Split Two of the ALGS started today, with Groups A and B of the EMEA region facing off against each other. The changing meta has led to a steady composition of three legends, but one team shocked the competition by running a character that barely sees any play from the casual and competitive community alike.
Alliance ran the composition of Valkyrie, Seer and Rampart for all six games on day one of the EMEA Pro League, to great success. Using the Amped Modder, ALL won one game, racking up 26 total kills, ending their day in third place with 56 total points.
With the Season 16 changes overhauling the class system, many teams have picked up Catalyst, using her Dark Veil as an alternate rotation option to Bangalore’s Smoke Launcher. The ability to block the opponents’ line of sight helps keep teams safe while transitioning to safer grounds, but it crucially does not block bullets, a situation where Rampart shines. Using the Mobile Minigun “Sheila”, Alliance can to spam teams making their way into the ring, demonstrated against Pioneers in game 3 of World’s Edge.
Rampart currently sits as the second least-played legend, only holding a 1.4% global pick rate across all players. In comparison, Bangalore, a meta staple in both splits, sits at 7.4%, with a 50% pick rate in the recent Split One Playoffs across all participating teams. The Professional Soldier has already seen a lot of play in other regions, as teams in APAC-S have trended towards compositions involving Bangalore, Catalyst, or both legends.
The utility that Rampart offers to a team is more than just Sheila’s high damage. She’s able to poke squads and pick fights without wasting ammo and from the safety of Amped Cover, allowing Alliance to raise their evo shields and conserve resources while keeping an eye out for their next rotation. Valkyrie’s Skyward Dive allowed ALL to quickly set up a defensive perimeter in their matches, and deter any teams from pushing in on their position, allowing Rampart to freely farm damage without fear of retaliation if she goes down.
Oscar “Yuki” Jiang picked Rampart for all six games, singling out opponents with Sheila’s fast fire rate and damage from a relatively safe distance. Game 4 featured a fight against Phoenix Legacy, where despite getting EMPed before they dropped down, no members of ALL took more than 50 damage after engaging, thanks to Rampart’s massive damage output. This allowed them to quickly reset without any members going down for the game-winning push.
With their third-place finish, ALL ends day one with 18 league points. They will return on March 18, 1pm CT, for Groups B vs C. Fans can directly spectate Yuki’s Rampart on his Twitch channel, alongside his teammates, Hakis and Effect. Spectators can also keep up with the league standings on the PlayApex Twitch and ALGS YouTube channels.
