The Epic PUBG Showdown!

In the past we have seen some showdowns of epic proportions, Dutch vs. The Predator, Red vs. Blue, Cat vs. Dog…but now we witness a battle far greater in scale, impact and car flipping shenanigans than anything witnessed before. Yes ladies and gents, I’m talking about the KeyLan vs. WGN Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds scrim that we talked about earlier this month.

Our very own Welsh Gaming Network would be facing off against the Gloucestershire KeyLan team in a 10 vs 10 best of three competition. With the results from the weekends Six NAations rugby burning a hole in our hearts, a score needed to be settled.

The build up to the event was great with both teams drumming up excitement within their own communities, having warm up matches before the lines were drawn and the two teams stood toe to toe.

Representing the KeyLan team are:

• The WhiteCat (Designated Driver)
• TimmoUK
• Om3gaSupreme
• Nobytes
• JayParmar
• B1ZZl3
• ClippyGames
• JohnnyTitan
• Freya-jay
• Mattstillbust
• JonnyTitan
• Nobytes

Representing the Welsh Gaming Network are:

• SlayerJohn
• CustumUK
• Roosters
• GiddyGoons
• JacWills
• CyberNova
• KEDWAR
• ReaperSteve
• ThorMaNN
• WGN_Spear
• Toxicfart

The rule sets used in the match were nice and simple to try and keep the game as true to the PUBG experience everyone was used to. Everything as a result (spawns, loot and rules) were set to default using the KeyLan servers the game was hosted on. The map being used for the entire series will also be Erangel. The only change was the obviously needed alteration to squad size so that teams of ten could be fielded rather than the usual two or five size squads allowed in the vanilla game modes.

With both teams rearing to go and all preparations made the first map in the best of three series began!

You can watch the full playback video from KeyLANChelt with Eugune in the official spectator spot and doing an excellent running commentary.

For the WGN, ReaperSteve was also streaming with a competitive delay and had a great turnout of support.

Game 1

The angle of the drop entered from the border of grid B/C and headed in a southerly direction. KeyLan took the early option to jump out at Georgopol, spreading out onto either side of the bridge in a bid to find as much loot as possible in the built up area.

With slimmer pickings the more southern WGN decided to split into two squads to spread out and hopefully find more loot. The first squad deploying at Gatka and the second half of the team moving further south to drop at Ferry Pier with an aim to move west into Primorsk.

As both teams scurry around for the best loot possible the first circle appears on the map centred around Rozhok and the school, very central to the entire map. This positioning gives the KeyLan team an early advantage with less distance to travel especially considering half of the WGN players are south and separated at Primorsk.

The Southernmost WGN squad was isolated a fair distance from the safety of the circle and manage to happen across a couple of boats to secure their escape once they are done looting. The more northern group of WGN move inland keeping a wary eye on the North West as they do so keeping an eye for any KeyLan players.

As the circle begins to creep in, both teams start to move towards the centre of the map! The KeyLan team scrounge up a few vehicles to move themselves across the map quickly. WhiteCat and B1ZZl3 make an early break into the centre of the map to scout ahead of the main KeyLan force who will follow behind a little later. For now WGN are out of sight allowing the KeyLan room to manoeuvre.

The KeyLan team start to make a steady push via vehicles towards Yasnaya where the second circle looks to focus, as further south the first squad of WGN players are running cross country through Dohinki looking for extra weapons and items to strengthen the loadouts they are already packing. The other half of WGN meanwhile sailed towards the bay near the Farm before getting their boots back on the ground.

KeyLan begin to set up a defensive position at Yasnaya in a smart tactical move in preparation for WGN being forced north by the blue circle. The two groups of WGN finally meet up and now have vehicles to move the team north as a single unit towards the waiting KeyLan position.

