Season Four -Previews

So another season is upon us. Numbers are up (around 70 new players pushing the pods to 22 and this is around 40% of the field) and people are getting use to the structures..I have adjusted (as I always do) the report to include some historical data that may or may not be maintained. The big difference is I wont be updating the report to provide the picture map of results as we have automated the results to make it easier to generate the ratings and avoid human error.

Pod One

As usual I will cover the columns. We have name (and discord tag), then a player column. The cream indicates a 'New' player. Any other colour indicates that player played in the last league. This indicates how active that player is.

Blue Background - Played all 7 games that they could play (the max)
Green Background - Played between 5-6 games. If an 'E' is in the box then this indicates that this was forced and that the games this played were the max they could have played as other players dropped.
Orange/Yellow Background (seemed to mix these sorry) - Played between 3-4 games.
Red Background - Played less than the force drop point. An FD indicates the player was Force Dropped at the half way point and VD indicates the player was a voluntary drop.

Then we have two columns indicating if the player reached the cup in the last or this season and how far they got. If the number is in red then that player was knocked out at that level. If in white then the player is still active and playing (as at two days ago).

Then the usual rating/deviation before current clan choice.

So back to pod one. This is so full of newbies it could go in any direction. Chut should win out and I would say Khrytos as well but he is one of the 'decent' players who is road testing Unicorn ( from now on to be referred to as 'zombiecorns' due to rotting of the brain stem so I wont...

Pod Two

Two is far more established. We have a raft of experienced players who reached the top 64 (Ozil was a WC player from the previous season who dropped from the WC due to the Cork Kotei so would be an active 64 at the moment otherwise.) Most of the known players were active last season so the pod should be a busy one. As with pod one I would guess at OzilGoazil and Wosho as my leads. qkieu is another zombiecorn so 'may' not do as well as normal but you never know.

Pod Three

With two players over 1800 another over 1700 and 6 being active top cut players over the last two seasons this appears an unfortunate pod for the two new players to get in. One of the top cut players is definitely going to be grumpy season end though. Tenerim is another Zombie Unicorn and Leenath is that rarity, an actual Unicorn player. Though a hard pod this is still not a pod of death...

Pod Four

Usually you would have to put Demagogue and Erik as the two most likely pod leaders but Demagogue is another zombiecorn so perhaps. Actually a fairly open pod.

Pod Five

With one returning player, four newbies and two blues this could go any way. I expect Goateh to be top cut but the rest of the field seems open. Actually I am now wondering how I have Jacek as top 64 this cup and yet apparently with a blank playing record from the previous season. Hmm Sensing user error

Pod Six

Only....pod....six....16 to go

What can we say about pod six? it has many active players it has MotoMumo playing a new named Clan 'the Unocorn' perhaps these are Unicorn players hobbled by painfull corns? or perhaps just a type. The entire pod should breath a sigh of relief as they have to face zero Scorpions. Wins all round.

Yaba should be in the top two with Csonti top four.

Pod Seven 

If I was in a pod this season, which I'm not, then this is the pod to be in. No player above 1500. There are two Scorpion but they may be brain dead bandwagonners who misplay. No predictions here they can all do well.

Pod Eight

Another hard pod though another without Scorpion! Top four should be the highest rated. With one of the new players an actual Unicorn (no not literally though presumably the 'horn' provides an easier method of typing than a normal horse would have) so likely buggered by the cards before they start. Naturally all the zombiecorns will win out and make all these sarky comments look stupid end of the league but at least I can then use my magical powers to delete them after the affect.

Pod Nine

The top two should contain Shenful. Beyond that this should be open to all.

Pod Ten

Another hard pod with all the rated players above 1600. Look at Pod Seven and cry dudes! Who says dudes now, certainly not me.

Tsuke is a zombiecorn so might do worse than normal but even if he does there are still three stronger players so the new guys have their work cut out. Still someone new player always comes in and bitch slaps all stronger opposition in these sort of pods

Pod Eleven

The pod should go to simcof, though three other players are cup players they are not particularly highly rated cup players (at the mo, results this season notwithstanding). MiserableToad might be a zombiecorn so this is a four clan pod

Pod Twelve

Open to all! another middle of the road pod. No one leaps out. ltmechanicus is an ex champion (1st season) who had an unfortunate run last season which he no doubt is hoping to clear with the blood of his opposition in this pod and being Crane I fully support this plan.

Pod Thirteen

Over half way! Our first Pod of death with five above 1600 and two above 1800 and a natural Unicorn. I hope Rytarr is a particularly competent player as otherwise lots of pain may be arriving.

Pod Fourteen

From nasty pod thirteen to delicate pod fourteen. Usually zombiecorn Humblestmonk would have this easily , now who knows. No predictions here.

Pod Fifteen

Fingers hurting. Six! new players in a pod with bill and Kai. So much newness makes predictions bad. Bill appears to be playing Crab which is departure from his usual Lion. Either that or more user error.

Pod Sixteen

The second pod of death. Kingsley has no knowledge of searching for stuff in the sofa because he rarely loses anything. Well not until the top cut. Then he's like 'where's my bloody keys gone, oh the Scorpion have nicked them'. Anyway having one candidate Master is one thing but then adding two players in the 1900's who could also be candidate masters end of season makes this particularly nasty. Unfortunately they all have to play each other so at least one of them will lose two games to equalish opposition losing 140 or so rating points and one will be even. The lucky winner of both those games though will climb higher so this is a rare chance for a pod to push a very high ranked players higher (usually the pods just damage high rankers if they lose. If they win - 4 points a game 'yippee')

Pod Seventeen

MindsDesire should have this covered. SirLargeness is an excellent player but is now zombiecorn. Unless InsaneManiac is exactly that and arrives at your house with an axe after losing this should be a battle for the other three slots.

Pod Eighteen

Six new players mean. Who knows. The hilarious (or not) p-take of Gordon Ramsay aside this pod cannot be called at all. I call the Crab to win for no other reason that the Crab is the Herpes of Legend of the Five Rings. You cant get rid of the bloody things. Well not until you drop dead.

Late breaking news! Apparently new player 'Spector' (a professional optician perhaps?) is a new5R live Kotei winner so should be expected to prove his quality by crushing all opposition in a vice like grip whilst cackling hysterically and ordering some new glasses.

Pod Nineteen

Oryx Wild should be pod winner. Otherwise this should be anyone's. Hears hoping that Foxhound turns his fortunes around as he has been one of the most consistent players with the worst luck in the league.

Pod Twenty

Two Unicorn. This pod is like a gift wrapped present to the other players. Five are new so maybe they are unable to utilise this fact.

Pod Twenty One

Another pod with two Unicorns (plus no Scorpion). The late pods are like delicate flowers waiting to be stomped on. The top cut should include Neph and probably either Chaley or Kaza

Pod Twenty Two

Yuuji (an ex-Scorpion player?) and Mjothr who came out strong in his first season last season should both do well here. Beyond that another open pod.


Woot..finished..