Introduction:
Balance of Power is a multi-map 1v1 event which will be conducted using the AOC Balance Patch. The entire event will take place using hidden and free-pick civilizations (The only restriction here is that you cannot choose the "team random" option which lets a player copy enemy's civ without knowing it, effectively destroying one main purpose of hidden civs).
There is a 1000$ prize pool for the tournament which will be distributed to the top 4, in the following manner:
First: 500$
Second: 250$
Third: 150$
Fourth: 100$
With four days left for signups to close, take a look at the giants who already signed up: Viper, Daut, Chris, Slam, Bact, Yellow, Dogao, Tatoh, Lojza, Stark, Hasan, Juan, Emin, Miguel, Cool... and the list goes on with a huge number of intermediate players and new and old 2k to 2k2 players signing up making for an amazingly strong average rating of the line-up, and several players who signed up for fun and a chance to play a dream match with their favourite experts and legends.
Why Balance Patch:
If we run this event in regular unpatched AOC, we can basically see between 75-100% of the games (depending on the map) come down to a battle between 1-2 civs, the vast majority being civ wars with the same regular strategies that you see in normal 1v1 tournaments (aztec or mayan drush xbow/viking galley rush with a fair share of huns/mongols and maybe some celts thrown in here and there). The Balance Patch ensures a multi-fold increase in the amount of competitive civs per map. In arabia for instance, every one of the 18 civs is a viable option to pick depending on your strength and style. That's a big change from arabia in normal AOC which used to be something like 65% Aztecs 25% Mayans and 10% Huns for hidden free civs (without hidden civs it would be like 90% aztec wars). In big-water maps which were almost exclusively viking galley wars, now we have bigger chances for huns, mongols, japanese, saracens, persians, celts and so on to be picked. Maybe even byz and goths for the fireship bonuses. We can look forward to more FC fireships and possibly people will have to rely on demolition ships to counter them. Similar stories can be told for most maps.
The previous balance patch tournament- The Arabian Conquest had a more than usual share of upsets and ended up with Lojza- someone few would have predicted to win- winning the tournament beating players like FeAge, Slam and finalist BacT on his way to the title. The final went on to a nail-biting 5-4 finish. Third-placed Stark showed a remarkably strong adaptation to the changes in the patch. Fourth place Emin beat AOC legend Chris in one of the most widely watched matches of the tournament and gave the winner Lojza a scare in semifinals, losing 3-4. The quarterfinal line-up included two relatively new faces- Vinchester (who upset Nicov and ACCM on his way) and Caligo (who upset Miguel and benefitted from Hasan's early withdrawal).
With money for the TOP FOUR, the changes resulting from the patch and the varied map set, intermediate players don't need to rule out their own chances for a money spot. Study your civilizations well and prepare strategies for each map. Refer the below guide:
Balance of Power Civilization Guide
The Maps:
We have the first game fixed as Dry Arabia and then on, players will alternate with their home maps which can be chosen from a pool of 9 maps. The maps range from open land to standard land to closed land, and from big water to small water maps. The following link explains the maps in detail:
Balance of Power Map Guide
Watching a Balance Patch recorded game:
A problem which once plagued the balance patch was that the recorded games will go out of sync/break up in middle if you watched it using normal AOC. This issue is now easily solved using a technique, thanks to TheMadCadder and scripter!
For more information, click here
Daut and Chris in the same tourney is definitely not something to be missed! Will they manage to get past the mighty Viper? Will someone else spring a total surprise? With signups closing soon (17th April), what are you waiting for? Have a great tournament, players and spectators!!!
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP