Steadfast: Western Europe DPC Tour 2 - Week 2

The DPC tour 2 is significantly underway; and after splitting the week's opening series 1-1, every series comes with major significance. With the eyes of many draped upon the Gaimin Gladiator roster, the team continues to improve and maintain their stance as a peak juggernaut in the strong and impactful Western European DPC region. In a vast and quick competitive era, the Gaimin Gladiators turn to week two, competing against a new regional foe and a newly refined veteran organization often endorsed as a pinnacle within the scene.

Gaimin Gladiators vs Monaspa (March 20, 2023) 

After a week one loss to previous Division two opponent Ooredoo Thunder; the Gladiators turned their eyes to the other newly integrated and qualified team in Monaspa. After the eye opening loss to an unfamiliar opponent the competition is always improving in the vast and chaotic nature of the Western European DPC. With the wake-up call in the past, the Gladiators looked to beat the newly incorporated Monaspa roster, but it wouldn’t come so easily.

Game 1 

After an unfortunate series’ loss in the tours opening week and the small sample size of regional play; the Gladiators looked to maintain their spot in the top four, looking to continue the year's second tour in hopes for another major qualification. Game one was a back and forth blood bath to kick off what would be an exciting extended series. With newly integrated selections in the draft of Keeper of the Light (KotL) and Monkey King for the Gladiators roster, and strong scrappy initiation heroes of Lycan, Clockwerk on the side of Monaspa; the go button was always in play, accumulating in trades and kills a plenty. After a 63 minute grueling back and forth brawl; and 69 kills later the Gladiators frightfully came out on top, winning the series’ opening game marathon.

Game 2 

With the day's opening game going the distance, both teams turned to game two in hopes of winning in simpler manners. With a win under their belt the Gladiators came out in game two with successful laning stages pushing the pace on the newly integrated Monaspa roster. This success wouldn’t transpire however, as the Monaspa roster turned the tables, after successful pick offs and roshan acquisition, once again making the back and forth series up until this point a consistent factor. With strong crowd control of Earth Shaker, Snapfire; and the strong play of Nande’s Morphling; Monaspa bounced back, beating the scrappy and often kill intensive Gladiator roster at there own game.

Game 3 

Once again playing a full best of three series’; the Gladiators looked determined in game three from the get go. Starting off with strong laning stages similar to game two, this time to a higher degree, the Gladiator team took their advantage to the next level in the winner take all final game. With successful itemization, farm and gold advantage on the side of the Gladiators, game three was grasped and in firm control of previous major champions. After a multitude of teamfights, the Gladiators eventually broke the Monaspa roster, winning out game three and the series at the 39 minute mark.

With the win the Gladiators moved to series scoreline of 2-1, maintaining a top seed within regional play. Next the Gaimin Gladiators looked to maintain their presence as one of the top dogs within the Western European region, this time against one of the regions more experienced teams in OG.

 

Gaimin Gladiators vs OG (March 22, 2023) 

After two close nail biting finishes for the Gladiator roster, the team set course in their match-up with tour 1’s 5th place finishing team in OG. After an unsuccessful tour 1 split; the once dominant OG roster looked to regroup, hoping to qualify for the year’s second major tournament. The Gladiators thought otherwise, proving to themselves and others that they were still the juggernauts we’ve come to know this 2023 season.

Game 1

Not much is to be said in the day’s opening series game one. The Gladiators came out with waves of domination looking like no one would get in their way. With the now famous Quinn of Pain choice and staple selections of Rubick, Treant Protector and Drow Ranger, the Gladiators laid the beatdown on OG, not letting them grasp any sort of success. With productive team coordination and proper game acceleration; Gaimin Gladiators took it to the side of OG winning game one in a measly 17 minutes.


Game 2

Much of game one’s success was embodied in the series’ second game. On the back of successful early game coordination and map coverage; nothing would get in the Gladiators way, bringing consistent dominance through and through. With farm and experience accumulated throughout the entirety of the roster, the Gladiators climbed higher and higher both in-game and within the region, completing the 2-0 series’ sweep in 40 combined minutes, in some of the most lopsided games in the worlds strongest region.

The tour is now deeply underway, and the Gladiators look to maintain their spot as a juggernaut within the region. Ending the week 2-0 and 3-1 overall, the swift and rapid tour two is playing out just how the Gladiators hoped it would be. With one week left, and various implications on the line, the Gladiators continue their push to major qualification, hoping to replicate prior months success. This year is just getting started.

For more information on Gaimin Gladiators Dota 2, and all our professional esports teams stay tuned here for recaps, blogs and content in all our esports ventures. Thank you for reading, and happy MMR hunting! 

Keenan “Slakks” Flamand
Author / Creative Writer

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