Spoiler
Coming into this 5th Edition of Season 2, we can evaluate that Amaterasu are slight favourites considering they still have the best quality of depth, and teamplay. The biggest attribute of this team is there desire to prove themselves and they are VERY hungry to be established as the top team, winning means more to these guys than any other team. I feel with the addition of RedFire after his injury means they just have just another great player to rely upon if needed. Without talking about the obvious qualities of Jakob, Higen, Zeyden, Chuckster and Achilles, we can mention the solid work the likes of TheDeaD, Zenon and Steinmann do by being great listeners and brilliant teamplayers to listen to Zeyden's calls and do exactly what is required of them to get over the line. This is a team I very much admire having led ChimpZ for so many years, the combination of skill, willingess to improve, intelligence and the right amount of ego/cockyness makes them a real force to be reckoned with for the remainder of the season, and the next!
A worthy opposition to Amaterasu is clearly Legends! Legends have added probably one of the best players in the past 2 years in Shadey, he is very reliable when he wants to be and when he tryhards and cares. He can single handedly carry a team so to be in a team with the likes of Elsse and ExTaZz, will be a very big challenge for Amaterasu to overcome. Last weekend in Tardet's "The Fighting Pit" we saw what we may see in the final of this tournament, numerous members of Legends overwhelming some of Amaterasu's best players. I feel Legends do have a stronger top 3 players than Amaterasu, but Legends squad depth is not as good, nor cohesive as Amaterasu's. If Elsse shows what he showed in the 5v5 tournament where he claimed tournament MVP and if ExTaZz plays to his normal level, then it will be a close 50/50 encounter and either team could win.
Without Poosy removing Rikkert due to lack of willingness to play, alongside key other indviduals set to be missing from the 6v6 tournament, it may be a very poor display from Poosy which will clearly not show what the true potential the team has, but nonetheless they won't field as strong of a team so they would have to cause a upset to make it to the final, and to win. The addition of Maurice is a expected, yet average transfer. Maurice in his own regard is a great all time player but he is a huge downgrade on what Rikkert possessed, he will be missed but you need people to play who want to play, I expect Maurice to fit in easily and be a stable player but he won't change a outcome of a match. As previously mentioned, with noticeable prominent players missing for this tournament, I predict them to lose the semi-finals to either Amaterasu or Legends!.
Going into 6v6 Format it really does test teams depth and ability to rotate accordingly to situations so I feel the next best team to push up the pecking order after ProudBoys untimingly exit has to be Virgins. With the addition of Golden, they have one of the all time greats who may very well fit into the team way better than ExTaZz managed to do so at the start of the season. Golden's general style suits the methodical, careful, teamplay based Virgins who also have brilliant flank players such as Quenouille Barro and Vortx. These three have stayed loyal for along time now and they are very good, Quenouille has great teamplay capabilites and perfect timings on his timings to release stabs and always seems to make the right decision. Barro another player who has excelled in the past 2 years and he can be a real handful on his day. Vortx another old player who has maintained a high level of skill for so long and his experience has always, and will always be important for Virgins. Apart from the outstanding flank players they have long possesed, they recently added janne who on his day, can be a top10 player in the game, unfortunately he can be unpatient and lose focus and choke but maybe with drilled teamplay around him and the desire to win, he can show what potential he has based on his raw ability. Expect Virgins to be real underdogs going into this tournament, I wont be suprised if they cause a upset.
I'm expecting NSS Snappers and ENIGMA to keep fighting in and around those 5th/7th spots to decide who gets the best seed going into the playoffs. In my opinion, NSS have the best chance as they have drilled teamplay which follows over from the 45th teamplay and leading from Maskman. Then Cody has been really stepping up lately and we should look and watch as he tries to take the next step up and become a top 25 player. Reliable and consistent players like Snikkel, Fietta and Timlef may help them achieve the 5th seed overall which they currently sit in. ENIGMA are next and although they have a better on paper team, they lack something important clearly and they keep on underperforming, with the German trio of Gerher, Wolpi and Bunter, you really expect them to carry and take them to the level they should be at but something needs to be figured out to make ENIGMA reach the desired level. The rest of the ENIGMA team is littered with experience from NWWC Semi-Finals and tournament winners and regimental leaders, I feel they can and will reach that level in the future. Lastly Snappers probably will finish around 7th this tournament, they have stagnated, found their level in the middle of the group and maybe that is what is enough to be satisified with. They clearly have very experienced players and serial winners in Regimental coming from the 15thYR, but they doesnt clearly translate over to the groupfighting scene. I expect players such as Gi, Ivan and Mike to try carry Snappers but they will fall short again due to alot of inexperience and rusty players.
In regards to the rest of the teams, I expect it to be a cagey affair which is hard to predict. BlackKnights may continue there good form with players such as BlitzKrieg and Ciomico continuning to perform well and sneak into that top 8 over CCCP? CCCP did have the addition of Voluble who is a good addition for such team and that may keep CCCP withint the last playoff position. We may see NPP cause a upset or two in the middle of the pack considering they do have Melsyo, who is one of the best leaders in the groupfighting scene of all time. Players like Flo and KORE can be great players for them, Flo has improved alot and is a solid player and with the addition of KORE they have a great player who can be inconsistent but he carries the ability to kill anyone at any time and he will be vital in the push for top 8. I feel we may see teams such as the 13e Academy, GVT, Fluss, Misty Mountains and Gordon struggle in slightly bigger formats as they have a weaker depth of skill than other top 8 contenders.
Hertz is good
