ESL Cup 1 Part 2

Welcome back into the jeep, folks! This time, we are having a look at the American Cup, which was covered by GeneralsGentlemen. Unfortunately, it had fewer players.



Ah, the poor Americans, with their sixty-one sign ups. Only thirty-one checked in to play. That, however, may have been a good thing. For the devil is in the details, and one player really liked his details.



His name is Luvnest. The Second in Command of Hell's armies. This devil carries two mines in one hand and a beer bottle in the other. I suggest, should you face him, that you strap a minesweeper to your chest. Or if you are the corrupt type, you could always try to bribe him with a few barrels of beer or any other alcoholic beverages he might fancy.



It is only right and proper for Satan's Second Hand to make it to the finals. If only he had remembered his mines in the European Cup, but hey, beer drinking comes first, am I right? His opponent is Paul. Sometimes referred to as Paula by people whom have a secret crush on him. He had a fairly easy run up to the finals, as one of his opponents never showed up. Hmm, are there two devils here, maybe?



Crossing in the Woods is picked. Paul takes the Soviets; Luv the Wehrmacht. The game begins. A little chatter ensues. Luv: Good luck have fun. Paul: Wow. Hfhfhfhfhf. Luv: What did you have for dinner? Paul: Chinese food. Luv: nom. Ah, for Satan's sake, get a room you two!

Standard openings for both. The Wehrmacht goes for their MG42 and one Grenadier, while the Soviets prefer to conscript a few homeless bums from Moscow. One squad for now, but surely, three will be the total. Interesting, the Combat Engineers are heading down the middle, dragging a spool of barbed wire. And Paul has selected the Armored Assault Tactics commander. He will be listening to the enemy for sure. One squad of bums go to the right. No doubt wanting some fuel for their cooking equipment. Haven't had a decent meal in ages, you know.

Meanwhile, Luvnest fans out. His pioneers carry their own spool, but are not as decisive in its use. Yeah, right, Pioneers. Barb that truck carcass good! Surely, that will win the war. The MG42 is not far away and the Grenadiers just came afield. Looks like the center is burning hot today. But it will soon be wired cold.

The Pioneers finish their bizarre project and move up. Just in time to see their way barbed shut. Gonna need some cutters, soldaten! While Paul goes to the right side of the map, Luv decides for the left. Only two bum squads are around.

Things go quietly, a few shots are fired, and some bums make a building their new home. Both players continue to capture territory, undisturbed. Paul builds the Special Rifle Command. Luv recruits a Sniper. Are we at God damned peace conference, or what?

Apparently not, the Pioneers cut their way through the wire in the center. Bang! Headshot! A group of bums find out that the enemy has Sniper, as the Pioneers lay some wire of their own. Commanders, this is not Sim City. Drop the wire spools! Get fighting!



Combat Engineers versus Pioneers, who wins? Neither. The Engineers, behind enemy lines, find the Pioneers in the center. They see them running their way, turn their backs and pretend they never saw anything. They also run back the way they came. Where is a commissar when you need one? Never mind, they changed their minds and are on the way back. Right into the sights of the MG42 and the Sniper. Good work! At least the bums on the other side of the water is having better luck.

Paul's bums and Engineers push on the left side. A group of Grenadiers, meanwhile, see an opportunity to capture the enemy Munitions Point. Uncontested. Now, about that push. Or should I say, shooting gallery. The Sniper is having a good time, six headshots. Three colleagues are on their way, one friendly and two enemies.

With the Early Game at an end, let us have a look at the situation. Map control is about fifty-fifty, with a small lead for Luvnest. Neither player got the other on their knees, but the head count is definitely in Luvnest's favour. But only because of his Sniper. Well then, let the Middle Game begin!

Seven, eight, the Sniper is doing a number on the enemy. His colleague walks up to him, taps him on the back, how many kills? Nine. The colleague smiles at him, lifts his rifle, bang! A nearby Soviet bum falls to the ground. I got one.

Another bang sounds nearby. The MG42 gunner just found out that there is an enemy Sniper team around. Another shot, but the remaining men does not even flinch. We got snipers too, you cowards! Paul losses his Munitions Point to the opportunistic Grenadiers, who then move to secure the left Victory Point. They are joined by the Fuel hungry Pioneers. It will not be long before Paul losses his Fuel as well.

He has to pull his forces back. The enemy snipers make it impossible for him to advance on the right side, his push is failure. Hopefully, his maneuver towards the left will recapture his Munitions and Fuel points.

