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TWDT 2019 Draft Review
I'm basing my starting lines not necessarily on the best players, but the most likely lines based on showrates and star cap restrictions that make the most sense.
I've listed veteran starters beneath that are interchangeable with any of the starters who have lower expected activity or don't fit within the star cap.
Subs are solid players who are likely to see play time depending on showrates and compositions.
TWDT-D
GLADIATOR
Starting Line: Spezza (9), Tripin (9), Trasher (8), Kentaro (8), mvp (6)
Starters: Lockdown (9)
Subs: Vermillion Flame (7), Kovalchuk (7), mcvicar (7), Uprise (6)
Gladiator has a strong, balanced line across the board that is fairly deep, and should be a consistent threat in TWDT-D for the entirety
of the season.
Gladiator can also slot Lockdown in for Kentaro or Trasher and supercharge their lineup if they're able to find a suitable 5*, although
they have some solid 6*s that they may want to stick with to not have a glaring hole in their line that can be abused.
All very good warbirds, but they'll need a lot of activity and good synergy as none of them are hard carries. They're typically the 4th,
5th, or 6th best player in a TWLD line, and that is a bit of a concern, although this team is better than plenty of TWDT-D champions
in recent memory, so anything is possible.
Moreover, hard carries like Ease and Mythril are nerfed as they cost more in lineups now, meaning their supporting casts will be weaker,
giving Gladiator a great shot at playoff success should they play well.
I really like this strong balanced line overall, and think they'll excel and be consistent given how active their lineup is.
A
SILENCE
Starting Line: Geio (9), Turban (8), Olde (8), Afri (8), Hellkite (7)
Subs: Myollnir (8), J-B-Inc (7), Commodo (7), wbm (7)
Geio is the only real WB on this team, with Turban being the only elite player who can hang with the big boys. Geio does very well
in TWDT-D, but struggles a bit more against the best lines when the free kills aren't as plentiful. He functions better as the 2nd best
player on a team, and having to carry a bunch of scrubs like Olde/Afri/J-B-Inc is asking way too much. Geio could function in a balanced
line like Gladiators or in a top-heavy team as the 2nd best player, but he's been left out on a fucking desert island here.
I won't list the rest of the warbirds in this line because they're trash and I don't want to waste my time.
D
TERRORIST
Starting Line: Racka (10), Bacon (8), Dreamwin (8), Zizzo (7), Ra (7)
Starters: Burnt (9)
Subs: Paky Dude (8), Maito_Chi (8), Ardour (8), Tok (7)
Racka is a beast, but the big question is: Will Burnt show? That doesn't strike me as super likely, as he hasn't consistently played
the game in eons.
Racka is a rusher and his style doesnt mesh well with Bacon/Dreamwin/Zizzo/Ra, who are mediocre strayers who rely on 4000 reso
cheats and lag to fluke weaker TWDT-D lines.
The synergy is awful, and I think Racka hasn't been given the supporting cast he needs. If Burnt shows, it's a whole new ballgame,
and they could do some serious damage with two rushers and three support strayers, but that remains to be seen.
If Burnt shows this team is a B, but until then...
C
LEGIO XI
Starting Line: Mythril (10), Steadman (8), Kado (8), Wiibimbo (8), FalconPunch (6)
Starters: Peru (8), Lofty (8), Flew (8), 2pacz (8)
Subs: Skyforger (8), Brokenfist (8), Pineapple Express (8), Omega Red (7), Willby (6)
Mythril has nineteen 8* warbirds who have played TWLD, and is in the unique position to play the much-discussed 8/8/8/8/8 line.
A lineup of Peru/Lofty/Steadman/Kado/2pacz or something similar is extremely viable, and may be seen at some point.
Otherwise, look for a 10/8/8/8/6. There won't be a single odd-numbered star player to play one second for Legio XI this season.
Calling it.
Mythril is one of the greatest warbirds in the history of the game, and he'll be fielding a cacophony of 8* warbirds. But are any
of those warbirds actually good anymore?
Lofty went 2-10 in the playoffs last season, Peru hasn't been relevant in 7 years, Flew is inactive, 2pacz has been M.I.A. since
S21 of TWL, and Wiibimbo/Kado/Steadman were never relevant in TWLD and aren't real WBs. Their 6-Stars don't inspire confidence,
either.
I think this is perhaps one of the most overrated warbird teams in the league, and is filled with big-name rust buckets who won't show
or won't perform.
The likely result will be falling back on Steadman, Kado, and another 8-Star like Flew or Wiibimbo, who will perform alright, but will be
inferior to other teams. Mythril will drop a few 20s and hardcarry a few games, but I am really not feeling this supporting cast of warbirds
who were last relevant when Reagan was in office.
There is a universe where I'm wrong, and a bunch of these guys come back in top form and dominate, but it's not one I foresee. Still,
I'm too scared to give that much former talent a C, especially with a legend like Mythril at the helm. I'll split the difference between an
A and a C.
B
THUNDER
Starting Line: Ease (10), Vys (10), Ogron (8), JAMAL (7), Hellrazor (5)
Starters: Engineers (9), Caos (9), Jones (8)
Subs: Major Crisis (7),Jessup (7), Ixador (7), Spacehiker (6), Rozay (6), Anonym (6)
Ease and Vys will lead the most lopsided WB line in the league, with either a 10/10/8/7/5 or a 10/10/9/6/5 should Engineers
show up.
