By rowboat 000

A new challenger approaches! Tied the Leader (TTL) recently asked us for a friendly challenge of 4v4 SWAT. It’s been a while since we had an actual challenge match, but that didn’t stop us from procrastinating and not practicing until an hour before the game! Also, I’m kind of a stranger to SWAT, so I really didn’t know what to expect.

Anyway, on to the games! The teams were set and the battlefield was ready. We would play a best of 7 and we started off on Lockout.

Team TTL:
TTL Cobra65
TTL DDay
TTL Fate
TTL Hoovaloov

Team SoF:
Apollo Running
ReverendTiki
rowboat 000
skelbrute

Game One: Team SWAT on Lockout

Tone: Tense
Score: SoF – 50 / TTL – 45

I got a bad feeling about this whole SWAT thing as soon the game started. I spawn, walk around a corner and…BOOM, headshot.

First Strike! Ouch.

I was quickly reminded how fast things go in SWAT and by things going, I mean me dying. Although things started poorly for me, the score stayed really close throughout the game.

Skel decides to take on 3 TTL at once. The outcome? Bad.

At one point, TTL was ahead, 43 – 39, and then things took a turn for the better. Something was said about hunkering down and I couldn’t agree more, as I nestled myself into a cozy corner. A quick one, two punch from Apollo and Tiki ended the game, bringing our first taste of sweet victory.

Game Two: Team SWAT on Asylum

Tone: Confident
Score: SoF – 50 / TTL – 36

I was feeling good after our first win. TTL picked Asylum for the second map, which is still one of my favorites. I quickly made my way to the middle and began my reign of terror!!! Haha, I don’t know what got in to me, but I ended this game with a +14 spread at 23-9. This streak surely couldn’t last for the rest of the challenge, could it? Could it?!?!

Me getting a cheap shot in on DDay.

Spirits taking positions as I find a quick target.

Game Three: Team SWAT on Powerhouse

Tone: Intense
Score: SoF – 50 / TTL – 49

No, it couldn’t. If it had, I wouldn’t have nearly soiled my pants in the super tense final moments of this game.

Skel get's some cover for an ill-advised SWAT assasination.

This game went back and forth the entire time. At the end, the score was 49 – 48, TTL’s way. It was time to initiate the Camp-Fest Protocol. Everyone was in a good spot and the search for any type of movement was on. TTL Fate was spotted in the hammer room. A quick callout sent Apollo and Tiki firing away.

Nice shot, Apollo! Through the Hammer room window.

With an unfortunate spawn, TTL Fate was spotted in the water. A quick callout from Tiki and I popped my head out just in time. Clutch kill, game over. That was the most nail-biting 30 seconds I’ve had in a while!

Game Four: Team SWAT on Countdown

Tone: Surprised
Score: SoF – 19 / TTL – 25

On to game four. We win this one and it’s all over. Things were going alright, we were slightly down (19 – 24) and all of the sudden: Game Over! Wha? Hahaha, Tiki forgot to set the score to 50, so it ended at 25. Oops!

Y U NO LIKE ME, HOOV?!?!?!

Game Five: Team SWAT on Sword Base

Tone: Controlled
Score: SoF – 50 / TTL – 38

Game 5 of 7. TTL started to turn things around with a quick win on Countdown. Right off the bat, Apollo seemed to be helping TTL out…

Apollo gets spotted breaking glass instead of playing the game.

For the rest of the game, we kept pretty good control of the top level, which leads us to victory. Little could be done with TTL having to run up the open ramps or risking the lifts into awaiting Spirits.

Overall, I had a blast. It’s always a pleasure to play against a fellow GGN clan. Good games TTL, good games.

This was actually one of the most deliberate and slow paced games I have ever played. That isn’t a bad thing. Each team stayed conservative and didn’t make any moves without thinking them through. The score stayed relatively close throughout the game, but it was going so slow that the timer ran out before any team reached 30 kills.

They see me pro-pipin', they hatin'.

I grabbed the Pro Pipe early on and started going to work.

Whatcha doin up there?

They decided they didn’t like what I was doing .

1... 2... 3... GO

Assuming direct control

The waiting game.

Team SSG had the yellow lift secured most of the match

Good idea?

Both teams played well, but SSG came out on top when the timer struck zero.

SSG-29 SoF-25

Game 2- Oddball on Countdown

This game proved to be interesting, since none of us have ever played oddball on Countdown. Heck, I think I’ve only played one or two oddball games since Reach launched. “Where does the ball spawn?” “Uhh, I don’t know.” We grabbed the ball and got out to an early lead.

