Online matches, evening training sessions and games played from the comfort of home are part of everyday life for most teams on the Counter-Strike underground scene. However, only a few manage to take the next step and make their mark on the real stage… In front of a live audience and in an atmosphere that simply cannot be replicated online. It was precisely this opportunity that presented itself to the VoFoxen squad, who took part in the UEK Gaming Stage organised during the Juwenalia festival at the University of Economics in Kraków.
The tournament itself was divided into two stages. First, online qualifiers were held, for which 32 teams could register. Only the very best teams were given the chance to play in the grand final, which took place as a live event on a stage set up for the occasion at the University of Economics in Kraków. For many participants, this was not only an opportunity to compete for the ultimate victory, but also a chance to gain their first experience in a LAN environment.
For VoFoxen, simply reaching the final was of exceptional significance. Up until then, the team had mainly competed online, so the chance to travel to Kraków and play in front of a live audience was something completely new. Although at first glance it was ‘just’ a student event, for the Foxes it turned out to be something much bigger… An opportunity to take to the stage, test themselves under pressure and gain experience that cannot be acquired during ordinary online matches.
A dominant start for VoFoxen and a confident march through the bracket
Right from the start of the online qualifiers, VoFoxen showed that they had no intention of ending their UEK Gaming Stage adventure with mere participation. Right from their first match against NEWRIVALS, the Foxes were completely dominant, conceding just a single round to their opponents and sealing the match with a 13–1 scoreline. From the very first minutes, the huge gap in quality was evident… VoFoxen looked far more confident, both individually and as a team. Aggressive pushes onto the bombsites, good communication and complete control of the game’s tempo meant that their rivals were practically unable to find a way to counter the rampaging team.
The second round against Shockunit proved slightly more challenging, though the final score of 13–7 still clearly demonstrated VoFoxen’s superiority. This time, their opponents were able to respond at times and keep the score close, but the Foxes controlled the situation for the majority of the match. The team performed very well at crucial moments, winning key rounds and not allowing their opponents to get into their stride. With each successive match, it was clear that the players were becoming increasingly comfortable with the rhythm of the tournament and gaining confidence.
However, the real show of strength didn’t come until the quarter-finals. From this stage onwards, the matches switched to a BO3 format, which was designed to provide a much better gauge of the teams’ calibre. VoFoxen faced NBCDT and completely dominated their opponents. The first map ended 13–0, and the second 13–2. It was hard to speak of any kind of evenly matched contest there. The Foxes controlled virtually every aspect of the game, from one-on-one duels to the pace of the rounds. After three convincing victories, VoFoxen were just one step away from qualifying for the LAN grand final in Kraków.
A semi-final full of excitement and an unexpected twist
However, the semi-final clash against Minionki Gaming Krk turned out to be a completely different story to VoFoxen’s previous matches in the qualifiers. After a run of very convincing victories, the Foxes finally came up against an opponent capable of responding with both individual skill and sound tactical preparation. Right from the first map, it was clear that this time the margin for error would be significantly smaller than in previous matches.
Interestingly, both maps followed an almost identical pattern. VoFoxen got off to a very strong start, building a clear lead and controlling the pace of the game for most of the time. In both cases, the Foxes even took an 11–6 lead, and it seemed that a place in the grand final was practically within their grasp. However, their opponents then began to seize the initiative, gradually making up the deficit and leading to incredibly close finishes.
Perhaps the most painful thing for VoFoxen was that both matches slipped from their grasp in a very similar way. Minionki Gaming Krk managed to keep their cool at crucial moments, capitalising on the Foxes’ individual mistakes and tipping the balance of victory in their favour. Ultimately, both maps ended 14–16, and the semi-final concluded with a 0–2 defeat for VoFoxen.
After their previous dominant performances, such an outcome must have been a bitter pill to swallow. The team was just a few rounds away from reaching the LAN final, yet ultimately had to accept defeat. As it turned out, however, this was only temporary. Shortly after the match ended, the tournament organisers began to scrutinise issues relating to the line-ups and player registration more closely. As a result, Minionki Gaming Krk were disqualified, and the place in the grand final went to VoFoxen.
“We lost the semi-final, but our opponents were later disqualified. The tournament organisers began to look more closely at changes to the line-up and the registered players. A message along the lines of ‘hey, you’re playing in the final’ came as a huge surprise to us and, at the same time, brought us great joy.”
M1K1 – VoFoxen manager
For the whole team, this was not only an unexpected second chance, but above all an opportunity to play on a real stage in front of a live audience. Simply reaching the final meant that VoFoxen’s first LAN trip could already be considered a huge success.
