Braynor: Heart of the Swarm? Brewdwarf takes Series One!
What could be better than one best of 5 series between Braynor and Brewdwarf? The answer can be many things, but one of those is... two best of 5 series between Braynor and Brewdwarf! That's right! Earlier today Brewdwarf closed the first set with a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Braynor. The feat itself is quite an accomplishment, and means that another best of five series will be played to determine who will walk away victorious, and who will simply walk away.
Right away there was tension in the small town of Desert Oasis as Braynor's Marine Tank army proved that the map was Not Big Enough for the Both of Them in an old-fashioned mexican standoff. Unable to push into the base due to the ready use of Force Field, the two stared each other down until finally it was Brewdwarf who made the first move. The battle was over in seconds as Braynor's C-14 Impaler Gauss Rifle - the most powerful gauss rifle ever made - lived up to its reputation, clearing the remaining protoss forces and marching on to victory to even the series at 1-1.
Brewdwarf came back strong in game three of the series on the outer space platform known to space miners as Scrap Station. Not letting himself get discouraged by his earlier loss, Brewdwarf drew on support from his biggest fans, blowing Braynor's anti-air away and propelling his banshee army to victory!
Both players showed off their versatility in game four as spectators witnessed an intense macro game on Junkyard as the two battled for supremacy over broken down mules and empty gas canisters. The match was an intense back and forth of strategies and tactics between the blue infantry forces of Brewdwarf's Army and Braynor's Templar as the two clashed repeatedly in a series of push and counter-push attacks. Clever use of force field and feedback led to a decisive army advantage in the late game, tying up the series at 2-2.
Things took an unexpected turn on Jungle Basin in the final game of the series. After a critical Weighted Exchange of Armies at the center of the map between the two zerg armies, Brewdwarf was forced to retreat, leaving Braynor free to take control of the map's critical expansions. Things were looking dire for Brewdwarf's resource-starved roach-hydra army, and without any protoss forces in play the prospect of transitioning to his familiar dark templar strategy seemed unlikely at best. Sensing that his opponent was out of his comfort zone, Cerebrate Braynor felt confident unleashing wave after wave of his own forces, drawing on nearly the entire zerg arsenal to crush the meager resistance. Brewdwarf, known for his intense unit micro, shocked everyone as he somehow managed to hold off every wave without losing a single unit or letting a single one of Braynor's through. The game took yet another unexpected turn as Braynor revealed a side we had never seen before.
Calling upon the Lords of the Brood, he loomed above the base, pondering the intricacies of Brewdwarf's situation even as he prepared to land the death blow. Surely all of Brewdwarf's hydralisks would never come home from the war, never to see their loved ones again while Braynor's Lords would go home to their corruptor spouses.
"But...", thought Braynor as the epiphany dawned on him, "war has changed them. The atrocities of this war have Morphed them forever, while Brewdwarf's are still the same as they have always been."
He was right. There was no unmorph button for the once-corruptors now hovering within firing distance of the doomed hydralisks. But it was Braynor's forces that were doomed... there was no going back to what had been. Thinking only of the greater good of the Swarm, Braynor's forces sacrificed themselves without firing a single round in the most surprising act in the History of the Russell Cup. Shortly after, Braynor gave the GG, conceding game five and the series.
According to a reliable source, Braynor's love for the serene and tranquil Shakuras Plateau brought on the sudden change in the cerebrate.
The next series has yet to be scheduled and the two are expected to Duke it Out in an intense Winner Take All, Zero Room for Error, No Holds Bard best of five elimination Slugfest. Fans and participants alike are also gearing up for the closing ceremonies, which will be held some time after the final match. Who will win? Stay tuned for the exciting finale!
GL HF, U Jelly? Showdown on Trollololpolis
Fans were disappoint yesterday as Brewdwarf faced off against Braynor in a best of five series, only to find that the famously infamous Brewdwarf had struck again. Problem?