The defending champion high-stars will have to some serious heavy-lifting, but JAMAL is arguably the most broken 7-Star
warbird in the game. Could be even more broken is Jones gets active and takes the 8-Star slot, although he hasn't shown up
to TWDT in a long time. Perhaps Ease assembling half of Sweet will entice him.
This team has two of the best warbirds to ever play, and some solid value in Jones/Ogron/JAMAL/Major Crisis at the mid-star level,
but will struggle with its crazy high star players, and be forced to play some 5* or 6*s depending on who shows.
Ease/Vys/Jones/JAMAL/5-Star is possibly the best line in the game, but it remains to be seen if it will be put into action. Thunder should
replace Ogron with Jones if he gets active.
The 5-Star slot is problematic, and having a 6* or 7* instead is not to be underestimated. Although everything has pros and cons.
A
POWER
Starting Line: beam (9), Attacks (9), Doughnut (8), Bram (7), Tiny (7)
Starters: Rasaq (8), Zidane (8)
Subs: Cripple (7), Jebass (7), Bram (7), Wicket666 (6), ixt (6), Invincible (5)
This lineup comes straight from Zidane, with the 8-Star being interchangeable with Rasaq or Zidane.
Strong across the board, with Beam and Attacks leading the way as TWLD Finals starters, who are capable of carrying games.
Doughnut/Zidane/Rasaq give them a ton of punch as 3rd banana, while Bram and Tiny are mediocre, albeit passable players
who won't throw and should stay alive and give their top three starters a shot at winning the game.
I prefer playing a 9/9/8/8/6, but it's not my team. Regardless, This is a very good team with a lot of depth and decent low stars
that should rack up a solid amount of wins.
Good top-heavy team that also doesn't really get exposed on the backend.
A-
TWDT-J
GLADIATOR
Starting Line: Trasher (9), Shaun (8), Paradise (8), Morph (8), Spezza (7)
Starters: Tripin (8), Uprise (7)
Subs: mcvicar (7), Kentaro (7), Kovalchuk (6)
This line looks horrible on the surface, but upon closer inspection you can see that that assessment is in fact quite
accurate, and your instincts were correct.
Just kidding. This looks really bad, but it's deceptively decent. Spezza is the most broken 7* in the game according to one
Zinedine Zidane, and it's a very strong line across the board. Really nice use of the star cap system to build balanced lines.
That said, their similarly balanced starters in warbird pack a much bigger punch and are simply better players in a ship that
has less distance in skill between the 10*s and 8*s, whereas Jav has a much steeper curve. Ease is a 10* and much closer
to an 8* in WB than he is in Jav, where the gap is ginormous.
This line will hold up surprisingly well, and probably upset some of the top-heavy no show lines, but has zero chance of winning
the title.
There are too many monster carries, but I feel like there will be some slight consternation in the back of the minds of some of the
elite javelins in TWDT-J at the last of weakness in this line. If you're missing a key player versus Spezza's team, you might be in
big trouble.
Of course, it's a double-edged sword, as many of these guys have historically poor showrates. Still, not bad!
C
SILENCE
Starting Line: Turban (10), Commodo (10), Geio (8), Thix (7), Missa (5)
Starters: Helkite (8), Children (9), maketso (9)
Subs: Fork (7), Afri (7), Waz (6), J-B-Inc (6), fp (6), Beasty (6)
Turban and Commodo make for one of the strongest cores in TWDT-J, and should terrorize other teams on a weekly basis.
Geio and Hellkite are interchangeable and good value at 8*, giving Silence an extremely strong starting three to make a run
at a title.
They have some serious issues at the low-star positions, as it is an absolute dumpster fire. I don't think Fork is a playable
human being in javelin at any level. He was unplayable as a 6* on multiple championship teams and is a giant whiner.
They'll need to upgrade through trades or the FA draft, but that shouldn't be too hard to do. They have the key parts to put
together one of the best jav lines in TWDT-J.
A
TERRORIST
Starting Line: Dreamwin (10), Racka (9), Zizzo (8), Ra (7), Zazu (6)
Starters: Roiwerk (9), Tiger the Crab (8), Bacon (8), Ardour (8), Burnt (7)
Subs: Maito_Chi (7), Oder (6), Wirah (6)
Another very strong team, and could be even better if Roiwerk/Burnt show and Tiger the Crab is actually Amnesti.
Otherwise, Dreamwin, Racka, and Zizzo will lead a strong, although far from broken trio along some mediocre low-stars.
They have a lot of value at the 8-Star position, but little way to extract it with Racka in the lineup. Dreamwin/Zizzo/Bacon/Ardour
as a 10/8/8/8 configuration might also suit them, although I prefer Racka and a 7*.
If Roiwerk shows, some very tough decisions to make. A lot of really great pieces on this team, but they don't seem to fit very well.
Maybe some trades could ameliorate the situation, because this team is worse than the sum of its parts given the star restrictions.
B+
LEGIO XI
Starting Line: Steadman (10), Kado (9), Mythril (8), Omega Red (7), Lofty (6)
Subs: Mikkiz (8), Skyforger (7), Rab (7), Henry Saari (7), Flew (7), Willby (6)
A really strong javelin line that is perfectly optimized, although zero depth should anyone lag or miss time.
Steadman is arguably the 3rd best player in javelin the past two years after Ease and Zidane, and played like it in the TWDT-J 2018
Finals in which he went off against both of them on a weaker team. His personality is ass but he's a superstar in jav, and if you don't
agree you just can't see past his cancerous demeanor.
