
Paris Bootcamp
May 17, 2025
Bootcamp Diaries: Paris 2025 With Vatic

Paris Bootcamp
May 17, 2025
Bootcamp Diaries: Paris 2025 With Vatic

Paris Bootcamp
May 17, 2025
Bootcamp Diaries: Paris 2025 With Vatic
Baguettes, base attacks, and disappearing players—our Paris Bootcamp was unforgettable.
We went in with one goal: prepare for and perform at the Clash of Clans April Monthly Qualifier. What we got was 11 days of chaos, connection, croissants, and clutch plays. It was our first time together as a full team IRL—and it showed in the best way possible.
As our first stop on the #RoadToHelsinki, whether you’re here for the strategy or the stories, our bootcamp captured the full spectrum of what it means to be part of Vatic.
"So we feel pretty confident for next weekend. I hope we will do everything possible to qualify and I hope we will make it.” – Kingsman

KingsMan | Image by Jonathan Castro
Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how it all went down:
Arrival Day
Jetlag. Grocery hauls. The essentials were secured: baguettes, energy drinks, and enough snacks to feed a small Clash army. Then came the moment we’d all been waiting for: meeting each other, in person, for the first time. It felt electric. The chemistry that we’d built for years online came alive immediately. Laughter filled the Airbnb as the team settled in, and a new chapter for Vatic officially began.
We spent the evening unpacking, setting up gear, and learning each other’s quirks in real time. There was something surreal about seeing a screen name become a real-life personality sitting across the room. By the time the food was delivered for dinner, we already felt like a unit.
“The world better be ready, because we are not just showing up to play, we're showing up to win.” – Natchoa

Natchoa | Image by Jonathan Castro
Days 1–2: Stage 2 Qualifiers
Game time. From morning (1pm), to night, the team was locked in; rotating between practice attacks, replay reviews, and mid-match banter. The living room turned into a war room, filled with laptops, phones, chargers galore, and yes, a growing pile of pizza boxes. Our players gave everything they had, battling their way through Stage 2 and advancing to the next round.
Off-camera, anticipation surged. There were shared nods across the room with every triple and collective groans with every near miss. The vibe: focused, fiery, and a little feral. You could feel the stakes rising.
[No quote needed, just busy looking dapper AF with a glass of wine in his hand]
– TryHard

TryHard | Image by Jonathan Castro
Day 3: Tour de Paris
After two days in the trenches, it was time to stretch our legs. Enter: a 7-hour walking tour that covered an impromptu photo shoot in front of the Eiffel Tower, a challenge-attempt in front of Notre Dame, a peruse through Montmartre, and pretty much every Instagram-worthy spot in between. We saw it all—and walked it all.
There were delectable meringues consumed mid-stride, street performances paused for, and group selfies at every major landmark. Tourists? Absolutely. United? Even more so.

Left to Right: Matt, Erin, Eric, TryHard, Kingsman, Palpal, Tonio, Natchoa, Simon, Imraan | Not Pictured: Jonathan, Lynn | Image by Jonathan Castro
Midway through the day we stopped for a team lunch and the now-infamous “Snail for Fail” challenge, created by none other than EricOneHive. Simon’s fate was sealed. Huge thanks to Eric for keeping the content rolling and the vibes high all week long.
Baguettes, base attacks, and disappearing players—our Paris Bootcamp was unforgettable.
We went in with one goal: prepare for and perform at the Clash of Clans April Monthly Qualifier. What we got was 11 days of chaos, connection, croissants, and clutch plays. It was our first time together as a full team IRL—and it showed in the best way possible.
As our first stop on the #RoadToHelsinki, whether you’re here for the strategy or the stories, our bootcamp captured the full spectrum of what it means to be part of Vatic.
"So we feel pretty confident for next weekend. I hope we will do everything possible to qualify and I hope we will make it.” – Kingsman

KingsMan | Image by Jonathan Castro
Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how it all went down:
Arrival Day
Jetlag. Grocery hauls. The essentials were secured: baguettes, energy drinks, and enough snacks to feed a small Clash army. Then came the moment we’d all been waiting for: meeting each other, in person, for the first time. It felt electric. The chemistry that we’d built for years online came alive immediately. Laughter filled the Airbnb as the team settled in, and a new chapter for Vatic officially began.
We spent the evening unpacking, setting up gear, and learning each other’s quirks in real time. There was something surreal about seeing a screen name become a real-life personality sitting across the room. By the time the food was delivered for dinner, we already felt like a unit.
“The world better be ready, because we are not just showing up to play, we're showing up to win.” – Natchoa

