Here are the predictions for ENSL WEEK 2 for the Premier League:


Maps: ns_origin / ns_eclipse_ensl



Bens:

Before I start my week 2 predictions I have a plea to make. I'm sure most of you have realised I'm not able to connect to IRC and a number of servers and as such I only know what I'm told, or what I can download and watch. I won't be able to continue writing accurate predictions if I do not have access to HLTV demos or at the very least a match report. It doesn’t have to be detailed, simply putting: team X was marine and beat team Y comfortably, or with SC, or were forced to base rush. So please get HLTVs for your match and please record, upload and place a url to your demos in your match result comments.

Moving on, week 1 is over and we've already had our first casuality. Unsurprisingly, though unfortunately, KTDM have folded. This puts the premiership at an even 6 teams so 3 matches will be played every week and there will be no BYEs. Flatline vs Ninelegends, which would of been week 1, has been moved to week 6 to avoid any problems with other weeks scheduling. In week 1 we saw Reflect beat Xensity 3-1 and I think they'll be the toughest competition for Nine Legends this season. Levitacus and testicules had a closely fought match (So I'm told, you guys seeing the problem with no HLTV demos yet?) and tied 2-2. Flatline and Ninelegends are yet to play their first matches. Week 2 offers us a chance to see the favorites nL start their campaign. We also get to see how the American teams square up against EU opponents. An exciting week, but I'm worried about the scheduling with American teams and we'll soon see if this trans-Atlantic league will work or not.

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Testicules (0-0-1) vs Reflect (1-0-0)
Impact Players:
Testicules: tutu (Fade, Marine), Ray (Lerk), M//ke (Comm)
Reflect: DuoGodOfDeath (Fade), SplinterSteve (Lerk), Makeveli (Fade, Marine)

Last week we saw (read) Reflect start their campaign to become EU champions. They started out succesfully, defeating their across the pond friends: Xensity. Reflect is a good team with 30 ping, but find themselves at a disadvantage already vs the strong Testicules who were unable to beat Levitacus. I think with even pings reflect would take this, their innovative alien strategies make them difficult to predict and m//ke should be on the look out for sensory chambers. Testicules couldn't overpower levitacus last week and whilst I predicted Levi to win, I'm not at all surprised by that result.

They've got the ping advantage this week and they need to make it pay, especially on their marine rounds, where Reflect may try something obscure to try and counter their higher ping. Another factor this week is that it's an unplayed version of the popular ns_eclipse. The changes to areas like powersub may have a big impact on balance and both teams should be looking to scrim hard to see how best to exploit the new changes to their advantage.

Despite the excellent addition of Makeveli to their roster, unfortunately because of the ping advantage I don't think Reflect will beat Testicules and I don't feel that Testicules have what it takes to make the ping advantage turn into more than 2 points.

Reflect 2 Testicules 2

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Flatline (0-0-0) vs Xensity (0-1-0)
Impact Players:
Flatline: Morvie (Fade), Phil (Lerk)
Xensity: ? ? ?

A tough start for xensity having to play CAL runners up: Reflect. Now they have to take on European teams with the ping disadvantage and to further compound their problems, they've just lost their big hitter, Makeveli, to their rivals, reflect! We didn't get to see what Flatline have to offer this season in the first week because of the unfortunate loss of KTDM, but I'm looking forward to this match. Flatline, a team not famous for it's marine play, has a very real chance to get off to a good start vs the deflated Americans. I am concerned that because of the bad start, the loss of a key player and future only holding high pinging matches that Xensity may be our second fatality, despite this though I really would like to see Flatline play aggressively and capitalize on their ping advantage. Aside from their result last week, I unfortunately know nothing of Xensity and I'm unable to make any sort of in-depth predictions.

Flatline 3 Xensity 1

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NineLegends (0-0-0) vs Levitacus (0-0-1)

During the minicup Ninelegends didn't lose a single alien round and dropped only 4 marine rounds, during the cup they defeated levitacus 2-0 escaping with a 1% second hive. We're yet to see what their new roster can do but they've also just recruited b1 from the dead KTDM. b1 for me is one of the best all round NS players, his excellent commanding and organizational skills, as well as his FPS ability make him an excellent addition. Despite the apparent strength of their alien round, I think levitacus have the best chance to end nL's alien dominance.

