By sjj_admin 
Originally published on GameOnAus.com in Apr 2023
ANZPL Split 1 2023 Round 4 is over. Only one round separates us from the playoffs. Any points are worth their weight in gold.
ANZPL Split 1 2023 Round 4 Game 1
Melbourne Matildas Vs Wellington Wolverines
The Matildas had a rocky round 3. They were looking to bounce back. In their way stood ANZPL new-comers the Wolverines.
Himmelsdorfl
The action kicked off on the Wolverines’ map pick. They started on the attack. Pushing the K line, they looked towards the 1 flag. Toddy 339 took the hill trying to find any info they could. The Matildas took a standard defensive setup, with Whippet deep at F1. He found an early shot onto Sir_Robin, giving the Matildas the information on where the Wolverines were. Rotating to the 1 flag, the Matildas stared to bleed their opponents. The Wolverines rotated to the D line but were held back by the Matildas’ double Maus setup. They were able to sneak two tanks onto the 2 flag, drawing in the Matildas. The Wolverines held the line and took a cap win.
Moving to the defence, the Wolverines sent two takes to A9. As luck would happen, the Matildas sent 4 tanks alone the 0 line. They turned down the B line as the two T57 Heavys came in behind them. The Matildas got out with only one shot taken, but they were pushed off their initial strategy. They isolated Soltarian in a 1v4 and removed him as the T57s came into the fight. They emptied their auto-loader clip as Whippet found them on reload. The Matildas used their extra numbers to push through the Wolverines and equalise the series 1-1.
Prohorovka
The Matildas started on defence of their map pick. They pushed straight out from their starting point, with all tanks on the western side of the train line. Meanwhile the Wolverines took eastern control, with one tank on the hill and two more pushing over it. Whippet spotted one of them. AVP on the hill took a lot of damage on the hill, with his teammate Mud_Garde taking a couple of shots as well. The Matildas pushed over the train line, taking a 2-for-1 trade. They held W and went next, finding a 3v2 over-match. That resolved with the game at a 2v1 in favour of the Matildas. Being on defence, the Matildas pulled back and waited for the clock. AVP found a kill to bring it back to a 1v1 but Whippet had the superior HP. Whippet secures the win to send his team up 2-1.
The Wolverines needed a win to send the game to a tie breaker. They spread to the east, but the Matildas had gone for the 1 flag play. With two tanks on the cap, the pressure was on the Wolverines to respond. The Wolverines found the resets but they lost a tank for their trouble. Whippet in the Strv 103B was having a field day, hitting tanks on the other side of the train line. When another Wolverine went down, the Matildas drove off the cap, overwhelming Mud_Garde. The Matildas found the kills and took the win.
The Melbourne Matildas defeat the Wollongong Wolverines 3-1.
ANZPL Split 1 2023 Round 4 Game 2
North Sydney Sentinels Vs Adelaide Action X
The Sentinels found themselves in unfamiliar territory towards the bottom of the ladder. Their opponents for round 4 are was the team that beat them twice last season: the Adelaide Action X. Would this be the start of the comeback for the Sentinels? Or would Action X’s dominance over them continue?
Ghost Town
Action X started on attack of their map pick. They moved towards the south-east of the town. Action X’s Dongerlord was spotted out early around H6. His teammates ignored that and drove three tanks straight onto the 2 flag, starting the cap. With the Sentinels so spread out the rotation was slow in coming. Syndy from the Sentinels found the reset but paid for it with half his health. He went down, giving Action X the tank advantage. When Sentinels’ Speed when down Action X had removed both the high HP Maus tanks. Action X held W and removed the reset of the Sentinels’ tanks with no losses of their own to take the opening match.
The return leg saw the Sentinels moving to attack. They pushed to the south-east. Meanwhile Action X moved aggressively to the south of the town. They found shots into Rainbow and TheReturned. The Sentinels pushed onto the 2 flag but it cost them a lot of health to do so. Action X had not lost any HP at this point in the match. The resets came in but Dongerlord was punished and removed. Action X traded back but an ignite onto Speed changed the course of the battle. Holding W Action X pushed in, found the kills and went up 2-0 in the series.
Himmelsdorf
The Sentinels were desperate for a win on their map pick. They started on defence and looked towards the courtyard. Two of Action X’s tanks were spotted at D8. The Sentinels’ defensive setup was solid, with Action X taking some bleed damage. Action X found their way onto the 2 flag and started the cap. Both teams were finding their shots but a sneak attack from Action X’s CJ on Del had him trapped. Del went down and Action X stopped the cap to take the fight. The Sentinels groups up and looked to isolate their opponents. It didn’t go in their favour, as Action X made the most of their tank advantage. Action X closed the net and went up 3-0.
