Boombl4: «CS is not just aim and tactics»

Interview with Kirill «Boombl4» Mikhailov

In an interview with cyber.sports.ru, the  NAVI.GG.BET player told about the team’s first training sessions, about his favorite players and his approach to improving the individual game.

— What are your thoughts after the first training session with NAVI?

Kirill "Boombl4" Mikhailov

, , ,

"Honestly, this month, it was a little messy in my head since there was this transfer thing going on... It is very difficult to leave a team and move to another. But I knew that this is a transition to a new level, that in the CIS this is the maximum — where you already work with the best players and you have to prove that you are worthy.

After the first practice, i felt that: yes, I finally achieved some sort of heights, and now I need to train and reach the top ”

— How is it, to play under the guidance of Zeus, one of the most famous captains of the CS-world?

— He has a very good reputation, everyone speaks of him as a good leader. After playing with him, I see his leadership qualities, I see that people listen to him, because he is so self-confident. When he says something, even if it's nonsense or not nonsense — he is always sure of his decision, this is very proper for the leader, I think.

He leads the team and tries to find a common language with each player. This is also very important, because the captain must use the strengths of each player, and for this you need to find to each an individual approach — and he's doing a great job of it. I really like it all!

— Your transition coincided with the decline of Astralis. Were you surprised by this recession, and is it really a recession, or are they just not concerned about the minor tournaments?

— No, they are concerned. Many say that  Astralis is overthrown, but what a journey they have been through! Repeating it will be very difficult, and I'm not sure that someone will succeed. Over a year to stay in the first place in the ranking, win two world championships in a row, it is a very difficult task. The most important thing is stability, and they were the best team in the world for a year — it's very long and difficult.

It's funny that they began to play worse just when I said in the first interview to  NAVI that I know how to win against them. I can tell you a little bit what I think about them. They play really well, they have a good coach, but I think that they are greatly motivated by what they do outside of the game: they have psychologists, other specialists — many see this as their strength. But I also think that as soon as other players start to doubt whether it really helps the Danes, it will be easier to play against them.

CS is not only the aim and tactics, it is also very difficult morally. If you are confident in yourself, then you can beat any team. But the fact that they held on for more than a year is amazing. I'd like to do the same thing and even outperform them. Everybody wants to and will try to do so.

— So you already playing mindgames with them?

— Yes, I want to get into their heads and make them doubt. Show that you are not afraid of them. Many are afraid, thinking, how do we beat them — they have a great team, they work with a psychologist, have physical activities, breakfasts on a schedule. I think this affects, but primarily on their psychology. In their minds it is: "We're a determined, cohesive team, we're always together." And it gives them confidence.

But as soon as they have a second thought, even if it's just one player, that it doesn’t really help them, everything can break. Their game is not going anywhere, of course, but there will be no such stability. But of course, there are some great players there.

— And who seems to you to be the strongest of them?

— Honestly, I don't know who is the strongest, but I have several favorite players: Edward, f0rest, dupreeh and fer. I always liked the style of  dupreeh: he is a bit crazy, he runs around and get off unreal headshots, he can be the second AWPer. I watched his demos: he is sloppy, he may miss some grenades, his style is random. As if individuals are playing. He is the least of a teamplayer.

Here you take a look at Xyp9x demos — he stands and stares at one point for a minute. And  dupreeh always moves around, and I like it. I am that kind of a player, I like to move around the map, and the style of  dupreeh is closest to me. Fer plays the same style. Therefore, for me dupreeh will be the strongest, but, of course, the team is strong and not individual players.

— What about Edward and f0rest?

— Vanya was interesting to me as a person, I watched interviews with him, video blogs. He seemed to me as an interesting person who wants to learn something new in this world. And he really is like that — I spoke with him a couple of times in tournaments. With him you can talk about everything.

And in terms of the game — he's great, a legendary man. His "minus 5" with USP on Tuscan, when he earned the nickname of the Pistol King... Of course, time passes, players age, new ones come, the level of CS grows. But I always liked Edward as the top player from the CIS.

And f0rest is crazy, like dupreeh. I generally like people who can play with both AWP and AR guns. Even if they are not the main snipers, they can still take a second AWP, set up a oneshots, make unreal moves.

And fer is just a crazy dude. Flies around, doesn't releases the "W" button. I also sometimes do such rounds — I run, I try to kill as much as possible. Not that I want to become them or copy — I want to outdo them, to beat them. Idols!

In general, the strongest should not have idols, they should work themselves. You have to become an idol for people; To become the strongest, you don't have to look up to anyone. From a psychological point of view, that's probably the right thing to do. But I still have these 4 favorite players — and it doesn't matter if I play in the top 1 team in the world or lower.

— Do you have a strong personality?

— I do not know how can I judge myself? But actually, since I was captain... In terms of relationships, I give maximum morale to any team in my life; it's important to maintain a positive attitude and morale. I shout.

I have one phobia: I am afraid to fly alone. I am afraid that at the airport, the flight will be canceled and I will have to buy tickets, I have poor English, I’ll get lost. This is my weakness.

So I am strong in something's and weak in another. But I think it's hard to scare me in CS. I will always go to the end and encourage the team mates, and they will encourage me.

— Training — do you mean playing matchmaking more or develop skills in some other way?

— Listen, when you are not yet as an established player, a personality, you shouldn't practice team interactions yet. Practice aim and micro — how you move, how you throw grenades. Not where to throw it — it is on “YouTube”, in any guide you can take a look and memorize, but how you throw it. Knowing the trajectory, throwing a grenade at random — and understand how it will fall.

I played a lot of games on Faceit, tried to get into the Challenger, where guys from tier-3, tier-4 teams are already playing in it. From there, there is already a chance to get into the FPL, the league where the top players play. I ranked second in qualifiers, just playing is not enough to get into the FPL.

In general, I tried to play more matchmaking and different qualifications. To get noticed by the best players to help me. You must understand that you must practice and establish yourself as a good player. I mean try to get on HLTV, go to some LAN, where there are players. Now there are also the academies starting to appear, so it became even easier for young players to make it through. Zeus opened the league for the CIS on Faceit — I know guys who play there almost 24/7, making their way.

— How many hours a day did you practice when you weren't there yet?

— It has always been 10 or more. There were, of course, days when I did not play at all, but rarely. And before that, I even played without warming up: I would sit down — and right away play on Faceit, I was so eager to play. When I made my way to the FPL— C, for a month, I played 12 maps every day — it's about 10 hours approximately.

— Tell us about your work schedule.

— I wake up around 12, I have breakfast. I sit down to play with the bots in deathmatch mode for half an hour. Then some of the guys come up before the team gathering, discuss what we can add or change. Then — team talk for half an hour. After gathering we play 5 practice matches, then we sum up the day — and usually I still have time to play 5— 6 games in FPL. So, team training takes 7— 8 hours; If you take into consideration your own games, then more than 10 hours for sure.

— And what do you do on week— offs? If there is any.

— Of course, there is. I try to maintain the skill, I play FPL. Of course, there are days when I want to go out with my friends and hang out somewhere, that also happens. But you have to understand that if the vacation is three weeks, then I would estimate like so: I really rest on the first week, and the other two weeks I'm returning the skill that I lost during my vacation.