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As Australian CS:GO continues its momentous growth throughout Q1 of 2017, as will the number of people systematically analysing its top teams and looking for weaknesses/strengths to implement/exploit on an international setting.
Whilst a cursory overview of the scene’s top fraggers will yield a list of names capable of taking on any NA pug team with ease, doing the same for Australian in-game leaders (IGLs) will return a surprisingly short list.
Since the departure of SpunJ from active play, and quasi-retirement then return to pro play from Snyper, Australia’s elite team captains have been concentrated into a handful of names.
Lighstep from Chiefs, Sonic from Tainted Minds, Londsdale from Avant Garde, and James from Immunity are the four standout names from the top pool of play. Snyper, now of Athletico also appears on this list due to his immense body of work and experience, but with the caveat of not currently leading a tier 1 Australian team like the others.
Considering how esoteric many of the problems facing high level, Australian IGLs in particular are, I interviewed tenured 1.6 captain forge from JAM Gaming, Lightstep, and sonic to get a better idea of the IGL situation from a wide variety of backgrounds and current positions in the community.
Why is there a lack of Australian IGLs?
When it comes to why the Australian IGL pool is so shallow, the core answer was mutually shared across all three players. Due to just how volatile Australian rosters tend to be – career IGLs (players who are entirely dedicated to the role of leading and calling for a side) are often forced to watch their players bounce between sides without any of their own say in the matter.
Forge, a long-time IGL himself broke down the Australian IGL problem as “Career IGLs have to make a team that gets to the top and stays there, all the while dodging player poaching. A career role player can bounce between teams as they see fit – don’t think your current team has what it takes? Stand out and move onwards and upwards. The effort versus reward for IGLs doesn’t measure up when compared to your average player, unless you consider how rewarding it is to be part of a team that you’ve hand-picked achieve success together despite the odds.”
The sheer nature of the Australian scene makes it a treacherous environment to navigate as an IGL – essentially removing all the incentive to become an IGL at the highest levels of play.
However, sonic fairly points out that although the criticism is justified, it might not be levelled to the same relative level of the scene’s size and development. “I think it’s pretty unfair to criticise a region that is incredibly underdeveloped in terms of players. When you look at the top-level IGLs in current day outside of Fallen from SK you’d be looking at solely European guys that have been professionals for years and years and playing under top level IGL’s of their own whilst they were developing.
“Whilst in Australia there isn’t such a network to develop and for ideas to flow down between people. For us it’s a matter of teaching yourself through trial and error and learning off of watching those top-level IGL’s teams.”
In saying that though, sonic doesn’t necessarily excuse the problem entirely: “We have an environment in which very few people are happy to do the “dirty” roles in CS due to the fact people are most eager to see themselves succeed rather than their team.”
What environment has the lack of IGLs created in the scene?
This unfortunate scenario has led to a clear void in the tactics and strategies of the Australian scene.
Lightstep estimates that “95% of [Australian] teams still play the pug side of Counter-Strike”. Although, forge thinks this number has lessened, with teams “at the top end… [becoming] less puggy, in particular over the last year”, the overwhelming numbers playing a loose, individual, pick and roll style leaves little to be desired.
Sonic also agrees with forge’s sentiment that the scene’s top team’s playstyle are slowly getting better overtime – especially with the inclusion of more games: “With an increase in stability that leagues like ZEN and CG will bring where top Australian teams are able to continually compete at a top level we will see a larger change in the upper echelons of Australian CS and their team’s play styles.”
The lack of many top IGLs has affected the scene far beyond just the strength of our complex in-game executes. Both forge and Lightstep attest to the need for strong leadership outside the game, and supporting the development of teammates.
Forge explains that this is especially lacking in his area of competition “Right now there are a number of high quality teams (mid-div1+) that are severely suffering internally because they don’t have a single individual capable enough for the team to rally behind, this is both in and out of game.”
Lightstep breaks it down that the actual creation and execution of tactics in-game “is easy, but to IGL to the full extent and [to] make positive impacts on the people you play with, you have to read the opposition as well – which takes time and experience to learn. It’s a craft and if people are playing with a newer in-game leader, they have to support them, listen to them and back them because at times its a thankless job, yet a very important one, IF you find someone that wants to work hard at it and learn it.”