Get the ball!

But, eventually SSG took over and ran away with it (literally and figuratively).

I got your back.

SSG wins, 150-90

Game 3- One Bomb on Reflection

Even though SSG had already won the challenge, we decided to still play a third game. SSG suggested doing One Bomb on Reflection. Sounded good to us.

Both teams ended up making excellent defensive stands. I don’t think the bomb ever got armed once. On multiple occasions the bomb would be left lying inches from the arming point.

This one was a draw.

Great games, SSG. Thanks for playing with us!

The past month and a half has been pretty event-filled for the Spirits. We had our second clan challenge against the Cirque D’Geezers in late June, and since we both got along so well, we went out on a second date… er I mean we got together for a mixer just last weekend.

SoF vs. CDG
Our challenge with the Geezers was a standard 6v6, 5-game series match. The Cirques, an experienced clan with many challenges under their belt, easily won with 3 straight victories. Even though it was not the outcome we hoped for, we tipped our hats to our opponents after the first 3 games, and for the last 2, we mixed up the teams and just had some fun. In the end, we made some great friends with a wonderful group of players. Click here for the full play by play of the SoF vs. CDG clan match.

Cirque D’FIRE
Last Sunday, we met up with the Cirques once more and hopped into Big Team Battle together. The festivities began around 9pm EST and lasted long into the night. Our very first match we were matched up against Halo 3 Wheelmen on Standoff. Since the Warthog can easily dominate on Standoff if you don’t control the power weapons, the Wheelmen went to town on us with their driving and gunning skills. After a rough first game the rest of the night was much more enjoyable, complete with only TWO bomb games (definitely not three at all) and a rendezvous with Duardo and some other B.net mods. Once again the Cirques treated us to a wonderful night of gaming, and, to quote RevDotNed, “ya’ll are fun to shoot people in the face with.”

Our First Practice
After our two epic defeats, we decided maybe we need some practice. Even professionals practice from time to time. Just last night, about 8 of us got together and played Big Team, focusing on communication, strategy, and teamwork. Spirits of Fire practices will become a bi-monthly event, occurring on the second and last Friday of every month.

That’s all for now. More news to come soon as we are currently voting on new members.

Last night, seven brave Spirits of Fire faced off against the forces of HaloCharts.com. Good sportsmanship, good games, and epic pwnage were present in all four games, of which details can be found below.

Spirits of Fire: Rowboat 000, bs angel, Jim 028, CrazedOne1988, GreySpark, elpolloguapo, BrusselsSprouts/Merde123

HaloCharts: HC Halbarand, Pete VenkmanPHD, ZaccyBengeance, HC Redemption, Boss Vos, EgonSpenglerPHD, HC CallMeDaddy (later subbed out for HC Bubba).

GAME 1: NEUTRAL ASSAULT ON VALHALLA (47:46)

This was truly a monster of a game. Five minutes in it was already a pitched and even battle, and we realized that a time limit had not been set. However, both sides confident in their ability to win out, the game went on. After several attempts by both sides to plant the bomb, elpolloguapo, Rowboat 000, and CrazedOne1988 rushed through the creek in a Warthog, charged into the enemy base, and successfully armed and detonated the bomb for the first plant of the game. However, in spite of their exemplary skills at human shielding, killing vehicles with small arms fire, skyjacking, and spamming grenades, the HaloCharts crew were, well over twenty minutes into the game, able to sneak past the Spirits and score themselves. A stalemate ensued, with both sides pushing and being driven back. Soon it was declared, with the score still standing at 1-1, that the next score would win. When the game clock approached 45 minutes, the teams were given five minutes – score or it would be declared a draw. With time running out, elpolloguapo, Rowboat 000, and Jim 028 once more assaulted the HaloCharts base in a warthog, breaking through their defenses and planting the bomb. Rowboat 000, the sole survivor of the initial attack, held off the HaloCharts crew long enough to score. The bomb detonated at 47:45, taking four HaloCharts SPARTANS with it.

Spirits of Fire Wins, 2-1

POSTGAME CARNAGE:

SoF: 237 total kills, 168 total assists, 298 total deaths, team spread of -61, 0 total suicides, 0 total betrayals (and we’re very ashamed of you, angel), total score of 2

HC: 298 total kills, 171 total assists, 239 total deaths, team spread of +59, 0 total suicides, 2 total betrayals, total score of 1

GAME 2: TEAM SLAYER ON SANDTRAP (10:02)

Due to the first game taking up such an enormous amount of time, it was agreed that this game would be to 75 kills only. On the scorched sands of Sandtrap, HC took an early lead over the Spirits, which they were able to keep through vehicular control of the map. The Spirits, scattered by irregular spawns, made valiant attempts to come back, and were able to briefly tie the game and take the lead through effective deployment of warthogs, but HC soon slipped away. The game seemed fleeting in the shadow of the behemoth of game one, reflected in the Spirits, who were still planning on how to retake the lead when HC scored the 75th kill.