Luvnest barely have any forces in the area, but he is smart enough to plant a few S-Mines to slow the enemy advance down, but then the Pioneers have to flee. An enemy sniper team is on them. The Grenadiers take position behind a truck, an LMG was just delivered. They sit tight. The German Snipers will be here soon.



The S-Mines do nothing as the Combat Engineers got their minesweeper at the ready. Paul, apparently, has learned to bring a minesweeper to the fight, whenever Luvnest is involved. The German snipers are holding their fire. They do not know if the enemy Sniper team is in the area. Fear cloud their minds.

A squad of bums lumps sandbags atop each other, but too late. The LMG Grenadiers fire. The bums have to retreat. It seems Luv has repelled the attack. The problem is that Paul did not put all his forces into the assault. He has spread himself thin. While this gets him the center, it also allows Luvnest to knock out portions of Paul's army. One at a time.

Although, not for long. Paul may have realized his weakness. He gathers a strike force, and sweeps to the left side. A single Grenadiers squad is there, they flee on contact. To make matters better, an M5 Half-track is afield, equipping itself with a meat grinder. The right side Germans will be in trouble soon. Luvnest gets a Mortar and 222 Scout Car. Well.

Someone will have a very bad time.

Oh no. Luvnest charges his 222 straight through the center. At the Sniper team. At the Meat Grinder. Luckily, the middle road is a bit hard to navigate and he gets his 222 out. Full of holes. The Mortar team may have misread their orders, they set up camp behind some dirt, in plan view of the M5. Talk about a bad day. A man down they manage to get out of there.

Some tellers could have helped, but with an enemy minesweeper out, it may be better to save the Munitions. Although, the fleeing Grenadiers, from the right side, may disagree. Since they are the ones being shot at by the Meat Grinder, which made its way there a few seconds earlier.

A bit of a lull now. Paul works on securing the right, while Luvnest focuses on the left. Huh, if it is not a trapped MG42. And here I thought I told them to drop the spools of barbed wire. The Engineers barbed the entrances to a house on the East side of the map. How the MG42 got into the building with both entrances wired, is beyond me. Must have been a smart trick, let us hope that they can perform it backwards, eh?



They will have to be quick! The Meat Grinder is here, but only for a moment, fearing an anti tank gun. There is, in fact, a Pak 40 7.5cm Anti-tank Gun on the field. Paul has not spotted it yet, but the German radio is rarely wrong. Now, if only the Pioneers could get to that house. Someone needs to cut that wire.

It is too late. A second Sniper team arrived earlier. Together with the first, they killed the crew of the MG42 in the house. If only Luv had some love for his men, he could have saved them earlier. But no. He is a cold hearted devil.

Oh, look at those Sniper teams way out of position, and without any cover. Not to mention that the M5 made its presence know to some Grenadiers, on the other side of the battlefield, moments earlier. What could possibly go wrong?

How about a blood thirsty 222? Look! It is speeding over here! You better leg it snipers, and fast. Good girls. Although, the 222 is missing all its shots. Bad 222! Meanwhile, some Engineers with bum support advance on the Western Fuel Point, forcing some LMG Grenadiers away. With their fists. Bums, please, that is not how we do warfare in 20th century. Here is a knife. Use it.

Remember those Engineers? Have a look down. No, not there, here! See those corpses? Yep, never overextend against double German snipers. Unless you want to join those dead Engineers in Hell. I am sure Luvnest could arrange for all you to be blown up. Repeatedly.

Speaking of dead Soviets, a group of bums ignored the warning signs and walked into an S-Minefield. Right here in the center. Does not look like anyone of them survived. Oh wait. Here is one crawling around. So, bum, how do you feel right now? P-pain... please, help me...! Sure, sure, just crawl a bit more forward. Vrrom! SPLATTER! What? I just put him out of his misery!

That Mortar. They misread their orders again. This time, they sat down in front of two Sniper teams. Whenever shall these idiots learn? Anyway, the middle is hot.



The 222 and some LMG Grenadiers sent a pack of Conscripted Bums running. Unfortunately, the Meat Grinder comes through the center. Double unfortunately, the Pak anti tank gun is aiming this way. One shot down, and... Nothing. The M5 got out, so did the 222. Nobody wins this one. But hey, look! A new MG42, and more importantly some new Engineers, with a minesweeper, clearing out that S-Minefield. One fell over, another joined him, then another, will it be Deja Vu? No. The last Engineer screamed for his mommy and sprinted the fasted he could. The German Snipers missed their chance.

