Like the CoD2 tournament, we might still be in the dying embers of the group stages but still there have been some suprising results coming up, alongside those we all expected. Now however the knockout section is starting to shape up, and barring the final group games, we can have a guess at what is to come as the CPC moves into its second phase.
Group A for most only ever had one winner, the irresistable force of
TLR. 3 games, 12 rounds, 0 dropped, each game over opponents 
Morrigu, v&e and 
Fear Factory a resounding 4-0 victory which will only go to reinforce their reputation as possible tournament winners. Were this CPC1, I don't think many would have that phrase on their lips, but look at dignitas. They're no longer the immovable Estonian tennament they used to be. The Iron Curtain has been toppled, and the opportunity is there. But while TLR can look forward to these possible future encounters, elsewhere in the group, v&e and Fear Factory are locked right together, both giving Morrigu a shameful kicking and then subsequently drawing with each other. Perhaps FF were the slight pre-tournament favourites over v&e; the Europeans suffering roster changes like the plague, and Fear Factory a team who were no strangers to each other. The end result was comparable to a tug of war, and in truth the 2-2 draw was a just result. The two teams played each other again in a decider match. This time v&e showed a superior nerve on supply depot; through to the winner's bracket they went. However, by virtue of finishing 2nd to TLR, they set up a match with group B winners dignitas. Should they be worried? That's a tough one, and here's why.
The group B teams were never going to present a realistic challenge to dignitas. With all respect, let's not beat around the bush, 
ALIS and OCTENSe are just not on the same level as the 2 season reigning EuroCup champions. There is a but, and its a big one. Dignitas have shown before, and they're showing again, they simply aren't the same team without Night. No, i'm not saying this because I watched Zaigon this morning. He simply adds a dimension to the team which no other player is able to do. Sol is an able deputy, and a talentled player despite his Irish credentials, but a Night he is not. If ever you want to play dignitas, its now. 5v5 has come and gone, now its the turn for teams to get stuck into dignitas 6v6 without their star magician. They will now face v&e in the first round of the winner's bracket, a game they cannot afford to take for granted. On paper, dignitas should still win, and by a comfortable margin. v&e have shown us how they are not yet able to take on the big guns with their loss to TLR. "myLegend" syndrome is kicking in again for Sheep and his players - they just don't seem to be able to raise their game against the really top opponents. But dignitas weren't the only qualifiers from group B. k1ck/pingwins will also steal in under the radar, having completed their loss to dignitas, and then regaining control with 2 solid wins over ALIS and soon OCTENSe. So k1ck are through - could they be seen as dark horses? I really don't think so. As experienced as this lineup is together (its practically the team that won the 5v5 SummerCup), like v&e they won't have enough in them to beat the necessary teams to allow them into prizemoney territory. A game against TLR in the winner's bracket is a continuation of bad luck for k1ck, who having already faced dignitas in their group, now find themselves facing perhaps the CPC's second strongest team in only their 4th game. ALIS and OCTENSe have played well, but really due to the draw, they knew one of them was always likely to be relegated. As it happens, k1ck were too strong, and so we bid goodbye to these popular teams.
Later on today in group C we'll see a game that will decide the fate of the frequently underachieving and long-suffering
zeroPoint side. This comes in the form of 
Zerobarrier vs 
one.soldier, a game which offers a delicious prospect if either side's past games are anything to go by. After all my criticism of Zerobarrier, I had to concede with a journal of apology yesterday. TosspoT was right, Zerobarrier were absolutely irresistable. Not only did they complete victory over the disappointing el vigorZ side, they absolutely maimed zeroPoint in a game that was enough to make even the manliest Austrian blush. The big test does come in the one solider game, who are a team who pre-tournament I thought would suprise a lot of people. Look at the all Belgian lineup, look at the sheer amount of experience and skill you have brimming there; the notorious pair of Shewie and Ganon, the decisiveness of mika, the tempuoisity of mAx. The ingredients are there. But against zeroPoint, they faultered. Excuses can be given, selfkill binds can be blamed, but the fact still remains that one could not beat a zeroPoint team who are grateful now for any point they can get. The game finished 2-2, and if Zerobarrier beat one, a replay of the one-zP game will be set up. Forget past matches, zeroPoint will find themselves in a similar position to dignitas's CoD2 team today; backed against the wall and fighting for their lives. They're relying on a one solider slip up to get their chance, and if thry get it, expect them to come out fighting. They are not a team who have any plans to go home early. The question we're all asking: will they get that chance? One.solider have the ball in their court, they have two bites of the apple and they don't want to share. Victory over Zerobarrier would ensure their progress and send zP out, but to do that they're going to have to raise their game. Expect it to be tight, very tight. Hopefully no complacency will creep in with their current 2nd spot standing. A gambling man would back one.solider to win, but the neutral in me wants a Zerobarrier win to see who really wants to stay in the competition the most - one.solider or ZeroPoint. It really is anyone's game.
