It feels like there’s an advantage to being the attacker on the first round because usually your spawn is closer and you can switch heroes without much to worry about since you’re also going to make a few attempts usually.
So you enter the match without knowing what your opponents like to play, but you can adapt easily because you’re attacking, and on top of that you get to have an idea when you’re defending on second round about what your opponents play.
And that makes it advantageous to attack on first round.
Which logical fallacies am I running into if any?
Or is it that it’s true and matchmaking gives the higher SR team the first defender?
So that’s a psychological thing. Right?
Like having an undetermined line that you have to reach that makes you give your best.
Is that what you mean?
In that case it’s not what I’m talking about
You get more information for a better attack next round, which is similar to you saying that you get information to quickly adapt and prepare better for defense next round.
Not saying that everyone plays the same hero on attack vs defense, but if you attack first, you may be more prepared to defend if you already have a good idea of what the other team’s comp will be (I think that’s kind of what the OP is stating). I mean people could just swap to counter, but let’s be honest, that doesn’t happen very much in gold/plat where most people are playing at.
This is intentional game design. First point also usually has single chokepoints forcing enemies through the ‘first gate’ in somewhat predictable pattern. Anubis as the archs, Blizzard World has the big… well, actual gate, Eichenwalde has the bridge overpass, Hanamura has the huge gate, etc. etc.
And then on second point it’s skewed oppositely. Attackers now have a farther spawn since defenders spawn right at the second point/usually near cart, but attackers usually have more and multiple routes to get to the second point. Anubis has a lot of ways, Hanamura has multiple stories and the bridge entryway, etc.
I think the advantage is about even overall. It’s not like swapping heroes is free, you’re giving up ult charge. Plus the first point is easier to defend to make up for that advantage. I’d argue that the advantage that does exist is less about attack and defense, and more about map selection. Although I think that’s gotten a little better as we’ve gotten new characters, and the devs have tweaked one or two maps with blatantly skewed attack/defense winrates.
For example, back in the day, people despised Hanamura and Volskaya. There just weren’t that many heroes who could use alternate routes to get around the choke (maybe 3 choices, and not all of them were viable), and we only had Reinhardt as a barrier tank. As we’ve gotten more heroes with mobility options, attacking has gotten a lot better. I actually like attacking 2CP maps now, because I have actual options besides going through the choke.
Charging ults not free? no you’d switch immediately is what I’m saying. Attacker’s spawn is uasually so close that you can immediately adapt right there and then if luck decides you play the counter.
“First point is easier to defend” that goes both ways though.
Oh wait … now I get it. You thought I mean points and not rounds. No. I mean rounds. As in competitive. Not Quick Play!
It’s rounds, guys! Not points…
I mean competitive. Not Quick Play…
I don’t know both have advantages and disadvantages. Many of games on 2cp I have seen defenses full hold which lets a team on attack choose to go ult combo heavy to win 1 fight easy instead of looking to bank ults for a snowball. Same with payload knowing how many fights you need to take (approximately) is highly valuable information.
Compared to just not having the ability to counter an enemy to start and instead just playing to your strong suit (which in a way is stronger and the right way to play anyways). Is far less valuable than the information of where and how you need to attack on your first attack phase following a defense.
