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[Review] Analysis of BUNS vs HOT in IBL in Infinity Kingdom

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Article Publish : 03/23/2026 03:50

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💠Introduction

What’s up, folks? Welcome back to my Illusion Battlefield League(IBL) series, where I take a closer look at different matches. The IBL tournament differs from regular IB in that everyone will construct marches and skill builds using a fixed set of skills. At different stages of the tournament, more immortals and skills will become available. Everyone has access to the same immortals and the same skills. Castle skins and Lord Talents do not affect the more fast-paced battles of IBL. Relocations and marching speed are also faster. The event is one of the most entertaining events in Infinity Kingdom, and players enjoy spectating, almost like a sporting event. In this article, I’m going to take a closer look at the match between Server 73’s Snugglebunnies(BUNS) and Server 344’s Hot Crew(HOT).

💠Table of Contents

Overview
Starting Positions and Talents
BUNS
HOT
Tower 1
Tower 4
Central Tower
Altars
Home Towers
Play-by-Play
Summary

💠Overview

BUNS finished the first phase with a 4–1 record, their only loss coming to HMB, and advanced through the playoffs with wins over AWG and DN. Their biggest issue this season has been attendance, as many of their players consolidated into a single alliance for KvK, limiting their numbers. HOT, on the other hand, went 7–1 in the first phase with their only loss to ARC and carried strong momentum into the playoffs by dominating HM and Server 248. They typically field more players than BUNS, so while BUNS has the experience edge, HOT’s superior attendance could play a significant role in this matchup.

💠Starting Positions and Talents

BUNS

Started with 18 players and ended with 20
12 Attack talents
2 Defense talents
4 Support talents

HOT

Started with 21 players and ended with 25
11 Attack talents
8 Defense talents
2 Support talent

💠Tower 1

BUNS sent 8 players to Tower 1 while HOT sent 9 with one overlap. BUNS’ formation was inefficient, with too many players positioned in the third row despite open spots closer to the tower, which would slow their ability to garrison and support teammates. HOT, on the other hand, used a wider and more balanced formation, giving them better control of space around the objective. Although BUNS had the top-sided positional advantage for Tower 4, their poor spawn options likely influenced their decision to prioritize Tower 1 instead.

💠Tower 4

BUNS fully conceded Tower 4, while HOT sent 6 players to secure it. Given the lack of opposition, HOT likely overcommitted resources, and one or two players should have canceled their relocations to reinforce Tower 1 instead. In a lower-attendance matchup, efficiently redistributing excess players from uncontested objectives is critical, and HOT could have used those extra members to gain a stronger foothold elsewhere.

💠Central Tower

BUNS sent 6 players to the Central Tower while HOT chose not to contest it in the early minutes. This gives BUNS a free opportunity to establish ideal positioning around the objective, and they should prioritize fully surrounding the tower to control all key spaces before it opens. From that position, they can safely send rallies toward Tower 1 to apply pressure without giving up control of the middle. Once the Central Tower becomes capturable, BUNS should be in a strong position to secure it and dictate the pace of the match.

💠Altars

Neither team sent anyone to either altar.

💠Home Towers

BUNS had two guards at their home tower while HOT had four.

💠Play-by-Play

At Tower 1, BUNS opened by destroying one relocation, but HOT quickly gained momentum and secured the first kill about three minutes after landing. HOT then reinforced with three late arrivals; although BUNS managed to destroy one of those relocations, they were still outnumbered. BUNS attempted to bring in reinforcements, but HOT did an excellent job blocking multiple incoming relocations and maintaining their numbers advantage. BUNS managed to zero one player, but their damage output wasn’t enough to keep up as more HOT players continued to arrive. Gradually, BUNS were picked off one by one, and HOT took full control of the area, capturing the tower 14 minutes into the match.

At Tower 4, HOT faced no resistance and captured the tower five minutes into the match. Shortly after, two latecomers successfully relocated to the area, reinforcing the six defenders already stationed there and solidifying HOT’s control of the objective.

At the Central Tower, BUNS maintained full control of the area and captured the objective 11 minutes into the match without any resistance. They held their positions throughout the early phase, recognizing the importance of the Central Tower as the key objective for any comeback attempt, and avoided rotating away prematurely to ensure they secured it as soon as it opened.

At the 15-minute mark, a BUNS player attempted an invasion on HOT’s home tower, where two guards were stationed. HOT quickly responded by sending four additional players, overwhelming and zeroing the invader shortly after. Later, around the 25-minute mark, BUNS shifted momentum by teleporting six players to Tower 1. They caught several HOT defenders off guard—some without garrisons and others already low on health—and quickly zeroed four players. With the area cleared, BUNS captured Tower 1 midway through the match, securing their third objective and giving themselves a path back into the game.

At the same time, HOT launched a coordinated push on BUNS’ Tower 2, relocating four players and teleporting in another against just two defenders. As more HOT reinforcements arrived, BUNS managed to zero one target but were quickly overwhelmed by the numbers disadvantage. Their response was fragmented, with some players still pressuring HOT’s home tower while others remained idle at spawn, leaving Tower 2 under-defended. HOT eventually secured the objective at the 38-minute mark, though the score remained close with only a 1,000-point lead. BUNS attempted another push on HOT’s home tower but failed to gain traction, and shortly after, they also lost control of Tower 1, effectively ending their comeback attempt.

💠Summary

MVP of the match was HOT’s Hina as HOT defeated BUNS 100,000 to 70,050. BUNS’ limited attendance was ultimately exposed, as HOT executed strong rotations and consistently pressured weak points across the map. While HOT found success controlling the outer towers early, their decision to concede the Central Tower was questionable, as it allowed BUNS to claw back into the match and even tie it around the halfway mark. With more players, BUNS could have realistically completed the comeback off the Central Tower’s point generation. However, HOT did an excellent job identifying vulnerable objectives, attacking decisively, and combining fast rallies with effective solo pressure to break defenses. HOT secured a Top 16 berth, while BUNS drop to the losers’ bracket for a rematch against AWG.