https://www.warlight.net/MultiPlayer?GameID=13168595So I would like to start off with I apologize if I have missed any games in Group A that are more interesting, I don't have the time to really look for interesting games, this one caught my attention because it was posted in Masters skype chat. I found it a really interesting game at the pick stage because it's not an obvious map to pick on. I am pretty rusty so I will try my best to write a factual review. Thank you.
If you flip through the first turn the most obvious move to point out is that Dom365 moves into Germany. Without looking at the pick orders of both teams it seems like a foolish move, but you can see clearly after reviewing the pick orders that the move is actually pretty logical. In high level Europe 3v3 games you don't run into a situation in which you lack crucial pick intel very often. This is for pretty obvious reasons. The map is not *really* big enough to facilitate its 24 picks. Really the only instances where you will lack intel on 3 or more picks is if your opponent picks in an "unconventional" way. I am not claiming that Masters pick unconventionally, but Lynx did not review the board as well as Masters did.
Europe is a brawl template, in which you need to pick in a way that will give players quick sources of income and highly efficient picks can control an area in which the opposing team has 2 or more picks. If we take a look at the Russian region it's easy to look at the cluster and think: If I pick in a way in which I can get 2 of the picks and my opponent gets one, it'll be simple to take control over the region.
This would be a good thought process, but West Central Russia is not a first turn bonus, and neither is that area particularly prosperous. If you fast forward through the game you can see how effective a player who gets a safe band of income can easily nullify the entire region. Lynx picks perfectly with the thought process of contesting from within the triple cluster but disrespects a picking iteration in which Master can ensure that the player in the Russian region will have a first turn bonus in the form of Slov or Western Balkans. (6/7/15/16) or the 5/8 with a pick getting kicked into the 20s. This is completely sufficient Russia control, and the picks for Master focus also on the eastern part of the Center which will have a better priority on Russia as a side benefit to the nice FTBs and safe-ish Balkan region.
I focus heavily on the Russia region because the amount of picks Lynx gets in the Russia region is what forces them to lose intel. Lynx starts off the game with their first pick, but lacks intel on 3 picks, this is why scouting has to be done somewhere on the map first turn, and ultimately what leads to the move into Germany to spot the Austria ambush, and gain intel (if no one is there, process of elimination should narrow it down) Lynx has not lost, but the intel will play a major factor in how their early game is inefficient.
Lynx does not know that Master have Portugal, Spain, and Romania, and would not know that Master have Britain if it weren't for bordering Britain. Portugal is a pretty clear pick to assume, so Lynx is now down intel on 2 picks really. I wish I had more time to go over the play, because there are interesting plays made, but it was truly an interesting pick stage.
