July's Cadred TF2 Top Ten

The Cadred Top Ten returns for the best in the European TF2 scene!

We are using the same regulations as other ranked games on Cadred: Fifteen votes will go into each month's rankings, ten of which are from the previous month's top ten teams, and five of which are from our panel members, who will vote every month.

The points system remains simple: a first place vote earns that team 10 points, 9 points are awarded for second place, and so on.

On page two you can read who the panel members are, and see their thoughts and opinions on this month's rankings.

Greg "slick" Champagne
Those in the know recognise the luscious locks to the left as the most suave motherfucker around, none other than Epsilon eSports’ playboy manager.

Whilst his rumoured links to the European pornography industry add a certain mystique to beautiful Belgian, it is his passion for competitive gaming and more importantly, Team Fortress 2, that has earned him a spot on our hallowed panel.

The dinosaurs amongst you will also remember that the man is a Tribes legend. Shazbot!

"Oh the joy of once again seeing my favourite Epsilon boys back after a long break, and being able to place them once again in the Top 10. I did hesitate on placing them on top of the list, because they were not the only contenders to not have lost an official this month. I guess only a showdown between K1ck and Epsilon eSports would have put any doubts to rest - sadly it will not happen. Never the less, it has been a brilliant month for K1ck with millions of excuses from their opponents on why they lost to this not so popular team. Even on paper, K1ck counts only Royze and Retshock as names that have made an impression on the TF2 scene. This promises a lot more interesting games, however K1ck apparently ending their campaign, meaning the players will be spread out. Will be interesting to see who goes where, but many point to the return / reform of Mister - many criticised longas’ mistake in the first place, to have departed so quickly TF2 for Brink and ruin a team not for the first time.

To close the top3, the ex-Power Gaming team has had immense difficulties against hard opponents, not managing to win any tournament this time around, but could be also the fact of the change of classes between Hymzi and mafu alternating between demo and scout.

Fourth place goes to Infused.Tt with a more than deserved spot up there, although failing in officials, their potential and their powerful heavy combo with numlocked will soon bring them a title, how about Multiplay i43? Tt boys get the No. 5 spot, after their ETF2L Season win, it seemed they just collapsed in their next officials...

A temporary sixth spot for TCM-Gaming; vacation possibly having its toll on the team.

Anexis eSports consistency keeps them in the No. 7 spot.

The rest of the teams fill in the gaps, with very little officials, but based on the line-up on paper, idk? ( Thy & Quad dealing a lot of damage), or the return of Monster Munch, and then finally SNSD."

Greg "Greg" Bushell

Greg is the new kid on the block both in our panel and on the Cadred coverage team. Not to be confused with Mr Champagne above, Greg is actually good at scout, having risen through the ranks with his fellow Brits at Infused.Tt eSports.

A shining example of someone who has made the brave step from Counter-Strike Source to Team Fortress 2, the Bushmaster should be applauded, but it’s probably best to keep him at arm’s length just in case he turns again.

"It has been a crazy month for TF2, with the major league playoffs, the i43 online qualifiers and a new unexpected TF2 backing organisation (Excello) being the major highlights for this pre-LAN practicing month. Unfortunately epicLAN ended up being cancelled and as such cast some personal disappointment over it all. However some amazing TF2 has been played. Coming in first and foremost for me with some amazingly unexpected results in the ESL Playoffs is of course k1ck eSports Klub, who I predicted to finish last in the competition, so hats off to them for proving both me and their haters wrong.

After that comes in SG-1 and Epsilon, who both had a pretty decent month making it to both of the cup finals, however Mr Champagne's new boys pip the former Power-Gaming team to my 2nd place, thanks to the win in the Excello cup over the former (and maybe continued) rivals, who slot back into the remembered 3rd place seat, however I doubt they will remain there for the same length of time.

My fourth, fifth and sixth spots go to Team Thermaltake, Infused.Tt and TCM-Gaming in that order. TCM showed some pretty good games this month, however their inactivity counts against them and with the loss of the ETF2L game to Team Thermaltake makes me feel like the pressure has gotten to the team, lets hope they can bounce back next month and show us a few surprises at i43. Tt take fourth thanks to the resilient victory in the ETF2L final, and congratulations to them for finally overcoming the problems they had with actually taking a championship. Infused slot into the middle thanks to some solid results, however we still need to work on specific things before we can break into that top3.

