elite ]
Europe CB Open Cup Fall Premier 2006
Europe ET-Cup 20
Direct invite to EuroCup XV

Hungary CS4f1
Austria day_
Czech Republic teente
Croatia frozz
Hungary Future
Hungary Us4rmy
Estonia intact

Having won last seasons Open Cup premier essentially gave elite the benefit of avoiding an early exit in the qualifiers like so many teams that you could group them with; Estonia suXus the most prominent. Being blunt and honest here, the Croatia elite would most likely also agree that they are only here to fill up the numbers and thats without even looking at who the other teams in the group are! Impact are strong at present and after a strong LAN performance from Germany VAE - 4i, it would be smart to be wary of what there capable of, and not just from elites point of view either. Unfortunately for Croatia FroZzens' few, the encounter with potentially the only opponent in the group who they have a feasible chance of overcoming is in the last game where all chances of progressing to the play offs will have most likely faded, however having said that, the pressure aspect will be none existent. Looking at the team, which of course isn't finalized, you have a distinct class of older more experienced personalities such as Hungary Future, CS4f1, and Us4rmy most familiar under the underscore/t4ce name or Negative image/one4one as well in Future's case. In comparison to the almost “new” school players like Austria day_, Croatia frozz, and Czech Republic teente. In reality, there are all experienced players in their own way, just lack of experience at Eurocup level, and that will be fatal at this level. Hot off the rumor mill, word has been going round that there search for an extra medic is finally over, and the player in question needs no introduction. If sources are to be believed, then we can give a round of applause to former United Kingdom Dignitas / Mythology and Europe u96d starlet Estonia intact. There own expectations aren't high and there wont be any surprises, but thats not what its about for some of these players, who will love every minute of there first season in Eurocup.


Impact-Gaming ]
Europe ET Masters
Netherlands Crossfire Lan 2
Direct invite for EuroCup XV

Netherlands M1lk
United Kingdom Mztik
Finland mystic
Finland Raveneye
Netherlands teKoa
Finland Tiigeri
Finland Xpaz

Thundering onto the scene in their home cup, ET Masters. This high profile line up has taken some bumps and bruises along the way and these days differs from the line up announced all the way back in the day, Belgium xionn and United Kingdom Mztik now find themselves replaced, although a backup spot is still present for the latter who had to drop from the side for real life issues. Not to be undone, the team re-cooped and Netherlands M1lk fresh from his Eurocup mercenary role at aMenti joined the talented Finland mystic who clearly has a appetite for the game he so easily dominated in his gun slingers and more recently parodia days.

The team was built for one purpose, and one purpose alone to dislodge United Kingdom Dignitas insatiable grip on the competitive scene. You can't help but draw comparisons to Sweden zeroPoint when they first burst onto the scene, and so abruptly beat Estonia idle.ee in the 5v5 PGA LAN qualifiers, the team that achieved so quickly and now is paying for it. Whereas on the other hand you have the Impact side which in its first official faced off against a highly rated TLR side on the up, and most crucially felt the bitterness of defeat straight away. In my personal opinion, I would rather be beaten sooner than later, given the vast experience of the players in this line up there are certain to have the character to takea defeat on the chin and look where it all went wrong, in comparison to a zP side which has “apparently” one of its biggest stars disconnecting before matches end (awhile) and calling 'gg' in officials with 5+ minutes remaining. You can’t deny the value of experience and what do you see looking at this team?

On there own merits before this team was formed, the lowest achievement that one of them held was finishing 4th in Eurocup (Tiigeri – deMiurge), the only other team that could boast depth even remotely similar is United Kingdom Dignitas. After finding there feet in their home tournament, a slow progress was made to the finals where they were undeniably the business by not once, but twice overcoming a desperate Sweden zeroPoint side to eventually be succumbed to TLR for a third time, finally settling for a 2nd spot on a hot Sunday morning in Enschede, Holland. At the same location, the same result but for a different competition. The one in question, CPC2, where 16 of the very best teams in European Enemy Territory turned out. Impact fresh from qualifying 2nd in there group after quite the upset loss to Europe Polar eSports, went onto tame the high flying Belgians not once but twice. A Germany vaeLAN side which recovered passionately from a embarrassing start against team of the moment TLR.eSports, was then duly over turned before moving onto the masters themselves, Europe Dignitas. A stern test it was, but you cant help feeling that the Dignitas players were still a little shell shocked in light of the record breaking loss, and memories of the PGA LAN qualifiers would have come streaming back, all except for Netherlands teKoa who had a sublime tournament it must be said and was on the winning side this time. The wound had been opened (zP/TLR) and the salt had well and truly had been rubbed in (cdap - pi/Impact) so to speak, history well and truly repeating its self! The Impact line-up is strong, very strong in fact, but there is this creeping desire that would like me to see United Kingdom Mztik replace arguably the weakest link in the chain Finland Tiigeri, and see if they could not reach an even higher level. If its meant to be, it surely is meant to be and this team gets better every time you see them. I would hold them as a stronger contender to the thrown than zeroPoint at present, but TLR firmly stand before them to be called the number 1 contender or in fact due to this weekends result, even the best team in the world right now! I can really see a top 3 finish for the Impact side, in there debut Eurocup together.