In approximately 30 minutes we will also see who will emerge on top in group D, with Polar taking on Impact. Impact have shed the shackles of their past performances which have let them down before, and shown themselves to have adapted to the LAN environment superbly. This is manifest in the wins over KiH and AuxiliA, two games which the pre-CPC Impact might not have come away with wins from. But now the team has galvanized. The way they defended against AuxiliA, the sharpness and speed of their attack, its almost as if Impact were impatient to reach the latter stages of the LAN. The support fires hit, the rifle grenades predicted their target, the crossfire was resolute. In any other form Impact might be concerned about a meeting with Zerobarrier in the brackets, but you get the feeling that just isn't the case that weekend. What is for certain however is that the meeting of these teams is like that of two speeding trains - both carrying momentum, and almost impossible to predict what will happen. They both hold the invaluable confidence, perhaps Zerobarrier even more so having been written off before the CPC started, but Impact are the latter stage EC experienced ones. They stole a twist of idle in teKoa. They have the "mediocre" 
mystic. This we have to look forward to.
The Polar / Impact game will surely go Impact's way and allow Impact to circumnavigate Zerobarrier at least for now. Instead they should face either onesolider or zeroPoint, a game which will surely relegate either of these teams to the loser's bracket. Unfortunately for me I personally like both one.solider and zP as teams and as people, so this I do not want to happen. However, I think the time is right for zP to finally stand up and be counted. We've had all this talk before, we've given them more time. Well more time you don't have fellas. It's up to you now. Polar and Zerobarrier looks to be an enticing encounter, and the prediction for this game is based solely on how well Polar play against Impact. If its close, or (don't say it) Polar take the win, you would have to fancy Polar to go on a lot further in the competition. But back to the polar/zb scenario, I think Polar will have a good chance so long as their showing against Impact isn't poor. Get washed away here, and you might have qualified, but your tournament is all but over.
This, combined with the net of the loser's bracket, gives us the prospect of an extremely interesting CPC conclusion.
Group A for most only ever had one winner, the irresistable force of
TLR. 3 games, 12 rounds, 0 dropped, each game over opponents Morrigu, v&e and Fear Factory a resounding 4-0 victory which will only go to reinforce their reputation as possible tournament winners. Were this CPC1, I don't think many would have that phrase on their lips, but look at dignitas. They're no longer the immovable Estonian tennament they used to be. The Iron Curtain has been toppled, and the opportunity is there. But while TLR can look forward to these possible future encounters, elsewhere in the group, v&e and Fear Factory are locked right together, both giving Morrigu a shameful kicking and then subsequently drawing with each other. Perhaps FF were the slight pre-tournament favourites over v&e; the Europeans suffering roster changes like the plague, and Fear Factory a team who were no strangers to each other. The end result was comparable to a tug of war, and in truth the 2-2 draw was a just result. The two teams played each other again in a decider match. This time v&e showed a superior nerve on supply depot; through to the winner's bracket they went. However, by virtue of finishing 2nd to TLR, they set up a match with group B winners dignitas. Should they be worried? That's a tough one, and here's why.The group B teams were never going to present a realistic challenge to
dignitas. With all respect, let's not beat around the bush, ALIS and OCTENSe are just not on the same level as the 2 season reigning EuroCup champions. There is a but, and its a big one. Dignitas have shown before, and they're showing again, they simply aren't the same team without Night. No, i'm not saying this because I watched Zaigon this morning. He simply adds a dimension to the team which no other player is able to do. Sol is an able deputy, and a talentled player despite his Irish credentials, but a Night he is not. If ever you want to play dignitas, its now. 5v5 has come and gone, now its the turn for teams to get stuck into dignitas 6v6 without their star magician. They will now face v&e in the first round of the winner's bracket, a game they cannot afford to take for granted. On paper, dignitas should still win, and by a comfortable margin. v&e have shown us how they are not yet able to take on the big guns with their loss to TLR. "myLegend" syndrome is kicking in again for Sheep and his players - they just don't seem to be able to raise their game against the really top opponents. But dignitas weren't the only qualifiers from group B. k1ck/pingwins will also steal in under the radar, having completed their loss to dignitas, and then regaining control with 2 solid wins over ALIS and soon OCTENSe. So k1ck are through - could they be seen as dark horses? I really don't think so. As experienced as this lineup is together (its practically the team that won the 5v5 SummerCup), like v&e they won't have enough in them to beat the necessary teams to allow them into prizemoney territory. A game against TLR in the winner's bracket is a continuation of bad luck for k1ck, who having already faced dignitas in their group, now find themselves facing perhaps the CPC's second strongest team in only their 4th game. ALIS and OCTENSe have played well, but really due to the draw, they knew one of them was always likely to be relegated. As it happens, k1ck were too strong, and so we bid goodbye to these popular teams.Later on today in group C we'll see a game that will decide the fate of the frequently underachieving and long-suffering
