Canada B National at WGTour.com held a public tournament yesterday for Canadian gamers wanting on Canada B National. The top 3 would be placed on Canada B's 1v1 line up, so naturally a lot of people showed up.
The tournament organizer
HeRoS)CiTy18 was kind enough to let me observer the Semi-Final and Grand Final of the tournament. Although I was very eager to call the game for 3rd place it never happened. Due to the unique structure of the brackets the Semi-Final was for the chance to play 
ZergRaptor (winner of the winner bracket) in the Grand Final which left a big frown on my face due to the fact that all of these players would join Canada B and less pressure was put on the gamers.The loser bracket final was between
HeRoS)Atreyu-C and 
Keila[ds], Bo1 on The Lost Temple where HeRoS)Atreyu-C came on top. The replay of this game can be found » Here. This match and the Grand Final did not mean anything except the traditional bragging rights as all 3 would be placed on Canada B National.After 8 hours of gaming from some of Canada's best gamers, it came down to
ZergRaptor vs HeRoS)Atreyu-C for the final! I was a little disappointed that it came down to a Zerg vs Zerg for the finals but these 2 did not disappoint!Game One -
The Lost TempleWith a 1-0 lead coming from the Winners Bracket
ZergRaptor Spawned in at 12 opting a 9 pool build into a second Hatchery. After scouting Atreyu at 9 ZergRaptors intentions became blatantly clear as his Drone morphed into a quick Creep Colony in Atreyu's main. Atreyu gaming off a Hatchery - Pool build, ignored the enemy intruder with confidence in his own Creep Colony. With Raptor's Zerglings knocking on Atreyu's door and Atreyu's Spawning Pool only being 3/4ths the way done, Atreyu was forced to cancel his Hatchery. Atreyu started laying down the mass of sunkens as he desperately tried to save his main.Zerglings rushed into Atreyu's main just as his Pool finished and Sunkens started to morph. Raptor's Zerglings, backed up by a new Sunken, started tearing apart the Zerg Main. Atreyu, bringing out his Drones, desperately fought for survival as Sunkens started to emerge and Raptor finally had a challenge. Unfortunately for Atreyu his Sunkens were a bit to late and the ever growing Zergling force overwhelmed and succeeded. 2-0 Raptors favor.
Game Two -
Mercury ZergRaptor, with the 2-0 lead, spawns in at 11 and goes to work on the standard Hatchery - Pool build. Atreyu spawns in at 3 and goes for an identical Hatchery - Pool build. Things start getting interesting when Atreyu (with his scouting drone) makes an extractor on Raptors gas, Raptor then calmly goes for a 3rd Hatchery at his natural. Atreyu grabs his own gas soon after and starts work on an Evolution Chamber. As soon as Atreyu's Evolution Chamber is complete he starts to research Melee Upgrade as Raptor tears down Atreyu's Extractor with his newly morphed Zerglings.Atreyu starts morphing an extremely early Lair followed by Zergling Speed upgrade and a Spire while ZergRaptor throws down a 4th Hatchery on his Natural. The Zerglings start to emerge from both players as there armies quickly grow. Raptor now with his first Hydralisks, the first battle begins, Atreyu takes his horde of upgraded Zerglings and hoists them up the enemy ramp attracting the attention of Raptor's Zergling, Hydra, Sunken force.
Mutalisks start to take flight as Atreyu starts in on his harass. Atreyu splits up Raptors Hydralisk army by attacking Drones with his Mutas then rushing his Upgraded Speedlings to take care of the lone sunkens or the undermanned Hydra - Sunken force, this goes on for along time. Atreyu now gets the Aspects of the swarm and sets up a nice Lurker, Zergling, and Scourge containment outside Raptor's natural.
The Lurker containment holds for a while as Raptor repetitively steps out and chops down a Lurker and runs back into his main, safe from Zerglings. Raptor does this tactic until he is free as a bird and now starts to set up a perimeter around Atreyu's Natural. Atreyu was not just sitting around through all of this as he has now taken the 5 o-clock main and its 2nd natural.
Two scouting Hydra's finds the 5 o-clock natural expansion and quickly makes waste of it. Atreyu morphs in a group of Mutalisk's and charges at Raptors Drones. Raptor, forced to abandon his containment, moves his Hydralisk force back to his base to fend off the intruders. Atreyu taking advantage of this, busts out of his main with a HORD of Zerglings and gains map control once again.
ZergRaptor, now left with no expansions and no money in his main, he goes in for the final kill on Atreyu's last expansion. Atreyu built up Sunkens and Lurkers for defense as his main and natural were being obliterated, Raptor could not attack head on. Instead, Raptor ingeniously picked up all of his Hydra, flew over the enemy Sunkens and dropped behind Atreyu's mineral line.
Atreyu with 390 Dollars makes a new Hatchery as he tries to protect it with his 3 Lurkers. A long Hydralisk and Lurker skirmish takes place between Atreyu's Lurkers and the remaining Hydralisks of Raptor. Raptor could not succeed in killing the micro efficient Lurkers, as the game ends with Atreyu sending Zerglings into Raptor's main and finishing off Raptor's Hydralisks. This was my favorite game of the series, Good Game!
Game Three -
Plains to Hill ZergRaptor still with the 2-1 Lead chooses Plains to Hill as his next map. ZergRaptor at 5 does the exact same build as he does in Game One, going for a 9 Pool - Hatchery - Sunken Colony in Atreyu's main. Atreyu would not make the mistake he made in Game One and pulled off his Drones and started attacking the Sunken. The Sunken dies as Atreyu's Zerglings pop up forcing Raptor's Zerglings out of his main. With his Overlord, Atreyu sees an Evolution Chamber and no Lair from Raptor, implying mass Zerglings. Atreyu accommodates for this as he throws down a thick layer of Sunkens at his choke. Raptor tries again and again but can't seem to break the enemy Sunkens as his enemy's first Mutalisk takes flight. The lone Mutalisk runs behind Raptors mineral line, safe from the misplaced Spore Colony's and starts chopping off Drones. Raptor realizes defeat as he has nothing to stop the Mutalisk and he doesn't have enough to take down the enemy Sunkens. GG 2-2!
Game Four -
The Lost Temple2-2 The Final Game!
ZergRaptor spawned in at 12 opening with a Gas - Hatchery - Pool build. HeRoS)Atreyu-C opened up with a Hatchery - Pool - Gas - Hatchery build. His 3rd Hatchery was placed inside Raptor's main as Atreyu started pumping out the speedlings. Raptor morphing in a quick Spire colony backs it up with loads of Sunkens. Atreyu rushes into Raptors main and starts massing.
Raptor now has his first Mutalisks taking flight as Atreyu is in big trouble. Atreyu desperately makes a fool hardly attack on Raptor's main but gets shredded with nothing to show for it but a few Drone kills. Atreyu puts up some Spore Colonies to defend from the Mutalisk force and starts in on his own Spire. Raptor knowing he has the game, sits and masses a Mutalisk army untouchable by Atreyu. Raptor's Mutalisk army was to powerful and eventually forced Atreyu to type out. GG!
ZergRaptor Wins 3-2
Congratulations to ZergRaptor for winning the tournament and to HeRoS)Atreyu-C and Keilah[ds] who will join Canada B National along with Raptor. Thank you for all of your help HeRoS)City18, it was a phenomenal tournament. Good Luck to Canada B in there upcoming Nation Wars. Here are the replays of the finals...
» Game 1 - The Lost Temple.
» Game 2 - Mercury.
» Game 3 - Plains to Hill.
» Game 4 - The Lost Temple.
Links
CanadaSCTeam.com - Canada B's home website.
