---
tags: valorant
---

VoD Review - 2023-04-16 Haven Silver 3
===

## Careful Jump Peeking A Long


They managed to sneak past after a few jumps hugging the side...

## Still Doing Body Sprays


Probably when I'm startled... need to work on that somehow.

## Pointless to walk on defense when they know where you're coming from


I didn't get to Viper in time to support her.

## Still Flash Myself Sometimes

Maybe I can practice in a custom a bit of this, the timing, just groove it.

## Careful After Getting Found


Here they dogged me, and I blinded and tried to push into this aggressive position. But, they knew I was there, so I got box banged. Ah, actually, Jett was above the box, that's how she killed me so easy.

Lesson is: listen for the audio cue and be ready to shoot Jett when she updrafts onto the box. When found out by the dog, reposition FFS.

## Strafe into smokes and don't rush shots


I shouldn't have 'w'-d in. Also, definitely a tendency to overflick when startled. I should have suspected there could have been an aggressive Reyna pushing the smoke with her Ult popped.

## Maybe get out here?


Already got 2. I know there is one Main, they just tagged me with a couple bullets. I assume there could be another Sewer.

In hindsight, an ideal play would have been to use the Kaboom to stall Main, and retreat to safety while holding the smoke. However, I think it was Jett at Main who dashed in, potentially rendering such a plan moot.

I think sneaking into the smoke was OK, but they probably figured out immediately that's where I was. Ultimately, this is what it looked like when I died:


So, I was actually outside the smoke, on the edge, they probably saw my gun while I was blind.

Lesson: don't move into such a shit position. Hindsight:
- Shouldn't have stunned after hiding in the smoke (I think I did it out of panic as I thought I was being pushed), it just gave away my lurk into the smoke.
- I probably had time to get out to safety and regroup with teammates.
- Being in the smoke, though, I should have held a better position and killed Cypher when he pushed in. Turns out there were none Sewer (although I couldn't have known that).

## Don't do things without purpose


Me and Charles where holding this, saw one Window, reckoned they were probably pushing up, especially after the Viper ult. I think I was repositioning here in order to get to a safer position. I should have either:
- Use util, repeeked for info and potential kill, then moved off. We needed info at this stage. Even a jump peek would have worked.
- If moving away, watch the CHP. There is change in elevation here.

More and more I am learning: don't move and peek without util. Do things safely and carefully. And, if doing it that way, might as well take aggressive peeks off that utility and get the info or a kill! Most value that way.

Either way I remember I was spacing out here and this movement and everything was totally half-arsed.

## Take cover when util is out


KJ won't really see them (according to minimap LoS).

I did tuck in left here after a while, but I need to make more of a habit of this. I die with util out far too much.

## Wasted Ult


Had his position, could have used the stun. Had the stun. Also ended up ulting my dear Omen.

Also rushed the shot and hit body. All in all too panicky. Panic = shit.

## Slice properly under pressure


Knew Omen was there, we're down in numbers, this is the fight to take. No util, so have to mechanics it.

But look how loose that slice was. I then chased too hard and died to him repeeking (totally predictable).

Had I have sliced more appropriately, good chance I win this one.

## A sloppy w-peek!


The call was C Connector. The right thing to do is to peek this properly. I lost this on the repeek, but shouldn't have put myself at that disadvantage as he knew where I was and could line up his crosshair on a wide-swing, while I had to react to the wide-swing. Peek right in the first place...

I think I should practice this particular peek in a custom.

But yeah, rushing was the vibe here, too. I had just got two crispy headshots and was feeling it. Need to check that.

## *Somebody* has to make a plan


Reyna trolling in spawn. No call on the play. Fill the void and make a plan.

## Don't rush shots when startled


So, totally unexpected to get shot in the back here. But the frame shows that I clicked before crosshair was on head. Even if she gets me with the next bulled (she does) that one headshot could end up turning the round if she's traded immediately.

Basically just stay icy and don't rush shots.

## Flash the right spot


Clearly (as minimap shows), flashing here isn't going to work.

Indeed, when I peek, she's not blind, I peek super wide thinking she's blind, Classic-v-Spectre fail.

If I had flashed the closer wall, though...

