elite – 8 ]

Croatia raptus
Hungary CS4f1
Austria day_
Latvia dunno
Hungary Future|
Hungary Us4rmy

Clanbase's tradition in rewarding the winner of Open Cup Premier with a direct invite to the following Eurocup has been somewhat of a prized option for the clans who usually would be overlooked in favour of the big name start up teams when the qualifiers are handed out. For elite this has been a godsend as from there own admission “cb doesn't like us, we should have been in last ec” have abruptly given two fingers in Clanbase's direction, and unless CB decides to go against tradition will be given a qualifier spot if not a direct invite. The lineup remains unchanged since last seasons play-offs with the exception of Poland Krein's rifle spot being taken by the former underscore rifle Hungary US4rmy.


explosionC4 ]

Italy bLiz
Netherlands BuLL
Italy dio
Germany MurDa111
Sweden slajdan
Poland uf0l

Another team which competed in what was quite a skilled year for Open Cup Premier last term, managed to find there way to the play-offs before clashing and ultimately losing to a old school Italy Agony Realm side. The line up mentioned above retains half of the squad from last term, with Poland uf0l , Germany MurDa, and Netherlands BuLL coming in to complete the six, and arguably drastically improve the skill of the team. They are active, maybe not with officials but actively practising. With the new names, the ec4 side has turned from a side which could have easily been overlooked into one which has half a team with previous Eurocup experience at the highest level. Defiantly one not to be overlooked!


Retroactive – 9 ]

Italy 4n$
Italy Asdino
Austria kanone
Italy LoTHaR
Spain Mamlukes
Italy vegeta
Austria xet

Finishing last season as runners up in Open Cup Premier to Croatia elite has marked positive improvement from the Italian side whom just the season before that finished as division 2 champions under the slightly more familiar alias of Italy [/b]n1ce.it[/b]. Boasting a slightly more continental side these days after picking up the Austrian pair of Austria kanone / xet who both separated from the ec4 side which made it to the quarter final of Open Cup Premier before being shown the door byItaly Agony Realm. Retroactive for me would be one of the more obvious teams to select for a qualifier spot, not being skilled/well known enough for a direct invite but they have ultimately proven that they are stable and have risen to the next skill bracket time and time again enough to warrant the chance at the big league.


blutSTURZ – 9 ]

Netherlands aphesia
Poland dialer
Estonia fJELLAH
Sweden Fuchs
Poland Krein
Germany seNti
Sweden uniX

Not a lot of people know how well blutSTURZ are performing since there arrival on the scene some time ago and no interest from CB has been shown what so ever in the team, they line up remains the same, and they have been practising often and furiously! I personally hadn't seen them and was hesitant as what to expect from them especially since the first chance that I got to see was against United Kingdom Dignitas, I mean trying to impress me or what :P (note to self, using smiley's in a column looks unprofessional!). Certain comparisons can be drawn to the eZ side but star studded but both eventually categorised in the same “2 week” new clan blah blah etc etc My conclusion from seeing blutSTURZ is the same as eZ, it would be a crying shame if they weren't invited to Eurocup, both deserve to be there without a shadow of a doubt and hopefully the powers that be can see that. Given some time and some motivation (Eurocup) this team is really likely to cause a stir, the talent is in place, and once the teamwork and tactics are sorted I can really see these guys making it big.


Incomplete – 9 ]

Finland Matias
Finland Raptor
Finland Rk
Finland Sanda
Finland Spirea
Finland Stuka

After last EC ended, the guys over at Incomplete weren't sure if they were to continue after losing in game leader Finland Lepari to one4one aka 4i and did fold eventually, but after short and unsuccessful stints in a Finland Negative-Image side followed by some time with Russia humm3l, Sanda and Spirea were back at square one. Cutting a long story short, Incomplete was re-born. Picking up a 1 day cup title recently and beating some other EC rivals in the process, shows the team are on form and despite losing some of there more well known players during the winter i cant see why they wouldn't get a invite.


Overdose-Gaming – 9 ]

Spain Gengis
Spain grimmjow
Spain Jefazo
Spain polass
Spain PzYqO
Anonymous archy

Hard to describe the Overdose team, formally and more likely known as Azure Fate which shone brightly in the pre ET Cup 9 all the way back in April 2006, beating a highly fancied Germany team-beta in the semis before being put in there place by a strong Estonia idle.ee side but ultimately were underwhelming after receiving there direct invite and finished joint 3rd with Netherlands Artificial and that undoubtedly was with a much stronger side as well. Fast forward to last season and they shared the same fate as many of the teams here languishing in Open Cup Premier and finished 3rd after losing to Italy Retroactive and Estonia suXus and only taking 1 map the whole tournament. Really haven't achieved anything worth of merit and see Open Cup Premier written all over them again.


suXus esports – 10 ]

Estonia bff
Estonia deadeye
Estonia GraVity
Estonia indu
Estonia Nitro
Estonia pela

