rivalries renewed, ex-players playing against previous teams; a season of new blood, with several new players joining established teams; a season of redemption and resurrections!

 

Most noticeable is that divisions are now international. This change gives the season a tangible sense of excitement, as teams who normally wouldn’t play each other outside of a scrim/pcw environment now find themselves at odds with post-season dreams at stake—the very atmosphere that breeds instant-classic matches.

 

With this being said, NSL Season 3 will kick off with a strange mixture of familiarity and possibility. Archaea starts as the No. 1 Seed—no surprise there—but with a substantial roster change and the lack of meaningful games played, are their days atop the pyramid finally numbered? Let’s take a look at the newly-christened Premiere Division (As an aside, why don’t we just hearken back to the days of CAL and have Invite/Main/Intermediate divisions!?).

 

Overview – EU Teams

All the teams that you expect to be here are here. Let’s preview them.

 

Since NS2 went live, Archaea (#1) has been the definition of consistency. But with the departure of both ray and eagleye to the newly-created Legendary Snails, and Tane rejoining his compatriots in Saunamen, Archaea’s roster was left in an unprecedented state of flux. While the breakup of fan-favorite Godar was an unfortunate occurrence, death often brings about new life—and the addition of Eissfeldt, Grissi and valk have given just that to Archaea. But the question that remains to be answered: while these pickups are significant, will they be enough to stave off the rest of the hungry Premiere Division, who will undoubtedly be hungrier than ever to dethrone the undisputed, and seemingly vulnerable, NS2 kings?

 

Newcomers Legendary Snails (#2) have made their presence known by winning two of the three major tournaments this summer, and coming in 2nd place in the other (although they weren’t “officially” a team at the time, but we’ll revisit that later). Boasting members of Archaea, Godar and miau (among others), they’ve made it abundantly clear that they’re here to stay, and coming in 2nd place just isn’t good enough for them—they want the Championship.

 

There are only a few guarantees in life. Chief among them: bad Half-Life 3 conspiracies and Oldie-but-Goodie Saunamen (#3) making deep runs in the NSL post-season. Saunamen are the most historic active team, having been a staple of the competitive scene for the better part of a decade. With the much-heralded return of Tane and Peacham, and the additions of Valde (Mercury) and laama (Exertus), you can count on the Finns, once again, to find themselves in contention for the prized Premiere Division gold—and they expect nothing less.

 

A true international team through and through, duplex (#7) lost a large number of members towards the end of the NSL Season 2, leaving their future up in the air. But swalk is determined to keep the duplex name alive. Over the summer, they’ve picked up a good batch of fresh blood, including beta (Moebius), and former members FoelliX (HBZ) and Aioros (miau). To say that duplex has retention issues may be an understatement; they seem to have more ex-members than Megadeth and Iced Earth. Combined. However, graduates of duplex University include: Fana & TreffNiX (Archaea), naduli (Exertus), wiry (miau), king_yo (Legendary Snails), blind (HBZ), xorex (Nexzil), valk, jaivol, Mendasp & Eissfeldt (Godar). If this is any indication of the talent attracted by and housed in duplex, it bodes nothing if not well for their future.

 

The return of Exertus (#8) is one of two team-resurrections that really excites me about the Premiere Division. Exertus fell 4-2 to Archaea in the inaugural NSL European Finals held in Germany back in November 2012, but they gave Archaea a real run for their money. Until more recently, Exertus were the only team that made Archaea look even remotely human. Regardless, don’t let the 8th seed fool you—returning to their old name and boasting nearly the same roster as their 2012 Finals team, Exertus are primed and ready to pick up right where they left off. Expect to see them making huge waves in the Premiere Division.

 

Overview – NA Teams

This is the big question, and one that makes this season so exciting for fans of NS2: can the top NA teams hold their own when pitted against the top EU teams? Let’s take a look.

 

I’ll be completely honest: Breakfast Klub (#4) is my favorite NS2 team (my 2nd favorite being Exertus). With Exertus coming back, I was happy enough, but when I heard that The Klub got resurrected, I nearly died. Breakfast Klub is coming off of their best season yet, having captured the NA Division 1 title last season, finally dethroning perennial champs Nexzil. After their win, the team decided to call it quits with the remaining active members dispersing among other teams… but a few still remained loyal to their motherclan (you know who you are, breasthound and partyskulk!). With the changes brought by Reinforced, they’ve coming back, eager to give NS2 another whirl—but more importantly, they’re determined to show that their victory over Nexzil wasn’t just a flash in the pan. But this time around, Nexzil aren’t the only other big fish in the pond. Breakfast Klub has everything they need to remain a powerhouse, but the question remains: will the ring-rust show? Or will the summer-long hiatus prove worthwhile, reinvigorating their drive to stay at the top?

 

I never thought I’d say this, but the Artists formerly known as Renascent, formerly known as Nexzil, are coming into Season 3 under the radar as Titus (#5). Everyone knows who Titus are, a team that was seen by many as the only bastion of hope for the NA competitive scene in a game dominated by Europeans. Like their European counterpart Archaea, they’ve boasted a relatively intimate, but extremely stable and skilled lineup for a long time (until recently). They’ve come a long way since NS2 launched, and the recent name change embodies their new beginning as a team—but will the season end the way they want it to?

 

What the name “Saunamen” is to European NS, “Damage Networks” is to North American NS. Networks (#6) have quite a bit of history behind their name, dating back to NS1 in the mid-2000s playing in CAL-i. They’ve always found themselves in the conversation of top NA teams, then and now, and they’re determined to make it more than a conversation. With huge key additions in the off-season, Networks is poised show everyone that they aren’t just a gatekeeper team—they’re here to win, and they don’t care who’s standing in their way.

 

 

With all the introductions out of the way, let’s look at where each team has been, where they are now, and how it bodes for their future.

 

Looking Deeper – EU Teams

KEY:

( ) – (PARENTHESES) contain rounds FOR and AGAINST the clan in question, both Regular Season/Group Stages, and Playoffs.

[ ] – For Regular Season/Group Stage Rounds, [BRACKETS] denote team(s) that dealt losses to the specific clan being examined; the team name is followed by a number which represents the number of rounds that team took. If only one team appears, assume they are the source of all losses. For Playoff Rounds, all match outcomes will appear in [BRACKETS].

> X 0-0 – Indicates a WIN over team X by a score of 0-0; the 0s are replaced with the match results

< X 0-0 – Indicates a LOSS to team X by a score of 0-0; the 0s are replaced with the match results

 

#1 Archaea – The Model of Consistency

Roster: Koruyo, Scrajm, Skuggan, Fana, TreffNiX, Eissfeldt (Godar), Grissi (Godar), valk (Godar)

Departures: ray (Legendary Snails), eagleye (Legendary Snails), Tane (Saunamen)

 

What is there left to say about Archaea that people don’t know already? Even after losing primetime players eagleye, ray, and Tane, their roster still looks like what would happen if there was an NS2 Fantasy Draft—it’s a borderline dream team. Archaea have absolutely steamrolled every team that’s stepped up to the plate—their individual skills are just off the charts, but their team chemistry is what sets them apart from the rest—it’s on a whole other level compared to other teams, and this pairing of skill and teamwork is nothing short of absolutely deadly. The biggest question(s) looming over the upcoming season almost invariably deal with Archaea’s dominance in some way or another. With a recent roster shakeup, the arrival of more significant competition, and an international pool… is their time finally up?

 

Question as we may, Archaea has history on their side. They’re the reigning, defending NSL Invitational Champions (> Nexzil 5-0), and are technically the undisputed European Open champions, as Legendary Snails’ European Open championship run came against a field that was conspicuously missing Archaea. Also, it’s hard to argue with Archaea’s impeccable track record. Despite the recent coming and going of players, they’ve been the model of consistency since day one. Since their 5-2 victory over Exertus in the 2012 European Open, Archaea have gone a staggering 62-2 (rounds won/lost) in meaningful games. Season 2 was the first time Archaea had dropped any rounds during the NSL regular season (3) or playoffs (1). 

 

With Scrajm in the chair/hive and Fana as the field comm, it’s really difficult to pick against Archaea. Expect yet another deep run into the playoffs.

 

Recent Accomplishments

- 1st Place, 2012 European Open (4-2 Playoff Rounds [> Exertus 4-2])

- NSL Season 1 Division 1 Champions (20-0 Season Rounds, 6-0 Playoff Rounds [> duplex 3-0, > Mercury 3-0])

- 1st Place, 2013 NSL Custom Map Cup (12-0 Group Stage Rounds, 5-0 Playoff Rounds [> duplex 5-0])

- 1st Place, 2013 NSL Invitational (10-2 Group Stage Rounds [Saunamen 1, Mercury 1], 9-0 Playoff Rounds [> Godar 4-0, > Nexzil 5-0])

- NSL Season 2 Division 1 Champions (25-3 Season Rounds [Quaxy 1, Godar 2], 7-1 Playoff Rounds [> Saunamen 3-0, > Godar 4-1])

 

#2 Legendary Snails – Newcomers and Favorites

Roster: ray (Archaea), eagleye (Archaea), herakles (Godar), king_yo (miau), DAAMZ (cocorico), Blame (Moebius), RioS (Moebius)

Departures: N/A

 

Legendary Snails have a well-earned No. 2 Seed—though they are a new team, by no means are their players new. One simply has to look at their recent accomplishments to see their potential: their first, unofficial incarnation was an impressive outing at the 2013 Summer Nations Cup as Team France, where they finished second to none other than 3-time defending champion Finland, losing 4-2 (Finland also had a very strong tournament, defeating very game USA and German teams in 3-0 sweeps along the way). Team France’s road to the finals against Finland included a 3-0 victory over South Korea and an extremely exciting 3-2 win over early Cup favorites Sweden (casted by yours truly!).

 

Surely, with any new team, growing pains are to be expected—the chemistry between players is not something to be overlooked, but by the same token, neither was their potential as a team (something they seemed to have recognized), and this eventually culminated in their official transition from a Nations Cup team to a full-fledged NS2 squad. Their first orders of business? Steamrolling through the NSL Summer Cup, and ultimately defeating Saunamen 4-2 in the final to win Group A. Since Archaea was noticeably missing because of roster issues (they were signed up and in Group A as well, but forfeited all their matches because of their short roster), some might argue that their competition wasn’t as stiff as it could have been—an obvious point—but that doesn’t discount the competition that was in their Group: the ever-present Saunamen, NA stalwart Nexzil, the age-old duplex, and under-the-radar Finns Quaxy, a Season 3 Division 1 team who could very easily hold their own in the Premiere Division.

 

Next on the docket, and more importantly for the Snails, I’m sure, was to dominate the 2013 NSL European Open, dropping a total of two rounds throughout the entire tournament, once each to duplex and miau.

