Time withers all things.

Now, we all know Galu is literally the worst Age of Empires 2 player in the history of humanity, but hear me out.

Last night, four games were played, including new players such as Ahbaku Manar and DevilsDaemon, and old hands such as myself, Dazooe, GrumpyPirate, and Galu.

The first game was a real world diplomacy map, set in Western Europe; with a few sharp attacks in the mid game eliminating BigPollett and Ahbaku Manar, it came down to a close of Eastern Europe (Galu) and Turkey (GrumpyPirate) against North Africa (myself) and Spain(DevilsDaemon). With a fierce conflict in the Mediterranean being decided by overwhelming Turkish and European naval power, a pincered attack by the Spanish and North African managed to press hard upon the flanks of the Turko-European alliance, but as their fleets ravaged our homelands, we were in time defeated and worn down.

A fine game, even if I fucking lost, you Turtle-ship spamming gits.

The second game was perhaps the fiercest conflict, a revised Michi style map with the forest running around the edges aswell as through the center. On our team was Dazooe, as the redoubtable Malians, Galu as the far-reaching Britons, myself as the oddly-siege-focused Celts, and a relatively new player EagleofRome, as the Koreans.

Arrayed against us was Alex3849 as the always hard-hitting Huns, GrumpPirate as the high-cost high-reward Turks, DevilsDaemon as every Turkish ally's godsend the Spanish, and Brasidas as the now-endangered Indians.

The first half of the game was exclusively build-up, with Grumpy's team favouring a long wall along the tree line, and our's going for a more focused defence. With DevilsDaemon cutting into my tree line, I promptly readied my army of Siege Onagers, Heavy Scorpions, and Halberdiers, with EagleofRome supporting ablely. While Brasidas and DevilsDaemon held up for a few minutes, it was quite clear that the colossal number of heavy siege weapons produced by the Celts and the Koreans were simply too vicious. DevilsDaemon resigned a touch prematurely as we moved through his initial base. Brasidas held us up superbly, creating a bastion which we had to flank to maintain the initiative. However, with Eagle's help, my Siege Onagers got into the trade lines and cut Grumpy's invaluable gold supply.

On the opposing side, a second front was opened up. GrumpyPirate and Alex3849 fiercely resisted the attacks of Galu and Dazooe, using their heavily upgraded gunpowder units to carve a complete swathe through the massed infantry of Dazooe. Dazooe's response was calculated and ruthless; hold the line. Combined with Galu's near-constant array of longbows and skirmishers, the Malians unleashed wave after wave of infantry to be mown down by precise janissary and bombard fire. Dazooe receives the award for 'Most Communist Victory'.

Holding Grumpy and Alex, the Celts and Koreans were able to turn and axe off the lifelines of the Turkish army, deciding the game in our favour.

Grumpy had a kill ration of about 4-1, with around 1100 kills and 250 losses. For comparison, I was over the moon about a kill ration of about 8:5 with my Celts. It was a very fun, very pressured game; DevilsDaemon's early resignation highlighted a rule of AoE2 team games. A player never dies, he retreats.

The third and fourth game were scrappier, using essentially variations of Nomad, where a small home island was given, and the player has to eventually move to the mainland. In these two games especially I believe Galu earned his PotN title for one virtue: tenacity. He was harrassed constantly in both games, he was beaten, and stamped on, but he kept trying. As has been shown multiple times, this is perhaps one of the most important characteristics of a strong AoE2 player. In the third game, a triple alliance of myself, Dazooe, and Brasidas easily took victory, in the fourth, a strong pressure by Talent against Dazooe,Ahbaku, and Galu earned our alliance of Alex, Talent, and myself a strong victory.

All in all, two very long, powerful games and two medium but easily won games. I will award Ahbaku Manar the best newcomer award, as he's got a killer instinct, and EagleofRome the most improved award, as he's gone from a new player with many flaws, to a strong support that is a secure hand at the wheel.

But as I said, as much due to sheer bullheaded determination, Galu gets Player of the Night, the useless bugger.

Player of the Knight: Galu