By sjj_admin 
Originally published on GameOnAus.com in Sept 2022
Welcome to World Of Tanks ANZBL Season 4 Round 1! Two new teams have entered the league to replace the promoted Cairns Comets and the disbanded Wollongong Wolverines. How will the Fremantle Fireflies and Lismore Leopards fare?
This week’s tie breaker map is Tundra.
ANZBL Season 4 Round 1 Game 1
Canberra Centurions Vs Lismore Leopards
The newly reformed Leopards’ first opponents would be the Centurions. With the Centurions finishing third in Season 3, the challenge would be tough for the Leopards.
Murovanka
The Leopards started their map pick by moving to the 1 flag and starting the cap. They proceeded to divide their attack by starting the double cap. The Leopards’ Turbulance was punished for starting the double cap and retreated. Time was ticking down but the Centurions’ Cows got the reset with minimal damage. Turbulance went down and the Leopard put two tanks on the 1 flag. Good spotting from the Centurions lead to good focus fire with the Leopards’ Rippon copping a lot of damage. After losing another tank the Leopards were forced to dump into an overmatch allowing the Centurions to take the win.
The Centurions’ attack went hard to the 1 flag as well. Two tanks on the cap forced Rippon to find an angle for a reset. The Centurions held the cap well and when Leopards’ ToasteD appeared he was punished. When the Leopards dumped onto the cap they were almost able to tank down two tanks but missed shots let the Centurions get out with all tanks. The Centurions took the battle and go up 2-0 on their opponent’s map pick.
Prokhorovka
The Centurions started the defence of their map pick with good 1 flag control. Luckily for the Leopards they set up well for a 2 flag attack. They drew the Centurions to the train line. MirrasYYY from the Centurions found an angle and fired under a train carriage to get the reset. The game turned to a stalemate but time was against the Leopards. Turbulance and Rippon went down but the Leopards were up in HP. Great plays by the Leopards saw Cows in a 2v1. Toasted dumped over the train line and eliminated Cows to give the Leopards a win.
The Leopards took a traditional defensive setup with tanks along the train line and spotting from A3 and C1. Scott_Hanaray from the Centurions spotted out the Leopards’ Magic_Shells at A6 giving his team some knowledge. His team mates dumped over the E line ridge and removed Toasted before moving on to the Leopards’ Buff_Hamster. Scott Hanaray was joined by Malpaso to remove the Leopards’ tank at A6. The Centurions closed the net around the two remaining Leopards and took the win.
The Centurions defeat the Leopards 3-1.
ANZBL Season 4 Round 1 Game 2
Auckland Archers Vs Fremantle Fireflies
ANZ stalwarts Archers were the first opponents of newcomers Fireflies. The Fireflies have a solid roster though, so it was going to be a tough match!
Sand River
The Fireflies spread out early sending tanks both north and south on their opponent’s map pick. Meanwhile the Archers had a fairly standard defence with two tanks at the ridge at D7 and back at A0. The Archers had Skippy in an unconventional bush watching the 1 flag. Happy to keep the opening slow, the Fireflies were searching for knowledge. Eventually they found four of the Archers in the north west and moved onto the 1 flag. Skippy was spotted out but he’d bought his team a lot of time. Despite being on the defence and time on their side, the Archers forced a fight at the ridge at D7 that was in the favour of the Fireflies. The Fireflies made the most of the battle and took the win.
Looking for an attacking win on their map pick, the Archers put Skippy at F5 for spotting as the rest of the team drove south. The Fireflies spotted one of the southern Archers which made his team mates slow their advance. Skippy moved through the river as a spotter looking to dump onto the Fireflies TheGrizz but he sensed danger and got out. The Fireflies found the overmatch on Skippy and he went down. That was the trigger. The Archers abandoned trying to get on the 1 flag and pushed into the Fireflies’ cannons. The Fireflies go up 2-0 on their opponents’ map pick.
Himmelsdorf (Fireflies)
The Archers needed a win to keep their hopes alive. They took a very defensive setup in the north eastern side of their opponents’ map pick. The Fireflies moved two tanks along the 0 line without taking any damage. Haha_yes from the Fireflies spotted out two Archers tanks and started the cap. The Archers movements are seen by the Fireflies as Haha_yes backed away from the cap. TheGrizz found shots onto Skippy to remove him before isolating the Archers’ DeadeyesDazNz. Great teamwork from the Fireflies allowed them to remove more tanks and take the win.
