By sjj_admin 
Originally published on GameOnAus.com in Sept 2022
World of Tanks ANZPL Season 5 Round 2 showed us that there’s room for surprises. The new patch brought out some different tank choices. How would the new patch affect the matches? Let’s find out!
This week’s tie breaker map is Prokhorovka.
ANZPL Season 5 Round 2 Game 1
Adelaide Action X vs North Sydney Sentinels
Action X had a rough start in Round 1, going down to the Skorpions 3-1. On the other hand, the Sentinels made short work of the Panthers with a 3-1. Could the Action X take down the reigning champions and secure their first win of the season?
Sand River
Action X started on defence of their map pick with a heavy move towards the one flag. The Sentinels brought two AMZ M4 54 tanks, having recently received an upgrade thanks to the latest patch. Action X’s Speed found himself on the wrong end of those tanks and was the first to go down. When Action X’s CJ followed not long after things were looking good for the Sentinels. Action X were able to bring it back to a 3v2 fight but the Sentinels were too healthy. The Sentinels take attack on Sand River.
The Sentinels took a more standard defensive setup, with most of their tanks protecting the 2 flag. Action X were able to rotate from the south and put pressure on the Sentinels. The Sentinels found an overmatch against Action X’s Val. That triggered Action X to push in from the south. Val and the Sentinel’s Del were traded but with so much map control to the south the Action X were free to bring the cap pressure. When the Sentinels’ Rowendy went down the Action X were free to put another tank on the 1 flag to make that cap faster. The Sentinels’ TheReturned in his speedy CS-63 was almost able to reset the cap but was unable to get a shot off. Action X also get a Sand River attacking win, levelling the game at 1-1.
Himmelsdorf (Sentinels)
Moving to the Sentinels’ map pick of Himmelsdorf, Action X were looking for a defensive win. The Sentinels split their attention sending two tanks along the 0 line towards the 2 flag while the other three went south. The southern tanks were spotted out which caused the Action X to move more towards the 1 flag. Rainbow from the Sentinels pushed past the 2 flag to set up shots onto CJ. The Action X rotated a tank to support CJ but the damage was already done and he was eliminated. Rainbow also went down, making it one-for-one trade and with HP being fairly equal the game was still anyone’s. The clock was ticking and the pressure on the Sentinels’ attack. Action X bled a lot of HP but with time running out Action X take the win.
The Sentinels needed to take this match to send the game to a tie breaker. They set up very aggressively expecting a 1 flag push. Action X laid a trap to draw the Sentinels in. Ready in his AMX 50 B, Action X’s Dongerlord started the 2 flag cap. TheReturned bled half his health as the Action X drew in the Sentinels. Before they knew it the Sentinels were down three tanks and the Action X were on top. Eventually the rest of the Sentinels went down and Action X take the win.
In an impressive display Action X defeat the Sentinels 3-1
ANZPL Season 5 Round 2 Game 2
Cairns Comets Vs South Sydney Skorpions
The Comets got their first tie-breaker win in Round 1 against the Matildas but this week they would be facing a much harder opponent in the form of the Skorpions. How would the newly promoted Comets do against Season 4 runners up?
Himmelsdorf
The action kicked off on the Comets’ map pick of Himmelsdorf but straight away it was an up-hill battle for them. Instead of the normal five tanks the Comets had only four. They did bring a very interesting strategy on the defence. They moved all their tanks to A9 and hid. When the Skorpions’ scouting didn’t reveal any enemy tanks in the obvious places they moved on the 2 flag at B6. As the cap started the Comets dumped onto the Skorpions’ Benny, removing him from the game. With the resets coming in the Skorpions isolated the Comets’ Stife_Fil. When the Skorpions’ Naplamer went down the game was in the balance. The Skorpions utilised their focus fire and removed the Comets’ AthrunZulla before also removing Medicant_Bias. In a 3v1, the result was never in doubt. Despite some inventive tactics from the Comets, the Skorpions take the win.
With the Skorpions moving to defence against the four Comets’ tanks, the match turned into a game of patience. The Skorpions set up and let the Comets come to them. When the Comets made their move it was a slaughter. They tried to isolate Napalmer but the Skorpions had too many angles. The Skorpions get in win in just over three minutes.
