With HSCVI now entering the third day we’ve been treated with the usual display of gambling, impromptu (and ever more surprising) casting combos, silly behavior and overall laidbackness that is the essence of Homestory. We know, of course, that behind the effusion of eccentricity and back-and-forth banter both players and organizers put out, there lies a serious competition with a lot of prize money at stake. If anyone ever forgot this fact they are likely to be reminded today, when half of the remaining players will be reduced to a quarter of the original number.
Phase one of the group stage produced by and large unsurprising results. European heavyweights tossed each other around. In some cases the competition was, if not close, at least tough. The Koreans did well as expected, but will have to tighten their belts when phase two of the group stage commences. The strength of the European roster will be less diluted and more determined, but not for that less distracted by what TaKe has to offer them: home cooking, booze, and each other’s company.
Traditionally Homestory Cup has always produced games that are simultaneously wacky and high level. We’ve seen Zergs building Command Centers and PvPs ending with crazy DT centric Observer snipe basetrades - we have been catapulted into a dimension where Starcraft 2, while played professionally, is obviously more fun and more free form.
What awaits us on Day Three? Take a look.
Group A - MaNa, Snute, DIMAGA, Symbol
In which MaNa practices his PvZ. Dimaga, Snute, and Symbol are the three degrees of Zerg a champion Protoss must withstand in order to be recognized. He will have his work cut out for him. Still, we shouldn’t feel sorry for him as much as for Snute/Dimaga who are looking at ZvZs versus Symbol, a known dominator, and each other (nothing to scoff at). If you raise your head and all you see is Zerg, at least your challenge is unidimensional. What do you do if, among the Queens, Mutalisks and Ultras, there is one lone Dark Templar waiting to snipe your Lair? We won’t have to wait long to find out.
Group B - Ret, MarineKing, Brat_OK, Socke
In which underachievers discover they are not all made equal. It’s standard practice to give the likes of MarineKingPrime a free pass at events like Homestory Cup. If he plays like we know he can play then nothing and no one can touch him. Then again humans are frail and inconsistent - more so MarineKing, who has tricked himself out of many a tournament gold and might yet again. Unlikely, but we ought to give Socke and Ret more credit. They’ve acquitted themselves so far, but I suspect none of them will win. Past history simply doesn’t support any notion of hope, even though we know, theoretically, that they can beat MarineKing. I’m leaving Brat_OK for last, and that’s for the simple reason that he has never stood up in a truly global arena. But who knows. We love surprises at Homestory. Maybe Brat_OK will give us one.
Group C - Stephano, BabyKnight, XlorD, MMA
Day Two showed us that MMA still has no problem beating foreign players - the usual stock, I mean. But going against a world class player like Stephano is another problem entirely. The game changes when you play against someone who is at least as good as you, and Stephano will test MMA. He will stretch him, prod him, then do to him what all successful Zergs have wanted to: swallow him whole or swat him aside. But what about XlorD and BabyKnight? One is old, the other new, neither laureled enough to warrant much consideration in the grand scheme of things. It pays to be cautious: rarely are the favorites upset, and even a slumping MMA will prove to be unbeatable.
Group D - MC, Grubby, Kas, TLO
MC and Grubby - budding rivals? Let’s not forget that when Grubby picked up Warcraft 3 he didn’t immediately start winning tournaments. He came to the fore in time, and then began dominating. It’d be disingenuous to assert that his game hasn’t been steadily improving, as MC, having lost to him during IEM Singapore, can attest. Kas and TLO look ill positioned for continuing their runs.
Day Three looks poised to deliver more pizza, alcohol and table soccer tournaments than ever before. In between this revelry some Starcraft will be played.
All photos by: Fragster.de