As WGN move closer to the school the next circle will dictate how the action is going to unfold with both teams yet to fire a shot. The airplane comes in to make a an airdrop, KeyLan spot the drop and intend to collect the treasure. As the drop starts to float to earth the third circle makes its presence known and shakes up the game. KeyLan will be forced to abandon their position in Yasnaya in favour of the high ground overlooking the town more to the northwest as the circle pushes them out of the city. WGN also have a tough rough ahead as they will need to clear a lot of open ground as they move north to meet the circle with little cover in the way of buildings.

WhiteCat once again bravely chances his life by driving as he heads north to collect the drop loot whilst his team mates push northwest onto the crest of the mountain overlooking the lake.

WGN take their time moving north to face their English counterparts looking for every bandage and ammo clip to give them any sort of advantage as they know they will be heading into heavy resistance. KeyLan have plenty of time to be deployed and set up with their sights trimmed south in preparation of WGN’s advance.

Another drop arrives this time between the two teams drawing their lines of sights directly towards each other. KeyLan in the superior position and with plenty of ranged weaponry spot the WGN players on foot and start to pepper them as they make their journey north towards the safety of the circle. What little cover they can find is difficult. The range makes it incredibly difficult to land shots, but some damage is done with a number of the Welsh players taking hits and needing to heal as a result.

All the KeyLan players are focused on the south where WGN are trying to move from scrap of cover to scrap of cover north. This juicy target proves so tempting that it takes the full attention of KeyLan. This allows a very crafty CyberNova of WGN to try his luck all alone, pushing all the way up to the latest air drop right under the nose of KeyLan.

CyberNova risks it for a biscuit and dolphin dives down behind the crate as fire is exchanged between the rest of the WGN players and the KeyLan firing line. KeyLan meanwhile continue to pile on the pressure onto the centre of the WGN force forcing them to spread and run the risk running of crossing open ground, taking more damage along the way.

With the game in the balance and KeyLan having the positional advantage ReaperSteve and ThorMaNN jump into vehicles and try to flank around the far West of the KeyLan position in an attempt to draw fire away from their vulnerable team-mates.  Now with WGN fanning out in a pincer movement akin to the jaws of a Dragon, the WGN is beginning to close in on all fronts.

ThorMaNN gets right into the back lines of KeyLan and positions himself in a building and gets a good line of sigh on the rear rank of KeyLan scoring the first knockdown of the game on WhiteCat. B1ZZl3 quickly responds by knocking down GiddyGoons in cover with some accurate bursts of fire.

Things start to get hectic here with a number of WGN players going down as KeyLan light up the hills with sustained fire. WGN’s CustumUK inches closer to enemy lines as a number of the KeyLan players preventing Timmo from reviving one of his team-mates in the process.

The current tally is 4 KeyLan players knocked down and 1 dead, 2 WGN players are knocked down and 3 are dead. A very even contest and exchange with some difficult jostling of positions to get an advantage is the key to the next few moments of the fight.

Freya-jay is forced to try and help two KeyLan team-mates nearing death and braves the rounds whistling past to try and revive them. Half way through the selfless act she is met by an incredibly sneaky CyberNova. The master of stealth and subterfuge has been busy looting crates and taking a siesta, now he jumps into action, locking down a number of KeyLan players in the area and keeping the players busy in a pivotal moment of the match.

The next few minutes are very back and forth with both sides exchanging damaging and healing up. With the game still in a 50/50 balance thanks to CyberNova evening the score, the WGN’s surrounding positions start to wear down the resistance of KeyLan. With the last few dropping one by one until B1ZZl3 is left by himself with only a rock for cover before he goes down fighting after the blue circle forces him out of cover.

The first game ends in a hard fought victory for WGN.

We take a few minutes break here to refill our drinks and grab some more snacks because more action is about to follow. The WGN has taken the lead in the best of three series but there is still everything to play for in the next game.

Game 2

Here’s the Twitch VoD starting with the second match:

The second game starts in a very similar flight path, but this time the Welsh Gaming Network decide to jump early with the entire squad fanning out in a long line in the centre of the map heading towards Rozhok. KeyLan make the most of this opportunity and decide to sit back and relax for a long journey south to the spoils of the military base.

