⚔ Division de Cavalerie Lourde [DCL][EU] Cavalry League 1 Champions

[DragonKing]

Spoiler

GRAND FINAL PREVIEW

This Sunday marks the conclusion of the 5v5 – Cavalry Tournament hosted this early 2020, with the Division de Cavalerie Lourde lead by DragonKing taking on Tival’s Gimps in the much-awaited grand-final.

The competition took place during two months where 150 players spread across 22 teams fought tooth and nails in an intense group stage which saw 8 of qualify for a prestigious knockout stage. Two of these teams proved to be one level above the rest of the competition and managed to progress further and further by beating some of the toughest opposition there was in that tournament yet, despite having both displayed some amazing skills throughout the tournament, only one of them will have the chance to lift the trophy and go down as the ultimate 5v5 champion.

To get a chance to reflect on this upcoming clash between some of the greatest players the NW cavalry scene has ever witnessed, I will be breaking down this match through a lengthy and detailed article which I hope will fill you with hype and impatience. Welcome, to the 5v5 – Cavalry Tournament grand-final match preview.

INTRODUCTION

To put back some context within this match, 5v5 has been the golden format when it comes to cavalry groupfighting on NW. Initially hosted as one night tournaments by PrideofNI back in 2013 and further, that format was brought back to live by the 2Lr last year thanks to a well-thought and organized tournament hosted in between two major regimental leagues. That event received a very positive response from the community with many teams signing-up for it and countless famous skilled names taking part. The grand-final happened to be a much-anticipated rematch between the 5e Taz and the 1er Cuirassiers which had seen the latter take the upper-hand during the group stage. The final was no different in that regards and while lifting their first trophy in that format, DragonKing and his men also confirmed a growing trend which had the heavy becoming the dominant force in the cavalry community, after years of hussar domination. THE 1erRC QUICKLY BECAME A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH IN THE CCL S1 AS YOU COULD NEVER COUNT THEM OUT, NO MATTER THE ROUND

Shortly after, the 1er Cuirassiers became part of a larger group, the DLC (Division de Cavalerie Lourde) and capitalized on their 5v5 victory in the best possible manner by winning another trophy, as a regiment versus other regiments this time, during the CCL Season 2. Since then, the community went a bit quiet. The 5e Hussard announced its disbanding after many years at the very top of the regimental cavalry scene. The Nr4, which had had an amazing run in the CCL2, also went inactive and the 4e Hussard’s participation, undoubtedly the greatest regiment of all time, became quite uncertain in regards to future competitive events. THE DCL WINNING THE CCL S2 ILLUSTRATED THE PEAK OF THE HEAVY DOMINANCE AND PROVED THE 14PK LEGACY WAS WELL AND TRULY CARRIED

It’s in such context that another 5v5 Cavalry Tournament was hosted by DragonKing – with a format very similar to the successful one hosted by the 2Lr some months before. Despite the lack of activity regimentally wise, many players answered the call, and with Bannerlord rising on the horizon, this competition appeared to be the best way to settle the score between heavies and hussars. Would DragonKing and his men leave NW on a high note by establishing a huge heavy dominance in the late era of NW and proving undefeated or would a team of brave hussars manage to bring back some balance by contesting the victory to them? The answer is yet to be known yet we can certainly already draw some conclusions about that match-up by looking at the previous results of both these teams, as well as their players' strengths

TEAMS

DIVISION DE CAVALERIE LOURDE From the beginning, the Division de Cavalerie Lourde (DCL) was established as a heavy favourite for this tournament. Winner of the previous 5v5 Groupfighting Tournament under the 1erRC banner and of the CCL Season 2, DragonKing and his men have been unstoppable lately, no matter as a regiment or a team. Effectively speaking, they registered two teams under the DCL banner but only one of them was capable to make it all the way and that’s logically the one we are going to mention in this preview. Their groupstage went as you would expect it for a team of this calibre, only dropping one little round against the other heavy team of their group, the 8pk, but winning all four matches in the most one-sided possible manner. Their quarter-final and semi-final followed the same road as Fire99rs and the 2Lr were quickly dispatched by the DCL, 7-0 and 7-1 respectively. In the previous 5v5 tournament where they played as the 1erRC, the heavy team already showed a clear dominance in most of their matches but at least they had been slightly contested by the 5eTaz in both their matches, showing they were dominant, but not invincible. For this competition, it seems they have somehow managed to strengthen their gameplay, explaining why no teams managed to come even close to beating them. There is also another reality which is that looking at the rosters, the two other heavy favourites, Animals and Gimps, were in the other side of the knockout stage meaning the DCL is yet to have faced the very best team in the tournament. It could be a downside for them yet it is hard to picture a team such as the DCL coming unprepared in this grand-final. Even though they did not get challenged yet in that tournament they are all experienced and aware enough to know that they were the team to beat from the get-go and that they have to take any opposition in that grand-final as seriously as possible.