Action X switched to the defence in match 4. They moved aggressively to through the courtyard and round the banana. The Sentinels grouped up on the hill and pushed the A line. Action X were prepared for this and put a lot of damage into them. The Sentinels were able to start the cap but Action X were rotating in response. Saffe on the cap was deleted as the brawl broke out. Action X used their focus fire to remove more Sentinels to take the win.
Adelaide Action X defeat the North Sydney Sentinels 4-0.
ANZPL Split 1 2023 Round 4 Game 3
Perth Panthers Vs South Sydney Skorpions
It was tight in the race for playoffs. The Panthers were looking to improve their standings. But the Skorpions wanted a top spot. Who would come out on top?
Sand River
The Skorpions started on attack of their map pick. They scouted the K line, looking for an early entry. Napalmer was spotted by the Panthers along the ridge at C5. Slow and steady was the name of the game. JT from the Skorpions found himself the target of Panthers aggression and was removed. With so many tanks in the north-west, the Skorpions moved through the south of the map. Twit from the Panthers went down, bring it to a 4v4. The Panthers had the HP advantage. They pushed forward, taking out two tanks in the middle of the map. The Panthers take the opening win.
Moving to defence on the return leg, the Skorpions looked to the south and the 1 flag. Meanwhile the Panthers also started the attack slow. Finding some shots onto JT, the Panthers pushed deep to K0. The Skorpions found JS from the Panthers, removing him. The Panthers rotated to the north but KritaKil was farmed on his cross. They started the 2 cap. Twit from the Panthers went down as the reset came in. Twit was traded for Benny, bringing the game to a 3v3, with the HP firmly in favour of the Skorpions. They pressed that advantage to level the series 1-1.
Prokhorovka
The Panthers started on defence of their map pick. They started very aggressively, meeting the Skorpions along the E line. Russian from the Skorpions went down first, causing Auzzie to push onto KritaKil, but it was KritaKil that came out on top. The brawl resolved into a 2v1 in favour of the Panthers, which they went on to win.
The Skorpions moved to defence, looking to send the game to a tie breaker. They opted for a more traditional defence, with Auzzie in the CS-63 scouting the E line with the rest of his team waiting along the A line. The Panthers took out JT at E4 quickly, looking towards the 1 flag. They pushed the 2 line but were spotted. Continuing the push, the Panthers bled a lot of damage. The Skorpions brought it back to a 3v3. With low HP and an ignite against them the Panthers were on the back foot. The Skorpions pressed forward and took the win, sending the match to a tie breaker.
Tundra
The Panthers were on defence of the tie breaker map. They sent a single tank to A4 with a couple in the town for support. The Skorpions spread, looking for information. Twit found an early shot onto Auzzie, causing a rotation north by the Skorpions. Not liking what they saw, they rotated south again. Time was against them though and they would have to make a move soon. With the attention south, Benny found his way onto the 1 flag. The Panthers were distracted as the Skorpions pushed onto the 2 flag. Twit went down as the Panthers pushed two tanks onto the 2 capping Skorpions, resulting in a 1-for-1 trade. JS from the Panthers was the only Panthers tank left with the clock ticking down. The Skorpions had the time though, taking the tie breaker win with seconds to spare.
The South Sydney Skorpions defeat the Perth Panthers 3-2.
Fantasy League
The banger last game of the night had Bailes (384.7) and KritaKil (360.0) from the Panthers topping the Fantasy Team Of The Week, with Benny (253.9) representing the Skorpions. Action X took up the other two spots with Rowendy (315.2) and CJ (303.9)
Russian (282.4), Napalmer (376.6) and Auzzie (255.7) from the Skorpions as well as LightningMan (267.5), RavioliAldente (266.7) and Whippet (263.7) from the Matildas each scored more fantasy points than some members of the Fantasy Team Of The Week but due to team and star restrictions did not make the team of the week.
Next Week
With only one position on the ladder decided, the final week of the round robin promises much action! First up, the 4th placed Panthers take on the 2nd placed Matildas, looking lock up a higher position on the ladder. The second match is the 1st placed Action X coming up against the 6th placed Wolverines. Finally, we have our first Sydney derby of the split with the 5th placed North Sydney Sentinels taking on the 3rd placed South Sydney Skorpions.
Tune in for more ANZPL action from 7pm AEST Fridays at https://twitch.tv/worldoftanksanz!