Why North American Teams Struggle on Inferno
North American Counter Strike teams have faced challenges against top European teams due to their struggle with map veto. European teams have an advantage from the start because of their familiarity with the entire map pool. On the other hand, North American teams often struggle in veto stage and require specific map draws to stand a chance. One map that particularly highlights their issues is Inferno.
Historical Performance on Inferno
North Americans have historically performed poorly on Inferno. Even during Cloud 9’s peak, they only won one game against a top tier EU team on this map. This is surprising considering Complexity’s success on Inferno in the past. The PUG-oriented playstyle of American teams, relying solely on aim, is a major reason for their struggles. Their CT setups are inconsistent, often over-rotating or wasting utility. Their T-sides are predictable and underwhelming, unable to overpower the disciplined EU CTs.
Dominance of European Teams
Inferno is a strong map for European teams. Fnatic, Envy, Astralis, VP, Na’Vi, and even struggling NiP play this map consistently. With the exception of VP and Envy, European teams meticulously gain map control on T-sides and execute their strategies, while saving utilities on CT-sides. North American teams struggle against these well-coordinated plays, leading to ineffective and predictable performances. The only NA team to consistently perform well on Inferno was IBuyPower under Dazed’s leadership.
Why Inferno is a Challenge for North American Teams
Inferno is not a map that North American teams can win easily in a best of 1 series, let alone a best of 3 or 5. It requires disciplined and strategic play, qualities that are lacking in the NA scene. Moreover, North American teams lack consistent supportive CT players like those in the European scene. Inferno separates the true international powerhouses from the rest and highlights the importance of strong shot-calling. Until North American teams improve their gameplay, Inferno will continue to be a challenge for them.