Hammers Esports has long ties within the mobile game space -- specifically the Vainglory scene, housing multiple successful teams. Their newest venture is within Overwatch, recently acquiring up and coming team, Bird Noises. This Overwatch squad is one of the least talked about teams in North America, as a whole. Absent from NGE’s Winter Premier, Hammers Esports boasts quite the match history against some of the top teams, having multiple victories over Team Liquid, Luminosity Gaming and Spicy Boys.

With their victory at January's Alienware Monthly Melee Series, they have recent Winter Premier winners, Team Immortals, in their sights. This team seemingly coming out of nowhere is definitely one of the most promising teams rising up through the ranks.

While a canary is a small and delicate bird, it’s golden and regal color signifies courage and hidden potential. This is Hammers Esports.

Coordination

One thing that is lacking when it comes to NA Overwatch is coordination. The lack of a “unit” or “team” mentality leaves the scene looking very similar to a pickup basketball game at the local community center. 6 people in a group playing a game, is different to a team playing the game. The “solo queue mentality” is something that is talked about en masse in esports. This is something I believe that makes Hammers Esports so favored, when paired up with pre-established and teams.

They are coordinated.

Call it “superior shot calling”, or “advanced leadership”, Hammers Esports just seem to be on the same page at all points in the game. Do they get thrown a curveball? Sure, everyone will encounter different styles and different strategies. But, it is the way they manage these “curve balls” that really makes them stand apart from their peers. A great example of this coordination is during January’s Alienware Monthly Melee where they played against Team Liquid on Hollywood.

Here, we see Team Liquid’s Rapha get shut down with 1 surgical attack from Hammers Esports. The team knows that Sombra wants to run along the flank and build ultimate charge or, better yet, have the potential to pick off one of the supports. Hammers Esports make a very educated call and rush down the unsuspecting enemy team, leaving Rapha completely out of position. If the start is a little rocky and they can find their footing, Hammers Esports reconvene and attack the situation again. Nothing seems to slip through the cracks of this rising team.  

Aggression

Overwatch is no stranger to aggressive teams, but it's those who really take it to another level that leaves the crowd in amazement. Hammers Esports is no exception to this rule. Home to the some of the west's most berserk players:

Matthew “super” DeLisi is one of the most aggressive Reinhardt’s in the west. He pilots Reinhardt like a giant spiked wall of death, being able to predict and find small openings where the enemy is met with either a charge to the face or a giant hammer. Playing Reinhardt is not only filled with mind games and mental trickery, but he serves as the team's anchor. Mr. DeLisi is not only alone in his philosophy of aggression.

Rasheeq “train” Rahman is Hammer Esports’ resident D.va player and he pays little mind to your composition. He is going to fly in and manhandle your support player. Or, he is going to sit on top of your DPS and negate all of their damage.

And captain of the team, Jake “JAKE” Lyon rounds out the aggressive trio. Leadership in Overwatch usually comes from a supportive role. Stand out players like Verbo and Vonethil are prime examples of shot calling from the back line. JAKE on the other hand, does this from a more flexible DPS role. In an interview with RIVALCADE, JAKE elaborates on this, saying, “If anyone's an IGL (In Game Leader), I guess people could say it’s me. But, if you were listening to our [voice] comms, there really isn’t a strict ‘main’ caller.”

In terms of heroes JAKE plays, you don’t want to find him on Roadhog. The things he can do with that hero are disgusting, literally pulling and picking your team apart like a BBQ pulled pork sandwich.

“Coordination meets aggression” is the epitome of the Hammer Esports tank line.  Pick your poison; Hammer Esports has the apothecary on lockdown. The clip featured above, is a beautiful example of their precise strikes and really shows how imposing this team is.

They will play their style of Overwatch and you really don’t have a say in the matter.

Experienced

The Hammer Esports squad has not seen much competition after winning January's Alienware Monthly Melee. But as Bird Noises, they do have the beginnings of a nice track record -- taking the Haste Overwatch: Qualifier #1 over another up and coming team, Spicy Boys, 3 - 2, as well as winning the Rivalcade Arena Spectacular #11 over Nameless 2 - 0.

While they don’t have the experience in Overwatch, core members Matthew “Voll” Wallace and Rasheeq “train” Rahman make up some of the original Team Fortress 2 (TF2) roster of the team, Bird Noises. Being able to transition from TF2 to Overwatch should not be a surprise to you. Harbleu of Complexity Gaming, Taimou from Team EnVyUs, and Seagull from NRG, all come from a background in Team Fortress 2. The games having been compared since the launch of Overwatch, the skill sets are very interchangeable.

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How Hammers Esports could go this undetected for so long is a surprise to even myself, slipping under the radar, letting APEX Season 2 and drama in Korea cover their ascendance. Another thing that is shocking is how amazing Rob420 (their Ana player) is at hitting Ana ‘nades. His positioning is a bit off, but he provides so much to the team with how accurate he is with the Biotic Grenade.

It boils down to this: Yes, they are untested on other new patches. But that doesn’t mean that all of what you’ve read today simply goes out the window. The Coordination, the Aggression. the Experience -- these traits have gotten them to where they are now. These traits have secured themselves a sponsor and have gifted them 1st place victories over some of the west’s brightest teams.

Are they world beaters? No. But, the almanac projects this year to be a smashing success for Hammers Esports.

Written by @Volamel

Images courtesy of Hammer Esports, Blizzard Entertainment, and GosuGamers respectively.