HaloCharts Wins, 75-59

POSTGAME CARNAGE:

SoF: 59 total kills, 43 total assists, 77 total deaths, team spread of -19, 1 total suicide, 0 total betrayals (angel, are you sure you’re feeling well?), total score of 58

HC: 76 total kills, 43 total assists, 60 total deaths, team spread of +16, 0 total suicides, 1 total betrayal, total score of 75

GAME 3: MULTI-FLAG CTF ON AVALANCHE (15:08)

In spite of the Spirits’ commendable performance in the first objective game of the evening, the Halo gods were not with them on Avalanche. While early on attempts to reach the SoF base were stonewalled by effective vehicle defense, HC commandos were soon able to infiltrate the base from the side and sneak out to teleport with the flag, mancannoning to the center and escaping in a warthog. As the Spirits struggled to regroup and countercap, HC once again made off with the flag, cutting down those few Spirits who had attempted to remain on defense. Playing a more conservative game, SoF was able to block further attacks on their flag, but never made a concerted attempt at a cap of their own. With only a few minutes left in the 15 minute game, CrazedOne1988 was able to mongoose rush the HC base and get their flag to the bottom middle, where he was stopped. No Spirits being nearby, the timer ran out and the game fell to HaloCharts.

HaloCharts Wins, 2-0

POSTGAME CARNAGE:

SoF: 76 total kills, 50 total assists, 83 total deaths, team spread of -7, 0 total suicides, 0 total betrayals (now I’m really getting worried about you, angel), total score of 0

HC: 83 total kills, 41 total assists, 76 total deaths, team spread of +7, 0 total suicides, 0 total betrayals, total score of 2

GAME 4: TEAM SLAYER ON STANDOFF (8:32)

With Five-Star General HC Bubba entering on HaloCharts’ side to replace HC CallMeDaddy, the Spirits of Fire and HC once more met on the field of battle. The game began on a sour note, as through nefarious methods HC was able to destroy the Spirits’ Warthog at the very start of the game, taking two Spirits with it. Without the Warthog on their side, SoF attempted to mount an effective defense on foot, but HC clamped down with effective usage of their Warthog and the Spartan Laser. In spite of performing magnificent feats such as surfing on the HC warhog and BR-ing out the driver, and the beginnings of a comeback towards the end of the game, the Spirits were unable to surmount HC’s lead.

HaloCharts Wins, 75-64

POSTGAME CARNAGE:

SoF: 64 total kills, 60 total assists, 77 total deaths, team spread of -13, 0 total suicides, 0 total betrayals (angel, I think you should see a doctor or something), total score of 64

HC: 77 total kills, 59 total assists, 66 total deaths, team spread of +11, 1 total suicide, 1 total betrayal, total score of 75

INFORMAL GAMES

Slayer on Guardian. Winner: bs angel (25 kills)

Slayer on Construct. Winner: ZaccyBengeance (25)

BTB Multi-Flag on Valhalla (mixed teams).

Several games ensued as the crowd deteriorated. An excellent time was had by all, and while HC may have won three out of the four games of the challenge, in this Spirit’s opinion it is worth noting that the total time of the game won by SoF (47:46) is greater than the total time of all three of HC’s victories combined (33:42), so while HC’s victories outnumbered SoF’s, SoF won for longer than HC. Thus, this challenge is officially a draw.

SoF at the start of Game 2 (screenshot by Jim 028)

-LPG

For the first time, the Spirits of Fire will step onto the battlefield as one team, one clan, and take on another established unit in the long-awaited challenge against HaloCharts.  Is it in retaliation for when they took over our beloved forums when their site went down? For a few, perhaps (never forget!). But in reality, it’s all about making good memories with some of our good friends and closest allies. Win or lose, all that matters is showing some good sportsmanship and possibly even the business end of bs angel’s codpiece.

The challenge commences tonight at 6PM PST.

Maps and Gametypes will include:

• Multi Flag CTF on Avalanche
• Team Slayer on Standoff
• Neutral Bomb on Valhalla
• Team Slayer on Sandtrap

Results will be posted here at some point!

‘We may for now be two forces divided, but in the end we will all be brothers.”