zeroPoint side. This comes in the form of Zerobarrier vs one.soldier, a game which offers a delicious prospect if either side's past games are anything to go by. After all my criticism of Zerobarrier, I had to concede with a journal of apology yesterday. TosspoT was right, Zerobarrier were absolutely irresistable. Not only did they complete victory over the disappointing el vigorZ side, they absolutely maimed zeroPoint in a game that was enough to make even the manliest Austrian blush. The big test does come in the one solider game, who are a team who pre-tournament I thought would suprise a lot of people. Look at the all Belgian lineup, look at the sheer amount of experience and skill you have brimming there; the notorious pair of Shewie and Ganon, the decisiveness of mika, the tempuoisity of mAx. The ingredients are there. But against zeroPoint, they faultered. Excuses can be given, selfkill binds can be blamed, but the fact still remains that one could not beat a zeroPoint team who are grateful now for any point they can get. The game finished 2-2, and if Zerobarrier beat one, a replay of the one-zP game will be set up. Forget past matches, zeroPoint will find themselves in a similar position to dignitas's CoD2 team today; backed against the wall and fighting for their lives. They're relying on a one solider slip up to get their chance, and if thry get it, expect them to come out fighting. They are not a team who have any plans to go home early. The question we're all asking: will they get that chance? One.solider have the ball in their court, they have two bites of the apple and they don't want to share. Victory over Zerobarrier would ensure their progress and send zP out, but to do that they're going to have to raise their game. Expect it to be tight, very tight. Hopefully no complacency will creep in with their current 2nd spot standing. A gambling man would back one.solider to win, but the neutral in me wants a Zerobarrier win to see who really wants to stay in the competition the most - one.solider or ZeroPoint. It really is anyone's game.In approximately 30 minutes we will also see who will emerge on top in group D, with
Polar taking on Impact. Impact have shed the shackles of their past performances which have let them down before, and shown themselves to have adapted to the LAN environment superbly. This is manifest in the wins over KiH and AuxiliA, two games which the pre-CPC Impact might not have come away with wins from. But now the team has galvanized. The way they defended against AuxiliA, the sharpness and speed of their attack, its almost as if Impact were impatient to reach the latter stages of the LAN. The support fires hit, the rifle grenades predicted their target, the crossfire was resolute. In any other form Impact might be concerned about a meeting with Zerobarrier in the brackets, but you get the feeling that just isn't the case that weekend. What is for certain however is that the meeting of these teams is like that of two speeding trains - both carrying momentum, and almost impossible to predict what will happen. They both hold the invaluable confidence, perhaps Zerobarrier even more so having been written off before the CPC started, but Impact are the latter stage EC experienced ones. They stole a twist of idle in teKoa. They have the "mediocre" mystic. This we have to look forward to.The Polar / Impact game will surely go Impact's way and allow Impact to circumnavigate Zerobarrier at least for now. Instead they should face either onesolider or zeroPoint, a game which will surely relegate either of these teams to the loser's bracket. Unfortunately for me I personally like both one.solider and zP as teams and as people, so this I do not want to happen. However, I think the time is right for zP to finally stand up and be counted. We've had all this talk before, we've given them more time. Well more time you don't have fellas. It's up to you now. Polar and Zerobarrier looks to be an enticing encounter, and the prediction for this game is based solely on how well Polar play against Impact. If its close, or (don't say it) Polar take the win, you would have to fancy Polar to go on a lot further in the competition. But back to the polar/zb scenario, I think Polar will have a good chance so long as their showing against Impact isn't poor. Get washed away here, and you might have qualified, but your tournament is all but over.
This, combined with the net of the loser's bracket, gives us the prospect of an extremely interesting CPC conclusion.
Well it quite didn't :D
dignitas are boring to watch prefer to watch impact anyday
TEKOA played amazingly ORSUM against aux on bremen SRSLY MATE