Chicago Huntsmen: Preparing For Hunting Season
Despite being the most popular franchise in the Call of Duty League (CDL), some may say that the Chicago Huntsmen is heading into Championship Weekend on the back foot having fallen into the loser's bracket after a defeat to the Atlanta FaZe in their second match of the Playoffs.
Although the team lost to arguably one of the top teams in the league, there have been signs of the team struggling, particularly in their thrilling five-game series versus arch-rivals OpTic Gaming Los Angeles.
Some moments of individual brilliance made the difference against the Green Wall as opposed to a collective team effort to defeat their respective opponent. After such a competitive game against OGLA, how has the team been preparing for one last shot at championship glory?
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Scump's Form & Mental Consistency
Click to enlargeChicago talisman Seth “Scump” Abner has been praised for his recent form during the Playoffs. The North American veteran has come under fire during the regular season, with some fans suggesting that he is entering the twilight of his career and a potential retirement was on the horizon. In a recent press conference with Huntsmen coach Troy “Sender” Michaels, he shone some light on the king and his performances. “He’s playing super well right now.” Sender stated. “He always turns up, especially when the pressure is at its highest.” Good news if you’re a Huntsmen fan with a few days left before Champs! The Huntsmen coach suggests the ginger ninja “doesn’t get enough credit” since the league has transitioned into an online format. Known for explosive slaying ability, Scump has thrived in Chicago’s most recent matches due to Scump and his recent run of form.
The switch to an online setting hasn’t been easy for professional players given the distinct differences between playing on sub-standard servers and playing in an offline setting. Plenty of players, including members of the Huntsmen, have expressed their frustrations on social media but with a total of $3 million on the line at Championship Weekend, mental consistency and composure are more important than ever. “Staying mentally strong, especially with the transition to online, is especially important,” Sender says. “As long as players aren’t overthinking things, keeping it on a map-by-map basis and not getting down on themselves, we should be in a good spot.”
The RAM-7
Click to enlargeThe competitive metagame on Modern Warfare has often been a hot topic of conversation. Some teams have tried to introduce new weapons from the arsenal into the competitive game with no luck due to them being deemed overpowered, and inevitably placed on the now infamous Gentlemen’s Agreement.
Prior to Championship Weekend, talks of the RAM-7 assault rifle shaking up the competitive metagame quickly came to a head as several teams opted to stick to the combination of the MP5 sub-machine gun and the M4A1 assault rifle. The Huntsmen, specifically Dylan “Envoy” Hannon, went for a different approach, equipping the mobile rifle when Chicago plays Gun Runner. “Envoy only puts out the RAM-7 on Gun Runner,” states Sender. “He prefers to use the hybrid weapon on Gun Runner as he is able to thrive in certain positions, making the team more consistent on that particular map.” While some teams have chosen not to use the rifle, seeing the positive impact that it has for the Huntsmen could well spark a change in the meta as we head to the final three matches of the season.
Hunting The Royal Ravens
Click to enlargeThe first hurdle on the path to championship glory for Chicago is the London Royal Ravens, the surprise of playoffs. The final European team left standing has made an unprecedented run through the loser’s bracket, defeating the Paris Legion, New York Subliners, and the Toronto Ultra to secure a top-four finish. The roster has managed to hit their stride at the perfect time, and with Chicago losing to the Subliners at Playoffs, the potential for a major upset is definitely there.
As long as we go into that match with a level head, I’m so confident in the team to take the match with relative ease.
- Huntsmen coach Troy “Sender” Michaels
Although it isn’t the team many expected to feature, the Royal Ravens are heading into Champs with nothing to lose, and perhaps a lot to gain. Speaking on how much of a threat London pose to the Huntsmen, Sender discussed how the team stack up against Europe’s elite. “Going into the match, they’re a team with a limited map pool and are inconsistent in some modes. As long as we go into that match with a level head, I’m so confident in the team to take the match with relative ease.” I’m sure the Royal Ravens may have something to say about that on Saturday (August 29).
The Importance of Victory
Click to enlargeWith such a turbulent season for all teams in the league, the opportunity for the four remaining teams to end the season on a high has never been greater. For Chicago, a team that has experienced some turbulence during the regular season and to an extent in Playoffs, rounding out the Modern Warfare season sitting atop of the throne is the target. “We have had our struggles online. In some tournaments, we’ve looked better than we have in others and a lot of our matches we’ve played this year have been super close,” explains Sender. “With how passionate that the players are, regardless of it being online, winning means everything to us, and it would be a huge weight off our shoulders if we do it.”
During Playoffs, Chicago has been involved in two five-game series, one of which the Huntsmen secured the victory. Given how close the competition has been throughout the season, winning the trophy in the most competitive season of Call of Duty to date, would be the icing on the cake for the fan-favourite team which has been through it all.
Images courtesy of Call of Duty League | ESPAT Media