Natchoa | Image by Jonathan Castro
Days 1–2: Stage 2 Qualifiers
Game time. From morning (1pm), to night, the team was locked in; rotating between practice attacks, replay reviews, and mid-match banter. The living room turned into a war room, filled with laptops, phones, chargers galore, and yes, a growing pile of pizza boxes. Our players gave everything they had, battling their way through Stage 2 and advancing to the next round.
Off-camera, anticipation surged. There were shared nods across the room with every triple and collective groans with every near miss. The vibe: focused, fiery, and a little feral. You could feel the stakes rising.
[No quote needed, just busy looking dapper AF with a glass of wine in his hand]
– TryHard

TryHard | Image by Jonathan Castro
Day 3: Tour de Paris
After two days in the trenches, it was time to stretch our legs. Enter: a 7-hour walking tour that covered an impromptu photo shoot in front of the Eiffel Tower, a challenge-attempt in front of Notre Dame, a peruse through Montmartre, and pretty much every Instagram-worthy spot in between. We saw it all—and walked it all.
There were delectable meringues consumed mid-stride, street performances paused for, and group selfies at every major landmark. Tourists? Absolutely. United? Even more so.

Left to Right: Matt, Erin, Eric, TryHard, Kingsman, Palpal, Tonio, Natchoa, Simon, Imraan | Not Pictured: Jonathan, Lynn | Image by Jonathan Castro
Midway through the day we stopped for a team lunch and the now-infamous “Snail for Fail” challenge, created by none other than EricOneHive. Simon’s fate was sealed. Huge thanks to Eric for keeping the content rolling and the vibes high all week long.
Sadly we had to say goodbye to coach Tonio and Vatic creator Palpal on Day 3 as they headed back home for work. We thank them for putting up with management's barely passable attempts at speaking French! 🤪
Day 4: Chill & Practice Day
The squad kept things low-key: more practice, strategic conversations, and a bit of well-earned rest. Kingsman made sure the team stayed focused, while Simon discovered what he thought was his first French croissant. Spoiler: it wasn’t. But it did have chocolate, so we let it slide.
“Mon premier croissant français. Mmmmm.” – Simon (who learned a moment later that it was indeed not a croissant at all)
This was the day we reset. We reviewed our plays, recharged, and reconnected. The living room became a casual strategy den—equal parts memes and metrics.

Eric, Matt, KingsMan, Natchoa, TryHard | Image by Jonathan Castro
Day 5: Media Day Madness
Cameras. Poses. Lights. Chaos. It was time to capture content—and the team did not disappoint. Whether it was Kingsman's best attempt at Zoolander’s Blue Steel or TryHard’s devastatingly good angles, everyone brought their A-game to the shoot.
The Airbnb transformed into a production studio. There were light tests, outfit swaps, and pose debates. Between takes, there were games of "Petunk" (though in North America I think we'd call it bocce ball) and even more pizza.

Tryhard, Imraan, Tonio, KingMan, Palpal | Image by Jonathan Castro
Day 6: Versailles, Louvre, Catacombs & Clubbing
Small groups fanned out across the city to make the most of a free day: some visited the palace at Versailles, while others explored the Louvre. We regrouped at the Paris catacombs, where 7 million skeletons set the mood for a very different kind of team bonding.

Simon | Image by Jonathan Castro
Imraan took the opportunity to scare half the team with ghost stories.
“I'm going to take you in there and I'm going to break you.” – Imraan (in full horror movie mode, next to the skeleton corridor)

Imraan | Image by Jonathan Castro
After dinner together, the squad hit a club near the Arc de Triomphe—because what’s a bootcamp without a little nightlife? Don’t worry team, there are no photos. Probably.
Day 7: Creative Showmatch vs Millésime MG
We brought vibes. Millésime MG brought energy. The creative showmatch was one of the most fun moments of the week—but the real drama happened before it started.
Simon and Imraan went off the grid for nearly four hours. We called. We texted. We panicked.
Eventually, we sent out search parties (on foot and by car—shoutout to Croco for driving half of Argenteuil). They turned up just in time to compete. Classic.
The match itself? Fire. The laughs? Loud. The content? Masterclass.

