posted by Sun_Tzu,
The contenders for the new champion of DreamHack Winter 2012 Dota 2 Vengeance Cup have been decided. In accordance, we bring you the tale of how it all went down, as we recap the semi-final games.


ru Team Empire vs. se No Tidehunter

0:2


Game 1

Empire went for the Sven-Jakiro-Bane offensive trilane against a dual lane of Faceless void and Lina. No Tidehunter on the Dire tried to make use of pulling the Ancient camp in order to deny Funn1k some farm, but an unfortunate first blood given to Batrider negated most of this investment.

As the game entered the roaming and ganking stage, NTH kept on finding favourable engagements, making good use of their Magnus and Bounty Hunter pickups. The momentum felt as if it was turning in NTH’s favour, until a fight broke out at the top lane at 24 minutes, where Scandal with his Double Damage Templar Assassin ripped right through the oppositions key heroes, getting himself back in the game. Some further misplays, including Loda getting caught out in mid lane, ensured that at the half hour mark the difference between the teams was negligible.

As the game progressed, the control NTH were able to assert in enclosed spaces set them ahead, as they were able to control key objectives on the map. Sven was the final bastion of Empire, who could take out supports in only a few hits, but inevitably a fight happened where Sven came up short, NTH wiped their enemy 5-0 and forced out the ‘GG’ call.

Game 2

A shaken Empire realized they had to change up their game, going for a massive push lineup around Juggernaut, Death Prophet and Chen. The downside was that they ended up giving up both Bounty Hunter and Magnus once more; the key heroes of their downfall in Game 1.

Empires lineup made good on the promise of their potential, gaining early towers around the map. But to their dismay they were unable to stop NTH from finding kills with Magnus, Lifestealer and especially some big plays by Rubick making all the difference. At the cusp between early and mid game, Roshan's pit became the central battleground, and while the big ultimates of Empire were well suited for controlling this space, the tankyness of Loda and the game-changing power of Reverse Polarity kept swinging fights in NTH’s favour.

As fight after fight kept on going the way of NTH, the outcome seemed inevitable. A final fight at middle lane, with beautiful combinations of Magnus setup and Keeper of the Light’s Illuminate, and Empires Barracks went down, and the ‘GG’ call was heard.


us Evil Geniuses vs. eu Fnatic.EU

2:0


Game 1

Fnatic take a page from DeMoN’s playbook, using his normal way of hiding among the trees on the offlane to get some experience for a solo Faceless Void. After early traded kills, Evil Geniuses showed respect for Trixi on Clinkz, staying together as much as possible to avoid giving up free kills. Good warding and safe play had both teams settling in to a positional game of small advantages, neither able to find the openings for any big commitments.

A free Roshan given to EG allowed for them to force their way into mid, and take out the Melee Barracks. As a result, EG were able to set up a siege of Fnatic’s base off the back of their ultimates and the power of Sven. EG’s patience eventually payed off, as after having slowly chipped down the Tier 3 Tower at top, Fnatic’s Batrider initiated a fight which, while not decisive for either side, gave EG the cover to take out a second Melee Barracks. Another Aegis of Immortality for Sven, and another teamfight, this time at the bottom lane, allowed EG to force out the ‘GG’ as no comeback was in sight.

Game 2

Evil Geniuses decided to pick up their Knight-strategy which they made famous during G1-League, while Fnatic chose to mimic a LGD line-up from the G1 LAN finals.

Fnatic got off to a good start, as Era was able to find himself two kills before the first night time came around. While EG did push down Tier 1 and Tier 2 at the top lane, Fnatic were the ones taking map control, having claimed all but one Tier 2 Tower by 15 minutes.

Fnatic were slightly late engaging on EG, who were able to claim a Aegis of Immortality for Sven. This allowed them to take a teamfight on the back of great play by Bdiz on Leshrac, getting them back in the game and back to pushing towers, equalizing the map control.

In the following teamfights, Fnatic got to see first hand how tanky the Knight-strategy could be, hitting great initiations from Tidehunter yet falling short to kill them off. This allowed EG to take control of the game, and using their Dire Roshan advantage, they looked poised to try and force the issue. The clash came at mid, a 30 minute Melee Baracks claimed, and although Fnatic were able to pick off heroes on the retreat, it felt too little too late.

Vying for position to contest the next Roshan, Fnatic failed to push out their lanes, which meant the loss of their Range Barracks in middle lane. EG patiently waited them out, and as they fell back, claimed another Aegis of Immortality for themselves.

EG set up again at the bottom lane, using every aspect of their Omniknight pickup to stand against Fnatic’s attempts to fight them off. As the Melee Barracks went down, EG turned to back off, but Fnatic chose to engage off a good Ravage. Unfortunately the damage wasn’t there and EG were able to turn the fight around, and Fnatic conceded the game afterwards.

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