GIMPS Gimps were one of the teams assembled specifically for this competition, as it is often the case for groupfighting tournaments. Its members come from very different horizons but with such experienced and skilled players as the ones Tival recruited, it became fairly obviously at the start of the tournament that this team would be a very strong contender for the title. Interestingly enough, Gimps were placed in the same group as Animals - who finished 3rd in the last 5v5 tournament - which gave them a way to test their real strength early on. With both teams swimming through their group with ease, it was expected their encounter would be a tense and close battle and that it was. Animals got the lead most of the time but it was Gimps’ experience and morale which helped them closing it in the end, 7-6. Both Gimps and Animals were expected to meet again later on, which they did, after having defeated HellSquad and Only Ping and Luck in their respective quarter-finals. Their rematch was once against a back and forth affair and once again, Gimps prevailed in the end by a small margin, 7-5. These two matches against Animals, no matter how mentally tiring they have been, will definitely play in the favour of Gimps in this grand-final. Unlike the DCL, Gimps have been contested yet they came on top of their opponent each time. They have faced this situation where they were down in the score but managed to bring it back, which can only comfort them in their mental abilities. Going against the DCL, this will be a key aspect that will definitely help them. Everyone knows how tiring a match against skilled and experienced heavies can be and that’s precisely where the mind of your players is as much an important factor as their skill. In the sense, I believe Gimps to be 100% up to the task and that’s why this grand-final should prove to be an exciting one.

ROSTER

DragonKing is the brain behind the DCL team and has been one of the most vocal and active members within the heavy cavalry community. His recent achievements helped to build its reputation of tenacious opponent among other regiments and there is no denying he was instrumental in establishing the heavy dominance in the most recent years.

Ghazi has been a veteran in the cavalry scene. I had the chance to fight alongside or against him in the very early days of the 14pk and there is absolutely no denying this guy is a terrifying force on the field. The fact he managed to keep playing with such constancy is a sign of an undisputable strong will and I will be looking forward to seeing how he does tonight.

If you do not know Dokletian's name by now, chances are you did not play much in the cavalry scene. He has been one of the very best hussar players for years and he was instrumental in establishing the Nr6 as the best german regiment in the NW cavalry community. Tonight, his experience of such complicated match-ups and his unmatched skill will be key for his team.

Lorucas was mostly spotted under the 8th banner where he was of their most dangerous players. The Spanish cavalry has a ton of experience by his side unfortunately due to his high-ping, I'm unsure how well he will be capable to perform tonight. Nevertheless, he is always a fun and enjoyable player to have on your team.

It appears Husarion has been a heavy fanatic all his life and this would explain why he plays the class so well. Going through the ranks of the 8pk and 10pk, his skill seems to have never stopped improving which makes him one of the most threatening player in that grand final. His very aggressive style is always a risk obviously, especially since he is often the one keeping the formation alive would DragonKing falls.

Jean Garrigue is part of the less-known players amongst the DCL or at least he was some years ago. He is one of the oldest 12eRC player and nowadays, he has proven to be capable of going face to face against some of the very best players in the scene and be anything but a weight for his team. His charming and joking personality is also an important aspect to keep the team's morale high.

Quinn's loyalty to the KGL often made him a heavily underestimated player as he was not always able to do much against tougher opposition. However, playing alongside some of the very best hussars in the scene, he clearly proved that he had the skill to compete against the very best team and I found his impact in Gimps - watching their videos - extremely valuable.

Remao is to the french scene, what Dokletian is to the german one. An extremely talented, smart and caring player. In the 5e Hussards, his ability to single handly carry a game, clutch the most impossible situations but also organize the game plan with less skilled players was simply mesmerising. Tonight, with this bunch of extremely experienced players, I expect him to focus on his gameplay and strive at what he does best: killing people.

Even though he obviously performed in countless other tournaments, Michnicki impressed me the most during the CCL where he was one of the most dangerous players in the competition. His individual power his simply off the charts and makes him one of the hardest players to deal with. One of the win-condition for the DCL, undoubtedly.

The Dutchman has proven to be a rising prospect in the hussar scene when he was playing for the 2eHuss and the Nr4. However, he has also shown some great capabilities as heavy cavalry and this duality in his gameplay makes him a strong weapon going against a hussar based team. Though I do not expect him to be among the heavy carries for the DCL, there is no doubt Naz will have his role to play in his team's success or failures.