Kado won the TWDT-J title on Blind two seasons ago and is a legit threat in the ship, and Mythril is one of the best 8*s in the game
and performed with Steadman last year in reaching the Finals, and they have good chemistry together.
Some good low-stars will keep Legio a consistent threat, although they would be wise to shore up their depth in Free Agency.
I don't think Legio Xi is the favorite to win, but they're a top-tier TWDT-J team as long as Kado shows and cares. Tiny was a complete
disaster for Myth's team last season, and they still almost won. Any upgrade in that depart will be welcome, and I see this team doing
very well.
A-
THUNDER
Starting Line: Ease (10), Kim (9), Major Crisis (8), Ogron (7), Spacehiker (6)
Starters: Vys (9), JAMAL (8)
Subs: Caos (8), Spectacular (7), Jones (7), Jessup (7), Engineers (7), Anonym (6)
Ease + Kim/Vys + JAMAL/Major Crisis is a beastly line with oodles of depth that should compete for a title, as would almost any combination
of players alongside Ease. Ogron and a 6* should complete the line, and there's plenty of solid depth at that level as well.
I don't think this line is overpowered in any way, but it features one of the best three javs in the zone and solid players at every star-level, although
fair value for each, and no one features a broken star-rating like Spezza at the 7 or Mythril at the 8.
This team is a contender, but I don't see it as a clear favorite in any way. Ease's 9-10* partner isn't as good as Commodo's in Turban, although
Thunder's low-stars are better. That could change post-FA, however, making Silence slight favorites in terms of playoff potential.
A-
POWER
Starting Line: Zidane (10), Tiny (9), Mean Gene (8), Johnie (7), Yojimbo (6)
Starters: Singer (8)
Subs: Heaven (7), Doughnut (7), Cripple (7), Bram (7), Jackiechan (5)
Zidane will look to defend his title without the benefit of Ease and Ro at his side, and the downgrades this season are significant.
Tiny was a complete, unmitigated disaster last season, and it remains to be seen if he'll get active and regain his form. Mean Gene is nice
value at the 8, but fucking loathes Zid after their blowup on Stark in 2016, and remains to be seen if he'll play for Power.
They got nice value at the 7*, although their high-star depth is lacking with only Singer on the roster, and his showrate is questionable.
Similar team to Thunder's, although with a bit less depth and a bit more animosity. This should be a B+, but Zidane's herculean efforts
in final after final put him a smidge above Ease and Steadman at the top of the hill, and keep this in the A tier.
A lot of A grades here, but TWDT-J is just a really strong league and the talent is fairly dispersed. A lot of potential champions, to my mind.
A-
TWDT-B
GLADIATOR
Terr: SpookedOne (6)
Sharks: mcvicar (10), Morph (8)
Spiders: Spezza (10), Trasher (10), Tripin (8), Sulla (7), Paradise (7)
Subs: WAR (7), mvp (7), Lockdown (7)
Unless Spezza somehow convinces Trasher to break his 12 year streak of refusing to terr in leagues, Gladiator will enter TWDT-B with
the weakest terrier in the league, although he's probably better than most people think. Still, it will be an area of consternation they may
wish to look at come FA. Should Trish Trash enter terrier, it would significantly weaken their formidable spider line.
mcvicar was the most salivated over shark in the draft, and will be a huge asset, although his sharking partner(s) are suspect at best. It
shouldn't be a big issue, though, as there are no killer shark combos out there. It's very balanced, and should be a lot of fun this year with
tons of flagroom battles. I'll be sad if someone makes a big trade to try to stack shark, because it's looking very FR-friendly at the moment.
The 9-minute cram Zidane/Mcvicar held against Legio XI in the finals was depressing and boring. But I digress.
Spezza and Trasher make for arguably the most fearsome overspider duo in the league, and should be a dominant force. Tripin is good value
at the 8-Star and has won back-to-back titles, and creates a lethal trio.
Sulla and Paradise are decent unders and should be okay.
This is an interesting team. Not a lot of depth, some interesting terr issues, nothing special under, no killer shark combo, but they have a god-tier
trio of overspiders and a top 5 shark. They should be dangerous but not particularly overpowered.
B
SILENCE
Terr: Thix (10)
Sharks: Commodo (10), Olde (7)
Spiders: Turban (10), Hellkite (10), Geio (7), World (7), Waz (6)
Subs: WBM (9), Miles Morales (9), maketso (8), fire phoenix (8), Afri (7)
Silence stacked base, but they're going to run into serious star cap problems as they run way over the 67* cap.
I initially had FP in shark and Miles Morales in, but it's just not possible with four 10* players in whom you can't really replace given their talent.
Thix will give them a TWLB terrier to quarterback the line, ahead of Commodo and either Olde or FP. Fire Phoenix is better, but I'm not they'll be
able to play him, and Olde will probably get the nod since Silence is starved for low-star players.
Turban and Hellkite are beasts in spider, and will be excellent over. They'll be a consistent force in TWDT-B given their massive high-star depth,
although they'll have to manage some prickly personalities who don't like benching.
Their low-stars are uninspiring but not abysmal.
This is a very strong team, and should be a contender, but team morale will be something to monitor. I don't see a way to get WBM or Kate Upton
into that lineup.
A-
TERRORIST
Terr: Zizzo (8)
Sharks: Markmrw (8), Oder (9)
Spiders: Dreamwin (10), Ra (9), Bacon (8), Racka (8), Maito_Chi (7)
Subs: Burnt (8), Public Assassin (7), Ardour (7), Zazu (6)
Terrorist has a plethora of terr options, from Zizzo to Dreamwin to Burnt to Oder, and Zizzo represents excellent value at 8* in either terr or spider.
