Is it only me or has anyone else noticed that as you play games, everyone adopts the same strategy for a while? Then someone better comes along and whoops their asses with a new strategy, and then they all take that one up ...
The metagame will be ever-evolving. Don't think of it as players copying everyone else, but they're witnessing what's been effective on them and are willing to use it. For short maps, archer-swordwrath is arguably the best start. This is making use of something that's effective, and will remain effective until someone else figures a different counter.
WHY CAN'T PLAYERS USE THEIR OWN GOSHDARN STRATEGIES?
But that's what separates ranked players now isn't?