I don't have Covid. So that's good news. But I have been fighting a cold for the past week or so, just one of those typical Fall things that never really become anything - but make you feel like crap. On top of that we've been working hard on getting ready for the Alliance Open which starts this Saturday over on Eve-NT. These two things together, along with some other stuff, has really eaten into my free time these past two weeks.
We've been practicing for the past few months now, since the new Tournament was announced. And our team is ready. This will be my fifth AT and originally I thought it would take us five years to build enough experience to become a true competitor in the tournament. We've had a lot of success in the past, in the last Tournament we finished 11th overall. And then CCP announced they wouldn't have an AT last year, so it has been two years since the last one. Thanks to the good people at Eve-NT we are having something as close to the original as is possible. (Shout out to Bei, Ithica, and everyone else!)
I don't make predictions. That is a fools errand. What I do know is two things - our team is solid and we've been working together extremely well - and the AT remains a rock, paper, scissors engagement. Which is just a way of saying, you can't predict what might happen. Despite all the planning, preparation, ban strategies, and meta intel - you still have to fight the fight. We've won fights I thought we might lose and we've lost fights I thought we should have won. That's just how it goes. All you can do is be prepared and give it your best shot. And hopefully the cards land in your favor.
As someone once said, the harder you work the luckier you get.
Our first match is Saturday at 16:00 against Lazerhawks. Right now 85% of those that have predicted the fight believe we will lose. Which reminds me of the tournament we fought Shadow Cartel first and over 90% believed we would lose. In fact, I believe that was the most ISK lost on a single AT match. Back when you could bet ISK on matches. Because we ended up winning.
Will we win again? How far can we push into the brackets? I have no idea and I don't think about it. What I think about is comps, fits, players and the tactics we'll need to defeat the ships in front of us. The fights that make up the fight, the ships that need exploded. The rest will take care of itself.
We have a great team and I'm proud of our players. I'm happy to fly next to them and would follow them into anything. Nothing will change that.
Win or lose, they are all winners in my opinion.
History will write the rest.