I. ReiGn(HU) v. Bro(OR) Secret Valley


During this match, ReiGn chooses human instead of his normal race of undead. The match begins as ReiGn builds a “spy farm” directly in Bro's base. Next, ReiGn trains a mountain king (MK) and proceeds to militia creep his orange gnoll camp. Bro decides takes a conservative approach and opts to harass while upgrading to tier 2. After outfitting his blademaster (BM) with a boots of speed and a circlet, Bro's army destroys ReiGn's suicidal “spy farm.” ReiGn uses this opportunity to militia expand. However, Bro anticipates the expansion and arrives to harass it. Although, ReiGn's militia staves off Bro's initial attack, Bro's shadow hunter arrives in time to hex-kill ReiGn's MK. ReiGn's loss is critical. Although, he manages to surround and kill both of Bro's heroes while reviving his MK, Bro's tier 2 army is simply too much. Bro's raider/walker combo eventually overcomes ReiGn's tier 1 units to earn Hoorai the first point.

II. SoJu v. Bro Twisted Meadows


SoJu spawns at the 8 o'clock and Bro at the 4. Bro opens with gambit: He sells his BM's town portal for a circlet. Both players opt to harass and tech until tier 2. At tier 2, SoJu loses both heroes in a disastrous attempted creepjack; Bro loses 2 grunts. However, SoJu gets lucky and picks up a tome of experience. SoJu's second creepjack at Bro's goblin lab exposes Bro's critical weakness: a circlet where a town portal should be. SoJu kills Bro's BM and manages to even the score at 1-1.

III. SoJu v. DNA Lost Temple



SoJu spawns south and DNA east. Both players tech, creep, and harass until tier 2. At tier 2 SoJu, wins 3 melees to accumulate a small advantage. However, SoJu completely squanders the gains in a failed creepjack. SoJu disregards (or underestimates) DNA's spirit linked wood peons and loses both his heroes in the battle. In a textbook move, DNA heals his army at the fountain and presses into SoJu's base. After DNA kills SoJu's revived demon hunter, SoJu calls GG giving hoorai the 2-1 advantage.

IV. DNA v. Miou Echo Isles


Miou trains an Archmage (AM) and successfully militia expands under heavy harassment by DNA's Blademaster. At tier 2, DNA's army catches Miou's AM solo-creeping the south green murloc camp. Miou's AM escapes DNA's raging army with 7 hp, but meets his untimely end at the hands of a lone wind rider. DNA proceeds to harass Miou's base as he revives his hero and manages to destroy 2 towers, a farm, and a peasant. However, Miou counters by attacking DNA's main with 6 defended footman and forces DNA to retreat in order to repel the armored menace. By now, Miou has revived his AM and trained a Mountain King. Miou sneaks south to attack DNA's base while DNA approaches from the north; Both players attacks each other's base simultaneously. DNA destroys 3 guard towers, while Miou razes 2 burrows. Realizing that the exchange was in Miou's favor, DNA orders his army home (by foot) to eject Miou from his base. Miou's raids continue throughout the game. The attrition is eventually too much for DNA to handle. With the help of an expansion, Miou's 86 food army crushes DNA to tie the score at 2-2.

V. FiX (UD) v. Miou(Orc) Turtle Rock


FiX spawns at 11 and Miou at 5. FiX opts for an early altar and late fiends while Miou chooses the standard grunt and tech strategy. Both players tech to level 2 and train a second hero (Miou: Shadow Hunter; FiX: Lich) FiX catches Miou creeping the 4 o'clock spawn and kills 2 grunts without loss. Miou finishes off the creeps and begins an expansion. FiX begins creeping the north goblin shop and is creepjacked by Miou's far smaller army. Miou's lapse of judgment forces him to TP and allows FiX to destroy Miou's expansion. Miou decides to creep the south goblin shop. However, FiX is there to deliver the creepjack; Miou's losses are significant. Miou is unable to repel FiX's subsequent attack on his main and he calls GG. 3-2 Hoorai.

VI. ReiGn v. FiX Turtle Rock


SK revives ReiGn in lieu of playing Lyn. FiX spawns at 11 o'clock and ReiGn at 5. Both players choose the Death Knight, but ReiGn chooses fiends, while FiX opts for ghouls. In a bold yet questionable move, FiX early expands in ReiGn's plain view. FiX's strategy appears to flawless. He surrounds ReiGn's DK and forces him to town portal. However, ReiGn opts for a little chicanery; ReiGn leaves his fiend army at his main and attempts to take down FiX's expansion with his DK and a rod of necromancy. FiX, decides to assault ReiGn's main. He uses a scroll of the beast and tries to take down ReiGn's goldmine. The result is disastrous. ReiGn's army and base defenses combine to kill 4 ghouls while heavily wounding 2 more; ReiGn suffers no losses. ReiGn orders his fiends to join his death knight and takes down the FiX's expansion. FiX's losses are heavy. He begins his Halls of the Dead upgrade as ReiGn has already begin to upgrade to Black Citadel. FiX's technology defecit proves fatal. ReiGn presses converts his tech-advantage into shades and frost wyrms and wins the game handily. Tied at 3-3.

VII. ReiGn v. BriNGeR Terenas Stand


In the exciting final match, BriNGeR chooses a Panda with archer support, while ReiGn opts for a DK and ghouls. ReiGn manages an early surround, but is forced to retreat after BriNGeR's Panda hits level 2 during the trap. BriNGeR proceeds to creep his shop under heavy harassment from ReiGn, who kills 2 archers in the melee. ReiGn uses a sacrificial skull and secretly expands to his natural. Next, ReiGn attacks BriNGeR's main base and picks off an Ancient of Lore. A battle subsequently erupts and both players suffer heavy losses. ReiGn loses 5-6 ghouls and is forced to town portal, but BriNGeR loses 3 bears and 2 archers. Both players take some time to recover, but ReiGn's coalescence is accelerated by his expansion. BriNGeR uses an invisibility potion to scout ReiGn's main with his Panda (still didn't discover ReiGn's expansion); ReiGn scouts around the map with destroyers. BriNGeR's invisible Panda explodes and picks off 3 ziggurats and an accolyte, before staffing out. Next, BriNGeR's entire army returns to ReiGn's main to “bring pain.” However, ReiGn's destroyers force BriNGeR to town portal. As BriNGeR prepares for another Panda raid, ReiGn maneuvers his army for an assault on BriNGeR's main. BriNGeR's Panda manages to reduce ReiGn's main goldmine to 3 hp, but fails to finish the job, as ReiGn's army slices into his base. BriNGeR's Panda forces ReiGn to town portal, but the damage is done: BriNGeR's army is decimated. ReiGn's economy advantage quickly recovers him and he returns with a 76 food army. Even with a level 6 Panda, BriNGeR's no upkeep army cannot withstand the onslaught. SK escapes Hoorai with a final score of 4-3.

// Written by Andrew "cannon00" Chen