During the minicup Levitacus played aggressively and took teams off guard often taking out a RT before the lerk and chambers were even active and nL will need to be very wary of this fact, especially on eclipse which is a very small map. Eclipse is a great map for these two to meet on because it's neither marine or alien bias like veil and tanith, having one less RT also makes it a less forgiving map, it's hard for commanders to fall back for prototech. Sherpa will have to be alert and aggressive to beat Levi's smartly organized alien round. I think Ninelegends have what it takes to beat Levitacus on raw skill, but there are elements of Levitacus's play that make me very wary of saying it'll be a comfortably victory. nL will need to be well organized and practiced to overcome this opponent

Ninelegends 3 Levitacus 1


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Zamma's:

Well done to all clans for playing their matches. As ben has stated, unfortunately KTDM has folded - meaning there are some players floating around that could give a boost to any prem team, so watch out! If you are unaware, there has been a new rule as stated in a latter news article. Enjoy this week's games and good luck.

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Testicules (0-0-1) vs Reflect (1-0-0)
Impact Players:
Testicules: tutu (Marine), Ray (Lerk, Marine), M//ke (Comm), Nirgal (Skulk)
Reflect: DuoGodOfDeath (Fade), SplinterSteve (Lerk), Makeveli (Marine)


Reflect recently picked up a very valuable player, stealing him from the team they crushed in last weeks ENSL, Makaveli. With Makaveli, DuoGodOfDeath and SplinterSteve, Reflect can pull off a half decent line-up. Unfortunately all yanks pretty much suck and they have to face the more baguette friendly Testicules (cough insane). Testicules is a bit like Reflect in how it's roster is not all consistant with one another and how they have some key players, but with ray's lerk and tutu's marine skills they should be able to take the win. Testicules also have a vital commander, M//ke, who can always pull them through most european games, but with the americans having different tactics it is unsure how he will manage. This should be a good game to watch - the first Euro vs US match in this ENSL season in the Premiere division. Although Testicules do have the ping advantage I still feel that Reflect will try a devious tactic to try and overcome them. Yet all in all, I do not think this will overcome the skill and teamwork of the frenchies (and a few yanks thrown in).

Testicules 4 Reflect 0

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Flatline (0-0-0) vs Xensity (0-1-0)
Impact Players:
Flatline: Skipjack (Marine), Phil (Lerk)
Xensity: XMadness (Marine)

After Xensity's loss to Reflect, they lost their vital player, Makaveli, to coincidentally enough, Reflect. But they have been quick to recruit and with XMadness now on their team seem a bit stronger. While Flatline on the other hand have not played an ENSL game yet and are lagging behind after KTDM folded. Flatline are a team of teamwork and tactics with a few vital players each providing a helping hand to the alien team. Yet Flatline do lack a strong marine offensive, not one of the premiere standard. After the loss of Morvie to the army, Flatline lack a decent shotgunner and a decent fade. Even so, they still have star player, Phil, the menacing lerk who knows how to abuse those hitboxes (****)! They also have Skipjack, who after his come back has proven a valuable recruit ever helping Flatline in the marine rounds. Xensity on the other hand in my opinion are one of the weaker teams in the premiere division (ofc coming from america). I think for sure that Flatline will win both the alien rounds as the skill that Flatline have for their alien rounds outstands alot of european teams especially with phil's agile skulking and HiVeFiSh's tank powers. This to me is a sure 2 rounds to Flatline leaving hope in getting the marine rounds. I would love to see Flatline play to win and really push Xensity.

Flatline 3 Xensity 1

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NineLegends (0-0-0) vs Levitacus (0-0-1)
Impact Players:
NineLegends: n44bj (Marine), wltrs (Fade, Marine), aA (Skulk)
Levitacus: Invasion (Fade, Marine), Tane (Shotgun), Hopeanuoli (Marine)

NineLegends, faveourites to win ENSL this season, against Levitacus, a team which has been alive for seasons with a team of players which have a good and reliable teamwork structure. NineLegends to me have alot of potential, but have not been active enough to live up to it and therefore some of the players are not performing how they used to. Even so with wltrs and n44bj on the field as marines Levitacus may have a hard time fending them off, and with aA, and his "no-hitbox" skulk, and wltrs' fading, Levitacus will also have just as hard time on the marine rounds. Levitacus do counter though with players like Invasion, Tane, Hopeanuoli and Scale, the most active of the bunch all proving to be incredible aimers and good aliens. Levitacus in my opinion have weaker lifeforms then NineLegends but rely more on strong teamwork and tactics with clever skulking and lots of node biting. NineLegends however consists of arugeably the best players in the EU scene. Can Levitacus get some rounds of the leagues favourites? Who knows but this will definately be the match of the week and you really should not miss it!

NineLegends 3 Levitacus 1

Goodluck and Have Fun