XERXIA Esports may have lost to FunPlus Phoenix during their Group B opening match at VCT Stage 2 Masters Copenhagen, but they showed why they remain one of the best teams to come out of the APAC region.
The hard-fought series went FPX’s way in three close maps, but not before the Thai squad showed off some nifty setups and executes.
On Ascent, FPX’s map pick, XERXIA came prepared. A nifty Killjoy setup at B Main allowed them to mow enemies down through the wall, even without using recon tools like Sova’s Recon Bolt or Fade’s Haunt.
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Pair this Killjoy setup with an Odin to defend Ascent’s B Main
Sova and Fade are among the strongest agents on Ascent, thanks to their ability to reveal enemies through walls and allow you to wallbang your opponents.
One prime spot is B Main, where a well-placed Recon Bolt or Haunt can allow defenders to spray opponents down with an Odin without even coming face-to-face with them. However, against FPX, XERXIA’s Itthirit “foxz” Ngamsaard did not always need to expend Fade’s Haunt.
An aggressive Killjoy turret looking into B Main provided information on two FPX players pushing the area, enabling foxz to get a wallbang kill on Andrey “Shao” Kiprsky with an Odin. He was then able to follow up with Haunt for additional information, maximizing all his available utility.
You could even potentially pull this off by yourself as Killjoy, playing off contact with your own turret.
XERXIA eventually went on to take the map 13-9, largely powered by a standout performance from young star Thanachart “Surf” Rungapajaratkul.
Surf was outstanding throughout the series, topping the server with a 62/53/12 KDA and 262 Average Combat Score (ACS). On Jett, he found seven first kills on Ascent alone, an explosive performance for an 18-year-old only on his second international appearance.
However, their loss to FPX means that XERXIA are now fighting for their tournament lives in the Group B elimination match. They will play Japanese squad Northeption on July 13 at 12 a.m. GMT +8 | July 12, 9:00 a.m. PT.
Meanwhile, FPX move on to the winner’s match, where they will play Korean powerhouse DRX on July 12, 9 p.m. GMT +8 | 6:00 a.m. PT.
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