St4rk talks to us about the challenges of facing Arena specialists, his own strength and gives his predictions for the upcoming matches in the tournament.
You are one win away from a Top-5 spot in one of the most stacked Arena tournaments up until now. On your way you beat Arena experts like Edie and Terror. Can you feel if your opponent plays the map a lot? Do they have a specific style?
St4rk: Sure, some guys are known as Arena Players, Arena Experts: Terror, Edie, ... and this makes it really difficult. They can execute rush/offensive strategies in a way even normal expert players can't. They take big risks, and it usually gives them good results (laughs).
At some points, I just went all in against Terror. In game 5 I could swear I was doomed but I managed to survive...
Against Edie my strategy after I felt his Imperial game in first one was to take all games to post-imp, no matter what.
I knew I could be more resilient and kill him with patience. Fighting him in his own game would be too dangerous. You see that in the first game: At some point I started getting confident after converting some Monks, Scouts and tried to keep up with him. And I lost badly (laughs).
You've put up some incredible defenses and survived a few very strong pushes up until now. People that aren't a fan or yours claim your Arabia style prepared you perfectly for the Arena tournament. Do you think the map plays to your strength?
St4rk: No. Honestly, I am defensive and I like using walls. But this doesn't mean Arena is a good map for me (laughs).
The main thing is choosing a strategy and keeping with it. In Arabia, sometimes you change a Drush-FC to a Drush-Feudal or change from Cavalry Archers to Knights, from Knights to Crossbows. You have more versatility, which isn't true for Arena.
It is really hard and once you have chosen - Ok, I'm going for Plums! - you can't just change to Eagles, it isn't that simple.
This is a pain in the a.ss. Once you picked a strategy you must go all in with it or die.
So, long story short: I don't think Arena plays to my strengths. Top level games defense won't bring too many gains to me, boom will be the most picked strategy.
Do you feel that you rely more on walls or a defensive playstyle in general than other players?
St4rk: Not sure about walls, but yes, defensive play suits me. I like it, I rather be in the situation where i just need to defend while my economy will become stronger, than in the position where I must attack or will be out-boomed. Since I also like games that go to Imperial Age, this suits me well.
MbL up next, who already took out the two Canadian giants Chris and slam. Are you surprised by his performance so far? Who do you feel is the favorite when you two meet?
St4rk: Honestly, yes. I'm surprised. I was expecting him to kill Chris, but expected him to lose to Slam (my guess).
I think that MbL has a bad style for me to fight against. He booms a lot, uses the market in Imperial Age (like I do most of the time), but he isn't relying on defense. This is trouble.
Because of how he performed the last 2 rounds and how i performed in my last 2 rounds, I would put him as the favorite.
In case you win MbL, you will be facing another player from South America - Miguel, F1re, JuanNNN are potentially waiting. Who do you think is the strongest out of the three?
St4rk: If we are talking strictly about Arena, I would say JuanNNN's style fits best and I would bet on him. I'm not sure though if he's practicing enough to kill F1re...
Who do you fear the most?
St4rk: I fear no one, I only fear not doing my best when the time comes.
Up until now no European reached a Masters of Arena final. Both titles were won by the American continent. Can you keep that record?
St4rk: Fu.ck you, why me? Go ask JuanNNN, Miguel, F1re (laughs). I take no responsibility for that.
Who do you think will win this event?
St4rk: I'm counting on Lojza. He beat Miguel, he chooses the right strategies, best unit compositions. His boom is quite something too and he easily killed Saracens with Huns [game 6 vs TheViper]. Also, he's abusing gold starving strategies really well, which are a pain to deal with. Don't think this time someone is going to dethrone him, but I won't give anything away. Fu.ck Lojza.
You are one win away from a Top-5 spot in one of the most stacked Arena tournaments up until now. On your way you beat Arena experts like Edie and Terror. Can you feel if your opponent plays the map a lot? Do they have a specific style?
St4rk: Sure, some guys are known as Arena Players, Arena Experts: Terror, Edie, ... and this makes it really difficult. They can execute rush/offensive strategies in a way even normal expert players can't. They take big risks, and it usually gives them good results (laughs).
At some points, I just went all in against Terror. In game 5 I could swear I was doomed but I managed to survive...
Against Edie my strategy after I felt his Imperial game in first one was to take all games to post-imp, no matter what.
I knew I could be more resilient and kill him with patience. Fighting him in his own game would be too dangerous. You see that in the first game: At some point I started getting confident after converting some Monks, Scouts and tried to keep up with him. And I lost badly (laughs).
You've put up some incredible defenses and survived a few very strong pushes up until now. People that aren't a fan or yours claim your Arabia style prepared you perfectly for the Arena tournament. Do you think the map plays to your strength?
St4rk: No. Honestly, I am defensive and I like using walls. But this doesn't mean Arena is a good map for me (laughs).
The main thing is choosing a strategy and keeping with it. In Arabia, sometimes you change a Drush-FC to a Drush-Feudal or change from Cavalry Archers to Knights, from Knights to Crossbows. You have more versatility, which isn't true for Arena.
It is really hard and once you have chosen - Ok, I'm going for Plums! - you can't just change to Eagles, it isn't that simple.
This is a pain in the a.ss. Once you picked a strategy you must go all in with it or die.
So, long story short: I don't think Arena plays to my strengths. Top level games defense won't bring too many gains to me, boom will be the most picked strategy.
Do you feel that you rely more on walls or a defensive playstyle in general than other players?
St4rk: Not sure about walls, but yes, defensive play suits me. I like it, I rather be in the situation where i just need to defend while my economy will become stronger, than in the position where I must attack or will be out-boomed. Since I also like games that go to Imperial Age, this suits me well.
MbL up next, who already took out the two Canadian giants Chris and slam. Are you surprised by his performance so far? Who do you feel is the favorite when you two meet?
St4rk: Honestly, yes. I'm surprised. I was expecting him to kill Chris, but expected him to lose to Slam (my guess).
I think that MbL has a bad style for me to fight against. He booms a lot, uses the market in Imperial Age (like I do most of the time), but he isn't relying on defense. This is trouble.
Because of how he performed the last 2 rounds and how i performed in my last 2 rounds, I would put him as the favorite.
In case you win MbL, you will be facing another player from South America - Miguel, F1re, JuanNNN are potentially waiting. Who do you think is the strongest out of the three?
St4rk: If we are talking strictly about Arena, I would say JuanNNN's style fits best and I would bet on him. I'm not sure though if he's practicing enough to kill F1re...
Who do you fear the most?
St4rk: I fear no one, I only fear not doing my best when the time comes.
Up until now no European reached a Masters of Arena final. Both titles were won by the American continent. Can you keep that record?
St4rk: Fu.ck you, why me? Go ask JuanNNN, Miguel, F1re (laughs). I take no responsibility for that.
Who do you think will win this event?
St4rk: I'm counting on Lojza. He beat Miguel, he chooses the right strategies, best unit compositions. His boom is quite something too and he easily killed Saracens with Huns [game 6 vs TheViper]. Also, he's abusing gold starving strategies really well, which are a pain to deal with. Don't think this time someone is going to dethrone him, but I won't give anything away. Fu.ck Lojza.