 

And in what can only be explained as a stroke of divine intervention or poetic justice—whatever you want to call it—they would meet Saunamen, once more, in the finals. This was essentially a rematch of the Nation’s Cup and Summer Cup finals, as both France and Finland were comprised of the same rosters as Snails and Saunamen, respectively. The Snails did best the Saunamen in the Summer Cup, but I would argue that the stakes were not nearly as high compared to the Nation’s Cup (national pride) and the Euro Open (prize money & notoriety), so for the Snails, they still had a score to settle with the Finns. The stage was suddenly set for the Snails to avenge their Nation’s Cup loss, and avenge it they did. The Snails took the Championship in a controversial 2-0 victory—controversial not because of the fashion in which they won, but because it was only a BO3 series, and not a BO7 or even BO5… hardly the proper atmosphere to cultivate a truly exciting series.

 

Regardless, being the last major tournament in recent memory before the beginning of Season 3, coupled with the absence of Archaea, the Legendary Snails find themselves, in the eyes of many, as the team-to-beat in Europe—and this conclusion is becoming harder and harder to dispute. After all, they have yet to play an official NSL Season match as a team, but have already won the NSL European Open—a rare feat, indeed.

 

Recent Accomplishments

- 2nd Place, NSL Nation’s Cup [unofficially, as Team France] (10-2 Group Stage Rounds [Sweden, UK], 8-6 Playoff Rounds [> South Korea 3-0, > Sweden 3-2, < Finland 2-4])

- 3rd Place, NSL Balance Mod Cup (16-0 Group Stage Rounds, 5-8 Playoff Rounds [< Godar 0-3, < miau 1-3])

- 1st Place, 2013 NSL European Open (11-1 Group Stage Rounds [duplex], 9-1 Playoff Rounds [> RadicaL 3-0, > miau 4-1, > Saunamen 2-0])

- 1st Place, 2013 NSL Summer Cup (18-2 Group Stage Rounds [Quaxy, Saunamen], 4-2 Playoff Rounds [Saunamen])

 

#3 Saunamen – The Mount Rushmore of NS

Roster: Hopeanuoli, Peacham, leipa, whiiii, SoLa, Tane (Archaea), laama (Exertus), Valde (Mercury)

Departures: N/A

 

The Saunamen are ancient. They’ve grown up with NS and are synonymous with its competitive scene. Formed as an NS1 clan circa-2005, they’re the spiritual successor to the predominantly-Finnish team Levitacus. They’ve won anywhere from 6 to 8 (depends on who you talk to) championships in NS1, and between 1 and 4 (again, depends on who you talk to) Nations/World Cups as Team Finland between NS1 and NS2. With all this history behind them, it’s truly a wonder that they’re still going strong.

 

After the release of NS2, Saunamen were largely under the radar because of roster issues, and teams like Archaea, Exertus, Mercury, duplex, HBZ, and coolclan were all crowding the championship scene. After stabilizing their roster, they suddenly became a strong pick and heavy fan-favorite to meet Archaea in the finals of the 2013 NSL Invitiational, but there was a lot of controversy as they played a large number of consecutive games in a row going early into the morning, and eventually fell to Nexzil; some people thought they might have won if they had the proper rest—but we’ll never know (and let’s not hold it against Nexzil—they played an extremely impressive tournament themselves, beating coolclan, Godar, and HBZ, each in 2-0 sweeps before defeating Saunamen 4-3 in the semifinals. It would be wrong to say they didn’t deserve to face Archaea). Regardless, the Saunamen, ubiquitous and resilient as they are, have persevered, and it’s paying off huge dividends as they’re entering Season 3 with arguably their strongest roster since the days of old.

 

And with much of the Season 3 attention focused on Archaea and Legendary Snails, Saunamen find themselves surprising underdogs. Coming off a 2nd Place finish at the European Open, they’re undoubtedly focused on proving, to themselves more than to us, that they’re still in tip-top shape, and that they deserved the #2 seed over the Snails. As long as Peacham is comming and Tane is anchoring the field, there’s always the fighting chance—but with a supporting cast this deadly, they’ve got more than just a fighting chance. Don’t be surprised at all if Saunamen show up in full force in the playoffs, further cementing their legacy in the NS universe.

 

Recent Accomplishments

- 3rd Place, NSL Season 2 Division 1 (23-5 Regular Season Rounds [Mercury 1, miau 3, vetus 1], 4-3 Playoff Rounds [< Archaea 3-0, > miau 4-0])

- 4th Place, 2013 NSL Invitational (7-5 Group Stage Rounds [1 each to Damage Networks, coolclan, BAGUETTE, Mercury, Archaea], 5-8 Playoff Rounds [< Nexzil 3-4, < Godar 2-4])

- 1st Place, 2013 NSL Nations Cup [unofficially as Team Finland] (11-1 Group Stage Rounds [Netherlands], 10-2 Playoff Rounds [> USA 3-0, > Germany 3-0, > France 4-2])

- 2nd Place, 2013 European Open (12-0 Group Stage Rounds, 7-5 Playoff Rounds [> Godar 4-3, < Legendary Snails 0-2])

- 2nd Place, 2013 NSL Summer Cup (21-3 Group Stage Rounds [Snails], 2-4 Playoff Rounds [< Legendary Snails 2-4])

 

#7 duplex – What Could Have Been?

