As with any star player turning to in-game leadership, many Counter-Strike fans feared dev1ce’s transition to Astralis’ main caller would end as disappointingly as the efforts of electroNic, NiKo, and YEKINDAR before him.
However, after seeing the all new Astralis on the server following blameF’s benching, fighting toe-to-toe with teams like FaZe and Virtus.pro, it’s safe to say the Danes are on the right track back to the top of tier-one Counter-Strike. But why exactly is dev1ce’s Astralis so much better than blameF’s?
Credit: Stephanie Lindgren / ESL Gaming
Less Rigid Playstyle
There’s no doubt that blameF is one of the best players in Denmark when it comes to pure mechanical skill, but his calling leaves a lot to be desired. Under his leadership, Astralis often played uninspiring 4-1 setups on the T side, where the very talented individuals on the roster such as stavn, and jabbi, weren’t in a position to influence the game in any meaningful way.
However, once dev1ce took over the IGL mantle and br0 replaced blameF, the team’s structure became looser, allowing the former Heroic duo to shine by finding gaps and controlling the rotations. Also, the change in identity and playstyle to a more positive brand of Counter-Strike seems to have positively impacted the atmosphere within the roster which is also a big plus.
Old Heroic Resemblance
It’s an easy observation to make that both the old Heroic lineup and the new Astralis have AWPers for IGLs. With dev1ce becoming cadiaN’s clone of sorts, stavn and jabbi were able to slot in all the positions they were familiar with from their time on the other side of Denmark.
Reverting to their old roles has made a huge difference on the server, as evidenced by their incredible performances at IEM Chengdu 2024 and ESL Pro League Season 19. stavn, in particular, has been playing out of his skin recently, averaging a 1.32 rating over the last two events.
Credit: Astralis
Overperforming Role Players
While the brunt of Astralis’ firepower and fragging output is delivered by the trio of dev1ce, stavn, and jabbi, the two remaining pieces of the roster, Staehr, and br0, are no slouches whatsoever. The pair is exceeding all expectations Counter-Strike fans have for anchors and entry fraggers and how they should perform on an individual level.
Staehr and br0 form the backbone of the team, allowing the star players to shine, while not taking up any unnecessary resources. Without them adhering to their roles perfectly in the last two events, Astralis wouldn’t have made it as far into the playoffs as they did.
Ancient Specialists
It’s always good to have a home map, where you’re one of the best teams in the world and more often than not get the win, no matter the opposition. Ancient has been that map for Astralis under dev1ce’s leadership, with five victories under their belt and most opponents not even getting remotely close to double digits.
stavn and br0 always prevail in B lane fights, while jabbi and dev1ce rarely fail to take control of middle at the beginning of rounds. While being the best Ancient team in the world is obviously great, picking the same map every time could come back to bite them. Once they expand their map pool and widen their options in the veto, they’ll truly be ready to become a championship contender once again.
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