Wrecked in Debris Field!
Well it's that time again, folks. With the Russell Cup Invitational Season 2 hot underway, fans are still cheering and jeering for their favourite and not-so-favourite competitors after two- yes two - stunning games took place yesterday. Rusty Russellson here to bring you coverage of these exciting events.
The first match took place in high orbit at the abandoned Dylarian shipyards, a site famously used as a staging area by the United Earth Directorate in the days of the Brood War. Long-since having been abandoned by both UED and Terran Dominion forces and scoured of Zerg infestation, the area now known as Debris Field proved to be the perfect battleground for the contest of Ultimate Skill and Might known as the Russell Cup Invitational.
Brewdwarf and Gamblor's Alpha Squadron Boys (also known as Team Edward) faced off against the new and untested team known as Braynotron, though some speculate that this was in fact none other than Jimbraynor in disguise. Fans were eager to see what synergy might manifest itself as these titans brought All Their Forces to bear. Lacking any sort of real terrain, the competitors would have to find Alternate Ways to marshal their troops between platforms.
Team Edward or team Braynotron? Fans were divided today as they chose which team to support.
Braynotron, or Jimbraynor?
You, the reader, decide.
Early-game peace talks proved Futile and quickly broke down as both sides exchanged bad puns. Obviously trusting the emptiness of space to protect him, Braynor's pathetic BM rush was no match for Alpha Squadron Boys. We're joined by Edmund Duke - long-time fan and follower of the Russell Cup Invitational - via satellite for his competitive insight on the maneuver.
BM rushing again?
Now that's just sloppy.
However, perhaps misunderestimating his opponents, Gamblor's regiment fielded a total of zero (0) Alpha Squadron Boys, preferring instead to send the more disposable Alpha Squadron Zerglings to compete against Jimbotron's control of the Zerg machine of war. Meanwhile, Brewdwarf's dreaded Alpha Squadron Technicians operated from a remote platform, preparing to launch a series of devastating strikes against Braynor's Mining Operations as his many command centers attempted to establish an early foothold on multiple space platforms.
In space, there is no middle ground, and it was Gamblor who made the first move to oust the competition and claim the prized debris for his team. His small delegation of overlords and space hydras took the high ground in the Active Negotiations. Staying true to Zerg etiquette, they rained bile and space hydra spines on any SCV foolish enough to get close.
Clearly outmatched in Military Might and Skill, Braynor had no choice but to rely on his teammate to save him. Never one to abandon someone to the Zerg, Jimbotron's clever (though ethically questionable) use of psi emitters lured an overwhelming force of mutalisks to the platform. The doomed drop was quickly cleared, forcing Gamblor's fellowship deep beneath the mountain as the eye of Jimbotron watched from atop its Spire. It was now gosu team Braynotron who had the Upper Hand... but for how long?
One space platform to rule them all, one space platform to find them... Jimbotron seen atop his spire.
Caw Caw! A deadly flock of mutalisks is drawn by the psi emitter and prepares to overwhelm and devour its prey.
Meanwhile, Brewdwarf's technicians had already finished deploying the first of many ravens to come and used the opportunity to launch a series of probing strikes as his numbers steadily grew.
In the rear with the gear! Brewdwarf launches a series of probing attacks behind enemy lines.
Yet with mutalisks riding the solar winds in seemingly endless numbers, it seemed like just a matter of time before team Braynotron landed a crushing blow. With Gamblor's early gambit leaving him in a Questionable Position, would Brewdwarf's ravens be able to pull through? Fans were on the edge of their seats as both teams exchanged blows in this intense Back and Forth.
It wasn't until new advances in technology were developed that the tide of battle swung in Team Edward's favor. Strategic use of the Hunter-Seeker missile (seen left) by Brewdwarf (not shown) reduced Jimbotron's mutalisk swarm to smithereens in a flash. Suddenly, the board was cleared and Team Edward was light-years ahead in the space race. They would only compound their advantage as yet another technological marvel was uncovered.
Using newly discovered Worm Hole technology, Gamblor tunneled his way through the emptiness of space, allowing him near instantaneous travel between platforms. Combined with previously researched bile-spewing and transport technology for overlords, this allowed him to transition into a late-game spine crawler rush.
After launching a series of strikes against multiple platforms simultaneously thanks to generous use of raven auto-turrets, Team Edmund was in a seemingly unbeatable position as expansion after expansion was cleared of foes, including both Jimbotron and Braynor's Main Base.
Brewdwarf's systematic use of auto-turrets during a series of attacks on multiple platforms.
Forced to lift off and/or relocate, Jimbotron's drones were forced to seek shelter in what few fortified mining bases Braynor had left. But slowly slowly catchee monkey, as the old saying goes. It was only a matter of time.
With Jimbotron seemingly crippled and out of the game, it was now Braynor's turn to Do Something. With vikings and ravens as his weapons of choice, an island full of starports and over 5000 minerals banked, he set about harassing, stalling and otherwise distracting Team Edward from the Real Threat.
A turning point in the battle. Two raven armies battle for supremacy.
After losing all of their ravens and ceding control of the map to Braynotron, Team Edward was left on the back foot as they struggled to rebuild.
Half an hour later, after intense Dicking Around by all sides and neither side doing anything of interest, the outcome was finally decided in a dramatic fashion when Jimbotron unleashed the forces he had been slowly building up.
The massive amount of queens proved too much for their Zerg and Terran opponents, and the army of 30+ queens rampaged unopposed between platforms, claiming each in turn for team Braynotron and wrapping up the series with a 1-0 victory over Team Edward while the ever-controversial Brewdwarf complained about Braynor's use of ravens as being his "thing".
Of course, long-time followers will remember that ravens have long been Jimbotron's unit of choice and that Brewdwarf had adopted Jimbotron's patented "I R lose! I R make Raven as my only offensive unit! GRR!!" strategy from the Russell Cup Invitational Season 1.
In a post-game interview, we asked Brewdwarf for his thoughts about use of ravens. Likely still shaken up about the crushing defeat, he claimed the use of ravens was some kind of supernatural affliction.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! THE CURSE OF THE RAVENS IS SPREADING!" - Brewdwarf comments on Braynor's use of ravens.
Tournament organizers wish to remind everyone that the use of performance-enhancing supernatural affliction in the Russell Cup Invitational is strictly forbitten.
With the space platforms firmly under control, the battle would soon move to the Boneyards of nearby Korhal. True to Russell Cup form, new alliances would form, old hatreds forgotten as Braynor and Gamblor worked together in Team Effort against the dreaded coalition known as Jimbwarf.
Tune in next time, for exciting coverage of the Russell Cup Invitational Season 2. Same bat channel, same bat time. Folks, this is Rusty Russellson, signing off.