SoW Season 15, Match 4: N0X comeback after a bitter defeat

As we enter the second half of SoW Season 15, I'm finally ready for a game. Match 4 is up next, so I check my assignments in advance.

We’re facing Av0, apparently a tough opponent. Ganicus is among their ranks, along with other heavy hitters. If we want to win here, our full alliance needs to get in and bring the A game. Strong participation tonight is key, and if we have that, we should be okay.

The pre match chatter on Discord is mostly positive, but I still sense some hidden tension. I get the inevitable feeling that this win is going to be costly. I mean… it looks like we’re pushing for the win and we're probably expected to heal like crazy.

Even before the game starts, some players report “technical difficulties” and might not make it online. But as the map opens and calls for LC start rolling in, our numbers swarm the map. We’ve still got 30 minutes before the real battle begins, and things are looking good.

As the start time creeps closer, though, a problem becomes clear. We’re at a slight disadvantage in both participation and starting points. Sadly, the numbers aren’t in our favor. But that just means we have to play smarter and capitalize on their mistakes.

It’s like how I play table tennis. I don’t try to outplay my opponent, I play safe and let them make the mistakes that win the game for me.

Before the battle even begins, we’re already deep into strategy talk. How do we counter Ganicus? Simple: we don’t. That's right, lol. The problem we don’t acknowledge can’t hurt us, right? Wrong! His counterattacks will melt us. So best to leave him alone.

Next topic: Anniversary buildings? Ignore them. Everyone is a bit disappointed but nobody dares say anything.

And most importantly... points win games. Our strategy is simple: maximize points per minute. No distractions, just pure map control.

It’s a bold approach, especially since many of us still don’t have the new truce skin and we all secretly want it. Though no one will admit it, myself included. The temptation to chase money bags will be strong, but this SoW is a test of discipline and determination. A battle of will, if you will. No unnecessary running around. No distractions. Just control and points per minute.

As I prep my main account, something I notice something funny. My alt is already trying to get a head start, with one of its marches standing outside the starting border. Guess I’m not the only one eager to get going!

Then, the rush begins. My assignment? Hot Springs. One of the two most crucial objectives on the map.

Holding it means cheaper healing. In a one-hour nonstop war, where no one wants to burn speed-ups, that small discount adds up fast.

Both sides push hard, but we come out on top. The first real skirmish goes in our favor, and with it, we also take the lead in points.

Leadership sends a clear reminder: “Ignore the special spawns. We’re playing for points. The win matters more. Listen to your shotcallers, do what they say and we'll come out with a win” The message is loud and clear and this fight was just beginning.

As we wait for them to regroup and push back toward Armory and Hot Springs, we take a moment to recall and refresh our own marches. At least we can heal cheaper than they can. This small victory from the start boosts morale, hehe.

Just as I refresh my marches and send my troops back to Hot Springs, the game crashes. I'm used to this by now, my tin can PC has been acting up lately. But it's perfect timing, actually. I’ve got plenty of travel time where I can restart the game and not miss much.

After a 2nd win at Hot Springs, confidence is growing. Leadership calls for a push onto their side of the map, targeting Stark Stronghold 2. Looks like we’re pressing our advantage, holding both Armory and Hot Springs while trying to demoralize them. Good call. Let’s see if it works and how they respond.

They’ve got some serious accounts in here. With a lineup like this and 1.5 million T5s, taking them down isn’t easy. It takes a full team effort to bring this beast down. We focus Ganicus, one march at a time. Slowly but surely, we keep forcing him back to heal.

As the fighting rages on and we pass the midpoint, it becomes clear, they’re burning out. Some players are probably AFK by now.

We keep the momentum, running package after package. Hotep and Belore take turns on deliveries while the rest of us intercept any disruption Av0 attempts.

We’ve pushed them so far back, they can barely step out of their spawn point.

It’s starting to feel like a reverse of our last match, where HoH had us pinned at our base.

As we enter the final quarter of the game, we have complete control of the map.

It’s a rare sight in SoW, and I’m glad I get to experience it from this perspective.

With dominance secured, we keep running packages nonstop. As a reward, leadership finally gives us the green light to chase the anniversary buildings for skin coins. Not that anyone really wanted them… yet somehow, a suspicious number of marches show up the moment they spawn. lol.

Even in the final minutes, we don’t let up. We’ve already hit 80k points, then 90k, but we still want the final package.

For some reason, Av0 decides to contest. After a relatively quiet game, a surprising number of them show up at Winterfell, trying to take our package? How adventurous of them!

A huge fight breaks out, one that rivals the starting battles at Armory and Hot Springs when both sides were still full of energy, still hopeful that victory would be theirs. But only one team would triumph in the end. And today, that team was us.

They pick up the package first.

We kill them and take it back. We start running.

We don’t get far. Our carrier falls.

They try to pick it up. We attach while they're trying to pick it up. We kill their carrier and reclaiming the package.

Another run. Another short run, I should say. Our new carrier doesn’t make it far before getting murdered again.

There’s still hope. If we pick it up one more time and break free of this skirmish we still have time to deliver it.

We grab it again. W00t! The final sprint! Run, Forrest, Run! (Forrest Gump - 1994)

Then, a wild Grey Worm appears. We’re tagged, slowed to a crawl, practically frozen in place. This is it. Our fate is sealed.

What felt like a infinite struggle lasting half an hour was, in reality, over in less than two minutes.

After dominating the entire game, we let our confidence get the best of us, thinking we could force one last package through.

The match ends. Winterfell and the package sit together on the same screen. Package almost unmoved, and definitely undelivered.

A great game overall. After our victories against GJS and GEU (that I could not see for myself) and a bitter loss against HoH (where I could only play in waves), this match felt different. I was fully present, fully committed and had a great time. A beautiful win against Av0.

Victory wasn’t just about the final score. It was about strategy, execution, and trust in our leadership. From a hopeful but uncertain start, we followed our "elders", turning discipline into dominance. Winning Armory and Hot Springs was the snowball that grew into an unstoppable force, growing in size as it was rolling downhill, crushing everything in its path, including some special building spawns that even got me my new bubble skin.

This was a fun game and a well deserved win. A testament that an organized alliance with an iron will has the best chances to win.

With only two matches left, we are eagerly looking forward to our next matchup. Let’s see who stands between us and the playoffs.