Dignitas' results in the Excello cup put them in at 7th, with Anexis coming in at 8th with consistent results. SNSD (now Team Yoytech) stay in ninth after some nice wins in Albert's cups, and I welcome refuse into my 10th spot."

James J. "Admirable" McDonnell

James is the (fore)head of TF2 coverage at Cadred and he has been a long time community enthusiasist and LAN slut.

James has played in the Irish national team and much-loved coolclan in the past. He is currently making up the numbers and dropping ubers for Team redCode.

He is also rumoured to be stealing your ladder points.

"Wow! So many fixtures and results to work with in what is traditionally a dry month for competitive Team Fortress 2, I almost feel like a proper journalist... if only it weren’t for my crippling bias against Team Thermaltake!

OK, so I’m reading the July results in chronological order and, holy shit, Thermaltake beat TCM-Gaming to win ETF2L Season 9 in a three match epic?! I take it all back; these guys are definitely going number one. I'd better continue reading to the end anyway just to make sure... Hahaha! The backwater Jews at K1ck eSports beat redCode, those kids are terribad! But wait... what? They went on to beat TCM as well? What is this I don’t even...

Something must be wrong here, where’s that secretary of mine? Ms. Bushell get in here at once, these results are all screwed up. It says’s here that K1ck beat redCode, TCM, Tt and SG-1 in the ESL Play-offs and are now Champions of Europe? Israel isn’t even in fucking Europe?! What a clusterfuck.

OK OK I’ve seen it all. Er... Epsilon eSports are back? Didn’t they rage quit a few months ago? So you’re telling me they just came back and they are already beating the top two, SG-1 and TCM? This scene is a fucking joke yo! Jesus H. Christ...

Ha! You see what I did there ladies and gentlemen. How crude! Unfortunate for Tt that their big success came at the start of the month, for they have been royally fucked over by the Spanish steroids K1ck have been taking to slay everyone in the ESL and the firepower of the Epsilon reform. After my K1ck-Epsi-Tt top three I’d have to put SG-1 who took a few scalps in the Excello and Multiplay cups as well as finishing second to the rampaging K1ck in ESL Season VII.

TCM come in at fifth having lost everything this month; must try harder. No real change below that with Infused, Anexis, Dignitas and SNSD (now YoYoTech). The new Team Refuse fill out my tenth spot although it seems they have been stillborn in to the Top 10, with their linchpin medic _Ben having to step back from gaming."

Sivert "Torden" Bakkeng

Don’t be fooled by is puppydog eyes; Sivert is a grizzled veteran when it comes to competitive TF2, having risen to fame in the revered Weapons of the Rebellion\4Kings squad that produced many of today's top players.

He has most recently captained Team Norway and the now defunct Scandinavians, Broder, playing the pivotal medic role for which he is recognised as one of the best in Europe.

"Epsilon might be the strongest for the upcoming time, but for this month there's only 1 team that's taken down every other team in the current top5: eSrael."

Jason "kaidus" Allen

Jason completes our ramshackle panel again this month.

Many of you will know him as the outspoken debate junkie from the ETF2L forums turned Cadred (non-)contributor, but he’s a nice guy really!

His biggest claim to fame is that he once played in the same team as Admirable at LAN. On a day to day basis you can now find him rocking huge airshots for Team Thermaltake.

"Straight in at number 1, Epsilon are clearly the dominant team on the scene at the moment without a shadow of a doubt. k1cks ESL run and eventual victory was impressive, but had the team lasted I think their results against the rest of the top 5 would have slipped as they ceased to be a dark horse, but even in their ESL form I would have expected Epsilon to rinse the floor with them. SG-1 take third for all round strong performances including taking the ESL silver and reaching multiple grand finals. Tt in at #4 for an ETF2L victory over #5 TCM. Infused are a bright prospect in at #6 but have yet to prove themselves in real competition, and any teams beyond this still have mountains to overcome to contend for a top 5 spot."

You'll be able to catch more thoughts from our panel with Cadred's August Rankings in a few week's time!

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Originally published on Cadred.org on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 17:47:39 +0100 by James J. McDonnell.

Archived from July's Cadred TF2 Top Ten as part of tf2esports.com's preservation of Cadred.org's TF2 coverage. All rights remain with the original author and Cadred.org; reposted for historical reference.