GoTWiC [AoH] S5R5 "Experience"

A new match had arrived, but for Stanko, this wasn't just another game, it was a chance for redemption. The loss from the previous round was still on his mind, the moment he lost the throne literally at the last second. Everything was under control, everything was going according to plan, and then one mistake changed the outcome. He couldn't erase that feeling. “It won't happen again,” he said quietly to himself as he entered the new match, determined not to leave room for such an ending this time.

This time, he played with his standard team, relying on the experience he had gained. The plan was detailed, every move preconceived by Stanko, who had spent days devising the strategy. However, problems arose before the match even began. Mayhem, his right-hand man and the player he could always count on, couldn't participate. The news hit him harder than he was willing to admit. As if that weren't enough, Ana was joining the team for the first time. She was his friend, but inexperienced in these kinds of situations, and on top of that, she only played cavalry. Stanko knew he would have to adjust the plan on the fly. “It's going to be tough,” he said, more to himself than to the others. “But we'll have to figure it out.” Once again, they were representing the Stark House.

The opponents were serious. Amron from the well-known BDR alliance, someone who has already defeated Stanko several times, led the Lannisters,

while Lilya, a powerful lance-wielder from the former FFS alliance, led the Targaryens. There was no room for error, but if they played as planned, they would be on their way to a good result.

As soon as the match began, Stanko acted quickly. “Everyone to the strongholds, now!” he ordered. The plan was to focus on the spear camps because the Towers were the cavalry.

Everything started as it should, but soon things began to get complicated. Ana, who was supposed to take one of the key clans, wasn't there on time. “Ana, where are you?” he asked nervously. “Can't talk right now, hold on,” came the reply. Stanko gritted his teeth. The plan had to change on the fly, and someone else took her place.

Fortunately, they managed to capture both clans, but it didn't feel right. “Should I have even made a plan when everyone's doing their own thing?” he thought, but he didn't have time to dwell on it.

The battle soon raged. The next target was the Strangers, who brought additional speed. Stanko knew how important they were, but so did the opponents. Attacks on their Altars began almost immediately. Information was coming from all sides, the team was under pressure, and coordination wasn't perfect. Despite everything, Stanko managed to defend the Altars, and they managed to capture the Tower and maintain their advantage.

“We're doing well...” he thought, but he wasn't completely satisfied. Ana was still figuring things out, and the team wasn't functioning as one. We were missing that one player instead of Ana, who would have sent the spearmen and the infantry, but we fought with what we had. It's still the beginning of the match.

A key moment was approaching with the Dragonpit. “We can't lose this,” he said decisively. He and Joker took the initiative and launched an attack on two different Dragonpits. This required the others to send troops to two different fronts, which they did. The battles were intense, but they succeeded.

Meanwhile, Ana had finally captured her objective, and things started to fall into place. “Now we're playing the right way,” Stanko said, feeling the situation stabilize.

But the real decision was yet to come, Glory. Stanko knew this would be the hardest part. “If we take this, we're on a good path to victory,” Stanko thought to himself, as a little doubt about the last match lingered. He also knew he couldn't withstand the attacks alone, especially not against Amron. “Joker, you're going in Glory,” he said without hesitation. “The rest of you, send all the infantry you have.” The attack began, and the tension grew with every passing second. When Amron launched his attack, Stanko felt his heart racing. “Here it comes… this is it,” he thought. In that moment, everything reminded him of the last match. The final seconds, the loss, the disappointment. “Not again,” he said to himself.

The battle was fierce. Waves of attacks came one after another, but the team held. “Hang on! Just a little longer!” a voice was heard from the chat. Reinforcements arrived at the right moment, and they managed to defend Glory.

When he realized they had succeeded, Stanko felt relief for the first time. “We didn't fall… this time we didn't fall.” He felt a little better, because he knew there were no strong cavalry, so the only danger was from Amron himself.

Still, he didn't allow himself to relax. Although they had the advantage, he knew how quickly things could change. Even though the winner was practically decided, for Stanko it wasn't. He continued to command, to react, to defend every position.

With solo attacks, he closed gaps, prevented opponents from scoring points, and kept the team focused. “No letting up,” he would repeat. Even when the victory was all but certain, he didn't stop. He wanted the maximum, 180k points.

When the match was finally over, the result was more than clear. A convincing victory.

Stanko leaned back and took a deep breath. “We did it,” he said with a smile. Ana apologized for the start, but he just shook his head. “It's how we finished that matters.” Deep down, he knew it wasn't perfect, the start was chaotic, the team uncoordinated, but they had adapted, grown throughout the match, and in the end, played as a unit.

This victory meant more to him than any other. Not just because of first place, but because he had finally overcome his biggest problem, the pressure of the final stretch. “Amron... we're even now,” he thought, but he didn't dwell on it. He was already thinking about the next match. “Looks like my strategy I've been planning for days paid off,” he said to himself with great relief and pride, but he knew there were still plenty of mistakes to fix, and facing Mayhem in the next round would be much easier.

Second place in the last match cost him points, but the experience he gained today earned him those points and first place, and it will be useful for the matches to come.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NydpE5xG6Pc