K1ck eSports Club ]
4th Europe ET Masters
EuroCup XIV
Qualified for CPC2
Direct invite for EuroCup XV

Netherlands abort
Netherlands bullvox
Germany chaoz
Switzerland GuNnEr
Netherlands Lightning
Germany zerender

When the Eurocup invites and qualifiers were announced, everyone expected pingwins aka Europe K1ck as they are known now, name to be there. But just not on the direct invite list, and with no real ground to say why they were picked over teams like incomplete / insignia cadre it remains a mystery. They will ply there trade in Group D with 3 other direct invite teams, which as soon as you hear it you would assume that this group would be the hardest, but quite the opposite. But it would appear that the CB admins have possibly seen the error of there ways and placed possibly the 3 weakest direct invites and one of the top 4 to balance it out, although none of the groups are perfect. The very foundations of the K1ck can be traced back to the very slapstick, put together team of Europe Maybe, and 2 remain from the original 6 after people left and went there own separate ways or for one reason or another stopped playing, and of course if you hadn't guessed that is Netherlands Lightning and Germany chaoz. The team isn't especially skilled, nor are its members, and generally they are known for the exploits with their national teams or their 3v3 skills, but another area where I do feel the team has “evolved” from last season, is by bringing in he widely known and loved figure Netherlands bullvox, in place of some would argue the more skilled/conventional rifle Israel Lion. I would argue against this though, as Lion in my opinion was suffering from a lack of form last season and possibly his motivation for the game had gone, I'm not sure. However bringing in bullvox has seen them capitalize on some lineup problems at other big teams and possibly overachieve in getting a 4th spot in the ET Masters, coupled with a direct invite for this Eurocup things are looking up for the team. I cant see them making the play offs, but they will probably feel there is an opportunity open to steal Germany VAE – 4i 2nd spot.


Vicious & Evil – 4i ]
Eurocup XIV
Europe ET-Cup 14
Europe ET-Cup 17
Europe Warleagues VII
5th-6th Europe ET Masters
4th Netherlands Crossfire Lan 2
Direct invite to Eurocup XV

United Kingdom Sheep
Belgium Kevin
Finland Iron
Poland gotti
Turkey fireBall
Switzerland vegi

After the major lineup changes going to into CPC2, with possibly 2 of there best players for one reason or another not attending, coupled with the departure of Finland Lepari after the LAN left the VAE side servilely weakened. Now that the new roster has been announced, its now the time to reflect upon the changes, and to predict how capable the the "new" team is of performing. Kevin takes his old spot in the lineup and should do the team no harm overall. The main changes comes in the form of top Poland Polish player gotti transferring from a NETRunners side which have not entered Eurocup and is fits nicely into the mold of what I've come to see as a typical one4one(vae) player, and Turkey fireBall role is to probably take full potential of his great aim and do as much damage as possible. Defiantly strong enough to overturn a Europe K1ck side for 2nd spot, and with enough practice, capable of pulling off a surprise or two in the play offs.


Predicted Final Standings

1 - United Kingdom Impact Gaming
2 - Germany Vicious and Evil
3 - Europe K1ck
4 - Croatia Elite

Players to watch

United Kingdom Impact Gaming


Finland Raveneye : Quite possibly the best rifle in ET on his day, and clearly a fan favorite. Stupidly effective and switches his play styles from being insanely aggressive to the mundane placing of mines without question and still has no problem with dealing the damage given on his team, a feat only made more impressive by the fact that aiming legends Netherlands teKoa and Finland mystic fight along side him.

Germany Vicious and Evil

Europe ?? : Hard to decide because of the numerous lineup changes, Finland Lepari ou, results in a nice steal from United Kingdom AuxiliA in the form of Turkey fireBall resulting in a out and out aggressive aimer coming in, basically swap for swap. Players like Sheep, Iron and vegi are all well and good, but the side lacks a dedicated aggressive aimer who they had with the likes of United Kingdom razz and Finland Lepari. Belgium Kevin's return to the side will hopefully stop the rot and once again get this side back on track.

Europe K1ck eSports

Germany chaoz : The streetfighter 3v3 star and Maybe/UQ-Gaming/Pingwins/K1ck stalwart is one of the building blocks to this teams long survival despite extensive lineup changes over the years. He still remains one of their best players and when playing well a hotshot who is hard to deal with!

Croatia elite

Estonia / Czech Republic intact/teente : It really is as simple as this, if intact does play then you should al fulfill your urges as fanboys and watch him, else grab your chance to watch a new talent who isn't the most skilled/entertaining guy playing at elite, Hungary future can probably boast that honor, but with teente you can see someone making his first steps into the big league and lucky enough for him he gets to play in EC so soon after joining his first major clan.

Summary

  1. Group A
  2. Group B
  3. Group C
  4. Group D