ANZBL Season 3 Playoffs Week 2: Epic Consolidation Final Sets Stage For Grand Final

Originally published on GameOnAus.com in May 2022

World Of Tanks ANZBL Season 3 Playoffs Week 2 produced an epic match between the Bundaberg Badgers and Canberra Centurions. The Badgers were stunned last week in their 4-1 loss to the Cairns Comets but their second-place finish gave them this second chance. The Centurions were coming from the lower bracket final with a dominant 4-0 win over the Wollongong Wolverines. Would the Centurions be able to extend their winning streak or would the Badgers’ grit pull them through?

ANZBL Season 3 Playoffs Week 2 Consolidation Final
Wollongong Wolverines Vs Canberra Centurions

A place in the Grand Final of the ANZBL was on the line for the Badgers and the Centurions. If the Twitch betting was anything to go by the Centurions were the favourites but there was no discounting new kids on the block, the Badgers.

Stakes were high for the Centurions and the Wolverines. Winning meant progressing to the next round of finals. Losing meant it was all over.

Map Picks:

ANZBL Season 3 Playoffs Week 2 Map 1
Mines

Mines is a good pick for the Badgers. They like to brawl, and the smaller size of Mines suits them, especially with teams’ tendency to rush the hill. The Centurions were aware of that though and avoided the middle of the map altogether, instead opting to run the 1 line and take that map control. They used that map control and moved two tanks onto the 2 flag. The Centurion’s Stife_Fil poked out a little too much and was collapsed on by the Badgers. It forced the Centurions off the cap to defend Stife_Fil. The Centurions arrived in time for a two-for-two trade. The Badgers’ Phantom_Yamato came down off the hill, giving up a vantage point and rushing into a 2v1 battle against him. The match ended in a 2v1 tank advantage towards the Badgers but with the Centurions up on HP. The extra guns in the game allowed the Badgers to focus fire onto Scott_Hanaray and give them the early lead.

The Centurions moved to defence on the return leg and went straight to the hill where they ran into the Badgers. Knowing the Badgers’ play style, the Centurions didn’t engage, instead choosing to spread out and defend the capture points. The two CS-63s of the Centurions ran all the way to C3 and spotted the Badgers’ BadBoiBubbles. He could have been in trouble but had support nearby from Snozzle and Phantom_Yamato in their twin Obj 277s. They grouped up and headed to the hill along the 1/2 line. They were soon joined by the rest of their team but had limited options. The CS-63s of the Badgers pushed the Centurion’s MirrasYYY off his spotting position at K1 but Auzzienoob bled half his HP. The Badgers moved three tanks onto the cap, but the Centurions were in position for the resets. Eventually the Badgers tried to push onto the Centurions. The Centurions had the HP advantage. They made the most of it and equalised the series 1-1.

ANZBL Season 3 Playoffs Week 2 Map 2
Prokhorovka

Prokhorovka opened with the Centurions on attack of their map pick. The Badgers had brought a hard hitting Strv 103B under the command of BadBoiBubbles and stashed it at A9. They set up for a 2-cap play with two tanks heading to the hill at F0 with another two just on the eastern side of the train line. The T-100 LT of Scott_Hanaray was able to scout the entire western side of the map and rotated towards the 1 flag. The Badgers had backed themselves into a corner, but the Centurions were slow to take advantage of it by moving a tank onto the 1 flag. Eventually the capture started. The Badgers isolated Stifle_fil and eliminate him. That kill made the Centurions move off the cap and get a kill for themselves. BadBoiBubbles found a way into the game, smashing MirrasYYY and giving his team a 4v2 tank advantage. The Badgers mopped up the rest of the Centurions and retook the lead 2-1.

The return leg saw the Centurions also bring the Strv 103B under the command of toddy339. This time the Strv went to C1 to cover the 1 flag. The Badgers grouped up and ran the 2 line, pushing forward. BadBoiBubbles was the first tank down while the Badgers punished the Strv before he could have an impact on the game. The Centurions picked their battles and ended up with a 4v2 tank advantage. This win once levels the series.

ANZBL Season 3 Playoffs Week 2 Map 3
Murovanka

With the series tied 2-2 the action moved to Murovanka. The Badgers started on defence, moving four tanks towards the 1 flag leaving one near the 2 flag. The Centurions scouted the 9/0 line but were spotted out. The Badgers repositioned slightly to defend the 2 flag. The Centurions pushed through the middle of the map hoping to catch out the Badgers’ Super Conquerors. The push forced the Badgers back towards the 1 flag and allowed the Centurions a lot of map control. The Centurions seemed to be undecided in how they wanted to proceed, whether a cap or a push. Eventually the Centurions collapsed onto Snozzle and eliminate him. With only 2 minutes left the pressure was on the Centurions to act. The Badgers thought it was up to them though and pushed instead. That turned out to be a mistake with the Centurions getting the win and taking the lead for the first time in the series.

The Centurions were on series point and one win away from a Grand Final appearance. Moving to defence, the Centurions found themselves in a race to the 1 flag as the Badgers charged in. The Centurions bled the Badgers early as the Badgers moved two tanks onto the 1 flag. They got a reset in as the Badgers moved off the cap and managed to get a two-for-one trade in their favour. The Centurions made an aggressive play and the Badgers punished them for it one again levelling the series and sending this consolidation final to a tie breaker.

ANZBL Season 3 Playoffs Week 2 Map 4
Himmelsdorf

This was it. This was the match that would decide who would be playing the Cairns Comets in the Grand Final and who would be heading home.

The Badgers had the quickest attacking victory so they got the choice of what side they would like. They chose to defend. In a slightly meta move, BadBoiBubbles chose to play a Badger tank. The Badgers confined themselves to the north east corner with good lines on both the 1 and 2 flag. The Centurions started their attack by grouping up along the 0 line and pushed towards the 2 flag. The Badger’s Fury bled a lot of HP as the Centurions started the cap. The Badgers grouped up and tried to push onto what they thought was a single tank but found themselves in a crossfire. The Badgers had the brawl that they liked. The match came to a 3v3 tank battle, but the Badger’s tanks were a lot healthier. They chased down the Centurions and took the win.

The Bundaberg Badgers defeat the Canberra Centurions 4-3 and book their spot in the ANZBL Grand Final.

Tune in to https://twitch.tv/worldoftanksanz from 7pm AEST Friday 10^th June for the ANZBL Grand Final to find out who will be our Season 3 champions!