Roster: swalk, trippy, SkiT (Precaching, cocorico), FoelliX (HBZ), slekan, beta (cocorico, Moebius), Vrum, Aioros (miau)

Departures: A lot :(

 

If ever a team was completely overlooked, duplex would be that team. Most people would have written them off after last season as their roster had dwindled down to about three active players, but they’ve found a way to stick around and to remain in the top division of the NSL.

 

When it comes down to it, roster consistency is key to any team’s success, and duplex’s potential has been indelibly marred by member instability. Had they been able to maintain their Season 1 roster, it may have included: xorex (ex-Nexzil), Mendasp and Eissfeldt (ex-Godar), valk (Archaea, ex-Godar), and king_yo (Legendary Snails) among many, many others. Regardless of who would be on the other team, that’s an intimidating roster.

 

In the end, however, duplex are in an enviable position: nobody expects them to win. All they need to do is make it into the playoffs, then suddenly they become dream-killers and tournament-ruiners as they attempt to upset the more heavily favored teams. When the post-season comes around, anything can happen—look for duplex to seize that opportunity.

 

Recent Accomplishments

- 4th Place, NSL Season 1 Division 1 (12-4 Regular Season Rounds [coolclan], 0-5 Playoff Rounds [< Archaea 0-3, < coolclan 0-2])

- 2nd Place, NSL Custom Map Cup (9-3 Group Stage Rounds [Mercury 1, Archaea 2], 0-5 Playoff Rounds [< Archaea 0-5])

 

#8 Exertus – Unfinished Business

Roster: TrC, zups, naduli, elmo, Squirreli, Synomi, wiry (coolclan, miau), Timar, Saderi

Departures: Railo (ex-Saunamen, ex-miau), laama (Saunamen)

 

Simply put, Exertus is a powerhouse. Unfortunately, they disbanded after their 2nd Place finish in the inaugural European Open. For a while, they were seen as the only competition to Archaea, as Godar was still a fledgling (and largely unknown) Division 2 team, Saunamen didn’t have anything close to an optimal roster, and other hopefuls duplex, coolclan, HBZ, and Mercury were just missing that extra something to really challenge Archaea. Winning a single round against Archaea in a season is an accomplishment in and of itself—Exertus almost took Archaea to a full 7-round series in their titanic 2012 European Open showdown (Exertus were down 3-0 and won two rounds in a row to bring the deficit to 3-2, but ultimately lost the next round and fell 4-2).

 

After Exertus split, a good number of them went on to form the spiritual successor to Exertus: miau. They dominated Group B of Europe’s Division 1, but had a disappointingly quiet playoff performance, getting swept by both Godar in the Bracket, and Saunamen in the 3rd Place match. There have been flashes of brilliance, however, as seen during the NSL Balance Mod Cup, where they bested the Legendary Snails 3-1 before losing to Godar in the finals.

 

Despite sharing a large number of members with that miau squad, Season 3’s Exertus is by no means the same team. They have most of their old 2012 roster back (including Squirreli, but not laama), and have brought their volatile and sureshot miau teammate wiry along for the ride. They don’t just want to make the playoffs—they’re here to be the best, and anything short of the championship will simply not be good enough for Exertus.

 

Recent Accomplishments

- 2nd Place, 2012 European Open (2-4 Playoff Rounds [< Archaea 2-4])

- 4th Place, NSL Season 2 Division 1 [unofficially as miau] (25-3 Regular Season Rounds, 0-7 Playoff Rounds [< Godar 0-3, Saunamen 0-4])

- 2rd Place, 2013 NSL Balance Mod [unofficially as miau] (15-1 Group Stage Rounds [Moebius], 8-8 Playoff Rounds [< Nexzil 1-2, > Radical 2-1, > Legendary Snails 3-1, < Godar 0-4])

- T-3rd Place, 2013 NSL European Open w/ Godar [unofficially as miau] (11-1 Group Stage Rounds [RadicaL], 4-6 Playoff Rounds [> duplex 3-2, < Legendary Snails 1-4])

 

 

Looking Deeper – NA Teams

#4 Breakfast Klub – Believe in the KLUB!

Roster: derriere, partyskulk, breasthound, durden, Shino, gliss (ex-Titus), schu, Gosu, PaLaGi, bill

Departures: Syknik! (Titus), xtcmen (priori), CatCop, sloth

 

Breakfast Klub are a testament to hard work. They built themselves from the ground up, and it wasn’t always pretty in the beginning. They began as a Division 2 team in NSL Season 1, swiftly defeating all their opponents (although they inexplicably lost 3-1 to Brazilian team DTPN). Regardless, they easily captured the Division 2 Championship and moved up to Division 1, but had a sobering off-season: after failing to get out of the Group Stage of the 2013 NSL Custom Map Cup (being paired with future Division 1 rivals Nexzil, All-In, and Damage Networks), they lost in three straight 2-0 sweeps at the 2013 NSL Invitiational Group Stage to vetus, Mercury, and Nexzil.

 

Determined to improve, they won all their regular season matchups in Season 2 (including 3-1 victories over both Damage Networks and All-In), but still fell 3-1 to heavy-favorite Nexzil. Unable to get over that final hump, they added Shino (A.K.A. Saya) halfway through the season who took over command duties, and they began looking outside the North American borders for opponents—European Division 1 titan Godar became a favorite opponent of theirs. They scrimmed incessantly, often losing, but it paid off greatly in one of the better championship series in recent memory: a 4-2 upset victory over Nexzil to capture the NA Division 1 Championship. Unfortunately, they disbanded immediately after the win because of stagnant competitive gameplay (perhaps they had been burnt out as well, simply overworking themselves)—but Reinforced has drastically changed the game since their last match, so they’re eager to test their mettle once more.