Octanidas impressed me the most when he played for the Nr4. I discovered a player with an insanely high carry potential and I believe he was often vastly underestimated by some of his pairs. His presence in this grand-final is the living proof that the german was always mean to compete at the very top and he will be a crucial aspect for his team victory tonight.

Tival is the leader of Gimps and was the main force behind the gathering process of this amazing group of players. Though he doesn't appear to be the most skilled players among Gimpz (and that hardly means much when you look at the rest of the line-up) I believe he is the glue linking all these players together and in that sense, he is probably their most important member.

In regards to his very modest and quiet personality, Thorvic's individual prowesses impress even more. There are very few players who can pretend to be capable of going head to head against him, a sword in the hand. Thorvic's extremely balanced gameplay has been one of the key elements in the success of the 1erRC and the DCL and he will also have to be one tonight against Gimps.

Much like his fellow countryman Garrigue, Theillet was part of the 12eRC veterans who merged with the 10pk to create the DCL. Though his name may not be as famous as some of his teammates, he has proven to be an important member of his team and regiment by bringing his positive energy during important matches. It would also be foolish to underestimate his in-game capacities as the Frenchman is an accomplished heavy player.

Shadey rise to the top was impressive in the sense that the brit came pretty much out of nowhere and in the blink of an eye, became of the strongest player in the scene. Shadey is mechanically gifted and one of the most complete player in NW overall which means it's hard to imagine him anywhere but at the top of the scoreboard tonight.

Treiz is one of the oldest NW players in this grand-final and his experience and longevity at the top of the scene must speak for something. He was one of the most important elements in the 5eHuss and one of the reason (alongside Exofrance) why the french regiment continued to perform so well after all these years. The Frenchman is as much of an individually skilled beast that he is a smart and aware teamplayer. Definitely a player to keep an eye on tonight.

[close]

Great work from Tardet

[Chxrch]

Must say for a lieutenant team killing on group cavalry fighting is how i perceive this regiment as shit.

[Husarion7k]

Wtf are u talking about

[Slege]

Must say for a lieutenant team killing on group cavalry fighting is how i perceive this regiment as shit.

Yep that's me, and I only tk on purpose, either acquaintance when they know I'm joking or if you look for it, like in this case those guys keep teamhitting me (maybe you I don't know) so I just end up killing them after.

[DragonKing]

DCL News

Welcome ladies and gentlemen on the thread of the Division de Cavalerie Lourde ! Many changes have taken place since the end of the 5vs5 cavalry league. First, we will try to explain the evolution of the group since the end of the 5vs5 league. We will then try to explain our new objectives but also our ambition for the future of the community.

For starters, Husarion has decided to put an end to the 10pk. This group was one of the two pillars that made up the DCL. For some time now, the motivation of the Poles in the group has been wavering, but nevertheless we have remained united thanks to the competition. The desire to win the cavalry competitions is precisely what allowed the DCL to be created. It is therefore normal, that with the lack of activity on the competitive scene, the structure lost its activity. Victory at the tournament was a wonderful time to say goodbye. In addition, the arrival of BannerLord was going to mark a break for the entire cavalry community. Then a strange phase took place for us.
With the event of CoronaVirus and containment, some officers were overwhelmed in their IRL lives. Others no longer had the motivation to play. Some had already turned the page of DCL. For a few months, we have been absent from the game and many were questioning our regiments health. So we resumed our activity very slowly. For that we registered for the 1st Huss event. Thanks to the quality of the event, little by little the number of active people in the DCL is increasing. Who knows if we'll be back on the competitive scene soon, it's good to know that the structure is capable of projecting itself and aligning a solid group.
So we can continue on the competitive scene. I'll still provide the activity throughout the course within the structure of course. To put it simply, our ambitions are unchanged: to play and have fun through competitions and matches. So, It is assured that a team from the regiment will be present for the next cavalry competition. Nevertheless, we have to be realistic and we still need some time to clarify our situation. To update a roster that is constantly evolving and to set ourselves regular events. We are therefore reserving a delay before playing our next match. Especially since the cavalry scene has been turned upside down with the arrival of new regiments made up of veterans of the regiments that have been disbanded.

So here's a summary of our situation. See you on the battlefield!

[DragonKing]

Here we go !

[Octanidas]

Great Work, Hype is here!

[Aless]

Here we go !

Official thread when

[DragonKing]

Here we go !

Official thread when

I'm writing threads, it depends on my speed