Counter Strike Global Offensive: Astralis Introduce a Change in Team Structure

Astralis is one of the top Counter Strike Global Offensive teams in the world. In fact, they currently sit at the No. 2 spot, worldwide, behind only Natus Vincere. Astralis recently announced an addition to their roster in the form of Patrick “es3tag” Hansen. The move raises a few questions, which team coach Danny “zonic” Sørensen was happy to answer.

What comes to your mind when you think of a Counter Strike Global Offensive team? Think of your favorite team and the first thing that probably pops into your mind is the five members of the team.

A change in Counter Strike Global Offensive norm?

Five players in a roster has always been the norm, but that could very well change now.

Team Astralis has recruited es3tag from Heroic, which means they now have a 6-member team. This is a notion that has been talked about and mulled over by many.

The problem it poses is that you can only field a 5-member team in the game, leaving the sixth member to sit out the match. The extra player will get a chance only when one of the five is unavailable, which frankly does not happen too often.

So is this a good decision by Astralis? And even more importantly, will es3tag get his chances? Or will he be more of a substitute?

zonic was happy to address the queries, giving an emphatic answer regarding es3tag and his prospects at Astralis.

“es3tag will be a part of the team on equal terms with everybody else. We will have six players on the team, not five and a substitute. Some will play more than others, but we focus on long-term performance and the health of the players, and I do think everybody will sit out a tournament.”

He also asserted that no matter the lineup, each player will prepare for the tournaments ardently.

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Why es3tag?

As one of the best teams in Counter Strike Global Offensive, Astralis were in a commanding position to choose. So what about es3tag made up their mind?

Let’s hear from the coach himself.

“We looked for a versatile player who could step in and hit the ground running, so to speak. Our preference was for someone who knew the culture in and around the team, someone who was a team player and a player with a high base level. Patrick can take almost all roles on a team and we’re fortunate to get a player who has actually been a part of the performance culture in our organization.”

The signing will officially come into effect only in July, meaning es3tag still has a ton of time to let the news sink in.

The advantages and challenges of the move

This is a shrewd and calculated long-term plan by Astralis. Their focus is on making sure that they have a fresh lineup at every event they feature in. Certain players can burn-out after a tournament and take some time to recover. The sixth member will come in handy in such situations.

Kasper Hvidt, who is the Sports Director for Astralis, laid out his keen analysis behind the move.

“The main principle in regards to competitiveness is that we can use as many players as possible that are close to 100 percent mental and physical fitness. It should give all players a better chance to actually bounce back and recover when they are not at 100 percent, whereas today, they never have the chance to fully recharge.”

Player exhaustion is a very real thing and Astralis have suffered because of it before, forcing zonic or some other players to step in.

Now, however, with a sixth full member on stand-by, they can cope with fitness issues.

The advantages don’t stop there. With another full-fledged member of the team available, Astralis can expand their tactical approach. They can employ various different combinations in the lineup, adjusted according to the different match-ups.

The team, however, also faces a huge obstacle in terms of the culture around Counter Strike Global Offensive. Traditionally, the eSport is all about a five-man roster, and every aspect of the structure, events, rankings are built around that.

While some events and organizers do allow six members in a roster, there are other events where the rule book does not allow it. The Counter Strike Global Offensive Major Championships, organized by Valve, allows only five-member rosters and the coach to participate.

The challenges don’t end there for Astralis. They will also have to carefully integrate the new member into the team without damaging the camaraderie within the group.

Will their gamble pay-off? Will their long-term strategy keep them at the very top of the game?