 

Let’s face it: the breakup of The Klub was a huge blow to the already floundering NA pro-scene, leaving only two elite teams left: Titus and Damage Networks. But they’re back—although I wouldn’t say that they’re better than ever just yet. After all, they lost the irreplaceable Syknik to Titus—but in a strange turn of events, they’ve picked up glissy from Titus (essentially, Titus and The Klub traded Syknik and glissy). To further bolster their roster, they’ve also added NS1 veteran schu (Xensity), the longtime-clanless-but-still-really-good Gosu, and extreme ringer PaLaGi (not even being sarcastic. He’s seriously, a great pickup). They will still have to build their team chemistry and work out some of the kinks as the game has changed quite a bit since they last played, and with the season right around the corner, they’ve got very little time to acclimate. They might have to adjust a bit on-the-fly—but if any team can do it, it’s The Klub: they’re undoubtedly determined. Returning to their old stomping grounds, they will look to defend their “Best in NA” title while making a name for themselves against the European giants in the process.

 

In their short career, they’ve already reached the pinnacle of the NA scene—all that’s left for them to do is to appear at a major tournament, and that’s undoubtedly on their agenda as well. If there’s any team that can make waves after taking such a long hiatus, it’s Breakfast Klub.

 

Believe in the KLUB!

 

Recent Accomplishments

- NSL Season 1 Division 2 Champions (13-3 Regular Season Rounds [< DTPN 1-3], 6-0 Playoff Rounds [> SexySasquatches 3-0, > Horizon 3-0])

- NSL Season 2 Division 1 Champions (15-5 Regular Season Rounds [Damage Networks 1, All-In 1, Nexzil 3], 7-3 Playoff Rounds [> Damage Networks 3-1, > Nexzil 4-2])

 

#5 Titus – The Artists Formerly Known as Nexzil… and Renascent, for Like, a Day

Roster: Locklear, Virsoul, rline, Bitey, Golden (Damage Networks), Syknik (Breakfast Klub), joshhhy (All-In), dragon

Departures: GORGEous (Damage Networks), garfu, bLink (priori), glissy (Breakfast Klub), Shino [A.K.A. Saya] (Breakfast Klub), Patchy, xorex

 

If there was ever a North American equivalent to Archaea, it was hands-down Nexzil (heretofore referred to by their new name, Titus… it still sounds weird to me D:): a team with a very stable lineup that contained some of the best players the continent had to offer. More recently, however, they’ve lost a number of extremely skilled players (GORGEous, xorex, garfu, bLink, glissy, Patchy)—but they’ve quietly added the always-reliable joshhhy, Fadebanes Golden and Syknik, arguably two of the best shots in the world, let alone North America, and dragon, who is well-known in playtester circles.

 

Despite a very impressive track record, Titus somehow finds themselves in a position where they need to prove, once again, that they belong in the conversation of “Best in the World.” Once upon a time as Nexzil, Titus did the unthinkable by beating Archaea 3-1 in the NSL Beta Cup (relatively different rosters, but my point still stands), also beating FINNSTACK along the way (which featured TrC and naduli from Exertus, and Tane from Saunamen). Earlier this year, Titus found themselves on a similar path again, having beaten the Finns of Saunamen to challenge Archaea once more in the 2013 NSL Invitational—but they just weren’t able to replicate their Beta[Cinder]rella story.

 

In terms of North America, Titus almost literally exploded onto the scene in Season 1, utterly decimating NA Division 1’s Group B in the regular season with five consecutive 4-0 sweeps. They seemed destined for a showdown with Division 1 favorite Inversion in the Championship, but in a massive twist of fate, All-In pulled off an incredible upset over Inversion in the semi-finals. Meanwhile on the other side of the bracket, Titus defeated Damage Networks in the semi-finals and would go on to have a narrow 3-2 victory over All-In in a little-remembered, but extremely exciting Championship (All-In’s Camo base-rush on Veil, anyone!?).

 

With all the other teams’ roster troubles, and fresh off a string of consistently great performances, some might have argued that Titus had gotten complacent towards the end of Season 2 which may have left the opening Breakfast Klub needed to seize the title that everyone had predetermined was Titus’ (Titus had also defeated Breakfast Klub 3-1 during the regular season, so there was no reason to think the final would have been any different). But Titus can’t concern themselves with the past. They’re looking towards the future now, and Season 3 is the new beginning that they need. With a new team name and some new faces, Titus is looking to spoil the all-European ending of this season’s story.

