The first day of the playoffs in the Odeon Luxe are in full force! After an amazing first match in Age of Empires IV, we are continuing with the first major match of the day. Both Hearttt and Sebastian are not necessarily used to playing in front of a crowd, so the nerves may play a role.

Crownwood

Both players are aiming for the save route, instant wall and early castle age. Just a few defensive units for both. Both players adding slight pressure around their walls. A constant back and forth in the middle of the map, while Sebastian slowly pushes forward with defensive and aggressive castles and booming with triple town centers.

Sebastian goes into imperial age extremely early compared to Hearttt, roughly 2 minutes in front of him. Hearttt is struggling a lot to keep momentum up while Sebastian keeps raiding. With the early imperial timing, he moves forward with an aggressive castle now. Map control is still on the side of Sebastian, slowly taking Hearttts first cancel. All fights are in the base of Hearttt.

Hearttt still sticks to Skirmishers only against the blackwood archers for Sebastian and Georgian skirmishers do not have their imperial upgrade, essentially being pushed in slowly. If he doesn't find a quick option, there is no way for him to keep going. Hearttt calls the GG. 1-0.

Vulpine

Early push from both this time, only Hearttt decided to go for early walls. Sebastian keeps the pressure towards Hearttts base and commits to feudal age, while Hearttt goes for a fast castle. With the early castle age, Hearttt now has the option to counter push into Sebastians base, leaving him completely open. Both players constantly exchanging hits and raids back and forth.

Minute 27 and Hearttt has a 30 eco advantage already. He is going for the long run into impterial age. Sebastian tried to close the game multiple times, but did not manage to get through Hearttts defense. Hearttt reaching Imperial Age made Sebastian tap out, 1-1.

Loch Ness

Sebastian opens up with double archery range and double dock, while Hearttt went for a single one, leading to a first fight loss for him. Both players with an extreme aggressive opening on water, however Sebastian slowly takes over control due to the initial fight win. Hearttt now fully lost the water. Both players are a bit on a slow down now. Hearttt had to go for triple town center, while Sebastian utilizes water and double TC.

Hearttt decides to go Imperial Age with basically no military while Sebastian keeps the pressure up. Sebastian now has a mangonel and elephant army in the enemy base in full castle age push, almost fully destroyed Hearttts base. The nerves seem to be getting to him.

Hearttt now slighly tries to fight back with Skirmishers in imperial age, but Sebastian is also slowly transitioning now. After trying to place a defensive castle near the water which has failed, Sebastian manages to take his 2nd win.

Dorothea Quarry

Both players instantly walling up and Sebastian losing his scout early due to quickwalls. After those walls, both players went straight into early castle age with a small CA switch for Hearttt.

That Cavalary Archer switch allowed him to push into his walls and completely decimiate his army by luring him up the hill and forcing Sebastian into an early GG. 2-2.

Blue Wells

Both players for a typical Blue Wells opening on the ponds with a normal push from Sebastian. Both players aiming for a fast castle with the additional naval food power. Sebastian keeps up the pressure, leading to a 12/6 k/d after early pressure.

Sebastian managed to kill Hearttts original dock, leading to a temporary worse economy. Sebastian also transitioned into full-eco 3 town center boom, compared to Hearttt slowly being behind with double TC. Hearttt tried for an aggressive CA raid, leading to a few villager kills.

With an aggressive push Sebastian managed to snatch out roughly 10 villagers and deny a tower. Hearttt still being on 2 town centers, while Sebastian advanced to 4. Both players are constantly pushing back and forth and now at minute 32 transitioning into Imperial Age. Trebuchets are countering each other castles now.

Hearttt manages to slowly push forward with his CA, Skirm and Trebuchet combination. Sebastian is slowly losing town centers and castles, leaving him with a huge issue now. Map control is slowly shifting towards Hearttt.

He is playing his civilization to perfection at the moment and Hearttt finally gets the win after Sebastian loses another town center. 3-2, matchpoint for Hearttt.

Stonefront

Both players started with a normal opening including a bit of aggression. With a first push for both sides and early castle age for both players.

After a nailbiting end, Sebastian managed to take the win and advance towards the semi finals tomorrow!