Markmrw is a great shark, and should form a nice pair with Oder as they're both strong sharks.
Dreamwin and Ra should be a force over, while Racka/Burnt/Maito are solid. Public Assassin would be amazing at 7*, but the odds of him showing
don't seem high. Ditto Burnt.
Bacon is a beast under, and could have a lot of favorable matchups as other teams hide their low-stars down there.
This is a very solid team with some talented basers at good star values, although it perhaps lacks a bit of pop. It doesn't feature a Top 5 shark, and only
Dreamwin would be considered a truly elite spider on this team.
Nevertheless, a balanced, efficient team that avoids the pitfalls of overdrafting like Silence, and should be much easier to manage.
I view this team being similar in power to Gladiator, although the former is much more uneven and top-heavy, while Terrorist is a far more balanced team
that makes up for less superstars with more evenly spread star distribution.
B
LEGIO XI
Terr: Mikkiz (10)
Sharks: Mythril (10), Willby (7)
Spiders: Omega Red (9), Kado (8), Skyforger (8), Steadman (8), Wiibimbo (7)
Subs: Henry Saari (8), Bellflowers (8), Rab (8)
This team needs a fucking trade, ASAP. This composition is a complete disaster. All three of those spiders in the Sub category should be starting, but
Steadman will threaten to quit if he doesn't play so they'll end up on the bench. This is somehow worse than Silence's situation.
The 67* cap has turned what should be solid 8* depth into a trainwreck.
Mikkiz is an elite 10* terrier, but I'm not sure there's enough power in front of him to justify his expense. I might play Bellflowers in terr, shark Rab, and replace
Wiibimbo with Henry Saari to boost the shark and spider contingents and avoid a mutiny.
This was a major fuckup to my mind, and this line is contending with a bunch of superstar spiders while having none itself, and those 8*s under just aren't a big
enough impact... there's a reason good teams hide their shitters under -- it's hard to exploit when you can just shoot in a straight line and hold it.
I hate to be so down after how much work Myth has put into the league, but I gotta give my honest take on it. This is a big ol' yikes from me. If this roster were
a Sim City, it would have a population of 0 and all the buildings would be abandoned and on fire.
D
THUNDER
Terr: Ogron (10)
Sharks: JAMAL (10), Major Crisis (8)
Spiders: Ease (10), Solace (9), TJ Hazuki (7), JATT (7), Spacehiker (7)
Subs: vys (8), Jones (7), Jessup (7), Erias (7), Engineers (7), Anonym (7), Hellrazor (5)
Ogron will terr as a 10* ahead of JAMAL and Major in shark, although Thunder might draft Rodney or another shark and move Jamal to spider depending on
their needs. They'll be very strong at both positions, although as I said previously, there's no killer sharking combos this year.
Ease and Solace will be a dominant duo that will power Thunder to the playoffs, with TJ Hazuki providing nice value over as the 3rd spid, a familiar position he's
won two titles from.
Jatt and Spacehiker will we a solid low-star under pair, although Thunder could also play Vys and Hellrazor under if they want a beast like Vys, but it would require
playing a 5*, which is a big tradeoff.
I think this team is a serious contender.
A
POWER
Terr: Heaven (9)
Sharks: Zidane (10), beam (7)
Spiders: Cripple (10), Skatarius (9), Rasaq (8), Mean Gene (8), Whinegum (6)
Subs: Bram (7), Tiny (7), jackiechan (6), invincible (6)
The shaved stars off beam being a 7* while not giving up too much and the lack of insane shark combos is a huge boon for Power. They can play four 8*+ star
spiders due to this edge. That's huge.
Heaven is expensive at 9*, but should be a steady presence at the rear and play solidly in Power's title defense.
Zidane is the best shark in the game, and has a good rapport with beam in shark. They would have won TWDT-B 2017 Winter had Baratheon not edged them out
in the Semi-Finals.
Cripple and Skatarius are another monster duo, and should beast the over. Cripple is a god, and Skatarius had one of the best seasons ever in spider S21. Rasaq is
highly underrated and will form a superb trio top.
Mean Gene and Whinegum under is icing on the cake.
This is an incredibly strong line with no weaknesses. I think Power, Thunder, and Silence are the three biggest contenders for base.
A
Grades
GLADIATOR: A C B
SILENCE: D A A-
TERRORIST: C B+ B
LEGIO XI: B A- D
THUNDER: A A- A
POWER: A A- A
Conclusion
I think overall the captains drafted fairly well, and it should be a very competitive season. I would have liked to have graded the teams more harshly as there are too many As, but given the star systems it's very hard to differentiate a lot of these lines, as they are very close in terms of talent.
All six captains got As or Bs in 2/3 leagues minimum, meaning there are no bad teams.
Beyond Silence and Terrorist in Warbird, and Legio XI in base, rosters have been well assembled. This isn't surprising given this is, hands down, one of the strongest lineups of Captains in TWDT history.
I don't think any of the teams can flat out ignore a league completely and qualify for the playoffs. Terrorist learned that the hard way last season going 1-9 in TWDT-D and missing the playoffs. The quality of captains is even higher this season, and the margin for error is smaller.
Teams will want to shore up their weaknesses in FA rather than stacking an already strong league, as making the playoffs will arguably be harder than winning a league once you get there.
