September'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!

"Busy sipping Mojitos in South Beach Miami, Admirable comes along and asks for those exciting Top 10 on Cadred… well in result, no surprise I’m late! Apologies for shortening it this month!

None the less happy to give the my top 10 of this month… based on Excello Invite cup, Open Cup and Alberts TF2 Cup. Keep in mind also some teams have alrdy played Week1 in ETF2L, naughty Epsilon did not. Mentionning Epsilon, I’m once again happy to give them the n1 spot, with a great show on the Excello Invite Cup beating YYT, Infused, & in the Finals Dignitas. Allthough a shakey return since i43 in pcws, it seems things have patched themselves up, Randa starting to be in the rhythm and wltrs&stefan owning it up.

Wanted to give n2 to Infused, they seem to just have that extra spark at the moment to take the n1 spot. Dignitas for n3, showing the goods, and always going to be the team to count on in any game. TCM are in a bad state, but talents like Coinz & Skinnie and the awesomeness of byte are keeping them in the game. They didn’t have a bad month, but it could have been a lot better. But I’m afraid while I am writing these lines , a lot more has been happening to this team… and this could have a terrible ending.

Relic for n5 , I can just see Darn raging right now, humiliated by such a outrageous ranking, but time will sort the team out, its abit early to call them back in the top 3, but it will always be one of the hardest opponents to face. I am going to give a last comment for Crack Clan, an inspiring team in the Premiership League. A team that has what it takes, with relatively unpopular players to the premiership, to make so many upsets along the road. This is where the excitement is at at the moment, the team that will destabilize the entire ETF2L table and future Cups. Keep an eye on Retsh0ck, wiping out opponents.

To finish off, CKRAS, Broder (welcome back), Yoyotech , idk?"

Greg "Greg" Bushell

Greg is still 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 fallen to me to organise the top10 this month, with a few people falling off the radar completely, however we are finally complete and here we are looking at yet another monthly top10 result. This month falling between i43 and the start of the Autumn leagues means that yet again we are not looking at that many official results.

The main competition this month was the Excello Pre-Season cup, where Epsilon took the crown and yet again show that they are currently the best European team, I am looking forward to seeing whether they can sustain that form across the full ETF2L season. It is tough to say who is the better team between Dig and Infused, however I am going to go with the Finns, thanks to taking a map off Epsilon in the Excello final.

Relic's first month in our rankings, and its always going to be tough to ignore that fanboy inside me and not give them first place, however they do take 4th after taking a map off Infused in the Excello cup. Next up I'm giving points to CKRAS (yes they actually played an ETF2L game in week 1!), TCM and yoyotech - probably the most stable and unstable teams in our current top10.

Bringing up the rear this month are the Israeli/Spanish team of Crack Clan, the reformed broder and Equilibrium"

Duncan "dunc" Wraight

With our resident Irishman forced to plough the potato fields this month, we welcome back an old face to our top10 panel; Dunc.

This outspoken geordie has recently ventured back into the TF2 scene, bringing with him some former faces under the well known banner of Übersexuals, where he is yet again rocking his trademark medigun, while keeping Marco in check.

"As with my early Top 10 listings, I like to operate a point-based weighting system when looking at how well each team has done on a monthly basis. Each team is seeded (purely on my view of TF2) and each league/cup victory is weighted, with ETF2L Prem games being worth 5 points, Albert’s TF2 Cup being worth 2.

This month Epsilon romp home, beating close rivals Infused and Dignitas. Someone needs to beat them ASAP; I can see slick’s dodgy pr0nstar smirk from here.

I’ve put infused second, as although they tied with Dignitas on points in my system, both teams’ downfall was Epsilon and Infused failed less badly, especially considering they were using para in Greg’s stead.

YoYoTech and Crack! Clan place 4th and 5th respectively, the latter having won the Excello Open Cup and the former having won Albert’s TF2 Cup. Joint points, but YYT take 4th after beating cc in the aforementioned tournament final.

TCM place just below in 6th, having only won one game vs Crack! Clan in the Excello Invite Cup quarter finals.

Below that it’s all much of a muchness: idk? and Broder have both won one game against The Devils Rejects and neither CKRAS nor Relic have won any games at all this month. CKRAS take 9th ahead of Relic purely because they’ve been more active."

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.

"A pretty unsurprising albeit decent month of TF2, while TCM are looking wobbly despite drawing the longer straw against the now deceased Thermaltake. The latter will have to do without a top10 point this month, godspeed. Epsilon are looking strong and remarkably stable, and will probably be a team of high lows for some time to come. -But there are also several points of weakness there, just waiting to be exploited.

This month also sees the return of 2 familiar names, Übersexuals and my own Broder, which should be fully on their feet for next month's evaluation. Meanwhile, Yoyotech combine a strong effort with not getting ahead of themselves, and to me, they're set as the current most stable entity around right now. Glimmering with their absence this month, Equilibrium, will October have them prove TF2 Europe wrong?"

Rory "Foster" Foster

Rory completes our ramshackle panel again this month.

"Who the fuck is Foster?" you cry. Only the number one roster rider in Europe, having formerly warmed the bench for Infused.Tt eSports. Although, it’s probably fair to say that he’s best known for his scattershot writing style rather than his aim with a scattergun.

I guess he has earned his place in the panel having attended a LAN or two and contributed something to the scene. Gwan son!

"Well well well! You know TF2 is struggling when I've been pulled out of the mud to give some opinions eh? Alas with little internet campability I havn't managed to watch many a game this month. However this doesn't mean I'm not able to look at scores and tell you who's been good and bad kids!

To come to some conclusions I'm looking at mainly the excello invite cup, but also a handful of games that ETF2L has spat out; what with the top teams traditionally giving valve time a run for its money with the speed and willingness to play officials.

But fuck it, let's have a look. And right at the top we've got Epsilon. With the victory bells of i43 still ringing in their ears they go on to take 1st spot in the excello invitational with some impressive wins vs Yoyotech, infused and a 3rd map clincher in the final against Dignitas. Bravo lads.

Next up I'm gonna give to Dignitas, for 2nd in the excello, and then infused, for doing the impossible and actually playing an etf2l game in the starting month of the league. Although I'd love to give more bonus points to Ckras for also playing an ETF2L official, albeit losing to infused, I shall stick with my excello-based ranks to give TCM the 4th, followed by Ckras at 5th. Relic can bring up the tail at no.6 as a punishment for leaving the dignitas org then reforming and not doing so well. It all gets a bit hazy after this so I'm gonna go yoyotech, crack clan, broder and equilibirum to make up the ten. Hopefully they'll have someone more credible next month folks! See you in a doublemix soon."

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

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Originally published on Cadred.org on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 03:00:56 +0100 by Greg Bushell.

Archived from September'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.