The Halo Championship Series (HCS) Fall Season relegation matches favoured no team in Burbank, California. During a previous optional event – the HCS Las Vegas Open Circuit – these same four teams finished high in their brackets.
3sUP Enterprises and The Money Matches Team (TMMT) challenged the Pro League teams, forcing multiple series to game six or seven. Although Enigma 6 (E6) and Allegiance once sat near the top of the league, both teams wrangled for each win. Both Enigma 6 and Allegiance reclaim their spots as one of North America’s top eight Halo teams.
Enigma 6 vs. 3sUP Enterprises | Enigma 6 wins 4-3
The first best-of-seven series ties at two going into game five. With both of E6’s wins coming from Capture the Flag (CTF) games, Eden – Slayer already favours 3sUP. Bubu dubu’s efficient sniper play early helps E6 pull away with a 12-2 lead. The early cushion dissolves in the final minutes. Up five with under a minute left, Prototype’s shotgun kills tie the game at 43 for 3sUP.
The game shifts into overtime where the score explodes to 49. 3sUP leads, but members trickle single file, feed the E6 comeback. Right after bubu dubu kills Rammy to tie the game, a 3sUP teammate swoops in from behind to end the game 50-49. Despite bubu dubu’s 21 kills, E6 drops game five.
An individual performance didn’t save the Eden game for E6, yet Regret – Slayer swings with one play by Shooter. With the score close, Rammy, equipped with an Overshield and Plasma Caster, drops down from the red rampart. He dives onto Shooter below him, but Rammy can’t capitalize on the advantageous position. A Shooter melee and Rammy’s missed shots turns over the Plasma Caster to E6. Shooter uses that same weapon to end the game 50-45. E6 advances in the winners brackets, sending 3sUP in the losers bracket.
Allegiance vs. The Money Matches Team | Allegiances wins 4-1
Both Allegiance and TMMT advanced far into the brackets of the Las Vegas Open Circuit. Their play established both rosters as capable teams for the HCS Pro League, yet one would need to fight from the losers bracket.
After a one point, 50-49 win on Plaza – Slayer to tie the series at one, TMMT stumbles the rest of the series. A Rig – Strongholds game ends 100-4, Allegiance staying in complete control of the map.
Up 2-1, Allegiance bursts into Fathom – CTF for a game four win. An Allegiance flag run in the first thirty seconds ends up scoring. Contra holds down top middle with Railgun, picking off the TMMT members trying to save the flag. Although TMMT captures one back, Allegiance wins 3-1.
The TMMT game five loss sends them into the losers bracket, while Allegiance moves on to play E6 for a Pro League spot.
Losers Bracket
3sUP Enterprises vs. The Money Matches Team | 3sUP wins 4-2
A double elimination tournament gives teams a second chance to correct mistakes. While the losers bracket doesn’t boost morale, it still means either team can steal an HCS Pro Leaguespot.
Down in the losers bracket and down 2-3 in the series, TMMT can’t afford to keep winning every other game. Like their series against Allegiance however, their Relegation play ends on Fathom – CTF. Following their loss, TMMT scores the first flag of the game. While the capture looks to follow the loss-win pattern of the series, 3sUP instead reverses their fortunes. They score three unanswered flags to take the series 4-2.
3sUP advances to the losers bracket finals, in turn eliminating TMMT from relegation play. The number of teams fighting for two HCS Pro League spots drops to three.
Winners Bracket
Allegiance vs. Enigma 6 | Enigma 6 wins 4-2
This relegation tournament, even with two amateur teams, shows the talent at the event. Wins trade between teams in almost every series. With limited spots, one team leaves disappointed. The victor of the winners bracket finals also takes the first spot in the HCS Pro League. While a loss doesn’t doom either team, the loser must beat 3sUP in the lower bracket.
Allegiance, coming off a clean 4-1 victory, scores 98 points on Eden – Strongholds before E6 starts their own spree. They cut the lead in half, but three die on E6, giving Allegiance the window to finish the game 100-53.
Allegiance, down 2-3 in the series, takes an early 2-0 lead on Truth – CTF. A game seven feels imminent, but then Falcated is ambushed grabbing Camouflage. Falcated kills two before falling, yet his death leads to two E6 flag captures. In what starts as a convincing lead for Allegiance, turns into three unanswered E6 flag captures. Enigma 6 takes the series 4-2, securing one of the two remaining spots in the HCS Pro League.
Losers Bracket
Allegiance vs. 3sUP Enterprises | Allegiance wins 4-2
Neither team can afford any more series losses. The winner claims the final HCS Pro League spot, while the loser heads home to once again play in the Legendary cup for a relegation chance next season.
Coliseum marks highest point in the series. Down 1-2 in the series, 3sUP scores the first flag. Their capture turns into base defence as Allegiance bombs them for an opportunity to infiltrate. Their defence works, and it transitions into an offence towards the Allegiance base.
With a minute left and the game tied at one, the match enters a flag standoff. When Renegade finds the Rocket Launcher, he kills one in the Allegiance cave. Renegade then climbs to higher ground, kills one below him in the oven and finishes off the flag carrier for the Triple Kill. He jumps in for the flag return, but dies to a soaring Str8 SicK. He prevents the 3sUP flag return, but the heroics go to waste. Rammy sneaks in from behind to finish the return.
Despite winning game four 2-1 to tie the series at two, 3sUP drop the next two games. Allegiance takes the series 4-2, and the last HCS Pro League spot along with them.