KOTD4 Qualifier - Sitaux vs Noisick

Sitaux demonstrated clinical performances to reach the main event with sweeps versus KingstoNe and Noisick in the qualifiers.

In game one against Noisick, Sitaux was brutal, picking Lithuanians and going for the instant ‘drush’. The Militia came forward, killing Noisick’s elephant, delaying the move to the berries and then killing a Villager. Somehow, Noisick was still able to click up on 21 pop (probably because of the Briton’s sheep gathering bonus) and heading towards double Range Archers. A Tower from Sitaux pushed Noisick off his gold and forced a switch into Skirms. A tower from Noisick enabled him to regain access to gold but Sitaux’s faster moving Skirmishers enabled him to dictate the fights in the early game. Noisick was forced to stay on Skirmishers himself before preparing a Stable switch. The starting Militia were still alive at this point and able to defend from the Scouts and with Sitaux’s army back on Noisick’s gold, the gg was called.

Into the second game and Sitaux, again, sends his Scout forward looking for laming opportunities. An unfortunate map gen for Noisick had a forward elephant but Sitaux headed in the wrong direction. Byt the time he found it, Noisick’s scout was already nearby and able to prevent the lame. Noisick’s map issues continued, with his goats generating very far away, with two even beyond a woodline. A drush from Sitaux enabled him to secure his base and keep the attention of the Frank Scouts at Noisick’s base. The addition of a Spearmen made this an awkward engagement and necessitated a Skirmisher addition for Noisick. The combination of Archers and Scouts for Sitaux was too much for Noisick to be able to deal with on an awkward base. If he had found the goats earlier, he could have had an opportunity to play on the front foot and secure more of his base but the aggression from Sitaux just prevented this.

Game three and Sitaux again opted for an infantry opening, this time going with Men-at-Arms and towers. The first tower placement pushed Noisick off of his main gold. He adapted well, moving to one of his additional golds and dropping his own defensive tower to prevent the push continuing. Meanwhile, the Men-at-Arms broke in and continued around Noisick’s base, killing a Villager on one woodline, while a second tower denied another. Noisick was able to regain his main gold by battering down the original tower with his Villagers allowing him to continue with his Archer production. Sitaux had the time to develop his economy behind this forward pressure, adding a Range and going for Skirmishers. A defensive tower on his main gold gave Sitaux some safety. Both players continued to mass ranged units on their way to the Castle Age, with Noisick hitting the woodline with his Archers just before upgrades came in. Sitaux’s economy allowed him to go for Crossbow and Elite Skirm and effectively defend both sides of his base. Defensive siege from Noisick forced Sitaux back from his base but Sitaux was able to match this with siege of his own, killing a large proportion of the Chilean’s Crossbows. Noisick opted into a Stable switch, to effectively counter the Skirms and Mangonels but Sitaux had seen this and easily resumed training his own Crossbowmen. Military production for Noisick slowed down and with little ways to do counter damage, he resigned, giving Sitaux the win.

Sitaux will face Capoch in the opening round of the King of the Desert IV.