Good luck to all six teams!
I'm basing my starting lines not necessarily on the best players, but the most likely lines based on showrates and star cap restrictions that make the most sense.
I've listed veteran starters beneath that are interchangeable with any of the starters who have lower expected activity or don't fit within the star cap.
Subs are solid players who are likely to see play time depending on showrates and compositions.
TWDT-D
GLADIATOR
Starting Line: Spezza (9), Tripin (9), Trasher (8), Kentaro (8), mvp (6)
Starters: Lockdown (9)
Subs: Vermillion Flame (7), Kovalchuk (7), mcvicar (7), Uprise (6)
Gladiator has a strong, balanced line across the board that is fairly deep, and should be a consistent threat in TWDT-D for the entirety
of the season.
Gladiator can also slot Lockdown in for Kentaro or Trasher and supercharge their lineup if they're able to find a suitable 5*, although
they have some solid 6*s that they may want to stick with to not have a glaring hole in their line that can be abused.
All very good warbirds, but they'll need a lot of activity and good synergy as none of them are hard carries. They're typically the 4th,
5th, or 6th best player in a TWLD line, and that is a bit of a concern, although this team is better than plenty of TWDT-D champions
in recent memory, so anything is possible.
Moreover, hard carries like Ease and Mythril are nerfed as they cost more in lineups now, meaning their supporting casts will be weaker,
giving Gladiator a great shot at playoff success should they play well.
I really like this strong balanced line overall, and think they'll excel and be consistent given how active their lineup is.
A
SILENCE
Starting Line: Geio (9), Turban (8), Olde (8), Afri (8), Hellkite (7)
Subs: Myollnir (8), J-B-Inc (7), Commodo (7), wbm (7)
Geio is the only real WB on this team, with Turban being the only elite player who can hang with the big boys. Geio does very well
in TWDT-D, but struggles a bit more against the best lines when the free kills aren't as plentiful. He functions better as the 2nd best
player on a team, and having to carry a bunch of scrubs like Olde/Afri/J-B-Inc is asking way too much. Geio could function in a balanced
line like Gladiators or in a top-heavy team as the 2nd best player, but he's been left out on a fucking desert island here.
I won't list the rest of the warbirds in this line because they're trash and I don't want to waste my time.
D
TERRORIST
Starting Line: Racka (10), Bacon (8), Dreamwin (8), Zizzo (7), Ra (7)
Starters: Burnt (9)
Subs: Paky Dude (8), Maito_Chi (8), Ardour (8), Tok (7)
Racka is a beast, but the big question is: Will Burnt show? That doesn't strike me as super likely, as he hasn't consistently played
the game in eons.
Racka is a rusher and his style doesnt mesh well with Bacon/Dreamwin/Zizzo/Ra, who are mediocre strayers who rely on 4000 reso
cheats and lag to fluke weaker TWDT-D lines.
The synergy is awful, and I think Racka hasn't been given the supporting cast he needs. If Burnt shows, it's a whole new ballgame,
and they could do some serious damage with two rushers and three support strayers, but that remains to be seen.
If Burnt shows this team is a B, but until then...
C
LEGIO XI
Starting Line: Mythril (10), Steadman (8), Kado (8), Wiibimbo (8), FalconPunch (6)
Starters: Peru (8), Lofty (8), Flew (8), 2pacz (8)
Subs: Skyforger (8), Brokenfist (8), Pineapple Express (8), Omega Red (7), Willby (6)
Mythril has nineteen 8* warbirds who have played TWLD, and is in the unique position to play the much-discussed 8/8/8/8/8 line.
A lineup of Peru/Lofty/Steadman/Kado/2pacz or something similar is extremely viable, and may be seen at some point.
Otherwise, look for a 10/8/8/8/6. There won't be a single odd-numbered star player to play one second for Legio XI this season.
Calling it.
Mythril is one of the greatest warbirds in the history of the game, and he'll be fielding a cacophony of 8* warbirds. But are any
of those warbirds actually good anymore?
Lofty went 2-10 in the playoffs last season, Peru hasn't been relevant in 7 years, Flew is inactive, 2pacz has been M.I.A. since
S21 of TWL, and Wiibimbo/Kado/Steadman were never relevant in TWLD and aren't real WBs. Their 6-Stars don't inspire confidence,
either.
I think this is perhaps one of the most overrated warbird teams in the league, and is filled with big-name rust buckets who won't show
or won't perform.
The likely result will be falling back on Steadman, Kado, and another 8-Star like Flew or Wiibimbo, who will perform alright, but will be
inferior to other teams. Mythril will drop a few 20s and hardcarry a few games, but I am really not feeling this supporting cast of warbirds
who were last relevant when Reagan was in office.
There is a universe where I'm wrong, and a bunch of these guys come back in top form and dominate, but it's not one I foresee. Still,
I'm too scared to give that much former talent a C, especially with a legend like Mythril at the helm. I'll split the difference between an
A and a C.
B
THUNDER
Starting Line: Ease (10), Vys (10), Ogron (8), JAMAL (7), Hellrazor (5)
Starters: Engineers (9), Caos (9), Jones (8)
Subs: Major Crisis (7),Jessup (7), Ixador (7), Spacehiker (6), Rozay (6), Anonym (6)
Ease and Vys will lead the most lopsided WB line in the league, with either a 10/10/8/7/5 or a 10/10/9/6/5 should Engineers
show up.
