Summary of "The Strategy that is BANNED in Tournaments!"
Video Summary: "The Strategy that is BANNED in Tournaments!"
Game Overview and Context
- The video showcases a 4v4 team game on the map Fortress, which starts with stone walls, pre-built farms, and focuses on economy.
- The featured match is between two teams:
Core Strategy: The Banned "Sling" Tactic
- Slinging = sending resources from multiple teammates to a single player to enable a massive military boom.
- This strategy is banned or heavily restricted in tournaments because it can be extremely unbalanced.
- In this game, three players focus on booming their economies and sending resources (wood, food, gold) to one player (Red) playing Goths.
- Goths are ideal for this because of their cheap infantry and fast unit production after the Perfusion upgrade in Imperial Age.
- The sling player (Red) does not build his own economy but instead receives a massive influx of resources to spam infantry and pressure opponents early and hard.
Gameplay Highlights
- Red hits Imperial Age very fast (around 13:45 minutes) due to the massive resource inflow.
- Red builds multiple barracks and produces Condotieros (Italian team bonus unit) and later huskarls to complement the infantry spam.
- The opposing team is overwhelmed by the sheer number of infantry units (up to 130+ units on the field), especially condos.
- The use of Siege Towers on Fortress allows Red to bypass walls and directly attack villagers and town centers.
- Opponents try to counter with units like Samurai and bowyards (Slav bonus), but the constant pressure and resource advantage make it difficult.
- Despite some players on the defending team rebounding with booming and counterattacks, the sling strategy dominates early-mid game.
Key Observations and Tips
- Slinging allows a single player to become a powerhouse, essentially playing 1v4 with overwhelming numbers.
- The strategy requires excellent coordination and specific civilization picks:
- Goths for cheap infantry spam.
- Italians for Condotieros and team bonuses.
- Other civs like Khmer or Poles mainly for economy support.
- The defending team must recognize sling early (e.g., delayed feudal times for some players, sudden Imperial Age for one) and respond aggressively by targeting the sling player or disrupting the resource flow.
- Slinging is risky because the sling player is vulnerable if the resource flow stops.
- Tournament rules now restrict or ban Slinging in feudal and castle ages to maintain balance, allowing resource transfer only under certain conditions (e.g., Imperial Age or lower age difference).
Strategic Pros and Cons Discussed
- Pros:
- Extremely powerful and fast military production.
- Can overwhelm opponents before they can properly react.
- Exploits team bonuses and civilization synergies.
- Cons:
- Sling player lacks economy and depends entirely on teammates.
- Vulnerable if opponents disrupt sling or target other teammates to force a reboom.
- Risky if the team cannot maintain resource flow or if opponents hold long enough.
Additional Notes
- The video creator expressed mixed feelings about showcasing the strategy because it encourages its use, but acknowledged its growing popularity.
- The sling strategy could plague team games if it becomes widespread.
- The creator also highlighted the importance of counter-Slinging as a defensive tactic.
- The match ended with the sling team winning decisively, but the opponents showed resilience with booming and counterattacks.
Summary of Key Points
- Game: 4v4 Fortress map, Team USA B vs unknown team.
- Strategy: Slinging resources to a single player (Goths) to spam infantry and dominate early-mid game.
- Civilizations: Goths (infantry spam), Italians (Condotieros), Khmer/Poles (economy), Slavs (bowyards), Ethiopians, Japanese, Mongols.
- Tactics:
- Multiple players boom and send resources to one player.
- Sling player rushes Imperial Age and produces massive infantry army.
- Use of Siege Towers to break stone walls on Fortress.
- Opponents try to counter with archers, Samurai, booming, and walls.
- Tournament Rules: Slinging restricted or banned in many tournaments due to imbalance.
- Key Tips:
- Recognize sling early by watching feudal times and resource flows.
- Target sling player or disrupt teammates to force reboom.
Category
Gaming