The Archers were looking to salvage some pride on their Himmelsdorf attack as they pushed hard along the 8 line. Haha_yes at G3 was able to spot three of the four tanks crossing. With the knowledge the Fireflies knew that the Archers were headed to the 2 flag. They sent double AMX M4 54s and an IS-4 to chase them along the 8 line while sending the other two to D3. The Archers were able to start the cap and their Kiwi_Nightmare found himself in a pincer facing the full might of the Fireflies. After he went down the Archers put three tanks on the cap but a great individual act from MrRez saw him eliminate one tank and get the resets on the other two. He allowed his team to start the fight that lead to the Fireflies taking the win.
The Fireflies defeat the Archers 4-0
ANZBL Season 4 Round 1 Game 3
Hawthorn Hellcats Vs Bundaberg Badgers
The last match of the night saw Season 3 runners up Badgers take on the wooden spooners Hellcats. Would the Badgers have an easy win or would the Hellcats surprise everyone.
Himmelsdorf (Hellcats)
The Hellcats start on defence of their map pick. They quickly took control of the eastern side of the map as the Badgers ran the 0 line towards the 2 flag. The Hellcats’ DarthCalalier at A5 spotted the push causing his team to rotate but some had to come a long way. Meanwhile the Badgers had started the cap with Auzzienoob at A7. The Hellcats avoided the attackers’ set up along the 8 line by crossing the courtyard and dumping onto Oreos. When he went down the Badgers came off the cap. They regrouped and started the cap again. The Hellcats were once again able to isolate one of the Badgers to make it a 5v3. A brawl ensued which went the way of the Hellcats allowing them to take the opening match.
The reverse leg saw the Badger set up a 2 flag defence. Meanwhile the Hellcats moved three tanks to the hill. The Hellcats’ Boz came off the hill and was spotted along the B line by Phantom_Yamato at B4. Unaware of the three Badgers tanks hiding along the A line, Boz stopped at B0. The Hellcats found their way onto the 2 flag. Eventually the three Badgers on the A line dumped onto Boz. He went down but the Hellcats now knew where they were. Moving off the cap the Hellcats’ Mantank12345 thought he had a 1v1 against Phantom_Yamato but he had Brave_Sir_Robin in support. Mantank12345 had his own support but it was not enough and he went down. Now in a 3v5 the Hellcats started the 1 flag cap. With more guns in the game the Badgers were able to dump onto them and take the win.
Murovanka (Badgers)
The Badgers started on attack of their map pick. All five tanks drove to the 1 flag with the Hellcats spread out. The Badgers ignored the cap and dumped straight onto DarthCavalier, removing him. When Mantank12345 followed DarthCavalier the Hellcats were in trouble. The Badgers mopped up the rest of the Hellcats and took the win.
The return leg saw the Hellcats start slowly, spreading out in northern Murovanka. Meanwhile the Badgers went hard for a 1 flag defence. The Hellcats rotated to the south east of the map, getting in behind the Badgers. They started the 2 flag cap as DarthCavalier distracted the Badgers near the 1 flag. He went down but he had bought enough time for a successful 2 flag push. The Hellcats took the match and pushed the series to a tie breaker.
Tundra
The Badgers were on the defence of the tie break map Tundra. Going with a standard setup, they watched for the Hellcats. Looking for a way in the Hellcats pushed four tanks to A0. They were able to find a 4v2 but the Badgers rotated before any real damage could be done. The Hellcats got a couple of the Badgers HP low, but it was at the cost of two of their own tanks. As the dominoes started to fall the Badgers took control and took the tie breaker.
The Badgers get the tie breaker win defeating the Hellcats 3-2.
Fantasy League
The Fireflies’ TheGrizz (333.4) starred in his team’s 4-0 victory while the Badgers’ BadBoiBubbles (275.4) and Brave_Sir_Robin (187.0) also repped their team in the Fantasy League. Rounding out the team of the week is the Centurions’ Captain_Cows (270.2) and the Leopards’ Buff_Hamster (187.0).
The Hellcats’ Flaming (237.5), the Badgers’ Spencer2018 (199.2) and the Centurions’ Soltarian (198.8) and Toddy339 (190.5) scored more points than some members of the Fantasy Team Of The Week but were not included due to Fantasy League rules.
Next Week
The first match of round 2 sees the Badgers taking on the Leopards followed by the Archers versing the Centurions. Finally we have the much improved Hellcats taking on the Fireflies.
Tune in from 7pm ADST Mondays at https://twitch.tv/worldoftanksanz for more tank action!