Recap: XiN vs. 2Cool- Regular Season APL Fall 2001
Written by: Fordus on 11/9/01

Ironically, the game of the week featured both teams without their big guns. Korrupt was having some problems logging into Arcmatch, and 2Cool was without Access Denied, elDAZo, or Deadeye. Furthermore, Lobo chose to make Astrok sit on blue! So we had Siphon, Newprin, Sheriff, and Bunka against Chinadian, Warlock, Fuzz, and Grazen. 2Cool was green and XiN was red.

The game kicked off with an uneasy air on both sides; I don't think even the refs had an idea as to which team had the advantage. Both teams seemed fairly equal. After a few deaths and spawns, Grazen and Chinadian found themselves in the XiN base against Bunka and Newprin, though the XiN squad was able to prevent their operation. On the other end, Siphon had killed Fuzz and headed out with the flag, but was killed halfway across the map upon the spawn of the old-timer.

Both teams regrouped, and Siph went low and managed to get around all 4 2Coolers in their base. He unloaded on Grazen and headed high with the flag as 3 determined XiNs came towards the high bunker where Chinadian saved the day by stopping siph and 2 others.

2C began serveral offensive rushes, and the game progressed into 2v2s in each team's base, and Grazen, Warlock, and Chinadian each had an opportunity but couldn't make that final leap out of XiN's base. Meanwhile, Fuzz on defense was timing his deaths and spawns perfectly…Allowing for some close calls, but making them just that, merely calls.

Finally Warlock breaks the game open by destroying Siphon and picking up the flag. As he is coming out of his base, Chinadian comes to help and they trap Newprin in the low bunker facing the red base, and Chinadian has some amazing cover allowing Goobie (Warlock) to get by. Bunka had dropped back but 2C had each cut-off juncture contained, and eventually killed off all the remaining and/or spawning XiNs as 2C went up 1-0 as the game approached halfway.

After that, a lot of mid-map fighting ensued, and XiN was unable to penetrate the 2Cool lines. 2Cool actually had another great opportunity to cut high with the flag but XiN smokers dropped back and smothered the run. 2C again applied more pressure with a 4v4 in the XiN base, but couldn't summon quite the force to cap. Warlock went for a solo past Sheriff, but Newp dropped back to deny him. When Chinadian destroyed Newp, Bunka had to drop back, only to be also destroyed by the great China! Fortunately for XiN enough time had elapsed and Sher re-spawned, stifling the run.

XiN followed this with a quick 3v3 in the 2Cool base, but nothing was going for the Insane Nipples. Sher makes a desperate solo attempt on Warlock, but he was merely being stalled for a good 4 minutes while 2C came out of XiN base with the flag on the other end. Newprin managed to kill Grazen, and Siph and Bunka catch up to him and the run is salvaged, the margin still only a cap with about 10 minutes remaining.

Sher again goes for a solo and this time he almost makes it to halfway, but China doubles back and stops him! At this point XiN is preoccupied with the threats being made on their base that they are unable to give their flaggers any cover, and 1v2s in the 2Cool base in exchange for 3v2s in their own base does nothing for XiN's much-needed offense. In the beginning, XiN had more opportunities by sticking to pairs of 2, but the game progressed with XiN sending a solo guy and the 2Cool line staying with a standard 2-pair formation.

Sheriff makes yet another solo attempt, sloppily failing to penetrate a 3v1 rape, as XiN held 2 men back to handle Grazen at their base.

The final XiN opportunity came in the last 5 minutes, and Siph again brought the f lag to halfway where XiN faced a 2v3 right in the middle of the map. As another 2Cool and another XiN approach the scene, it appears XiN has an advantageous spawn and would be able to pull the run through, but Grazen and Warlock kill all 4 XiNs, as not enough time remains for a run.

The game was fairly even with some nice opportunities for both teams, and in my opinion XiN looked sharper in the first 5 minutes and last 5 minutes, but 2Cool played an overall more solid game. 1v1 wise, these squads were essentially equal, though Siphon took many a 2Cool to school during the game. Unfortunately for XiN, they learned their lesson the hard way that frags may work for uFo and Dragon, but you need proficient teamwork to be successful against skilled clans. 2Cool had much better rape and crossfire, and they stuck together in pairs consistently. XiN often had a straggler flagger with the rest of the clan left behind at base, and this stifled their offense. Moreover, 2Cool was able to hold off many XiN opportunities with excellent timing of deaths and spawns, as their experience clearly proved a factor in this match. For XiN, "fragland" learned how life is like in teamwork land, and while they have the talent to bash most clans this season, they will need to refine themselves in order to truly compete. As for 2Cool, finally we see some positive blend of players that have displayed excellent teamwork together. As the world turns, Lobo's mind but twists.

Written by: Fordus