WGL APAC-Asia Season 3: Rise of the Challengers

Tank Commanders,

As the new season of WGL APAC-Asia draws ever closer, more details continue to be released. Just a few days ago, we formally announced the beginning of Season 3, along with a preview of the new tournament rules, teams and match schedules.

In this article however, we'll be exploring the very thing that keeps this tournament alive: the teams that participate in hopes of becoming champion.

A look back at Season 2

First, some history.

For the longest time, at least half of the teams in the Gold Series brackets were virtually neck-and-neck in their struggle to attain the most points. Team Efficiency and PVP Super Friends in particular were holding their own against ELong and Charlotte Tiger right to the very end. Although all four teams eventually progressed to the Playoffs stage for another round of elimination before the finals, the outcome was still very uncertain as to who would eventually earn their ticket to the finals in Seoul.

It's well known by now that both ELong and Charlotte Tiger eventually bested both T-E and PVP. The two teams would then meet their counterpart in Korea - Team ARETE - who proceeded to win the tournament after a series of the toughest matches ever held in the course of the season.

Of course, the top three teams that got into the finals aren't the only ones going home with something to show for it. A total of seven teams in the Silver Series will also be receiving a prize of 7,000per player, more than enough to spend as they see fit in-game:

Season 2 is now officially over, but a new Season is arriving soon. With the addition of a new Team Battle format, as well as new faces in the Gold and Silver Series, it must be said now that there is no clear favourite for the title of Champion... yet.

New challengers

In the World of Tanks arena, nothing is certain. Teams come and go, rising and falling in stature as they meet new obstacles or overcome old ones.

With the coming of the next Season, three new teams have now entered the Gold Series, where they must fight to secure their place to the Playoffs Stage and beyond to the tournament finals. Although they are facing a new level of competition, they are no strangers to the scene, as they have proved their worth many times over for the chance to be here.

PhoeniX	Front Mission	Horsemen

PhoeniX (Previously One Blood)

One might assume that since PhoeniX is an unfamiliar name within the eSports community, they can be assumed to be pubstars looking to dip their toes into the water that is the tournament circuit. But they would be wrong.

Contrary to what they may seem, PhoeniX has had a wealth of experience in that regard, as they had previously operated under the name of One Blood. As you might know from our coverage of previous tournaments, One Blood has made quite a name for itself for some time.

The team that called itself One Blood as recently as last season was once an offshoot of a clan of the same name. Formed in the middle of 2010 and joining the Asia server just 2 years after that, One Blood has always strived to maintain a balance between finding fun and demanding the best gameplay out of themselves.

Now under their new identity of PhoeniX, it remains to be seen if their expertise in battle matches or even surpasses the established titans in the Gold Series, but make no mistake: there is more than meets the eye of the one that rises from the ashes.

Front Mission

Hailing from Thailand, this team emerged from relative obscurity to one of the unexpected greats of last season. Front Mission has managed to fool many opponents to thinking that they were lesser than they really are, and have converted the resulting complacency into an advantage that they have exploited time and time again.

However, a quick look at their records indicates a more storied history then is apparent at first glance. Front Mission is only the latest iteration of a constantly evolving team, which has existed ever since the first tournaments were held for players on the Asia server. They have gone by many names including MiTH.Front Mission, but with the outstanding performance in the Silver series last season, it seems now that their chance to shine has truly come at last.

Their skill in battle is also markedly impressive. Although their preference for passive play in some matches might have affected their scores somewhat, they tend to pull off victories with well-positioned plays and a little bit of patience.

Some would argue that Front Mission's success in Season 2 was only a fluke, but only time will tell if they have truly found the magic formula.

Horsemen

This Taiwanese team has been very active in the eSports scene of late. With their presence felt in both WGL APAC-Asia and the QYC, there is little chance of missing them while browsing the results section each week.

Their name and logo may portray them as a band of casual platooning players that have accidentally stumbled into the largest tournament in Asia, but their lineage suggests otherwise. Originally known as I-A-F, then yoe IRONMEN as they progressed from the TanksAsia era to the present, the past two incarnations have achieved notable results. While they have never successfully progressed to the finals, the chance was never truly out of their reach.

Team Horsemen has also achieved some results on their own and with a vastly different lineup today. With the conclusion of WGL APAC-Asia Season 2 and QYC Q3, they have proven themselves ready to face even tougher challenges in the struggle to become champions of Asia.

Catch the first matches of the season

Season 3 of WGL APAC-Asia will officially kick off on 25th November with the first Gold Series matches on that day. For more information about the schedules, please visit the announcement news about the new season. You can also watch the matches live by tuning in to our Twitch channel located here.

If you have a team assembled for a tournament or are interested in joining, we encourage you to sign up to compete in the Bronze Series!

Sign up for the WGL APAC-Asia Bronze Series now