Sunday, February 14, 2016

Clontroper5 vs Madaghmire - World Cup Finals Preview

Clontroper5

That's right folks, all the hype, all the games, has lead up to this moment.  Each player in this final has survived the POD rounds, and beaten their way through some very difficult opponents in 3 elimination matches to make it this far.  But this is as far as it goes.

This is it, the Final Round of the Inaugural Armada World Cup - for the winner, a moment of glory and the title of Armada World Cup Champion.  For the loser, the respect for a well fought tournament, and the disappointment of not quite being the best.

It all comes down to this...






Clontroper5


clontroper5 - 387/400
Gladiator I-Class Star Destroyer (98pts)
 - Engine Techs (8pts)
 - Expanded Launchers (13pts)
 - Intel Officer (7pts)
 - Ordnance Experts (4pts)
 - •Demolisher (10pts)
Raider I-Class Corvette (68pts)
 - Expanded Launchers (13pts)
 - Intel Officer (7pts)
 - Ordnance Experts (4pts)
Raider I-Class Corvette (68pts)
 - Expanded Launchers (13pts)
 - Intel Officer (7pts)
 - Ordnance Experts (4pts)
Raider I-Class Corvette (80pts)
 - Assault Proton Torpedoes (5pts)
 - •Admiral Montferrat (5pts)
 - •Admiral Screed (26pts)
Raider I-Class Corvette (57pts)
 - Assault Proton Torpedoes (5pts)
 - Ordnance Experts (4pts)
 - •Instigator (4pts)
+ Squadrons (16pts) +
TIE Fighter Squadron (8pts)
TIE Fighter Squadron (8pts)

What more is needed to be said about either player?  Well, digging must be done.  Clontroper, in addition to all the great things he has done for the community as described in our last matchup featuring him, is also responsible for one of the first bits of tactical discussion on the forums.  He's even been talking about running a tooled out GSD for quite a bit of time.

Take a moment to see the match-ups he has faced in the elimination rounds already:
vs Miedomeda
vs Ardaedhel
vs JJ's Juggernaut - Watch the Match on Twitch

Madaghmire


Madaghmire - Corrupted Fireball
Author: Madaghmire
Faction: Galactic Empire
Points: 398/400
[ flagship ] Victory I-Class Star Destroyer (119 points)
- Admiral Motti ( 24 points)
- Corrupter ( 5 points)
- Wing Commander ( 6 points)
- Flight Controllers ( 6 points)
- Boosted Comms ( 4 points)
Imperial II-Class Star Destroyer (147 points)
- Avenger ( 5 points)
- Captain Needa ( 2 points)
- Gunnery Team ( 7 points)
- Electronic Countermeasures ( 7 points)
- XI7 Turbolasers ( 6 points)
2 Firespray-31s ( 36 points)
1 TIE Advanced Squadron ( 12 points)
1 "Howlrunner" ( 16 points)
1 Major Rhymer ( 16 points)
1 Dengar ( 20 points)
1 Soontir Fel ( 18 points)
1 "Mauler" Mithel ( 15 points)

When researching this article, I actually found Madaghmire's first post on the forums: a introductory post where he reveals that he signed up just so that he could encourage a guy to document painting his X-Wings and TIE Fighters.  He has been encouraging participation in Armada on the FFG forums ever since.

Take a moment to see the match-ups he has faced in the elimination rounds already:


The Matchup:


On paper, not the particularly best matchup out there.  Clontroper holds the initiative bid, 387 to 398, and will be expected to pick First Player as he has all tournament.  He will also hold the activation advantage, a blistering 5 to 2, getting 3 more ships after his opponent finishes moving.  Madaghmire has one advantage though.  By going as Second Player, he holds a 6-6 deployment advantage, and will be able to put down the final ship.  Both players have a "Motti Factor" of 5.

Clontroper's activation advantage and First Player means he is going to be playing the game he has been playing all tournament, but as Second Player, so is Madaghmire.  Madaghmire's big advantage is in his squadrons, and good, conservative squadron play is going to be about the only thing that will help him against the triple shot Demolisher activation that Clontroper has been using to good effect all tournament.  In theory, he could put out 6 ship damage from squadrons alone after token usage - that's enough to make Clontroper's non-Instigator Raiders think long and hard before jumping into the swarm - though Clontroper has just enough anti-squadron available to slow the bombing runs down.


Biggs' Pre-Matchup Bet:


I've bet on Clontroper since I started doing pre-matchup bets in the 1st Elimination Round.  He has all the advantages to take this matchup, he's playing the game that he wants to play, and he isn't making any mistakes as he goes.  Simply put, he is playing his game flawlessly.

Madaghmire on the other hand is outmatched here.  Clon's activations, his Instigator capable of locking down his entire bomber force, and his own objectives being likely more in Clon's favor than his, all point to his eventual defeat at the hands of the "GRRRR Squad".

Except for one thing:  I haven't actually picked Madaghmire to win anything at all, since the first elimination round where I had him as a coin flip against Cutter9999 - he won 9-1.  I picked Caribbean Ninja to take him in the Quarter-Finals - he won.  I picked Truthiness to take him in the Semi-Finals - he won a 10-0 victory.

And each time he lead up to the match saying how he didn't think he stood a chance.  Well, I'm picking you to win it all Madaghmire!  I believe in you!  Give 'em hell!

12 comments:

  1. sorry Biggs, your going to lose this pick :P

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    Replies
    1. Either way, I'm above .500. Gotta play the game to prove me wrong though.

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  2. Why not have a game for third Place like in the football finals?

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    Replies
    1. We are trying to set one up, but doesn't look like JJs and Truth can find a time this week

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    2. The trouble is on my end. I'm setting up for a move, which for some reason is taking me my surprise. You'd think after three of these things in five years, I'd be more used to it. My next two weeks are going to be crammed.

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  3. Hi Matthew, could you elaborate this bit for a new player?
    "...triple shot Demolisher activation..."

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    Replies
    1. It is using the action advantage of being able to go first and last to have your Demolisher activate last, fire a shot with Demolisher title, and then take first activation the next turn, getting the next two shots for 3 total.

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    2. Ok, now I get it! Was wondering how you'd be able to shoot 3 times in a turn (you obviously don't). That makes perfect sense now

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    3. Glad we cleared it up. Thanks for asking for clarification - sometimes I assume everyone knows the terms and shorthand I use, even when it's stuff I made up in my own head.

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  4. Date and Time of stream?

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    Replies
    1. 9:00 PM EST Thursday 18th (tomorrow) at twitch.tv/biggsirl

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