The games took place on copies of the Official Maps approved for this tournament that had been modified by Brewdwarf to include campaign units such as the A.R.E.S., the Leviathan, the Odin, and Many More, throwing the game balance out the exhaust bay. The notorious Braynor was later found guilty of Being In On It after admitting the series was staged. The counterfeits were spotted by the Keen Eye of the referee and the "cheater" series will not count for any points in the Russell Cup. Both players have been issued five infraction points as well as an Official Warning and are expected to play it Straight Up for the rest of the tournament.
Screenshot from game 1 in the cheater series. Brewdwarf launches a 5000dmg nuke from an Odin
A fan voices his frustration at both the quantity and quality of cheating thus far in the first ever Russell Cup Invitational.
The first game of the Official Russell Cup Finals has already been played, with Brewdwarf taking a decisive and possibly insurmountable 1-0 lead against Braynor after a showdown on Metalopolis in close positions. Fans can't be too certain, however, as past events have shown that Braynor and Brewdwarf may be In Cahoots with one another. Stay tuned for the next exciting episode of Russell Cup Z!
Villains In Cahoots. Not the exciting struggle you were hoping for?
Explosion in Gamblor City! Brewdwarf moves on to the finals!
Spectators were shocked yesterday after witnessing two incredible best of 3 series between the controversial Brewdwarf and the ultra-cool Gamblor. After playing a quick warmup series in which Gamblor's protoss forces swiftly Laid the Smackdown on Brewdwarf's terran forces first on Xel Naga Caverns, then on Scrap Station, another best of 3 series was played to determine who would move on to face the mighty Braynor in the finals. The series ended in a cataclysmic and controversial finale with only Brewdwarf left to advance.
"Brewdwarrrf!"
-Gamblor
"Gambloooor!"
-Brewdwarf
In the first game of the unofficial warmup series (narrated by expert referee Braynor), a wild cannon appears in Brewdwarf's base.
Brewdwarf responded by building 3 more command centers and lifting them to nearby (and not-so-nearby) expansions, which Gamblor quickly cannon rushed. The second game took place on Scrap Station, where Brewdwarf attempted a Planetary Fortress Rush, which proved unsuccessful due to a design flaw in primitive Terran technology.
"B-back off, probe. You're in the way!"
The Real Series took place on quiet, serene Shakuras Plateau, known to be one of Braynor's favored maps. Possibly drawn in by the tranquil atmosphere, Gamblor's slow tech to nothing proved unsuccessful against Brewdwarf's 3 gate robotics attack. The second game took place on Steppes of War. With Gamblor's protoss army gone, he was left to command the zerg swarm against Brewdwarf's rampaging protoss forces. Putting an innovative twist on an old strategy, Gamblor built a single spawning pool at 6 supply and caught the protoss army before its defenses were ready. Gamblor credits his win to Jimbotron's coaching. The old 6 pool
The final game in the series was over in a flash as the power of multiple nuclear strikes was unleashed in the heart of Gamblor City.
The corrupt Terran society Gamblor had mustered against the invading Protoss forces were no match against themselves as the search for Akira forced Gamblor to abandon the battle when a large sphere of incredible energy suddenly appeared in his base, wreaking havoc and granting Brewdwarf's overwhelming protoss forces the courage necessary to advance into the abandoned city.
The ruins of Gamblor City
Some speculate that Gamblor may have just given up after his largely unsuccessful terran play left him in an unwinnable position. Others suspect Brewdwarf of having a hand in this unorthodox play. Gamblor was unavailable for comment, having disappeared without a trace after the blast. No trace of hax, BM or some new form of Cheats has been discovered, but authorities have not ruled these out just yet. Regardless of the source, this new development means that Brewdwarf will be facing Braynor in the finals, which have yet to be scheduled. Tournament organizers are working around the clock to ensure no hax, cheats, or controversy will be possible in this series, but past events have shown Brewdwarf's nature. Will he somehow topple the undefeated Braynor? And how legitimate will his victory or defeat be? Find out on the next episode of Russell Cup Z!
Not again! GG no RE? A Shocking confession!
Never in the history of the Russell Cup has there been this much controversy. Just earlier today, sources informed the Russell Cup committee that the series played between Brewdwarf and Gamblor was staged. In all games, the players agreed to ally end, intending to both move on to the winner's bracket finals to face Braynor in an unfair 2 vs 1 best of 5 series.