As both teams go about their business gathering loot and swapping out clothes when they find a jacket they like better, the first circle appears on the map. In a reverse of fortune in from the last game WGN find themselves already in the safety of the fairly central circle with the KeyLan team a long way south of safety.

Both teams branch off into small groups as the looting phase continues. The WGN team seem to be getting the lions share of the gear at this phase with slim pickings being uncharacteristically available in the military base for KeyLan.

WGN have had plenty of time to loot around Severny, Rozhok and Yasnaya thanks to vehicles and the vast distance to where KeyLan deployed. This has given WGN time to stretch out and get a little ambitious in their catchment area for finding gear.

The KeyLan team start the long trip towards the built up cities north. WGN decide not to set up a defensive perimeter around the south side of the safety circle, instead they move back deeper into friendly territory and invite the KeyLan players further in towards them in the process. The KeyLan team won’t be doing that any time soon however, as they scour the landscape for loot especially optics for their weapons which seem to be in short supply!

KeyLan split into two groups to head out from the military base heading over both the East and West bridge in vehicles before routing around to near the farm and meeting back up, perhaps anticipating WGN making an aggressive move to prevent KeyLan crossing the bridges.

Its Nobytes turn for some daredevil action as he throws a buggy into a sick flip thanks in part to his driving prowess and in greater part to the solid mechanics of the PUBG game. Fortunately no KeyLan players were harmed in this process.

The next circle comes in, pushing both teams north. KeyLan push northeast past the mansion with WGN sill holding up mainly in Yasnaya with a couple of players scouting about looking for trouble. With both teams getting incredibly close it seems only a matter of moments before one team spots the other.

KeyLan are in a bit of a hairy position, the blue circle is pushing them directly onto the swords of the WGN line at this point.

WhiteCat scouts ahead of the rest of the KeyLan team in an attempt to gain some information on the WGN players and he is able to do so as he skirts around Yasnaya. Unfortunately, he is met by the rearguard of WGN in the form of GiddyGoon who also spots WhiteCat. The game is on!

WhiteCat hops out the car and starts to take some exploratory shots at WGN’s troops who are in the process of redeploying while KeyLan encroach on the Networks position. While WhiteCat is providing something of a distraction a few KeyLan players have sped around the east side of the circle and into the north to cut off the movement of the redeploying WGN team who seem to want to move deeper into safe territory away from KeyLan fire.

Om3gaSupreme, Nobytes and three others claim Stalber for KeyLan in the north. The other KeyLan players move to meet their team-mates who have moved North, all except B1ZZl3 and WhiteCat who now find themselves south of the WGN position.

WGN look at this point like they will get pinched between defenders in Stalber and the KeyLan sniper duo in the south when the next circle appears. Both teams will need to shift west pushing them both out of their currently held positions and into the wilds of the Erangel hills.

Om3ga sits in a power position trying to spot the WGN as the move northwest through the tree line whilst trying to provide call outs to his team mates who are also repositioning. The KeyLan Sniper team in the south are chasing a air drop and his other team mates and looking to take defensive positions to the west of Om3ga. With the WGN team warming up the hill Om3ga decides to open first and we get the first real exchanges of fire and damage between the two teams. (Other than a handful of environmental and friendly vehicle knockdowns!).

ClippyGames is quick to come to his team-mates aid and out positions GiggyGoons knocking her down, meanwhile WGN get a notch on the board with JayParmar falling for KeyLan and getting killed. KeyLan try to galvanise their position as WGN sense blood and start moving in for more kills.

WhiteCat and B1ZZl3 have moved around to the west flank of WGN but are yet to get into the fight as the rest of the KeyLan team fall back and bunch up in the few houses afforded them in Stalber.  Just when you think its about to throw down at Stalber, WGN break off west on foot towards the centre of the circle, directly towards the two isolated KeyLan players. With the WGN players swarming towards them, WhiteCat and B1ZZl3 go to ground and wait for the WGN players to pass by them unknowingly.

