"It played out like a Rocky Balboa fight..."

**WhiskeySix** · 05-10-2009, 03:02 AM

09.May.09 - EPIC versus scrim - Dead Air

Huge props to all involved, it was absolutely the best round of VS I've ever played.

The round started off pretty even, as both teams made out of the greenhouse, through the building, and across the street into the saferoom without taking too much damage. Ultimately the Good Guys ended up taking about a 20pt lead into the second chapter... 1130ish points to 1150ish.

The second round would be the only time the Good Guys would go first as survivors. Here, you start beside the meatlocker, exit into the courtyard, climb over the fence, and then up the fire escape into the apartment buildings where you have the crane crescendo-event. After crossing a few planks you go down through a few floors of offices, exiting into the street on ground level where you run diagonally across to the saferoom. Anyway, shortly after surviving the crane event, the Good Guys were caught off guard by a tank. They were pretty banged up going into the tank fight, and ultimately didn't survive. Next up as survivors were the Bad Guys. Team BG played pretty tightly and managed to graduate all four survivors, pulling ahead by around 800 points. 2000ish to 1200ish.

Although all teams survived maps three and four, the Bad Guys really hit their stride and were tearing it up pretty good. In each of these middle rounds, the Bad Guys outscored the good guys by a few hundred points. Heading into the runway finale, the lead had been extended to almost 2000 points over Team Good Guy. Props to JB, Fallen, and Troublesome for some amazing teamwork in those rounds. It was just one of those games where everything clicks... it was the best of both worlds: we had those serendipitous moments where all 4 SI attack without verbal coordination AND we had some nice setup ambushes that actually went according to plan (you pull, I'll boom, hunter hunter).

The runway finale loads up, and the Bad Guys go first. We decide to fight it out in the open behind the plane - by the chain. The Bad guys deal with the first horde, first tank, and second horde pretty easily. Then the second tank came in and got a few good shots with the luggage carts. It was really close - he must have been near death - but eventually all four went down. <ding> 200 pts. <queue the failhorn>

This was it - the Good Guys were within striking distance, down by ~2200 points! The Bad Guys chipped away at them pretty good over the first horde, but the first tank got shredded pretty quickly. Going into the second tank, the Good Guys each had a medpack and probably 60-70% health. What followed was a pretty good tank fight, with the tank taking out 2 by luggage cart. ("we got this" I thought to myself)... then he caught up to a third and with a swipe they were down to one man standing! ("in the bag" I thought to myself). But just as that happened, the Bad Guy's 2nd tank died! After some epic fighting to get to the plane, the Good Guys actually managed to limp all four [nearly incap'd] into the cargo hold and away to safety!

What an epic battle! It was going to be close! As the plane soared away, I think all 8 of us held our breaths. <ding> <ding> <ding> 2400 points!!!!?!!?! Wait what was our score going in?!???? Is that enough!?!??

It played out like a Rocky Balboa fight.... the first round was quick and the judges scored it a tie. The Bad Guys then scored a stunning knock-down in round 2 and then kept momentum, dominating rounds three and four. But then the bell for the final round sounded, and, just when everyone thought they were out, the Good Guys, eyes swollen-shut and face mangled, dug deep and landed a knock-out blow with just seconds remaining in the epic bout.

Final scores:
Good Guys: ~5600 points
Fehmart
AdeptAbyss
Lyra
Boot

Bad Guys: ~5400 points
JB4
Fallen
Troublesome4u
WhiskeySix

I can't wait for the next one!!

**Lyramion** · 05-10-2009, 11:24 AM

Epic Battle. Didn´t think we would make it. I have to admit the end was kind of strange tho. We had 2 people down, the tank was dead BU the airplane didn´t start till very much later.

**WhiskeySix** · 05-10-2009, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lyramion

Epic Battle. Didn´t think we would make it. I have to admit the end was kind of strange tho. We had 2 people down, the tank was dead BU the airplane didn´t start till very much later.

Heh.. yeah that was weird. 2nd Tank died, but the ensuing horde/3rd tank didn't come for what felt like FOREVER

**Boot** · 05-10-2009, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lyramion

We had 2 people down, the tank was dead BU the airplane didn´t start till very much later.

That was the single biggest Oh-Sht moment I've had playing this game. The second tank is down, we have 2 incapped and it's time to run.

Me: "Get to the plane!"
Fehmart (?): "We all go, or none of us goes!"

<we limp to the plane... no engine start>

<we limp to the plane... still no engine start>

<we limp to the plane... still no engine start>

Howwooooooooooooo! "Here they come"

Fehmart: "Uh, did we ever hit the pump?"