Tundra
Moving to the Skorpions’ map pick of Tundra the game swung even more in their favour. The Skorpions brought two M-V-Y tanks, two T100E5 and a T57 Heavy into their attack. They moved to the south. The Comets took three of their tanks and tried to discourage their opponents from the 2 flag. Eventually the Skorpions were able to get three tanks on the cap and drew the Comets in. They moved off the cap and removed AthrunZulla. With all of the Comets’ tanks bleeding HP the Skorpions get the win.
The Comets’ attack focused on the south. As they pushed towards the 2 flag the Skorpions’ Napalmer in a Progetto 65 spotted out the Comets and bought enough time for his team to rotate south. Napalmer eventually went down but had managed to get some good damage in. The Skorpions tightened the circle around the Comets and took another win.
The Skorpions defeat the Comets 4-0.
ANZPL Season 5 Round 2 Game 3
Melbourne Matildas Vs Perth Panthers
Both the Matildas and the Panthers were coming off rough games in Round 1. The Panthers were defeated by reigning champions the Sentinels while the Matildas were on the receiving end of a surprise Comets victory. With both teams searching for their first win, this was looking to be an interesting match!
Siegfried Line
The Matildas started on defence of their map pick. They put three tanks in a position to defend the 1 flag, while leaving two to the south of the town. The Panthers Bailes was able to rotate to the north-eastern side of the map and come back towards the 1 flag. The Panthers’ Dastardly went down but Bailes had finished his rotation and bled the Matildas. With HP equal, the extra tank of the Matildas was a much-needed advantage. The Panthers were forced out of the town and were searching for a way in as the Matildas dropped back. MadHouse and Twit from the Panthers moved onto the 1 flag as Bailes rotated north again. The Matildas poked to get resets as Bailes farmed them. Saxon from the Matildas charged in. The Panthers eliminated Saxon, took the battle on the 1 flag and the win.
Searching for a win on their map pick, the Matildas moved to attack. They moved in numbers to the south of the town before running the outer walls and putting Saxon and Dark on the 1 flag cap. The Panthers were able to get resets in and the Matildas moved off the cap. Regrouping to the south, the Matildas rotated towards to 2 flag, putting three tanks on the cap. After drawing the Panthers closer the Matildas moved off the cap and dumped onto Dastardly. He went down as the Matildas turned their attention to the rest of the Panthers. The Matildas did a good job of sharing the blocking duties. Saxon traded his life for the Panthers’ JS. With time on their side, the Panthers weren’t in a rush to do anything. The Panthers get shots into the remaining Matildas’ tanks and take the win.
Himmelsdorf (Panthers)
Having secured two matches on their opponent’s map pick, the Panthers moved to attack on their map pick. Sending one tank along the 7 line while the rest grouped up on the hill, the Panthers got some vision and started a push for the 2 flag. That vision told the Panthers that the Matildas had committed to a 1 flag defence. That defence allowed the Panthers to set up good angles from the rotating Matildas when the cap began. The Panthers put three tanks on the cap but the Matildas’ MerryTurnipDay got their just in time to get reset shots in. A brawl commenced with the Matildas sporting a slight HP advantage but they lost the first tank. The Matildas responded by tanking two of the Panthers’ tanks. With more guns in the game the Matildas took an attacking win.
Moving to defence the Matildas were keen for the win to send this match to a tie breaker. They grouped up and moved along the 0 line towards the 2 flag. The Matildas drove passed the 2 flag and dumped onto the Panthers. In the time this was happening the Panthers have rotated making it a 5v5 brawl. The match came to a 3v3 but the Panthers had the healthier tanks. MadHouse and the Panthers’ Goober shielded each other and used focus fire to eliminate the Matildas and take the win.
The Panthers defeat the Matildas 3-1.
Fantasy League
JT (314.3) and Auzzie (259.8) from the Skorpions featured in this week’s Fantasy Team Of The Week. The Panthers’ Madhouse (363.6) topped the rankings with Action X’s Val (273.3) and the Matilda’s KritaKil (270.4) rounding out the best performers in the league.
Next Week
Round 3 kicks off with the Matildas searching for their first win of the season against the in form Action X. The Panthers are against new-comers the Comets. And we get our first Sydney Derby of the season, a rematch of the Season 4 grand final between the Skorpions and the Sentinels.
Tune in from 7pm AEST Fridays at for https://twitch.tv/worldoftanksanz more tank action!