2016 Wargaming.net League WoT Grand Final in Warsaw

On April 8 and 9, 2016, the Wargaming.net League World of Tanks Grand Final was held in Warsaw. And although eSports is not yet included in the Olympic Games, serious passions are running high here, and the teams are preparing for the final games, like professional athletes, training every day.

The fight for the title of the best, or rather the best team, was taken by guys from different countries: Russia, Ukraine, Brazil, Korea and China. And the prize pool was $300,000, and we simply could not leave this topic unattended.

(Total 30 photos)

The event has been held in Warsaw for the third year and every time in a new place. In 2016, the grand final took place in a place with a very militant name Torwar Hall.

At the entrance, everyone was met by a real American Sherman tank and a Soviet T-34-85, which were immediately surrounded by inquisitive children.

The international tournament gathered 12 best teams. Two teams from Asia and the Pacific, two teams from Europe, two teams from North America, one team from China and two teams from the RU region (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus). Plus three teams that were chosen by the organizers of the tournament for their special merits. Fans from these countries came to support their favorites.

In anticipation of the opening ceremony, the guests warmed up by playing WoT.

One of the most interesting stands was the Fibrum stand with virtual reality helmets. From the outside it may seem that this man is in the Torwar building, but in fact he is now sitting in a tank and is fighting a serious battle.

It is said that Warsaw has the largest percentage of the population that plays World of Tanks - the number of players per capita in this city is off the charts.

The tournament starts with the opening ceremony and introduction of the teams.

Each team has its own chip for good luck. Some people pass handshakes to each other, and the Eclipse team from North America hopes for the power of the magic hat.

In 2015, the guys from the HellRaisers team became champions. They fought in the final with a strong Na'Vi team and won.

And the first fight in the tournament is between them. Both teams were in Group C. An interesting start.

The winner was thus revealed. At first, 12 teams played in groups A, B, C and D with three teams each. The top two from each group made it to the playoffs, where they played each other in a knockout match.

All matches were commented by analysts, discussing the tactics of the teams, analyzing mistakes and successes.

Teams are watching competitors from the hall, noticing tactical moves and strategy. In the frame - Red Canids, a team from Brazil.

The essence of each fight in the championship is very simple. One team must attack enemy positions and capture bases.

The second team holds the defense and must either destroy the attackers or hold the position for a certain time. All this makes the game dynamic and spectacular.

The outcome of the battle is decided by the initial sets (tanks that the players choose for battle), tactics and the ability to maintain the initiative in the most difficult moments of the match.

Victory gave way to defeat, the teams fought to the last. As a result, two strongest teams and, one might say, old rivals, Na'Vi and HellRaisers, met in the final.

A tense fight, another one, shell bursts, tracks clattering. Nerves to the limit. HellRaisers' swift blows gave way to Na'Vi's furious attacks. Score 2:0, 2:5, 5:5, 6:6. Nobody wants to give in.

And in the decisive battle in an incredible fight, Na'Vi pulls out the victory, regaining the title of champion. Congratulations guys on the win!

That's all. See you again.

After all, each of us is a tanker at heart.

About Wargaming.net League

Wargaming.net League is an international esports league for Wargaming games, founded in 2013 and uniting professional players and fans of the company's online projects into a single global community.

The Wargaming League offers fans of the company's projects to go from just good players to eminent professionals with their own army of fans, sponsorship contracts and impressive earnings.

Thanks to regular tournaments and special modes tailored for eSports, professionals improve their skills, amateurs learn from the experience of masters, and the audience enjoys a spectacular show and cheers for their idols.

About Wargaming

Wargaming is one of the world's largest publishers and developers in the free-to-play MMO market. The company was founded in 1998 and during this time has managed to develop and release more than 15 projects. Wargaming is currently working on a military series of MMO games dedicated to tank, air and sea battles of the mid-20th century: World of Tanks, World of Warplanes and World of Warships. All three projects are part of the Wargaming.net MMO universe, bringing together millions of players in a global community of wargamers.