 

Recent Accomplishments

- 1st Place, NSL Beta Cup (> 2-0 FINNSTACK, > 4-1 Archaea)

- NSL Season 1 Division 1 Champions (20-0 Regular Season Rounds, 6-2 Playoff Rounds [> Damage Networks 3-0, > All-In 3-2])

- 1st Place, 2013 NSL Custom Map Cup (11-1 Group Stage Rounds [All-In], 5-0 Playoff Rounds [> All-In 5-0])

- 2nd Place, 2013 NSL Invitational (11-1 Group Stage Rounds [Mercury], 4-8 Playoff Rounds [> Saunamen 4-3, < Archaea 0-5])

- 2nd Place, NSL Season 2 Division 1 (18-2 Regular Season Rounds [Breakfast Klub 1, King Kahuna Games 1], 5-4 Playoff Rounds [> All-In 3-0, < Breakfast Klub 2-4])

- 4th Place, 2013 NSL Balance Mod Cup (12-4 Group Stage Rounds [Legendary Snails], 5-5 Playoff Rounds [> Miau 2-1, < Godar 0-2, > Damage Networks 2-0, < miau 2-1])

 

#6 Damage Networks – Quiet, Quiet 'Dogs

Roster: Blue, Boom, villain, cccorp, Raz, rantology (Inversion), GORGEous (Inversion, Titus), Cinnabon, Jonacrab (Inversion), luke (Titus), fooglef, Ossified/Colt/jewbear/ADHD/edakulous/current1y (All-In)

Departures: Golden (Titus), Coercri [A.K.A. Annihilator], bLink (ex-Titus, priori), Cole

 

As stated in the overview, Damage Networks is the North American equivalent to Saunamen in terms of their history. Their roots as a team can be traced back to NS1 where they played in CAL-i, capturing the Championship in 2006. Blue joined forces with Annihilator from NS1 powerhouse Terror (3x CAL-i Champions, 2x Invitational Champions) under the Networks banner for NS2, but they have not yet been able to replicate their collective previous successes. They were big favorites for NSL Season 1, but were ousted from the post-season by Titus (Nexzil), though they were able to defeat Inversion in the 3rd Place match, who had beaten Networks 4-0 during the regular season.

 

Much like heavy metal, NS2 also has/had a "Big Four" of North America: Nexzil (Titus), Inversion, All-In, and Damage Networks. After their shockingly disappointing Season 1, Inversion (who were expected to be the NA champions, but ended up in 4th Place) disbanded and split amongst the remaining Big Three. Towards the end of Season 2, Damage Networks was really starting to pick up steam, having additionally picked up GORGEous (Titus), edak (All-In) and villain. After the season ended, however, they gobbled up fellow Division 1 team All-In, which makes them instant contenders for Season 3 right off the bat.

 

Of the original Big Four, only two remain: Titus and Damage Networks. And with a new, super-beefy roster, the stage is set for Damage Networks to rekindle their former glory, having entered their prime at just the right moment.

 

Recent Accomplishments

- 3rd Place, NSL Season 1 Division 1 (14-6 Regular Season Rounds [Inversion 4, Natural Erection 1, ScM 1], 3-3 Playoff Rounds [< Nexzil 0-3, > Inversion 3-0])

- 3rd Place, NSL Season 2 Division 1 (12-8 Regular Season Rounds [Breakfast Klub 3, Titus 4, All-In 1], 5-3 Playoff Rounds [< 1-3 Breakfast Klub, > 4-0 All-In])

 

 

Players to Watch / What to Look For

#1 Archaea: Eissfeldt, Grissi, valk, A.K.A. The Godar Crew

Obviously, these three are good—that’s an understatement—but how will they fit into an Archaea scheme that was so rigid for so long, and boasted marksmen ray, eagleye and Tane?

 

Who will become the ‘Tane’ of Archaea 2.0 and join Fana to become The Fana and Eissfeldt… Pain… wait, that won’t rhyme.

The Fana and Grissi… no, that doesn’t work either.

The valk and Fana… Pain… Banana?

 

(Someone help me out with this).

 

#2 Legendary Snails: ray, eagleye, and RioS

ray and eagleye are the Fana and Tane of Snails. Both Archaea alumni, they’re proficient in kicking ass, and as a tag-team, expect them to do so in bunches. More interesting, however, is the Snails’ commander, RioS. Despite the undeniable skill of their other field players (king_yo, DAAMZ, herakles),  they’re overshadowed by the flashy, Hollywood-style devastation of ray and eagleye. Even more overlooked is RioS, who has shown a penchant for incredible leadership and strategy, and some of the best medspams in the game today. Look for RioS to make a huge difference in every match the Snails play.

 

#3 Saunamen: Peacham, Tane, laama

Looking through the roster, I found myself putting all of the Saunamen as players to watch, but alas, I must choose only a few.

 

Peacham and Tane might as well be celebrities in Finland, like Tarja Turunen or Alexi Laiho. They’ve consistently found themselves atop the NS1 and NS2 competitive scenes. Tane’s skills as a player and Peacham’s qualities as a commander can’t be overstated—but also look for laama to make a huge difference as well—he’s got recent big-stage experience with Exertus having gone up against Archaea in the 2012 European Open, and look for him to translate that knowledge into Season 3, meshing seamlessly with Saunamen’s lineup.

 

#4 Breakfast Klub: schu, Gosu, PaLaGi

We all know what the rest of The Klub—derriere, partyskulk, breasthound, durden, and Shino— have to offer. Likewise, we all know what gliss is made of, having been a mainstay of Titus’ starting roster. But these three new pickups will add a dimension to Breakfast Klub that, dare I say, they didn’t have before. All three are invaluable pickups, good enough to be starters for any Premiere Division team, and they give The Klub a roster depth and flexibility that was sorely lacking in the previous season.

 

Those who aren’t fully initiated or hardcore into the competitive scene might not be familiar with these three, but I can assure you—they’re, like, really good.

 

Oh yeah, and BILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!

 

#5 Titus: Syknik, Golden, dragon

In my opinion, Syknik and Golden are two of the best shooters in the world, and I’ve nicknamed them the Fadebanes of Titus™. It seemed only fair to the rest of the division that they were in different clans (Breakfast Klub and Damage Networks, respectively), but having them both on the same, favored NA team?