After careful consideration, the committee announced today that the series would have to be Played Again, For Real, this time and with Ally End disallowed. Rumors abound that Brewdwarf has Preemptively Forfeited the series. This strange move nearly cause Gamblor to Reverse-Forfeit in response, however nothing official has been confirmed. The series is expected to be played in the upcoming days.
The winner will move on to face the undefeated Braynor in a best of 5 series. Because Braynor hasn't been eliminated so far, the Challenger will need to win two Best of Five Series against him to take home the much-desired Russell Cup. Braynor will only need to win one series to take the grand prize.
"That #1 Headband is gonna be mine." -Gamblor
When asked how he plans to win the upcoming series, Gamblor referred this reporter to the following diagram (seen below).
Yo, jimbo!
With both Hamburglar and Jimbotron defeated, the finals are approaching fast. The question on everyone's mind: Who will face the undefeated (and therefore evil) Braynor in the finals?
Onlookers were tense with anticipation as their hero Jimbotron faced off against the gambling monster Gamblor in a best of 3 series. With Gamblor's ultralisks powering through Jimbotron's protoss forces on Blistering Sands after several failed nydus attempts in game one, there stakes were high and there was no room for error as they prepared to face each other on Metalopolis's cityscape.
The rooftops proved to be a favorable battleground for Jimbotron's terran army. Seemingly contained to a single skyscraper's worth of minerals and gas, Jimbotron held off wave after wave of protoss attacks while secretly amassing a great armada of battlecruisers to finally snatch victory from Gamblor's neon claws in one fell swoop.
Jimbotron's surprise tech catches Gamblor' s zealots with their pants down.
Hunter-seeker missiles flew back and forth as the series wrapped up on Shakuras Plateau in an exciting TvT match. Charred SCV parts and broken-down auto-turrets flew everywhere as the two armies clashed. When the dust had settled, however, only Gamblor's fleet of ravens remained, carrying him through to the loser's bracket finals against none other than the controversial Brewdwarf.
Brewdwarf's track record is stained with controversy. In both of his series thus far, an official investigation committee and ruling has been necessary to determine the outcome of the series. Will this series be any different? Fans can only speculate.
"Hmm.... perhaps."
All-in! Brewdwarf controversy #2: 2-0 Brewdwarf or 2-1 Braynor? Sentries imba, your Mothership's so fat.
The winner's bracket has seen a surge of all-in plays recently as Brewdwarf and Braynor battle to claim a spot in the finals of the first ever Russell Cup Invitational. So far both of Brewdwarf's series have ended in controversy and fans are shaking their head as Brewdwarf's trickery nearly carries him into the finals after claiming to have replays in which he defeats Braynor 2-0 in the series.
If his side of the story is to be believed, he bested Braynor twice, then graciously allowed him two more unofficial exhibition matches. These "exhibition matches" were both won by Braynor. However, since both players failed to submit replays of the series, the replays recorded by the official referees of the series will be used instead.
In the official replays, Brewdwarf's initial reaper harass and Marine Marauder pushes on Xel Naga Caverns leave Braynor in a desperate situation, causing him to All-In with mutalisks and drones against units with nearly twice the amount of hit points. Although some speculate that Brewdwarf's skullduggery was the cause of Braynor's 50% handicap, no proof can be found.
Game 2 was an intense back and forth on Scrap Station, known for its short rush distance. All-in countering all-in, Braynor's final 4 gate push took full advantage of a lapse in Brewdwarf's macro, allowing him to take game 2, but only just. Analysts point out that Brewdwarf may have been able to defend had he executed yet another all-in just a few seconds sooner!
The series was wrapped up on Scrap Station when Brewdwarf's wall proved Stalker-Proof against Braynor's 4-gate all-in, but not Zealot-Proof.
Meanwhile, in the loser's bracket, Gamblor ekes out two wins against the enigmatic Hamburglar. Gamblor's ultra-turtle style of protoss play proved itself successful first on Scrap Station in a PvP, and again on Kulass Ravine against Hamburglar's Zerg Swarm.
