As ETF2L is about to enter its 40th 6v6 season, an incredible number that probably no one expected to reach when the league took its first steps almost 15 years ago, it can be reassuring to see that some things haven’t changed, and habibi la(rdon) frappe 2 fou batard is one of them. This newly-formed team is but the next iteration of the long tradition that is all-French rosters competing in Europe’s top division. With a core group of players who are used to playing with each other thanks to their numerous mixes and other group activities such as the NTF2CL, and who also all reached playoffs the last time they played in Prem, habibi la(rdon) frappe 2 fou batard looks poised to do well.

Cuby and AlienSmiley are sharing the reins of habibi la(rdon) frappe 2 fou batard, and are already used to working together as they formed the scout duo on ★★★½ last season, where they reached a third-place finish that was worth a bit more than 3 stars for effort. While Cuby will be continuing on the Flank Scout role that earned them the most success in Premiership, AlienSmiley will be switching onto Demoman, a role they are familiar with, notably playing for Les darons de l’edition during season 36.

They will be joined by another ★★★½ veteran, patchouli, whose impressive form during last season earned them a nomination for the “Medic of the Season” award alongside Domo and trum. The only player to have opted to skip Season 39, dwo69 was a part of the top5rocket squad that took home the bronze medal during Season 38 (incidentally also the season where Cuby made the switch from Demo to Scout) and is surely rejuvenated and ready to play after this short break.

The two remaining members, ronz and Néo, have both managed to reach all the way up to the Grand Finals last season, albeit on opposing teams as Néo’s 4Toast managed to overcome ronz’s Ora Elektro in three maps. Hailed for a long time as one of the most lethal Pocket Scouts in Europe, this title and the “Pocket Scout of the Season” award have cemented Néo’s status as a force to be reckoned with. While ronz did not manage to win awards, their meteoric rise to the top, going from winning Division 2 to second place in Prem in 3 seasons, is worthy of a mention too for sure.

We reached out to team leader Cuby, who squared off with our numerous questions :

TEAMFORTRESS.TV : Everyone but ronz already had experience playing together, did they have any difficulties adapting to the team, or did the fact that you all play a lot together outside of scrimming helped ?

We tried a lot of pockets and ronz is the one who managed to adapt the best, playing outside of scrims among French people helped, but that doesn’t compare to Prem.

TEAMFORTRESS.TV : The core of this team has been more or less the same for quite a while now, do you think the added synergy gained from that could help you against teams established more recently ?

The core stays roughly the same, but the synergy we have is never the same. Depending on the seasons, a single player can change how a whole team plays, considering we changed 3 players this season, obviously our style of play will be different.

TEAMFORTRESS.TV : Any opinion about the map vote for this season as well as the poll about potentially banning the Market Gardener ?

If maps like bagel or clearcut end up in the map pool this season, it would prefigure one shit season. I think the admins should do a vote to know how many KOTH maps the players prefer to have in the map pool : 0, 1 or 2. I they prefer 0 we can play Granary and Metalworks, 1 we keep Product and 2 we add in Product and Clearcut, although Clearcut isn’t a good map in my opinion, and for this vote only Prem and D1 players should be allowed to vote. The Market Gardener must stay banned.

TEAMFORTRESS.TV : Any shout-outs you’d like to do ?

s/o à tout mes lardons du mb a.k.a les débiles du mb.

s/o au top 5

s/o gerz

(the last answer was deemed untranslatable)

Ready to challenge enemy teams and casters alike, habibi la(rdon) frappe 2 fou batard is :

• Pocket Scout: Néo
• Flank Scout: Cuby
• Roamer: dwo69
• Pocket: ronz
• Demoman: AlienSmiley
• Medic: patchouli