Oh ****... did we?

**jb4** · 05-10-2009, 01:53 PM

That was probably the most intense VS round I have played. It was really something to see the coordinated attacks on both sides. Slugfest is an understatement.

I had the second tank and I thought, "here it comes, control coming, here it comes..." and then I get control and it appears that I have spawned in front of 4 guys blasting me with lead in the open from about 40 yards away.
"Oh noooooes!, Run Forrest Run!" My health meter was about 50% by the time I took control of my first step. Bad luck.

Once I chose a tactical attack path to recover, (hiding behind the escape plane) I looked around and there were no luggage carts anywhere. :/ I had to go run away opposite from the survivors and bang a cart clear across the map.
Tank maaaad. Tank tirrrred.

When I started playing cart hockey on the runway and got a few guys down I thought for sure we were going to pull it out but it did not take much to zap the rest of my health after the bad start. I have to hand it to the other team for fighting for every inch under what seemed to be the worst scenario at the end. When the plane started and they went for the back, again I thought, they are so banged up that the hoard is going to be a big problem for them. <time warps...seconds into minutes...minutes into hours> The hoard does not come. Why does it smell like fresh brewed coffee in the air? Oh yea, the hoard is on break. Bah.

Great job everyone. A real knock down drag out battle. Thanks to Fallen for pitching the scrim and get it going. Looking forward to future events.

AdeptAbyss · 05-10-2009, 03:43 PM

Was one of the best rounds of VS Ive played.

So very close, didnt think we would make it at times.

SO what did we win? wheres our prize?

**WhiskeySix** · 05-10-2009, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdeptAbyss

Was one of the best rounds of VS Ive played.

So very close, didnt think we would make it at times.

SO what did we win? wheres our prize?

AdeptAbyss · 05-10-2009, 05:03 PM

Awesome

**Iamthefallen** · 05-10-2009, 09:34 PM

I'm really glad it worked out so well, I think this game is absolutely fantastic for tight battles like this that demand teamwork, communication, and execution. If we have the players for it, it might have to be a recurring thing...

I really couldn't believe you guys made it to the plane...I thought you were done several times before the end. I even got a boom in near the end where you had people down and you managed to somehow fight off the horde. With two substitutions on your side, and significant ping disadvantage, I've gotta give you full props for taking the win. Well done!

Fehmart · 05-11-2009, 04:37 AM

I knew we were down 1600+ going into the final round, and it was going to take all four surviving to win, no matter what the other team did. Fortunately, Boot was able to boot some carts around and give us a fighting chance by murdering his friends for us. Yay, fratricide.

So, I had to fight back my instinct to just bolt for the plane and instead help everyone up. Thankfully, the director also decided to not start the final dash filled with a spare tank and horde until after we were all situated nicely at the foot of the cargo ramp. Crazy rounds.

I don't think I asked if we had hit the pump yet or not, though. Why on earth would I ask that?

**Boot** · 05-11-2009, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fehmart

Yay, fratricide.

Heh, I was paying them back for bagging their tank's buttsack on my dying face on the second map. The cart hit 2, I pounded a 3rd to the ground, then one of you guys smoked the last. It made up for my rusty start to the match, arcing vomit over their heads as they crossed the plank.

Adept or Lyra asked about the pump then, wondering aloud the same thing I was -- why weren't the engines starting up? I had about 2 heartbeats of despair, thinking we had to go through all of that again. I responded that we must have hit it since they had tank spawns... and just then the plane sputtered and roared. It took forever for the ramp to come down, and by that time the horde was on us again. It was a fantastic ending to a great match.

**WhiskeySix** · 05-11-2009, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boot

Heh, I was paying them back for bagging their tank's buttsack on my dying face on the second map.

hahaha - I'm sure you can imagine my delight to see you laying on the ground there as the round ended and the tank was still alive!

<3

don't you just LOVE valve's appreciation of 'fun factor'? You can tell the company's full of gamers... who else would decide to give the victors 20 seconds of play time after the round ends for loser-mauling and zombie-on-zombie crime!?

(Incidentally, what's more fun in survival mode: getting a medal, or the 5 seconds of FF carnage that happens after a map-change vote?)

16Note · 05-12-2009, 08:55 AM

Quote:

(Incidentally, what's more fun in survival mode: getting a medal, or the 5 seconds of FF carnage that happens after a map-change vote?)

Oh, the FF. I've seen some crazy *#&$ go on during a map change!