Eric | Image by Jonathan Castro
Days 8–9: Stage 3 Qualifiers
Back to business. The matches were tough, the pressure was high, and the team rose to the challenge. Growth doesn’t always show up on the scoreboard, but in Paris, it showed up in every interaction—on comms, in strategy, and in trust.
Even when a match didn’t go our way, the vibe stayed strong. We knew this was part of the journey. The team debriefs turned into late-night motivation sessions. The wins were celebrated. The losses were analyzed—then let go.

Natchoa & Simon | Image by Jonathan Castro
Day 10: Departure Day
Suitcases packed. Phones full of footage. Legs sore from all the walking, attacking, and dancing. Every goodbye was tougher than expected. We arrived in Paris as a team. We left as friends.
There were fist bumps, hugs, and final photos. Plans were already being made for the next bootcamp. The only thing heavier than our checked bags was the gratitude we felt leaving this trip behind.
Bootcamp wasn’t just about gameplay. It was about chemistry. About building trust. About turning teammates into lifelong connections. This is the kind of energy we’ll carry forward—for every match, and every future trip.
Sadly we had to say goodbye to coach Tonio and Vatic creator Palpal on Day 3 as they headed back home for work. We thank them for putting up with management's barely passable attempts at speaking French! 🤪
Day 4: Chill & Practice Day
The squad kept things low-key: more practice, strategic conversations, and a bit of well-earned rest. Kingsman made sure the team stayed focused, while Simon discovered what he thought was his first French croissant. Spoiler: it wasn’t. But it did have chocolate, so we let it slide.
“Mon premier croissant français. Mmmmm.” – Simon (who learned a moment later that it was indeed not a croissant at all)
This was the day we reset. We reviewed our plays, recharged, and reconnected. The living room became a casual strategy den—equal parts memes and metrics.

Eric, Matt, KingsMan, Natchoa, TryHard | Image by Jonathan Castro
Day 5: Media Day Madness
Cameras. Poses. Lights. Chaos. It was time to capture content—and the team did not disappoint. Whether it was Kingsman's best attempt at Zoolander’s Blue Steel or TryHard’s devastatingly good angles, everyone brought their A-game to the shoot.
The Airbnb transformed into a production studio. There were light tests, outfit swaps, and pose debates. Between takes, there were games of "Petunk" (though in North America I think we'd call it bocce ball) and even more pizza.

Tryhard, Imraan, Tonio, KingMan, Palpal | Image by Jonathan Castro
Day 6: Versailles, Louvre, Catacombs & Clubbing
Small groups fanned out across the city to make the most of a free day: some visited the palace at Versailles, while others explored the Louvre. We regrouped at the Paris catacombs, where 7 million skeletons set the mood for a very different kind of team bonding.

Simon | Image by Jonathan Castro
Imraan took the opportunity to scare half the team with ghost stories.
“I'm going to take you in there and I'm going to break you.” – Imraan (in full horror movie mode, next to the skeleton corridor)

Imraan | Image by Jonathan Castro
After dinner together, the squad hit a club near the Arc de Triomphe—because what’s a bootcamp without a little nightlife? Don’t worry team, there are no photos. Probably.
Day 7: Creative Showmatch vs Millésime MG
We brought vibes. Millésime MG brought energy. The creative showmatch was one of the most fun moments of the week—but the real drama happened before it started.
Simon and Imraan went off the grid for nearly four hours. We called. We texted. We panicked.
Eventually, we sent out search parties (on foot and by car—shoutout to Croco for driving half of Argenteuil). They turned up just in time to compete. Classic.
The match itself? Fire. The laughs? Loud. The content? Masterclass.

Eric | Image by Jonathan Castro
Days 8–9: Stage 3 Qualifiers
Back to business. The matches were tough, the pressure was high, and the team rose to the challenge. Growth doesn’t always show up on the scoreboard, but in Paris, it showed up in every interaction—on comms, in strategy, and in trust.
Even when a match didn’t go our way, the vibe stayed strong. We knew this was part of the journey. The team debriefs turned into late-night motivation sessions. The wins were celebrated. The losses were analyzed—then let go.

Natchoa & Simon | Image by Jonathan Castro
Day 10: Departure Day
Suitcases packed. Phones full of footage. Legs sore from all the walking, attacking, and dancing. Every goodbye was tougher than expected. We arrived in Paris as a team. We left as friends.
There were fist bumps, hugs, and final photos. Plans were already being made for the next bootcamp. The only thing heavier than our checked bags was the gratitude we felt leaving this trip behind.
Bootcamp wasn’t just about gameplay. It was about chemistry. About building trust. About turning teammates into lifelong connections. This is the kind of energy we’ll carry forward—for every match, and every future trip.



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