## Go to Space


Bad decision here. Reyna has gone through Garage to C, and we have zero space A. Should have called everyone over to C.

## Noise and Info


Going through Garage Connector, this is where you'd expect to be peeked from.

Note:
1. CHP off. Needs to be higher. Reference point is the middle of the boxes.
2. I have stun. Stun that lane.
3. Charging through with the run not the walk gives away the position. I could definitely have walked in hostile territory where I don't know where they are, but they know where I am if I run, leading to such a peek and free kill for their Cypher.

## Way too passive


Nearly 15s in, we have no space. Actually, again Reyna has done the job pushing through grass to Garage. We just turn around and give up that space, and don't support her.

See, although I trade the KJ killed by predictably pushing Reyna in Lobby, no support for Reyna in Garage gets killed for free:


Hard to know what the plan is now:


Spike still in Spawn. We have mid control. Garage is passed, they could lurk through and wrap mid. I am trying to clear C, why? I think to wrap B on a timing. I'm probably looking for a kill to even out numbers, which is OK. I am very anxious about being spread out so far with zero support and coordination among teammates. Probably should have actually made a plan with teammates. Did get a pick on C (luckily), but don't think that's validation of the decision here.

## In Clutch, Just Trade, No Util


Always fucking happens. Golden motherfucking rule: **No util in the clutch unless absolutely safe and totally called for**. Here, if I just peek the unsuspecting Omen, I get it.

Instead I pull out the stun, which gives away my position, and in this case fuck up the timing of the gun coming out. I'm also too slow to get him:


We lost this round. 8-9.

## Tunnel Vision


Know there is one right. But could there be one left, too? There of course was. Exposed myself and rightly died here.

8-10. Boneheaded.

## Aim Properly


THis is never more important than when you face the Odin. Take that extra split second for the headshot and I won't lose painfully as I did here.

Note also I had flash. I think the timing was right for a direct trade (evidently right). So just aim properly in this case.

8-11. Three bonehead rounds in a row at critical times. The game's not that hard when you don't make silly mistakes.

## Not Aggressive Enough


Somehow the Jett was making me anxious. I knew she was on the other side of this wall but I was playing too conservative. She probably didn't expect me on this side of the wall, and I was waiting for it to go down to surprise her.

In the end she manages to take an Op shot, dash, then smoke away C Long.

Hindsight:
- Could ask for wall down.
- Or flash the box, would have got everything on the other side of the wall. Then peek the blinded slag.

## Awareness


Knew Cypher was there. Still w-peeked this without my gun out. Just didn't register for some reason.

Broader points:
- There is a *long* time with breach from using util (which I had just done here) and the gun coming out. Need the habit of waiting a tick before moving after using util.
- Awareness of minimap and enemy location.
- Again, moving and peeking with util. A stun and a flash probably kills this Cypher and opens up C site here.
- Could also have asked for the Viper wall to go up and tried to sneak up into Garage Window to catch the Jett (known to be there) by surprise. I don't think I had appropriate awareness of the wall and how *I* might use it.

Cypher then clutches this one out. 9-12.

## Expect a Trade Even When You Don't


Could be a good principle. There is no good reason for Cypher to double up Jett's position here and trade me here. However, it is definitely a thing that could happen.

Suppose I think it is unlikely, *but*, I still have the mentality (probably more important as the rank goes up) that everytime you get a kill a trader is about to peek. I would have potentially nailed that Cypher, too.

## Prepare to take gun back out


After registering the pushing blinded Omen, I still throw this flash before taking gun out, and squeaking out an awkward duel against Omen (shouldn't have). I should have just gun out and direct head-shot with proper aim.

This puts me at low health, which turns out to be critical in a moment.

## Trade, Play the Numbers, FFS


Lose from here...

I think this was the first mistake. I assumed I was the first contact for the obvious direction for her to go after the smoke went down (and therefore I was the bait). However, my teammate didn't look to trade me and made their own play. In this situation I need to either comm to trade me, or, change my plan and trade them. It would have been very awkward though as they pushed out a smoke.


Second mistake was here, as I then went for the duel (with low health), instead of stalling for time and making *them* take an awkward duel.

I once again over-flicked under pressure in this duel. Maybe an ice blood transfusion is needed.