Welp. Let&#039;s take a look at [url=http://www.intldoomleague.org/maps/32in24-7.wad/22]the map[/url], first! (Map30 in IDL wad!) I think this map will make for some very interesting games, seeing as it&#039;s not been played all too often at all in Private CTF games. As a result, teams aren&#039;t as used to this map as the maps that have been displayed before during this season. It&#039;s a very straightforward map, with lots of side routes in and out of a base. Standing at the flag pedestal and facing outwards towards the rest of the map, you can see to the left (red) or right (blue) of the base, the high path, leads directly across a cliff in the middle to both a Soulsphere platform and the opposing base, making it an easy-to-guard route for high-fragging defenders. The Soulsphere platform out in the middle is definitely a critical part of the map and can change the game around if the player who grabs it is smart about how they use it. To the other side of the flag, you have a lift that cannot be opened from inside the base, but with a little teamwork, I can see this route becoming one of the lesser-used and ultimately more potent of the flag running routes. There&#039;s also a secret passageway on the lift-side of the base, that leads through a teleporter directly to the other base&#039;s passage. I&#039;ve never seen many players use or even become aware of this passageway during private ctf games, allowing the more skilled runner to easily run flags! Overall, due to the multiple paths and Soulsphere being heavily contested and vital to both runner and defender thanks to the openness of the bases and likeliness of ambush by enemies, I wouldn&#039;t be surprised if we saw upsets by teams that got heavy amounts of practice in! (KGB, I&#039;m looking at you! Get your shit together.)<br /><br />Now for [b]the teams[/b] and my [b]predictions[/b]!<br /><br />--------<br /><br />[b][size=20pt][KGB] [color=#663311]K[/color][color=#6f3912]i[/color][color=#773e13]l[/color][color=#804414]l[/color][color=#894915]i[/color][color=#924f16]n[/color][color=#9a5417]g[/color] [color=#ac5f1a]B[/color][color=#b4651b]r[/color][color=#bd6a1c]o[/color][color=#c6701d]w[/color][color=#cf751e]n[/color][color=#d77b1f]s[/color][/size][/b] [size=15pt]-vs-[/size] [b][size=20pt][color=#6e6e6e]D[/color][color=#656565]o[/color][color=#5c5c5c]o[/color][color=#535353]m[/color] [color=#404040]R[/color][color=#373737]a[/color][color=#2e2e2e]i[/color][color=#252525]d[/color][color=#1c1c1c]e[/color][color=#121212]r[/color][color=#090909]s[/color] [DMR][/size][/b]<br /><br />Prediction: [b]KGB 1-2 DMR[/b]<br />Outcome: [b]???[/b]<br /><br />Reasoning: KGB walks into this game with a fresh loss from FLS on map25. Rumor has it they hadn&#039;t practiced nearly as much as they apparently needed, having been dealt a crushing blow with a 0-2 loss. DMR is one of the top teams of the season, walking into their match this week. I think that with such a high flag count in their stats, KGB will really need to lock down defense to stand a chance, and they need to recognize that if they&#039;re going to walk away with an upset. DMR will have a relatively easy time with this map, since all the various paths and tricks needed to be successful are right up the alley of some of the Raiders&#039; members. I suspect that [b]Chaindude will lead his team to a third-round tiebreaker after two close rounds, sealing the fate of the Browns.[/b]<br /><br />[b][size=20pt][BSK] [color=#017000]B[/color][color=#087100]e[/color][color=#107100]r[/color][color=#177200]s[/color][color=#1f7200]e[/color][color=#267300]r[/color][color=#2e7300]k[/color][color=#357400]e[/color][color=#3d7400]r[/color] [color=#4c7500]P[/color][color=#537600]a[/color][color=#5b7600]c[/color][color=#627700]k[/color][color=#6a7700]e[/color][color=#717800]r[/color][color=#797800]s[/color][/size][/b] [size=15pt]-vs-[/size] [b][size=20pt][color=#000870]B[/color][color=#080f71]r[/color][color=#0f1672]o[/color][color=#171e73]k[/color][color=#1f2574]e[/color][color=#262c75]b[/color][color=#2e3376]a[/color][color=#363a77]c[/color][color=#3d4178]k[/color] [color=#4c507b]C[/color][color=#54577c]o[/color][color=#5c5e7d]w[/color][color=#63657e]b[/color][color=#6b6c7f]o[/color][color=#737480]y[/color][color=#7a7b81]s[/color] [BBC][/size][/b]<br /><br />Prediction: [b]BSK 2-0 BBC[/b]<br />Outcome: [b]???[/b]<br /><br />Reasoning: BBC also comes into this week with a fresh loss on their record. I believe that BSK holds the edge here, especially with Ladna, considering that I&#039;ve seen that guy pull off nice running before on this map, I wouldn&#039;t be surprised if HumanBones chooses Ladna to be the main runner. My eyes are on him. Unless BBC pulls off a bag of tricks of their own, I can&#039;t see them getting a foothold into BSK&#039;s territory. What&#039;s interesting to note is that BBC&#039;s games have mostly been total losses or total victories. Will either of those happen with this game? I don&#039;t know, it&#039;s hard to say. If Captain Sabertooth motivates Caboose and Cookies well enough to show up, I think those three might make BSK&#039;s life hell. I&#039;m going to predict that [b]Ladna&#039;s knowledge of the map will bring back the Cowboys&#039; flags with relative ease.[/b]<br /><br />[b][size=20pt][EBL] [color=#920301]E[/color][color=#88050d]l[/color][color=#7d0718]e[/color][color=#730924]c[/color][color=#680b2f]t[/color][color=#5e0d3b]r[/color][color=#530f46]i[/color][color=#491252]c[/color] [color=#341669]B[/color][color=#2a1875]i[/color][color=#1f1a80]l[/color][color=#151c8c]l[/color][color=#0a1e97]s[/color][/size][/b] [size=15pt]-vs-[/size] [b][size=20pt][color=#196758]S[/color][color=#246c5e]p[/color][color=#2f7164]r[/color][color=#3a766a]e[/color][color=#447a70]a[/color][color=#4f7f76]d[/color] [color=#658982]E[/color][color=#708e88]a[/color][color=#7b938e]g[/color][color=#859794]l[/color][color=#909c9a]e[/color][color=#9ba1a0]s[/color] [SPE][/size][/b]<br /><br />Prediction: [b]EBL 2-1 SPE[/b]<br />Outcome: [b]???[/b]<br /><br />Reasoning: It&#039;s pretty difficult to give a non-biased review of my own upcoming match, but hey. I think that this map proves vital to both teams involved, with both sporting losing records, both need this win badly to show rival teams they can get back in the game. SPE especially needs a win here, having not claimed a win OR a tie all season long. EBL isn&#039;t looking too good either, and can&#039;t afford to give up any ground after their bye week has ended, if they want to claim a spot in the playoffs. If both teams practice enough during the majority of the week, I can see this game being very close. EBL has immense frag power at their disposal, making them a defensive threat, while SPE has a grabbag of various talents, including a good runner that knows a few tricks, and a European powerhouse. When it comes down to it, I&#039;m going to predict that the [b]Bills show the Eagles that defense wins championships in a hotly contested game.[/b] gl mike.