"I can't believe you went for a mothership rush" - Hamburglar
Indeed, the protoss mothership proved vital in holding off all attacks, cloaking buildings, sentries, cannons, carriers and even dark templar throughout the series. The tight defenses held fast against wave after wave of zerglings, hydralisks and even large queen armies coming from every direction in the treacherous Kulas Ravine. The map, known to favor intense tactical play, was showcased to its fullest as the mysterious Hamburglar proved himself master of the many ramps, destructible debris and Xel Naga watchtowers the map offers. It was not a repeat of what happened on Aiur, however, as strong nydus play and masses of ravenous, vicious zerg were kept at bay by abusive force field placement and mothership cloaking.
Gamblor had this to say about the matchup: "Sentries imba"
Gamblor's Mothership (seen above) is so fat it cloaks not only his base, but his expansion, too.
Jimbotron R defeated!
Things are heating up as Braynor approaches the finals. His next match will be against cousin and long-time rival Brewdwarf. Brewdwarf's intense non-practice routine may leave a few holes in his play, but he stands confident in his chances of victory, somewhere around (and possibly exactly) a million to one.
Brewdwarf, seen on the right, contemplates how he plans to improve his chances.
Meanwhile Jimbotron reels from his loss, unable to tech to terran ravens in either of his games after picking random and getting first protoss, then zerg. He will be playing the winner of the upcoming Hamburglar vs Gamblor series, which has yet to be scheduled.
Cheer up, Jimmy. You still beat Mengsk.
Underdog favored to win SC2 Tournament
With Braynor winning his round 1 series 2-0 and Brewdwarf advancing to the semi-finals, many are speculating about who will face off in the best of 5 finals. With Gamblor, previously favored to win, now moving to the loser's bracket to face the mysterious Hamburglar, things are looking grim. Instead, spectators turn to Jimbotron, who now faces off against Braynor in the next best of 3 series.
Jimbotron spoke earlier about the matchup: "I need to play the big big Weiner of the matchup!!! I R lose! I R make Raven as my only offensive unit! GRR!!"
Fans are scratching their heads and can only speculate at what innovative strategy Jimbotron intends to use. Will this underdog carry through and face the controversial Brewdwarf in the semi-finals? If there is anything to be learned from movies, it's that the underdog always wins.
BM, Hax and Scandal in the first ever Russell Cup Invitational!
With round 1 not even done, spectators and organizers alike are outraged at this unexpected turn of events. The official Russell Cup commitee has been called upon to settle the allegations of Hax and Cheating in the RO1 between Hamburglar and Brewdwarf.
Hamburglar, the unknown, unranked force of destruction in this tournament won his first game decisively through the use of a BM rush, overwhelming Brewdwarf and causing him to immediately leave the game.
Brewdwarf, known for his intense unit micro, surprised everyone when he came back decisively in game 2, winning without the use of his signature dark templar transition.
The scandal comes in game 3, in which both players submitted different replays, both with different winners. In the game submitted by Hamburglar, Brewdwarf once again leaves the game after scouting a zealot rush in close positions on Metalopolis, leaving him in a questionable position. Brewdwarf claims a Disconnect Hax was used by Hamburglar, which would result in an immediate disqualification from Russell Cup if true, leaving Brewdwarf free to advance.
Brewdwarf is also under investigation for Trying to Pull a Fast One on the tournament administrator(s), submitting a replay in which he successfully fends off Hamburglar's 4 gate attempt in terran-favored spawning positions, countering with masterful dropship play and intense mineral banking, eventually taking the game.
Investigation is still under way and the ruling is expected to be announced in the upcoming days. The winner will move on in the winner's bracket to face the winner of the Jimbotron versus a yet to be determined challenger in the next best of 3 series.
Round 1:
Hamburglar vs Brewdwarf: INVESTIGATION PENDING
Update: No evidence found to prove guilt, Hamburglar awarded half a point but still loses series. Brewdwarf moves on in winner's bracket.