The defending champion high-stars will have to some serious heavy-lifting, but JAMAL is arguably the most broken 7-Star
warbird in the game. Could be even more broken is Jones gets active and takes the 8-Star slot, although he hasn't shown up
to TWDT in a long time. Perhaps Ease assembling half of Sweet will entice him.
This team has two of the best warbirds to ever play, and some solid value in Jones/Ogron/JAMAL/Major Crisis at the mid-star level,
but will struggle with its crazy high star players, and be forced to play some 5* or 6*s depending on who shows.
Ease/Vys/Jones/JAMAL/5-Star is possibly the best line in the game, but it remains to be seen if it will be put into action. Thunder should
replace Ogron with Jones if he gets active.
The 5-Star slot is problematic, and having a 6* or 7* instead is not to be underestimated. Although everything has pros and cons.
A
POWER
Starting Line: beam (9), Attacks (9), Doughnut (8), Bram (7), Tiny (7)
Starters: Rasaq (8), Zidane (8)
Subs: Cripple (7), Jebass (7), Bram (7), Wicket666 (6), ixt (6), Invincible (5)
This lineup comes straight from Zidane, with the 8-Star being interchangeable with Rasaq or Zidane.
Strong across the board, with Beam and Attacks leading the way as TWLD Finals starters, who are capable of carrying games.
Doughnut/Zidane/Rasaq give them a ton of punch as 3rd banana, while Bram and Tiny are mediocre, albeit passable players
who won't throw and should stay alive and give their top three starters a shot at winning the game.
I prefer playing a 9/9/8/8/6, but it's not my team. Regardless, This is a very good team with a lot of depth and decent low stars
that should rack up a solid amount of wins.
Good top-heavy team that also doesn't really get exposed on the backend.
A-
TWDT-J
GLADIATOR
Starting Line: Trasher (9), Shaun (8), Paradise (8), Morph (8), Spezza (7)
Starters: Tripin (8), Uprise (7)
Subs: mcvicar (7), Kentaro (7), Kovalchuk (6)
This line looks horrible on the surface, but upon closer inspection you can see that that assessment is in fact quite
accurate, and your instincts were correct.
Just kidding. This looks really bad, but it's deceptively decent. Spezza is the most broken 7* in the game according to one
Zinedine Zidane, and it's a very strong line across the board. Really nice use of the star cap system to build balanced lines.
That said, their similarly balanced starters in warbird pack a much bigger punch and are simply better players in a ship that
has less distance in skill between the 10*s and 8*s, whereas Jav has a much steeper curve. Ease is a 10* and much closer
to an 8* in WB than he is in Jav, where the gap is ginormous.
This line will hold up surprisingly well, and probably upset some of the top-heavy no show lines, but has zero chance of winning
the title.
There are too many monster carries, but I feel like there will be some slight consternation in the back of the minds of some of the
elite javelins in TWDT-J at the last of weakness in this line. If you're missing a key player versus Spezza's team, you might be in
big trouble.
Of course, it's a double-edged sword, as many of these guys have historically poor showrates. Still, not bad!
C
SILENCE
Starting Line: Turban (10), Commodo (10), Geio (8), Thix (7), Missa (5)
Starters: Helkite (8), Children (9), maketso (9)
Subs: Fork (7), Afri (7), Waz (6), J-B-Inc (6), fp (6), Beasty (6)
Turban and Commodo make for one of the strongest cores in TWDT-J, and should terrorize other teams on a weekly basis.
Geio and Hellkite are interchangeable and good value at 8*, giving Silence an extremely strong starting three to make a run
at a title.
They have some serious issues at the low-star positions, as it is an absolute dumpster fire. I don't think Fork is a playable
human being in javelin at any level. He was unplayable as a 6* on multiple championship teams and is a giant whiner.
They'll need to upgrade through trades or the FA draft, but that shouldn't be too hard to do. They have the key parts to put
together one of the best jav lines in TWDT-J.
A
TERRORIST
Starting Line: Dreamwin (10), Racka (9), Zizzo (8), Ra (7), Zazu (6)
Starters: Roiwerk (9), Tiger the Crab (8), Bacon (8), Ardour (8), Burnt (7)
Subs: Maito_Chi (7), Oder (6), Wirah (6)
Another very strong team, and could be even better if Roiwerk/Burnt show and Tiger the Crab is actually Amnesti.
Otherwise, Dreamwin, Racka, and Zizzo will lead a strong, although far from broken trio along some mediocre low-stars.
They have a lot of value at the 8-Star position, but little way to extract it with Racka in the lineup. Dreamwin/Zizzo/Bacon/Ardour
as a 10/8/8/8 configuration might also suit them, although I prefer Racka and a 7*.
If Roiwerk shows, some very tough decisions to make. A lot of really great pieces on this team, but they don't seem to fit very well.
Maybe some trades could ameliorate the situation, because this team is worse than the sum of its parts given the star restrictions.
B+
LEGIO XI
Starting Line: Steadman (10), Kado (9), Mythril (8), Omega Red (7), Lofty (6)
Subs: Mikkiz (8), Skyforger (7), Rab (7), Henry Saari (7), Flew (7), Willby (6)
A really strong javelin line that is perfectly optimized, although zero depth should anyone lag or miss time.
Steadman is arguably the 3rd best player in javelin the past two years after Ease and Zidane, and played like it in the TWDT-J 2018
Finals in which he went off against both of them on a weaker team. His personality is ass but he's a superstar in jav, and if you don't
agree you just can't see past his cancerous demeanor.
