ECL GrandFinal - Game Analysis (Spoiler inside)

Hey guys, tnx to robo_boro fast rec game posting skills i was able to follow the tourney in the oldschool way (eternal love for rec games 11), that said, i've realized it would be good to share tome toughts/perception of games with you so we can discuss it.

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So yesterday, September 1st, we had the GF of ECL, year long tourney, and the top 2 teams faced each other in a BO9 Series.

Teams had to play a BO9 with 1v1, 2v2 and 3v3 Games involved, there were some restrictions regard playyers, and they could pick free hidden civs, without repeating it through the series.

G1 - 1v1 - ECL Frisia

Liereyy (Mongols) vs Viper (Celt)

Viper picked Celts while Liereyy picked Mongols, he's one of the few players who can take the best out this civ for 1v1 Setts, he did it in both previous Ara tourney, Map is a mix of water/land, with predominant land play (more like a Land map with Fishing possibility tbh), some good extra deers (there comes the big boost to Mongol!) and a short distance between enemyes (since water sorrunds the main landmass they're in), with that in mind, feudal agression, especially the one from Mongol (Fast Feudal due hunt bonus, and good number of scouts for the same reason) gave Liereyy and agressive approach. Viper tried to use Celt Eco (wood bonus) to fish good, maybe there was more involved in his civ decision (the small distance between players valuing a Siege approach? an possibility of using Celt M@A in this hard to full-wall map to disrupt enemy eco (especially deer)? the Counter-potential Celt vs Meso? i can't state for sure without asking him. But i can see those mentioned as good reasons for the Celt.

As game went by, Liereyy sucessfull used his Feudal Scout Opening (later adding Archers) to his army composition, Viper tried to use Infantary for defending, there's hardly a better spearman than celt one to chase scouts, but what is good might not always be enough.. seens like Viper relied on his Fish (and few boats to protect it) in order to get an Advantage while Liereyy trusted a strong farm, dock used mostly to try and snipe out Viper's fish.

There were also some Marsh/rivers between the lands, that could allow some demoshots or galleys to help, but especially at early feudal, Viper couldn't use it to his advantage.

Once in Castle Age, situation started to look worse from Viper, Liereyy Cavalry was now stronger with the Knight option, his archers now had become Xbows, more deadly and annoying due extra atack/range, and his Eco was now even more debilitated, his wood (his only avaiable wood by that point) would run out.. his fish no longer were providing the same ammount of food as his initial 5 from Dark Age, not to mention in this Map land units could eventually raid/atack the fish..

Viper bravely hold Liereyy using Siege/Pike, his constant repair and good shots were even able to repell Liereey, but at a very high cost, Liereey eco was now developing ,and he had a good villager advantage, Viper situation was a lot worse now, he had to push back, he had to counter, so he quickly send fw his Mangs, protected by some good ammount of Pikes, he started to push Liereyy but by now his eco was already developed, and he was heavy on Stone.. Liereyy 1st Castle defended his Front, protected his Gold and made Viper's life hard.. (and he strarted to make few Mangudais..) Viper at this point had to choose between going back home or try to flank Lierrey with his Mangonels.. let's just remember that within this few minutes Viper tried to reboom and close the economical gap between the two, while Liereyy stopped to grow free to now take care of Mangonels.. game was supposedly going to get more balanced But...

Liereyy decided to show why he was often a contender for the top#1, with some awesome Micro repelled the Magnonel Push (while adding his 2nd castle and going Imp...) despite losing his push, Viper was now going Imp, and if he succeded in holding his groung he could try a imperial cobmination of his pike/mango to win the game, but if Mangudais were already a problem.. Elite Mangs were the deadly blow, and we are not talking about 40 of them.. with few numbers, some essential upgrades and an outstanding Micro Liereyy was Able to kill 4 Mangonels from Viper, and finish the game, Viper even attempted to build up some Castles, force some static fight (chasing Mangudais doesn't look fun does it?), maybe his best shot was trebbing the Mongol, forcing him to try and snipe out Trebs while trying to dodge Onagers (well protected onagers..) but this never happened, Lierrey just created a big opening on feudal/castle, defended well and won the game.

Worth watching for: Army Control, Map Control, awesome Micro.

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To be Continue...