The “it” team last term, were by some considered robbed not to have been given there chance to compete in Eurocup, especially given that teams like Finland Murso and Europe Morrigu were picked over them. Featuring half a iGods team and one of the most fearsome rifles around in the form of clan leader Estonia indu the suXus team have set there stall out for the admins over at CB with a very arrogant self rating of 10, one of only 2 teams to do so and a EC only registration. The suXus team had there chance to shine, after being turned down for EC, and could have easily (and were really expected to) pick up the Premier division title but didn't, losing to eventual winners Croatia Elite in the semis. To my knowledge they haven't won anything of any real merit (they have a unplayed final for this seasons warleagues premier to play against 4i) and many of the established Eurocup regulars simply shun them and say they should spend another season in the Open Cup and actually win something. Maybe I'm being little too hard on suXus but other than being stable, in my eyes they haven't achieved anything on merit to get a spot.


Beaver – 8 ]

Switzerland DabSter
Switzerland ReavEr
United Kingdom miXer
Netherlands sacc
United Kingdom hype
United Kingdom matz
Switzerland Rapt6rr

The culmination of Agony Realm folding saw Netherlands sacc / Germany viol join the new look Beaver along with one of theUnited Kingdom's biggest emerging talents in the form of miXer who was left out in the cold when the new United Kingdom Sublime was announced but found his new home quickly here. Completing the lineup from the past squad is the Switzerland duo DabSter and ReavEr along with Finland Iratou. Supreme arrogance at EC only invite ? Or supreme confidence ? I would say the former from personally seeing them play, i think they have some bugs to iron out first and a season in Open Cup Premier would do them good, although might lose some of there “star” player/s in the process.


ultimate Conspiracy – 10 ]

Sweden jonas
Sweden kittos
Sweden Nils
Sweden nordaN
Sweden tornis
Sweden nuggan
Sweden wizzel

Last term the uC side (known back then as rewind / Overdose-Gaming) were denied a Eurocup spot due to its invite only nature and limited numbers (amongst other things). This term the renewed side see's Sweden uniX's departure masked with the fellow swedes Sweden nordaN and all star Sweden tornis inbound. Now with a natural rifle in the clan and a backup this prospect is a lot more pleasing to the eye. Achievements like the majority of them playing for the Swedish Nations Cup side which made the play offs and eventually lost to the winners Finland Finland and three of them competing at the Denmark SHG open lan can only bolster there chances of an invite. They have all the ingredients to make a success of the opportunity, and recent performances included finishing 2nd in ET-Cup 25 to Europe Polar eSports (2-4) can do them no harm at all! A pre-EC ladder clash against one of the rivals vying for a qualifier spot can been seen tonight http://www.gamestv.org/war.php?wid=2375


Grave Guardians – 8 ]

Finland et1
Finland InFragTes
Finland Nizou
Finland Mikza
Finland rauzki
Finland cadein

The Grave Guardians side, are very unlikely to find themselves on the invite list, only just finding themselves a 6th and without practice, the confidence from the camp is as expected not all that high but as everyone knows name counts for a lot at this level and everyone of these has played in Eurocup(and higher) before (Finland Murso , Abnormal Monkeys , #STFU?) to name a few. By far one of the strongest teams on paper but with a lack of practice and time counting against them I just cant see it happening, maybe a good clan for the future.


#eZ – 8 ]

Finland decem
Germany drago
France EmOReJ!
Norway Gjerry
Belgium Kevin
Norway Kris
Belgium xAv
France joseph

A team like eZ sparks one of the biggest problems asked of Clanbase, do you go for the team which is stable and been together for some time or do you go for the team who has just formed but in time would prove to be more skilled in time because of the better players ? Well, I've seen a lot of opinions about whether a team like eZ should get a qualifier claiming “2 weeks”, or “errrrrrr if u get invite ill laugh considering uve been together for a day”, but if you have seen or played against these guys you will fail not to be impressed, watching guys like France EmOReJ and Belgium xAv really tear into a team reminded me of Germany Butchji and Switzerland Gifty pairing coming together. With a real backbone of solid and workman like players like Norway Kris and decem, not to mention two of the best fops in the game in the form of Germany drago / Belgium Kevin I would be simply astounded if this team wasn't given the chance to perform at Eurocup through a direct invite or a qualifier.


Vicious & Evil – 8 ]

United Kingdom hentai
Netherlands Azatej
Finland crew
United Kingdom Hat
Netherlands modus
Germany Sight
Finland SlyFox
Netherlands ViakZ

The former necromantia aka ec4 side reformed after captain United Kingdom hentai wanted to play with his former clan mates after his time in cdap oddjob didn't go as planned. Five from the original team came over, after a short stint United Kingdom Meez was replaced by Finland SlyFox and the current team looks like above. Last term ec4 were one of the hot teams competing for a EC spot but sadly the clan died before EC started so made the choices a little easier in that regards for the admins, however there back and on form and picked up one of ET's best aimers in the form of Netherlands Azatej who has as yet still not played in a Eurocup! VAE are just one of them stable and under rated teams that could really surprise people.