Kado won the TWDT-J title on Blind two seasons ago and is a legit threat in the ship, and Mythril is one of the best 8*s in the game
and performed with Steadman last year in reaching the Finals, and they have good chemistry together.
Some good low-stars will keep Legio a consistent threat, although they would be wise to shore up their depth in Free Agency.
I don't think Legio Xi is the favorite to win, but they're a top-tier TWDT-J team as long as Kado shows and cares. Tiny was a complete
disaster for Myth's team last season, and they still almost won. Any upgrade in that depart will be welcome, and I see this team doing
very well.
A-
THUNDER
Starting Line: Ease (10), Kim (9), Major Crisis (8), Ogron (7), Spacehiker (6)
Starters: Vys (9), JAMAL (8)
Subs: Caos (8), Spectacular (7), Jones (7), Jessup (7), Engineers (7), Anonym (6)
Ease + Kim/Vys + JAMAL/Major Crisis is a beastly line with oodles of depth that should compete for a title, as would almost any combination
of players alongside Ease. Ogron and a 6* should complete the line, and there's plenty of solid depth at that level as well.
I don't think this line is overpowered in any way, but it features one of the best three javs in the zone and solid players at every star-level, although
fair value for each, and no one features a broken star-rating like Spezza at the 7 or Mythril at the 8.
This team is a contender, but I don't see it as a clear favorite in any way. Ease's 9-10* partner isn't as good as Commodo's in Turban, although
Thunder's low-stars are better. That could change post-FA, however, making Silence slight favorites in terms of playoff potential.
A-
POWER
Starting Line: Zidane (10), Tiny (9), Mean Gene (8), Johnie (7), Yojimbo (6)
Starters: Singer (8)
Subs: Heaven (7), Doughnut (7), Cripple (7), Bram (7), Jackiechan (5)
Zidane will look to defend his title without the benefit of Ease and Ro at his side, and the downgrades this season are significant.
Tiny was a complete, unmitigated disaster last season, and it remains to be seen if he'll get active and regain his form. Mean Gene is nice
value at the 8, but fucking loathes Zid after their blowup on Stark in 2016, and remains to be seen if he'll play for Power.
They got nice value at the 7*, although their high-star depth is lacking with only Singer on the roster, and his showrate is questionable.
Similar team to Thunder's, although with a bit less depth and a bit more animosity. This should be a B+, but Zidane's herculean efforts
in final after final put him a smidge above Ease and Steadman at the top of the hill, and keep this in the A tier.
A lot of A grades here, but TWDT-J is just a really strong league and the talent is fairly dispersed. A lot of potential champions, to my mind.
A-
TWDT-B
GLADIATOR
Terr: SpookedOne (6)
Sharks: mcvicar (10), Morph (8)
Spiders: Spezza (10), Trasher (10), Tripin (8), Sulla (7), Paradise (7)
Subs: WAR (7), mvp (7), Lockdown (7)
Unless Spezza somehow convinces Trasher to break his 12 year streak of refusing to terr in leagues, Gladiator will enter TWDT-B with
the weakest terrier in the league, although he's probably better than most people think. Still, it will be an area of consternation they may
wish to look at come FA. Should Trish Trash enter terrier, it would significantly weaken their formidable spider line.
mcvicar was the most salivated over shark in the draft, and will be a huge asset, although his sharking partner(s) are suspect at best. It
shouldn't be a big issue, though, as there are no killer shark combos out there. It's very balanced, and should be a lot of fun this year with
tons of flagroom battles. I'll be sad if someone makes a big trade to try to stack shark, because it's looking very FR-friendly at the moment.
The 9-minute cram Zidane/Mcvicar held against Legio XI in the finals was depressing and boring. But I digress.
Spezza and Trasher make for arguably the most fearsome overspider duo in the league, and should be a dominant force. Tripin is good value
at the 8-Star and has won back-to-back titles, and creates a lethal trio.
Sulla and Paradise are decent unders and should be okay.
This is an interesting team. Not a lot of depth, some interesting terr issues, nothing special under, no killer shark combo, but they have a god-tier
trio of overspiders and a top 5 shark. They should be dangerous but not particularly overpowered.
B
SILENCE
Terr: Thix (10)
Sharks: Commodo (10), Olde (7)
Spiders: Turban (10), Hellkite (10), Geio (7), World (7), Waz (6)
Subs: WBM (9), Miles Morales (9), maketso (8), fire phoenix (8), Afri (7)
Silence stacked base, but they're going to run into serious star cap problems as they run way over the 67* cap.
I initially had FP in shark and Miles Morales in, but it's just not possible with four 10* players in whom you can't really replace given their talent.
Thix will give them a TWLB terrier to quarterback the line, ahead of Commodo and either Olde or FP. Fire Phoenix is better, but I'm not they'll be
able to play him, and Olde will probably get the nod since Silence is starved for low-star players.
Turban and Hellkite are beasts in spider, and will be excellent over. They'll be a consistent force in TWDT-B given their massive high-star depth,
although they'll have to manage some prickly personalities who don't like benching.
Their low-stars are uninspiring but not abysmal.
This is a very strong team, and should be a contender, but team morale will be something to monitor. I don't see a way to get WBM or Kate Upton
into that lineup.
A-
TERRORIST
Terr: Zizzo (8)
Sharks: Markmrw (8), Oder (9)
Spiders: Dreamwin (10), Ra (9), Bacon (8), Racka (8), Maito_Chi (7)
Subs: Burnt (8), Public Assassin (7), Ardour (7), Zazu (6)
Terrorist has a plethora of terr options, from Zizzo to Dreamwin to Burnt to Oder, and Zizzo represents excellent value at 8* in either terr or spider.