CyberNova for WGN is a little isolated more north than WGN team-mates and exchanges fire with the KeyLan players who have come out of hiding. The gunshots have attracted the attention of WhiteCat and B1ZZl3 who take their opportunity to surround Nova with B1ZZl3 knocking Nova down.

The next circle pushed both teams southwest. WGN need to fall back in a tactical retreat as they are harassed by the KeyLan team in hot pursuit. Both teams need to move quick to get out the blue circle damage as quick as possible. WGN have managed to move half their team into the safety of the white circle.

The sniper KeyLan duo jump back into their buggy, backtrack southwest and get into an encounter with ThorMaNN who starts raining down from a height advantage in an attempt to disable their vehicle and prevent any more distracting flanking moves from the pair who have been a thorn in the WGN’s side from the start. Help is on the way but for now ThorMaNN goes it alone.

The KeyLan players are almost all in the safety of the circle now, but all are carrying someone sort of damage and quickly need to heal before the WGN can counter attack. It seems up until this point KeyLan are making all the important tactical decisions to out position the WGN team but every time they out manoeuvre WGN, the circle punishes them. Things are looking tough for KeyLan at this point but they are still in the game.

ThorMaNN all this time is engaging in a battle of attrition with Cat and B1ZZle, actually managing to knockdown B1ZZle who tries to charge him down. 9 players are still up for WGN at this point who only lost that first player in the original gun fight. KeyLan on the other hand have lost a few members and are holding on. SlayerJohn in a great position punishes the damaged KeyLan players more. KeyLan are left with four standing players, two of which need serious healing.

TimmoUK manages to get some revenge knocking down John and finishing him off up close and personal. KeyLan need to make sure the WGN players don’t have a chance to recover to keep themselves in the game. This small victory is short lived as KEDWAR gets his one measure of revenge knocking down Timmo. Despite losing a player each WGN are at the moment at least able to soak casualties better.

KeyLan are able to knock down another WGN player, but immediately after KEDWAR once again finds himself in the perfect position to exchange a kill and knock down another KeyLan player.

It is now all up to Om3gaSupreme for KeyLan as their sole player left standing to try and force a game three. The odds are massively stacked against him however and he tries to move into a favourable position. ReaperSteve spots Supreme and puts down some fire as his WGN team mates go for the kill. As everyone opens fire it is only a matter of time before the seven remaining WGN players drag Om3ga down.

WGN win the second game and the series overall 2-0.

CyberNova had an excellent first game and was voted to be the VIP of the scrim earning a giftcard and a much deserved pat on the back from everyone.

The triple kill in the first game turned the tide and paved the way for the first map victory.

The players then went on to play another game for fun, this time a duos game. It came down to ReaperSteve and TheWhiteCat facing off to be the last man standing for the respective teams in the final circle. WhiteCat is just able to outlast ReaperSteve and claim a first spot victory for himself and team-mate Rykashin. ReaperSteve and ThorMaNN came second with the team of JayParmar and Ome3gaSupreme coming in third.

I don’t know about you but I’m exhausted after all that!

The Dust Settles

If films like The Highlander have taught us anything (and I like to think they have) it is that there can only be one. This time fortune favoured the Welsh and we had our victory, and we didn’t need to rely on TMO.

Once again a big thank you to the KeyLan team for hosting the event, we had great fun throughout and made some new friends along the way and hopefully we can have similar encounters in the  near future. If you want to check KeyLan out (and I’d encourage you to do so) they are a team of enthusiastic gamers, who organise LAN gaming events throughout Gloucestershire as well as online tournaments.

KeyLan Website
KeyLan Twitter
KeyLan Twitch
KeyLan Facebook

A big shout out to the excellent commentary of KeyLans very own Eugene who did a fantastic job in helping organise the event and provided excellent commentary throughout the live streamed event.

Thanks very much for stopping by and checking out the action. If you’d like to be involved in fun community events like these, play with other Welsh Gamers or just chat about anything at all, join us on the Discord and follow on Twitter for news and announcements.