Season Four of the Gamearena Battlefield 2 16v16 Ladder Competition is now well underway, and new life has been infused into the event with the addition of no less than 9 new custom maps to the roster.

 Team AvA Battlefield 2 Division had a few regulars retire from active duty at the conclusion of Season Three, but have welcomed in some new blood, and are looking well placed for a Season Four finals finish with three strong defenses of their second ranked spot on the Ladder in the opening clashes.

Game 1: Team AvA vs Mercenaries 

 Courage in the face of adversity

 Team AvA looked to be in dire trouble going into this match, with little known about the challenging team and half of the Team forgetting the Ladder had started, with only 11 signups!

 However, an element in our favour the battleground, Songhua Stalemate, an old Team AvA favourite with a record of 5 unbeaten matches upon it. 

 Team AvA knew they were behind the 8-ball going into round 1 down 5 players and as China. The battleharded veterans of 3 Seasons of 16v16 matches fought tooth and nail, taking the fight to the USMC Mercenaries team, causing havoc on the key USMC flags of Fish Factory and West Perimeter. AvA armour was immovable in defense of Chinese Territory, and Mercenaries forces were divided between a rock and a hard place. Team AvA ground out a nailbiting first round 62 ticket win.

Mercenaries appeared shellshocked with a first round loss to an outnumbered team, and Team AvA pushed their advantage hard in round two, to record a 151 ticket round win and won the overall match 213-0.

 Man of the match: All 11 players for this one, for the unwavering belief they could win against impossible odds.

 New Caps: Ducie played his first match for AvA, a real trial by fire.

Game 2: Team AvA vs Not So Old Farts

A Team Reborn

 After Round 1, Some in Team AvA were concerned about the future of the BF2 16v16 division, but a full signup for game two against NSOF on Dragon Valley eased those worries. Team AvA saw a lot of play on Dragon in Season 3, and it has moved into position as the 3rd most played map for the team. However, it is probably safe to say that the game vs NSOF was the best victory yet.

 Round one saw Team AvA as China, with a mission to contain the NSOF side into the US Main. However, an oversight in Team AvA's defenses saw an NSOF fast attack vehicle immediately break through the cordon and head for Hill village, which quickly fell into NSOF's hands. NSOF was safe from the dangerous ticket bleed, and were able to cap Island Farmhouse by the time Team AvA could muster an effective push onto Hill Village, but were unable to kick onto further Team AvA flags and the round ended in Team AvA's favour 64-0.

 Team AvA was wary going into round two. If NSOF could hold the USMC in their base, the ticket lead would be erased quickly. But a successful rush on Farmhouse and sneak attack on Chinese-held Factory quickly gave Team AvA control of the round, which they never relinquished, capping NSOF out at Woodyard for a 139 ticket win on round two and an overrall match win 203-0.

 Man of the Match: Ricolee's superb gunning in the Z-10 and AH-1Z was a point of difference, as he racked up an impressive total of 93 kills for the match.

New Caps: Kalius and Menschdefkt both turned in good solid performances in their first games for Team AvA.

Game 3: Team AvA vs Royal Australian Air Force

 A Jewel in a Desert Wasteland

After Round two Team AvA was back as a force to be reckoned with in the GameArena 16v16, and their third match saw them pitted in defence of their second placed rank against RAAF on the new official EA map Highway to Tampa.

 This match was shoutcasted, and this can be obtained at www.gamestah.com

 The last time Team AvA encountered the RAAF was on Wake Island. This time the huge expanse of water was exchanged for a huge expanse of dry sand, as both teams looked to get to grips with one of the new maps for Season four, and one of the largest.

 Round one saw both sides smash their million-dollar aerial assets into the ground in an attempt to get a forward flag advantage in the initial stages. Team AvA bailed from the MiG over refinery, and RAAF jumped from their F-18 over Village of Buhifum. Unfortunately for RAAF they could not hold this flag for long in the face of a Team AvA armour onslaught steaming out from the MEC main base, and Buhifum quickly changed hands. Team AvA defence of Refinery was solid, and after some dusty fighting at Gas Station they held the bleed advantage. RAAF came back late in the round to push Team AvA back into Buhifum, but it was too late as Team AvA took RAAF's last tickets for a 97-0 round win.

 Round two saw RAAF as MEC use their jet to quickly obtain Gas Station and Village of Buhifum, but some good work by Team AvA saw a successful steal of RAAF's jet, which gave Team AvA a decisive advantage for the round which they never let go of. RAAF countered by pushing into the US held flag of Village of Kuhlaz, and there was heavy fighting around the Village and Gas Station flags, with Refinery being safely held by Team AvA's armour. On the front foot, Team AvA closed out the round with a 105 ticket win, taking the match 202-0

 Man of the Match: idrakoni's impressive steal and use of the RAAF MiG-29 Jet assured there would be no comeback to win from RAAF in round two.

New Caps: Horns joins Team-AvA for 16v16 action, and furthered his growing rep as a Shoutcaster favourite in the Team-AvA vs RAAF match!

Whats next for Team AvA? A defence of second spot against tough team Blood 'n' Guts, on the new map of Abandoned Village, in what promises to be a cracker of a game.