Markmrw is a great shark, and should form a nice pair with Oder as they're both strong sharks.
Dreamwin and Ra should be a force over, while Racka/Burnt/Maito are solid. Public Assassin would be amazing at 7*, but the odds of him showing
don't seem high. Ditto Burnt.
Bacon is a beast under, and could have a lot of favorable matchups as other teams hide their low-stars down there.
This is a very solid team with some talented basers at good star values, although it perhaps lacks a bit of pop. It doesn't feature a Top 5 shark, and only
Dreamwin would be considered a truly elite spider on this team.
Nevertheless, a balanced, efficient team that avoids the pitfalls of overdrafting like Silence, and should be much easier to manage.
I view this team being similar in power to Gladiator, although the former is much more uneven and top-heavy, while Terrorist is a far more balanced team
that makes up for less superstars with more evenly spread star distribution.
B
LEGIO XI
Terr: Mikkiz (10)
Sharks: Mythril (10), Willby (7)
Spiders: Omega Red (9), Kado (8), Skyforger (8), Steadman (8), Wiibimbo (7)
Subs: Henry Saari (8), Bellflowers (8), Rab (8)
This team needs a fucking trade, ASAP. This composition is a complete disaster. All three of those spiders in the Sub category should be starting, but
Steadman will threaten to quit if he doesn't play so they'll end up on the bench. This is somehow worse than Silence's situation.
The 67* cap has turned what should be solid 8* depth into a trainwreck.
Mikkiz is an elite 10* terrier, but I'm not sure there's enough power in front of him to justify his expense. I might play Bellflowers in terr, shark Rab, and replace
Wiibimbo with Henry Saari to boost the shark and spider contingents and avoid a mutiny.
This was a major fuckup to my mind, and this line is contending with a bunch of superstar spiders while having none itself, and those 8*s under just aren't a big
enough impact... there's a reason good teams hide their shitters under -- it's hard to exploit when you can just shoot in a straight line and hold it.
I hate to be so down after how much work Myth has put into the league, but I gotta give my honest take on it. This is a big ol' yikes from me. If this roster were
a Sim City, it would have a population of 0 and all the buildings would be abandoned and on fire.
D
THUNDER
Terr: Ogron (10)
Sharks: JAMAL (10), Major Crisis (8)
Spiders: Ease (10), Solace (9), TJ Hazuki (7), JATT (7), Spacehiker (7)
Subs: vys (8), Jones (7), Jessup (7), Erias (7), Engineers (7), Anonym (7), Hellrazor (5)
Ogron will terr as a 10* ahead of JAMAL and Major in shark, although Thunder might draft Rodney or another shark and move Jamal to spider depending on
their needs. They'll be very strong at both positions, although as I said previously, there's no killer sharking combos this year.
Ease and Solace will be a dominant duo that will power Thunder to the playoffs, with TJ Hazuki providing nice value over as the 3rd spid, a familiar position he's
won two titles from.
Jatt and Spacehiker will we a solid low-star under pair, although Thunder could also play Vys and Hellrazor under if they want a beast like Vys, but it would require
playing a 5*, which is a big tradeoff.
I think this team is a serious contender.
A
POWER
Terr: Heaven (9)
Sharks: Zidane (10), beam (7)
Spiders: Cripple (10), Skatarius (9), Rasaq (8), Mean Gene (8), Whinegum (6)
Subs: Bram (7), Tiny (7), jackiechan (6), invincible (6)
The shaved stars off beam being a 7* while not giving up too much and the lack of insane shark combos is a huge boon for Power. They can play four 8*+ star
spiders due to this edge. That's huge.
Heaven is expensive at 9*, but should be a steady presence at the rear and play solidly in Power's title defense.
Zidane is the best shark in the game, and has a good rapport with beam in shark. They would have won TWDT-B 2017 Winter had Baratheon not edged them out
in the Semi-Finals.
Cripple and Skatarius are another monster duo, and should beast the over. Cripple is a god, and Skatarius had one of the best seasons ever in spider S21. Rasaq is
highly underrated and will form a superb trio top.
Mean Gene and Whinegum under is icing on the cake.
This is an incredibly strong line with no weaknesses. I think Power, Thunder, and Silence are the three biggest contenders for base.
A
Grades
GLADIATOR: A C B
SILENCE: D A A-
TERRORIST: C B+ B
LEGIO XI: B A- D
THUNDER: A A- A
POWER: A A- A
Conclusion
I think overall the captains drafted fairly well, and it should be a very competitive season. I would have liked to have graded the teams more harshly as there are too many As, but given the star systems it's very hard to differentiate a lot of these lines, as they are very close in terms of talent.
All six captains got As or Bs in 2/3 leagues minimum, meaning there are no bad teams.
Beyond Silence and Terrorist in Warbird, and Legio XI in base, rosters have been well assembled. This isn't surprising given this is, hands down, one of the strongest lineups of Captains in TWDT history.
I don't think any of the teams can flat out ignore a league completely and qualify for the playoffs. Terrorist learned that the hard way last season going 1-9 in TWDT-D and missing the playoffs. The quality of captains is even higher this season, and the margin for error is smaller.
Teams will want to shore up their weaknesses in FA rather than stacking an already strong league, as making the playoffs will arguably be harder than winning a league once you get there.
Good luck to all six teams!
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