MJ12 vs TB

Before the war...

We recently experienced some crashes with TLP I. So we decided to close it 2 hours before the match in order to set it up quietly and fix some OS stuff. Meanwhile, the players started to come to our IRC channel. As usual we asked a few questions to the team leaders, [MJ12]SnakePlissken and TB|-krust.

Puma: How do you feel before this match?
[MJ12]SnakePlissken: Very excited. Me and the entire team has been looking forward to this match for a long time!
Q: Is it your first match for the Euro ladder?
A: Yes, this is the first match on the Ladder.
Q: Did you train a lot before this match?
A: We have had a lot of individual practice. However, as a team, we have just recently begun to get out routine working. Also, we have implemented a strategy for each map we will be playing on tonight. We hope that is enough for now.
Q: Tell me more about your tactics.
A: Oh but that is a team secret! Well, I suppose I can reveal that we have divided the six players into squads with specific tasks. And everyone has a specific class on each map depending on if we are defending or attacking.
Q: What is the usual composition of your team?
A: At least two recons. At least two medics. The other positions can vary depending on the map and the current situation. We want to remain flexible.
Q: Do you have some preferences in the maps you'll play this evening?
A: We feel confident playing on both sides on all the maps. However, we do prefer to be the defending team on Tunnel since they have an enormous advantage. But we have prepared a surprise or two for Team Boron on that map when we are attacking.
Q: Hmm, I love surprises.
A: Surprises are fun!
Q: So you are confident?
A: Yes, I must say I am. I am extremely satisfied with every player of MJ12. Even though I am not playing myself tonight, I know they will do a very good job.
Q: Anything else to add before the match?
A: We hope it will be a fair game with lots of teamplay and tactics. And of course, my best wishes to Team Boron and the players of MJ12!
Q: Thanks and good luck!
A: Thank you too!
Puma: How do you feel before this match?
TB|-krust: I am happy till now . And I hope it will be a good match.
Q: Is it your first match for the Euro ladder?
A: Yes it is
Q: Did you train a lot before this match?
A: No we had only one fight against [PoGT] (german go clan).
Q: What is the usual composition of your team?
A: 2 teams of 3.
Q: What kind of classes?
A: Every team has one recon, one medic and one multi-purpose man.
Q: What is your prefered map for this match?
A: Our prefered map for this match is Tunnel. This is where I think we have the best chances.
Q: Who will be your VIP? And why?
A: We chose Piccoten because he can shoot well with pistols.
Q: Anything else to add before the match?
A: Yes I hope it will be a good match and I hope that MJ12 does not cheat.
Q: I'll take care of that . Good luck then.
A: Yes, thanks.

Undoubtedly, [MJ12] wins when it comes to chat. But are they so strong in Global Operations?

D-Day: August 23, 2002 - 21:30 CET

The first map is Mexico. [MJ12] Jim-Bob takes the bomb, and the [MJ12] guys try to enter by the south. Their objective is the truck. [MJ12] Skunk0001 is the first to hit the dust, followed by [MJ12] Weasel. TB|- is defending the main courtyard with a lot of firepower, and they kill most of the attackers, including the bomb carrier. [MJ12] Skunk0001 is retrieving it and he is taking the back route by the church to the drug courtyard. He miraculously escapes to death in this court and manages to plant the bomb. Then TB|-Lawman, TB|-krust and TB|-Executer come back and kill all the [MJ12] near the bomb. TB|-Lawman finally manages to defuse it 15 seconds before it blows.
[MJ12] 0 - 1 TB|-

Same place, but this time TB|- is attacking. They rush so fast that they forget to take the bomb. [MJ12] Weasel does one of his best fights: 4 kills in a row. Too bad, he is killed by a grenade launched by his team-mate [MJ12] Barbarossa. TB|-Airborner is picking up the bomb 3 minutes after the beginning of the round, and he rushes through the church with 2 other team-mates. He dies a first time, and during 4 minutes, it seems TB|- lost the bomb. The floor of some corridors is strewn with weapons lying in pools of blood. The time is running out but TB|-Airborner manages to plant the bomb, 30 seconds before the end of the round. And here is [MJ12] Barbarossa that takes the bomb and tries to defuse it in a hurry. First light off, he cuts one of the remaing ones and... goes in hell.
[MJ12] 0 - 2 TB|-

New map: Tunnel, and TB|- starts as SAS. A last minute change in TB|- tactic: TB|-Airborner replaces TB|-Piccoten as VIP. The two teams quickly meet in the corridors of the second floor. TB|-Airborner stays with TB|-Piccoten playing Medic and TB|-Executer and his LSD. TB|-Executer is trying to find a safe way but the [MJ12] guys are everywhere. They die and come back immediately. After more than 2 mn in the corridors, TB|- guys manage to exit. TB|-Piccoten kills [MJ12] Weasel in the back, but he is killed 2 seconds later by [MJ12] Skunk0001 and revenged 4 seconds laters by TB|-Executer, the last man standing on SAS side. 1 second later, [MJ12] Barbarossa kills the VIP.
Total playing time for this round: 3'30.
[MJ12] 1 - 2 TB|-

This is the last chance for [MJ12] and they have now to protect the VIP, played by [MJ12] Barbarossa. So what is this surprise announced by [MJ12] SnakePlissken during the interview? Apparently the team is divided in 2 groups: [MJ12] Weasel and [MJ12] Skunk0001 rush by the second floor, while MJ12] Barbarossa follows [MJ12] The Saint Of Killers guided by [MJ12] Jim-Bob. The first group enters in contact with TB|-krust, TB|-Piccoten and TB|-Airborner waiting for them in the shadow, just outside of the west exit. TB|-krust is killed but [MJ12] Skunk0001 and [MJ12] Weasel are just swept by TB|-Piccoten and TB|-Airborner.

The second group tries to find its way through the east tunnel. But they are received by an intense fire from all the 4 TB|- guys still alive. [MJ12] The Saint Of Killers is killed by TB|-Airborner assisted by TB|-Executer and TB|-Piccoten. [MJ12] Jim-Bob and [MJ12] Barbarossa try to retreat in the tunnel, but TB|-Executer kills them with the same burst.
Total playing time for this round: 54 seconds.
[MJ12] 1 - 3 TB|-

The final words

Waiting for Barbarossa comments...

Sidenotes from the admin

TB|- was not able to align 6 players. The TWL rules say that it is possible to have a minimum of 5 players for a team. The match was played 5 vs 5 but it is unclear if it was legal for [MJ12] to keep 6 players. It seems uneven to me to accept such a situation and it would have changed the result of this game.
The automatic team switch did not work with Tunnel, because it is a 3-team map. So I had to restart it.
The stats of the match are available here.