It is time for EPIC.LAN 42 and once again we will see the UK CS scene make their pilgrimage to Kettering for some top Counter-Strike action. Notoriously the summer version of EPIC.LAN tends to be smaller in size, but this time around that is barely reflected in the sign-ups! With 29 teams raring to go, make sure to bring your swimming trunks and goggles, but you’ll need something stronger than just water pistols.
The Heavy Hitters
With numerous strong teams and mixes, there is one that stands above them all, Verdant. The winners of the final iSeries are a clear favourite as the talent for this event predicted in our article. With their recent form narrowly missing out on making ESL Challenger Season 38 through a very impressive ESEA Advanced playoffs run you’d expect EPIC.LAN to be a breeze. This is even further facilitated by the strongest opponents all making roster changes in recent history.
With four-time EPIC.LAN winner Matas “Extinct” Strumila back on the team and French AWPer Remi “Diviiii” Alexandre tearing up the opposition recently, Verdant are looking strong.
Extinct playing for Verdant ESL Premiership Autumn 2023
As mentioned, the toughest opponents have made roster changes. The first up is The Last Resort, placing top eight in the previous EPIC.LAN it was clear they would be seeking a far higher ranking. Since the previous LAN they made two changes, one being Rhys “Rhys” Stumbles taking over the leadership from Adam “AdamJC” Colwell. This turned out well, with TLR playing top six in UKIC Division 1 and making an appearance United21 Season 17 over the player break. But mere days before LAN, coach Elliott “fett1s” Fettis announced on X they will be searching for a new fifth as Rhys is “pursuing an opportunity with another team”. Therefore, for this LAN they will be using super sub Marco “MMS” Salomone, fresh from joining K10 having won the last UKIC Division 1 Season.
Could we write a preview without mentioning Invictum? We have all seen the turbulence caused during the end of last season, but the core has seemingly powered through and for this LAN will be bolstered with two strong substitutes. Bhaji5 duo Michael John “Prime” Fury and William “wfn” Maskrey are no strangers to making deep runs at LAN, as they came third last EPIC.LAN with Coalesce. The question is, can Lorenzo “LTH” Venanzi lead another team deep into a LAN and leave all of that drama behind him?
Next up is a name a lot of people might have not heard for a while, Belfast Storm is coming to EPIC.LAN. The Northern Irish organisation returned to the UK scene last month picking up Halal 5, who had just made playoffs in UKIC Division 1. Led by Connor “Finui” Finucane this squad is a delightful mixture of blasts from the past and upcoming talent. Starting off with the returning faces Joe “Dexie” Demmon and Luke “Nem” Mear back on a team in 2024 was not something I expect many had on their bingo cards. With the pair having started the year travelling around South East Asia together, they must have found inspiration to come back and conquer the UK CS scene once again.
Rounding off the roster are newcomers Kuba “kas” Capala and The Binmen’s finest Alex “Frosty” Foster who give some of these old guns reinvigorated energy.
kas playing at GamerFest Spring Finals 2024 alongside Nem and Dexie
Reason Gaming is a household name not just in the UK but the wider Counter-Strike scene. Unfortunately for them, they had a rather disappointing performance at the previous EPIC.LAN. Alex “Byfield” Byfield’s squad scraped their way into the lower bracket, but lost in the first round and fell to a mix in round one. Since then, they qualified for UKIC Divison 1 and made it to the finals of Insomnia72, where they fell to Verdant. For Reason Gaming, their ambition is to exceed their previous result and reach the HLTV portion of playoffs.
The mixes
We have mentioned blasts from the past, here comes another one. Shuaib “Shoobie” Saddique makes yet another appearance in Kettering, but this time he is returning with the old Goose House/ Temperate squad from 2022. A team that previously competed together will try and live up to its name – “GET BDOG’D”.
Shoobie coming back to his second home
A team that would not have been mentioned in this article until they made a crazy run in the UKIC League Season 3 Open Qualifier is TYREECESIMPSON. A strong upper bracket run, beating K10 FWRD, Dripmen and Chetz, it felt like they actually could make UKIC Divison 1. However, Chetz found their revenge in the Grand Final after they made it back from the lower bracket. Regardless, a team with Oliver “Maza” Mazarelo playing unbelievable CS and Oscar “Keto” Kilvington playing and not coaching doing that well seems like a myth. If they can continue playing free-flowing Counter-Strike coming into LAN, then they could upset some big names.
Jake “KicA” Harter and Jack “JackB” Burton playing on a mix together may sound like the beginning of a nightmare, but this is a squad with a lot of weight behind it and with KicA gaining some newfound respect from competitors at the previous EPIC.LAN with his run alongside LTH, anything is possible for hedgehogpeek.
The KCC will be ricocheting with JackB’s screams
UKCSGO boots on the ground
As always we will provide the best coverage this weekend as Freddie “GrimyRannarr” Pritchard and Michael “DuckMoriarty” Moriarty will be in the action in Kettering. If you want to watch some “top quality” Counter-Strike you can head over to JOE and watch Arnie “Stetson” Petty one of our Senior Writers and Editors.
The Talent
You thought the talent was good for EPIC.LAN 41, well they have all returned. Starting off the talent list strong is the mighty duo of Tim “TIMMO” Musters and Harry “index” Bayliss. Set to make their fourth consecutive appearance at EPIC.LAN, you know it will be a good one.
Our next duo comes with upcoming Dutch caster Orson “SeveralSheep” Schuijers who recently made his ESL Challenger debut this week and Overwatch caster making his second appearance for Counter-Strike at EPIC.LAN Izaac “Spectrion” Bailey. Hosting our finals will be none other than UKCSGO’s finest Leyna “Affinity” McQuillin, a staple part of EPIC.LAN in the recent years.
We’ve released an article speaking to the members of talent, seeing who they expect to be the top performers this LAN, and who may come out as underdogs, so click here to give that a read.
TIMMO and index casting the EPIC.LAN 41 Grand Finals
EPIC.LAN 42 fantasy
It wouldn’t be an EPIC.LAN without Mischief pulling up the fantasy, and without much of a shock it’s back up again. Make sure to join up the fantasy down below and share with us on X who you picked.
EPIC42 Fantasy is now live. Link in the comments. https://t.co/zn1tDi073c
— Finn (@MischiefCS2) July 17, 2024
