GoTWiC [AC] "Expectations"

The loss to NoS in the previous round was a heavy blow for Stanko. It wasn't just the result that hit him, but also the fact that the match clearly showed where his team currently stands in relation to the strongest alliances. Over the past few days, he had often thought about that match and, analyzing every detail, came to the same conclusion, the road to the top 16 would be much harder than he had expected. Still, as far-fetched as that goal now seemed, there was one that remained completely achievable. Three wins in the season. That was the minimum he wanted to achieve and a goal he had no intention of giving up on.

The next opponent was DNA, an alliance he knew very well.

These weren't unknown players you go into a match against without any information. On the contrary, Stanko knew their habits, their strongest compositions, and the players who could make a difference on the battlefield. Two names stood out in particular, Meisdira and Her Knispel. The two were good friends and often talked outside of the game, commenting on events and sharing experiences. However, there was no room for friendship today.

“Sorry, friend,” Stanko thought as he surveyed the building layout before the match. “But today, you're just another opponent we have to defeat.”

Although he knew that DNA had several very skilled players, he was also aware of his team's huge advantage. They had more active members, more people ready to complete any task, and more opportunities for constant map pressure. It was an advantage they had to exploit. However, Stanko wasn't just thinking about winning. He wanted points, too. After a few good performances, he felt he could establish himself as one of the alliance's best players, and he wanted to show it to everyone. This match was the perfect opportunity.

The match began, and his first task was a slow march on Mother. He had performed very well in that role in previous rounds and expected everything to go according to plan this time as well. However, the situation developed differently. One of their strongest players managed to capture the castle before a replacement was needed, so Stanko's task was no longer relevant.

Without much thought, he withdrew his troops and began to prepare for the next phase of the battle.

The start of the match wasn't perfect. Their performance in the race for the first buildings was only so-so, but that didn't last long. Organized wave attacks quickly brought results, and they managed to take control of most of the important structures before their opponents could organize.

As time went on, his alliance's advantage grew.

Just then, news arrived that caught his attention.

“Ouch! Knispel has taken CR! It's going to be very hard to defeat him. But let him hold the castle so we focus on the other buildings first!”

Although he tried to sound calm, he knew how much that would complicate the situation. If Knispel held the CR, getting him out of there wouldn't be easy at all.

Time passed, and Stanko grew more and more nervous. When he looked at the scoreboard, he couldn't believe his eyes. His alliance was dominating, victory seemed certain, but he had almost no points.

One time he was late to a Warrior. Another time, someone beat him to a capture. The third time, he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“Incredible,” he muttered through his laughter. “Looks like I have no other choice but to attack Knispel in the CR myself; maybe I'll finally get a point.”

His teammates laughed, but Stanko wasn't in the mood for jokes. He wanted to prove himself. He wanted to show that he wasn't just another member of the alliance, but someone the team could count on in the most important moments.

Midway through the match, the mines appeared, and everyone knew how important they would be. Capturing them practically meant victory. Communication became more intense, orders were coming from all sides, and every player knew exactly what they had to do. After a few minutes of fighting, they managed to capture both mines.

“EXCELLENT! WE'VE GOT BOTH MINES! Send in the troops quickly, just in case they decide to attack!”

For the first time during the match, Stanko felt a real sense of relief. Victory was now almost certain. However, as the others celebrated the secured points, his gaze fell back on CR.

Knispel was still there.

The big points were still there.

And there was a challenge he couldn't ignore.

“The big points are there! Let's go after them with everything we've got. We have to win it!”

Preparations for the attack began immediately. Rally after rally, they hit CR, but DNA's defense held firm. Every time it looked like it was about to fall, new reinforcements would arrive at the last moment. Knispel refused to give up.

Stanko watched the reports and felt the tension building.

“If I don't attack now, I'll regret it after the match,” he thought.

Although he was a spearman and didn't have the ideal composition for such an attack, he decided to send his troops. He no longer cared if he would lose his army. He wanted to be part of the final battle.

That's when the real chaos began.

The last few minutes turned into the most intense part of the entire match. Rally timers were counting down the final seconds, reinforcements were arriving from all sides, and reports were coming in so fast they were almost impossible to keep track of. Every new attack brought hope that the defense would finally give way.

And then it happened.

One of their strongest rallies hit CR, and for the first time during the entire match, it looked like Knispel was seriously shaken. His troops began to disappear, the defense was weakening, and the numbers were changing from second to second.

“Let's go! Let's go! A little more!” Stanko shouted. Stanko's attack was coming soon, and he wanted as few troops inside as possible so he would suffer fewer losses. “Maybe I'll be the one to capture the castle,” he thought to himself.

And then, a few seconds before the attack, a bubble appeared around the CR. Dna put up a shield and managed to hold the castle for a little while longer.

“I can't believe it! Even when I want to lose troops, they won't let me!” Stanko said angrily, because once again he had gotten through without a fight, and the match would be over soon. 

In the match where he wanted to dominate and be among the best, he was among the worst. It was a big disappointment for him.

The balloon dropped again. Stanko angrily sent a new rally. This time he wouldn't wait to hit among the last; he went first, just to get points.

The attacks began. This time, even more so than in the first wave. They struck one after another. “Finally!” Stanko said enthusiastically, as if he had captured a castle and not lost the battle. Everyone watched in disbelief. This time, we weren't even close to capturing the castle. The troops were returning to the base with heavy losses.

“It seems Knispel is even stronger than I expected,” Stanko said in surprise, but happy because he had finally managed to score some points.

CR remained in the hands of DNA.

For a few seconds, there was silence, and then the communication filled with laughter and comments. In the end, the result was more than convincing. DNA put up a good fight and showed they had several very quality players, but they couldn't stop the charge of Stanko's alliance. Although Stanko didn't play the match he had imagined and didn't dominate in points, he managed to contribute to the victory and ultimately secure valuable points. More importantly, his team recorded its second win of the season and took a big step toward its main goal.

As he watched the final result, a smile appeared on his face.

He congratulated Knispel on a great fight throughout the entire match.

Maybe the Top 16 was still out of reach. Maybe much tougher opponents like Knispel awaited him. But one thing was certain.

The path to a third victory was open, and Stanko was ready to make up for what he missed in this match in the next one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqMZp1-BE34