The grand final and VoFoxen’s first appearance on the LAN stage
After a thrilling semi-final and an unexpected progression to the decider, the moment the VoFoxen players had been waiting for since the start of the tournament finally arrived… Taking to the real stage during the UEK Gaming Stage final. For most of the squad, this was their first-ever LAN appearance, so simply having the chance to play in front of a live audience was a huge experience. The stage lights, the presence of spectators and the atmosphere of the event meant that the final carried a completely different weight to the previous online matches.
Facing the Foxes were Geflux 5: Theseus’s Ship, a team with far greater experience in LAN competitions. Despite this, VoFoxen did not approach the final merely as underdogs there to gain experience. The team devoted a great deal of time to preparation, analysing their opponents and mapping out strategies, believing they had a genuine chance of competing for the title.
“We spent a lot of time analysing and mapping out the maps. The veto went our way: Ancient, Inferno and Nuke as the decider, which meant we approached the match with moderate optimism.”
M1K1 – VoFoxen manager
Although the final result was a 0–2 defeat, the course of the match showed that VoFoxen were at times able to make life very difficult for their opponents. The first map, in particular, could have turned out quite differently.
Ancient — from dominance to a lost lead
The first map of the final was Ancient, and the start of the match went absolutely perfectly for VoFoxen. Playing as the terrorists, the Foxes looked extremely confident and executed their tactical plans effectively. Aggressive pushes, good map control and winning duels meant that, at times, Geflux looked completely taken aback by their opponents’ preparation.
After the first half, VoFoxen led 9–3, and shortly afterwards their lead had grown to 11–6. At that point, many might have believed that the Foxes were on the verge of winning the first map of the grand final. M1K1 himself later admitted that the team had become convinced that victory was truly within their grasp.
“Ancient got off to a brilliant start for us. We finished the first half, playing on the terrorist side, with a score of 9–3, and many of us were convinced that this match had to end in victory.”
M1K1 – VoFoxen’s manager
Gryczany took a completely different view, focusing primarily on the mistakes made after the sides switched:
“We played the Terro side very well; a 9–3 lead usually guarantees a comfortable CT phase and an eventual victory, but due to silly mistakes and poor decisions, we squandered that lead and lost 11–13.”
Gryczany – VoFoxen player
Geflux 5: Theseus’s Ship, however, kept their cool better at crucial moments. Their opponents gradually began to make up the deficit, capitalising on isolated mistakes by VoFoxen, and ultimately closed out Ancient with a score of 11–13. For the Foxes, this was an extremely painful blow, particularly as they had controlled the course of the match for the greater part of the map.
Inferno — the opponents’ experience began to make the difference
After losing Ancient, VoFoxen had to regroup mentally very quickly ahead of the next map. Inferno, however, looked set to be a tougher challenge from the outset. Especially as, as they themselves admitted, it wasn’t a map the team played regularly. The start of the match didn’t look too bad. However, with each successive round, it became clear that Geflux were increasingly taking control of the game. Their opponents had gained confidence following their comeback on Ancient, and the experience gained during previous LAN tournaments began to play a huge role.
“Our start on Inferno wasn’t too bad either, even though we’d hardly played that map at all. At that point, however, our opponents’ LAN experience began to take the upper hand.”
M1K1 – VoFoxen manager
VoFoxen found it increasingly difficult to find their rhythm, whilst Geflux effectively capitalised on every weak moment from their opponents. Ultimately, the second map ended 3–13, and the final 0–2. Despite the defeat, however, the players look back on the whole trip very positively. Gryczany emphasised that simply taking part in the event was something special for him:
“For me, going to the LAN was, and still is, an unforgettable experience. Playing in front of a live audience, the whole atmosphere of the event and the stage we played on made a huge impression on me.”
Gryczany – VoFoxen player
There was also a slightly more light-hearted summary of the whole trip:
“The only downside was the lovely PKP Intercity — a two-hour delay whilst it was 27 degrees outside.”
Gryczany – VoFoxen player
First LAN and an important step for the whole organisation
Although the final ended in defeat, the trip to the UEK Gaming Stage can be seen as a huge step forward for VoFoxen. Just reaching the final from a field of 32 teams was already a solid achievement. Furthermore, the team showed that they can compete against tough opponents and adapt to completely new conditions.
However, the most important thing seems to be the experience gained. Playing on stage, the presence of an audience, the stress associated with a LAN event, and the opportunity to experience the whole event together are things that cannot be replicated during ordinary online matches. For some of the players, this was the first such trip of their careers, and it is already clear that it will stay with them for a long time.
VoFoxen return from Kraków with a silver medal, but also with immense motivation to continue developing. As the players and coaching staff themselves emphasised, the team has no intention of stopping and wants to make the most of future opportunities to showcase themselves on the stage. If this LAN was just the beginning, the Foxes may well appear at similar events on more than one occasion.
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