 

Stack_rines 1.

 

These two will bring a much-needed vigor to Titus’ attitude, something that seemed to be lacking towards the end of Season 2. And while the loss of aggro_lerk glissy was a huge blow, Syknik will fill the role quite nicely as he plays a very similar style.

 

Titus is also intriguing because their 6th spot is very flexible, and this is what makes dragon interesting. He may or may not be a consistent starter, but regardless, chumps don’t make the Titus roster—look for dragon to make a difference on the field when he makes his debut.

 

Also, I’d like to give a shoutout/honorable mention to rline, Titus’ ol’ faithful!

 

#6 Damage Networks: Ossified, edakulous (?), Colt, Boom, Rantology

There are entirely too many people in Damage Networks to keep an eye on—like Saunamen, I found myself wanting to list almost the entire roster. Golden and Boom were another tag-team—like Fana and Tane, like ray and eagleye—that struck fear into the hearts of Fades across the galaxy. But with Golden’s departure, things weren’t looking too good. The addition of Colt (and the rest of All-In), however, changes things drastically. Colt will move seamlessly into Golden’s old role and join Boom in exterminating Fades at will.

 

I’m honestly not sure if edakulous will be active. If he won’t be, it would behoove Networks to peer pressure him into playing, because he’s got some of the finest aim that one could find among mortals (and an edakulous/Boom combo would be equally devastating as any other in the Premiere Division). One of the benefits of Networks' massive roster depth is the sheer variety of tag-teams they could form (Boom/Blue, Colt/Blue, Raz/Colt—the list goes on). Also keep in mind, edakulous is reuniting with fellow All-In alumnus Colt. The chemistry between them was incredible back then, and there's no reason it wouldn't continue now. To see them side-by-side once more only gives Networks another ace up their sleeve.

 

Rantology may be Damage Networks' secret weapon. Her skill as a Gorge is highly underrated and often overlooked—proper Gorging is a dying art, and she’s mastered it. A good gorge is essential to any team if they desire victory, and Networks has one of the best in the business.

 

I may be mistaken, but with the departure of long-time veteran Coercri [A.K.A. Annihilator], I believe that Networks is out a commander—unless they have someone else lined up, it would appear now to be Ossified’s gig. He’s in an unenviable position, though, as he has a lot on his plate: he’s responsible for taking the reins of one of NSL’s highest-potential Premiere Division teams (no pressure, or anything), but he’s got some incredible talent at his disposal. Expect Ossified to lead Damage Networks to new horizons.

 

#7 duplex: swalk, FoelliX, Aioros

swalk has helmed duplex since its inception. He’s got an eye for talent (just look at their ex-members!) and he’s undoubtedly the leader of this team. The question is, can he lead this new version of duplex to the playoffs?

 

Germans FoelliX and Aioros return to duplex after stints in HBZ and miau (respectively). Look for FoelliX and swalk to be the focal point of duplex’s field players, while Aioros leads from the command chair/hive. His experience commanding a team of miau’s caliber will prove invaluable to duplex.

 

#8 Exertus: zups, wiry, elmo, naduli, Squirreli

I don’t mean to exclude commander TrC, as he’s an awesome commander—but let’s face it: Exertus is just Hollywood, man. Their field players are—simply put—exceptional, and they will undoubtedly be the focal point of this team.

 

zups, naduli, and Squirreli were the anchors against Archaea in their exciting European Open Finals match—now they’re back together and are fixing to get that bad taste out of their mouth. These five can easily stand toe-to-toe against any other Premiere Division team’s field players. In fact, one could argue that Exertus boasts the strongest field team in the entire Division. Whether you agree with this assertion or not, one thing’s for sure: don’t bet against them.

 

 

Matchups to Watch

Like I said in the introduction: this is a season primarily of grudge matches. While literally every single match will be must-see (seriously, like, all of them), these grudge match/rivalries will easily be the most exciting to watch because of the extra storylines woven throughout.

 

#1 Archaea vs. #2 Legendary Snails

If you’re a fan of NS2, this is the matchup that you want to see. Archaea has been out of the game since losing key players, but after picking up Grissi, valk, and Eissfeldt, they’ve gained new life. It was a shock when ray and eagleye left Archaea—after all, who leaves when they’re on top?—but The Snails are gaining a ton of momentum. Add to this the fact that these two teams, the #1 and #2 seeds, have never met on the big stage before—until now. Will Archaea prove that leaving them was a mistake? Or will the Frenchmen get the last laugh?

 

#2 Legendary Snails vs. #3 Saunamen

Since The Snails formed, Saunamen have been their stiffest competition. Over a single summer, these two teams have developed a fierce rivalry, with The Snails getting the better of The Saunamen (2-1), having won the Summer Cup and 2013 NSL European Open over the Finns, while Saunamen picked up the victory in their NSL 2013 Nation’s Cup meeting. When Season 3 begins, look for this rivalry to pick up right where it left off, as The Saunamen are keen to dole out some vengeance.

 

#4 Breakfast Klub vs. #5 Titus

A rematch of the NA Season 2 Division 1 Championship, look for sparks to fly during this matchup. Having switched teams, Syknik and Gliss find themselves opposite their former teams—how will they fare against old friends? And more importantly, how will the new members of both teams perform (joshhhy and dragon for Titus; schu, gosu and PaLaGi for The Klub)?

