LMS Summer Split sharpens competition
Riot·5/20/2015, 7:39:35 PM·0 votes·3,120 views
The Spring Split set an aggressive tone for the LoL Master Series in Taipei. The veteran teams of ahq e-Sports Club, Taipei Assassins, Hong Kong Esports and Yoe Flash Wolves enabled a higher level of play than ever before seen from the Taiwanese scene. And the performance bar has been set even higher as ahq's miracle-streak from fourth place to LMS representatives at the Mid-Season Invitational threw the gauntlet for a new era in Taiwanese esports. For the first time in years, there's hope now that their eventual World Championship representatives will put on showing worthy of regional pride.
They just haven't agreed on who's going to get that chance.
It isn't just Winds exiting stage right. Michael "Wish" Lau, formerly of Midnight Sun Esports, has also dropped out of the runnings. MSE, coached by former TPA jungler Alex "Lilballz" Sung, was among the most promising of the rookie teams qualified for the Spring Split, but failed to make it to Playoffs against the stranglehold of the top four veteran teams. He will be replaced by Chen "M1ssion" Hsiao Hsien.
Unfortunately, Never Give Up is among the departed. Though the rookie team showed glimmers of talent back in spring, a late freeze withered them. In the Promotion Playoffs, Assassin Snipers came up and sniped them. Or assassinated them. Either way, the team led by a freshly un-retired Cheng “bebe” Bo-Wei, and comprised primarily of veteran players, demonstrated the sheer advantage experience can have in competitive play.
Machi, on the other hand, has learned a more fundamental lesson: how not to slack off when everything is on the line. Back in late 2014, their organization was considered among the most likely candidates to advance into the LMS -- only to drop the ball at the very last second against Dream or Reality, formerly known as their sister team Machi Crew. DoR proceeded to lose every single match played over the course of the spring, and now it's time to see if their seniors are more capable.
Granted, the current Machi crew’s in an even worse position to do so, with fewer fellow rookie teams to work with. In fact, they are alone as newcomers this Split. The burden is on them to prove that they can hang out with the cream of Taiwan’s crop.
That's not bad for a team that spent most of spring wallowing in an identity crisis. In fact, the post-GreenTea ahq is the biggest evidence to date what a competent support staff can do for a competitive team.
It's now on their rivals to learn the lessons that ahq has provided, and step it up themselves over the next few months. Worlds is waiting.
GONE WITH THE WINDS
Sadly, it is all but guaranteed that Chen "Winds" Peng Nien won't be on any final regional representative lineup. The Taipei Assassins' star jungler was a major impact on the development of the region's metagame, his explosive ganks and jaw-dropping acts of grand theft dragon inspiring the likes of Yoe Flash Wolves' Hung "Karsa" Hau Hsuan and others. But weeks before the LMS started, the team announced his retirement. TPA manager Quaker Liu confirmed that Winds will still be contracted to the team for analysis and coaching their new talents, superficially similar to the fate of ahq's former support Sa "GreenTea" Shang-Ching. But while GreenTea is still listed as a substitute player, and works intimately with the team as their main analyst, Winds will be bowing out to focus on streaming. He will be replaced by rookie Mo "Pony" Ka Wah.
It isn't just Winds exiting stage right. Michael "Wish" Lau, formerly of Midnight Sun Esports, has also dropped out of the runnings. MSE, coached by former TPA jungler Alex "Lilballz" Sung, was among the most promising of the rookie teams qualified for the Spring Split, but failed to make it to Playoffs against the stranglehold of the top four veteran teams. He will be replaced by Chen "M1ssion" Hsiao Hsien.
Unfortunately, Never Give Up is among the departed. Though the rookie team showed glimmers of talent back in spring, a late freeze withered them. In the Promotion Playoffs, Assassin Snipers came up and sniped them. Or assassinated them. Either way, the team led by a freshly un-retired Cheng “bebe” Bo-Wei, and comprised primarily of veteran players, demonstrated the sheer advantage experience can have in competitive play.
LESSONS LEARNED
The teams left in the runnings are scrabbling for better positions, absorbing talent where they can. Yoe Flash Wolves reported their recent acquisition of Vietnamese jungler Le "SofM" Quang Duy, formerly of rival GPL team Neolution Full Louis. The transfer has sparked speculation, given that it seemed unnecessary in the face of Karsa's impressive impact during the Spring Split. The most likely scenario may be that Karsa's fall-off after Cinderhulk's introduction has prompted the Flash Wolves to seek stylistic flexibility, much in the vein of how Korea's SKT T1 has planned their roster.
Machi, on the other hand, has learned a more fundamental lesson: how not to slack off when everything is on the line. Back in late 2014, their organization was considered among the most likely candidates to advance into the LMS -- only to drop the ball at the very last second against Dream or Reality, formerly known as their sister team Machi Crew. DoR proceeded to lose every single match played over the course of the spring, and now it's time to see if their seniors are more capable.
Granted, the current Machi crew’s in an even worse position to do so, with fewer fellow rookie teams to work with. In fact, they are alone as newcomers this Split. The burden is on them to prove that they can hang out with the cream of Taiwan’s crop.
THE BIG GUNS
Of course, the attention isn't going to be on Machi (which may be to their relief). ahq has laid down a challenge to the big guns of the circuit: in the next few months, can the rest of them play their game? Back at Tallahassee, ahq demonstrated an aggression and confidence that was lacking in Taiwan's last two years of international attendance. Ziv, despite taking two weeks off for military service just prior to the MSI, was a dominant presence top lane, and Westdoor showed that even his extremely well-defined roster of Fizz and Twisted Fate works despite the meta changes. Even AN, who hadn't been an impressive contributor in prior years, evolved into a central mainspring to ahq's strategies when Westdoor's otherwise neutralized.
That's not bad for a team that spent most of spring wallowing in an identity crisis. In fact, the post-GreenTea ahq is the biggest evidence to date what a competent support staff can do for a competitive team.
It's now on their rivals to learn the lessons that ahq has provided, and step it up themselves over the next few months. Worlds is waiting.