In one sense though, the decreasing pool of top IGLs has made Australia’s top teams focus far more on their own strengths, and maximising their own game rather than anti-stratting. Why would a team like Legacy worry about the potential strats of a CGi team, when they have no clear executes and a tendency to play free pick and rolls?
This unique confidence imbued trait of domestic play is amplified against international competition, due to international teams looking at Australian sides as easier match-ups and playing more confident themselves as a result.
All three players echoed these thoughts in their responses to a question regarding IGL adaptations to international teams.
Sonic: “I can only speak in terms of myself and my experience playing overseas. For me and my team we always wanted to play our game, either winning off of our strengths or losing off our own weaknesses. To get overseas playing a certain style and with a certain game plan to then go over and throw that away and losing would hurt more than losing because we weren’t good enough. In doing so we were able to go home and look at what worked and what didn’t and what we needed to improve for future events.”
Lightstep: “No matter what I’m a believer that you need to play your team’s game and just adapt and be mindful of the opposition you verse. Playing internationally is intimidating because all the guys you verse are so confident against you and they know they’re going to beat you. The Asian teams play with ruthless aggression at times and if you want to beat them you have to punish that to slow them down.”
Forge: “…I think its pretty obvious the Asian meta in the past has been FAR more aggressive than ours in general… I believe an IGL should back their system, it is what their team knows best, and presumably is set up to play to their teams strengths. Trust your game to overcome the opponents. If it cannot you can learn a lot more in defeat by playing your own style than you can by trying to counter an opponent on the fly.”
Considering the state of the IGL scene, who are the best?
All three players shared similar thoughts as to who the top IGLs are and why. Here is their list of responses with the number of times the IGL was selected by the interviewees, next to their name.
Lonsdale (x2)– Forge: Ability to have developed a system since their breakout LAN performance in Melbourne as Trident that has accommodated a variety of players and still finds success to this day. Not only this but a large number of players who have played under Lonsdale have gone on to play for top teams.
Lightstep: He’s always brought a good brand of counter-strike with very structured disciplined teams
Sonic – Forge: One of the most inexperienced ‘career IGLs’ yet one of the most decorated. Personally when I watch tM play it’s clear they’re a team that’s still developing, but that’s scary in itself. The fact is Sonic has well managed a team so filled with individual skill without any major issues all while holding his own as a player – not always easy as players develop ego’s. Recent addition of Ferg and Dexter to the tM lineup will only help develop Sonic as an IGL.
Lightstep (x2) – Forge: Probably has one of the best eyes for up and coming talent in the scene, and an excellent ability to play the political side of the game, two factors that have kept Lightstep lead teams in the top 3 of the OCE scene for a long long time now. Combine this with the fact that players playing under him all seem to be happy and confident and it becomes obvious Lightstep has the managerial side of things down pat. Sonic
Snyper – Forge: List of achievements speaks for itself. One of the most decorated IGL’s in the history of OCE CS, with a background that extends from 1.6 and above. Has obvious strengths in developing teams and players and a great mind for the strategic side of the game.
Tonder/Xel – Forge: Wanted to include something from left field. Two of the few ‘career IGLs’ coming up the ranks from below. Have heard nothing but good things from players who have played under them, both passionate about their role in their teams and both still only just beginning their journeys.
James (x2) – Lightstep: Immunity are trying to play good quality counter-strike at the moment.
Tucks – Sonic: when he was calling for Chiefs in late 2016, he puts a tonne of effort into the game and he always organised his team really well. I think he he’s one of the best callers in the region as well as he has the talent to ensure he isn’t a burden on the team.
So although we see that the situation isn’t the greatest in Australia for IGLs at least there are a few bright lights. However, we can’t let these lights take away from the actual problem at hand.
Lightstep: “[Being an IGL in Australia is] something you really have to stick with through the ups and downs and learn the craft… a lot of people just aren’t up for the grind.”
Forge: “I’ve only ever played as an IGL and I couldn’t tell you who is currently IGLing for each team in CGp right now. In all of CGp and CGi I can count less than 10 career IGL’s currently playing. That is not good.”
So to any potential, upcoming IGLs in Australia, know that there is a spot for you in the highest levels of play, and hopefully the sage words from some of Australia’s best will help you in your IGL journey.
(Full transcripts of each interview are available upon request via Twitter @max_melit)