 

We’ll be seeing some of the most exciting players NS2 has to offer in this matchup:

derriere/PARTYSKULK/breasthound vs. Golden/Syknik/Bitey

NERDBUMPS!

 

Breakfast Klub’s absence has also created a lot of excitement, as fans of the reigning NA champions have missed their extremely aggressive play for months. Pride is on the line for both teams, and Titus will be looking to prove that their shocking 4-2 loss was nothing but a fluke.

 

#1 Archaea vs. #4 Breakfast Klub

Champion vs. Champion. A season ago, this would have been possibly only in an International Cup or Tournament, but now that NSL is obliterating the national boundaries, this dream matchup of Season 2 NA and EU champs facing off can finally be realized.

 

Oddly enough, there are some parallels between the two. Obviously, they’re both reigning champions. They’ve also both been on hiatus since the end of Season 2, so there may be some “ring rust” that they have to get rid of. Regardless, this matchup will surely deliver some exciting gameplay.

 

#5 Titus vs. #6 Damage Networks

Pretty much everyone in Damage Networks has a bone to pick with Titus—Titus has spoiled a multitude of Networks' post-seasons and tournament ventures. Not to mention that All-In’s old roster is now a part of Damage Networks, who’ve had similar ill-fated run-ins with Titus. And caught somewhere under all this is Golden, who left Networks to join Titus. Storylines upon storylines—exciting, to say the least!

 

#1 Archaea vs. #3 Saunamen

This is appealing mainly because it will pit long-time NS2 partners-in-crime Fana and Tane against each other again. Hopefully this can hearken back to the NS1 days of Nine Legends vs. Saunamen, and produce equally as competitive and entertaining matchups.

 

#1 Archaea vs. #5 Titus

I don’t think there’s a single person that doesn’t want to see a rematch of the 2013 NSL Invitational final. Many feel that Archaea, through no fault of their own, had an unfair advantage because of the jetlag that Titus were experiencing, and Titus’ lack of roster depth (not all their members could make the journey: Titus had 6 players, Archaea had 8 and were able to rotate their players to keep them fresh).

 

I’m sure Titus will deny this and remain gracious in their defeat, saying that Archaea were simply the better team that day—but that doesn’t mean they don’t want revenge. Make no mistake, Titus is out for blood. These teams may not have the same rosters as the 2013 NSL Invitiational, but being able to see “Titus > Archaea” will be enough to satisfy the North Americans—for now.

 

#3 Saunamen vs. #8 Exertus

I’ll just go ahead and dub this "The Battle of Finland." There’s really not much to explain here. There’s only room for one Finnish team at the top, and these two Scandinavian powerhouses will clash to see who can claim the title of “Kings of Finland” for the season (don't worry, we’ll make wiry an honorary Finn).

 

#1 Archaea vs. #7 duplex

This also goes for duplex vs. Legendary Snails and duplex vs. Saunamen. Not many people will be giving duplex a chance this season. That’s exactly why I wouldn’t sleep on them. There’s nothing more motivating than having everyone doubt you, and with Archaea’s roster shuffle-up, there will be no better chance for duplex to shock everyone by knocking off the #1 team in the world, proving that they belong among the world’s elite.

 

#1 Archaea vs. #8 Exertus

Don’t let the seeds fool you. This might be one of the most even, and exciting matchups for Season 3. I’m sure Exertus still remember the 2012 European Open finale, and much like Titus, they’ll be looking to avenge a Major tournament loss to Archaea. These two teams are going to renew an old rivalry, and hopefully, keep it going for many seasons to come. Look for this matchup to become an instant-classic.

 

#2 Legendary Snails vs. #4 Breakfast Klub

These two teams have never met before which is what makes it so intriguing. They’ll both have to adjust to each other’s play styles, but there’s a lot of potential (and room) for another international rivalry—and Snails/Klub would be a welcome addition to the party.

 

#3 Saunamen vs. #6 Damage Networks

Histories clash as the oldest-named active teams from NA and EU face off. Pasts aside, however, this matchup will feature some of the most insane shotgun play you’ll see all season: Boom, Colt, and edak (?!) vs. Tane, SoLa, and whiiii. If that doesn't give you nerdbumps, not much will!

 

#4 Breakfast Klub vs. #8 Exertus

The Battle of Resurrected Clans. Although Exertus have been hanging around under the miau banner, they’ve never formally met The Klub. Both teams were underdogs to their respective rivals (Titus and Archaea), but more importantly, what makes this matchup exciting is their styles of play. Exertus’ lineup is incredibly formidable, and quite frankly, downright intimidating. But Breakfast Klub aren’t ones to back down from a challenge. In fact, the playstyles of these two teams are almost mirror images as they both favor extremely aggressive approaches to the game.

 

Someone’s going to lose, but I honestly can’t say which team’s got the edge here. I can’t wait to see  these two teams clash.

 

 

Conclusion

If you’re not excited for Season 3, I don’t know what to say—I haven’t been this excited for any of the previous NSL seasons. Personally, my anticipation is perhaps rivaled only by the 2013 NSL Invitational between Nexzil vs. Archaea simply because we finally had a North American team to challenge for the top prize. And, Archaea’s roster issues aside, this seems to be the domineering storyline of the season: NA’s Davids vs. Europe’s Goliaths. Can the best teams North America has to offer hang with the best teams of Europe? These questions, and more, will all be answered when the season starts on September 8th.

 

And with that, I shall leave you.

 

All the best,

soz.