Fifteen minutes in, the Middle Game is ending. Both contestants have enough fuel to get a tank, if either would just bother to teach up! Paul seems to prefer a T-70, despite the fact that if Luvnest had teched up, and built is Panzer Support, he would have had a P4 out. But Paul is safe, since he has a German radio and thus has listened to the enemy all day. Map control is still about even. Either are in a position to win.

Apparently, there is a vodka and coffee break going on. Neither side are doing anything. Oh well, suppose there cannot be constant fighting always. Luvnest secures a second Munitions point for himself. Not that he needs it, he got over two hundred in the bank already. But nothing to spend it on.

Breaks over. Paul is moving two bums, two Sniper teams, and a wounded Meat Grinder to the West side. Looks like an assault will be coming. Hopefully, he will send the infantry and snipers in first. For there is a Pak waiting with an MG42 in front of it. An LMG Grenadier squad is also in the area. So is a third bum squad.

He pushes in. Third bum goes into the building, spots the MG42 for the Snipers, bang, bang, it is retreating. Two bums see the Grenadiers, sprints at them, stabs two of them before letting the rest flee. Well. That looked easy.

But here comes the counterattack. The 222, two Snipers, Mortar and the Pak. A nasty salvo from the 222 sends a Sniper team home, but not in a coffin. Two bum squads retreat thanks to the work of the 222, Snipers and Mortar. There is but one bum squad left to deal with. Whoopsie! There goes the Meat Grinder straight past us. The German Snipers legs it immediately while the 222 pulls back to the Pak. Seems Paul wins this round. Alas, Luvnest is on the other side of the map, capturing his enemy's territory.

A squad of Grenadiers are heading down the center. Going for that cutoff. Too bad, though, that the entire enemy army is walking out of their base, right in front of said Grenadiers. What a fun day to be them! A sniper shot, and they are running away.



Luvnest leaves the East side undefended. Paul buys it with two bums and two Sniper teams. The 222 tries a counter bid, but is a little afraid. With good reason, there is a ZiS-3 76mm Anti-tank gun on the field.

Most of the German forces are a little under the center. Some on the West side. And... Sigh. Not this again. One LMG Grenadier copied the trick of that MG42. Yes, the one that got stuck in a certain house, where said Grenadier currently is. Paul rushes in.

Bang, bang! There goes one of the Sniper teams. The M5 is working on the Grenadiers, whom got out of the house. Currently, they are admiring the barbed wire. Soldaten, jump over it! You idiots, jump! Oh. Okay, go back into the house. At least that will deny the enemy... the LMG. Guess what? They went outside again, to die and give their weapon to the Soviets. The M5 crushes the wire, so that a bum squad can get the weapon. With the mission successful, the Soviets make a tactical retreat.

Luvnest decaptured Paul's cutoff while that battle went on. But it is too late for such things, he already has three hundred Fuel. Enough for whatever he wants. Probably, an IS-2 in four Command Points. Luvnest just went with the German Mechanized Doctrine. A Command Tank should be afield shortly.

The Pak's crew dies to a small push by Paul, while the German Snipers makes a squad of Combat Engineers think twice about capturing the middle Victory Point. But then, they make a move for the West side, where an enemy Sniper team takes a shot. It hits! Sniper down! The Team flees the scene.

A second Pioneers squad is afield, and they finish a Heavy Panzer Korps. Guess that means no Command Tanks will be coming. Then what shall it be? A Panzerwerfer or a Panther?



Paul re-buys his lost Sniper team and tries to make a push here and there, but most are forced away. And, it is a Werfer that Luv went for! Is this the beginning of the end for Paul? To make matters worse, the Veterancy 3 222 has a spotting scope, it can see half across the map!

The Soviets secure the West, the Germans the East, but Map control is still fifty-fifty. The Panzerwerfer fires! And kills one man, belonging to the ZiS-3 gun. Booo! Then a Panther arrives. Things are only grim for Paul, but he has to wait only a half Command Point for his heavy tank. But will it make a difference? He is still lacking artillery to counter fire the Werfer.

The map sides are traded. A veteran German Sniper, with 19 confirmed kills, takes down an enemy Sniper team in two shots. The last member of it screams in pain as flames consumes her. Meanwhile, deep under the Earth, Satan laughs. His Second in Command is doing well.

Luvnest losses control of the middle Victory Point. He fires a barrage of rockets to punish the attackers, killing a grand total... No, a measly total of two men. Perhaps, Paul has a chance after all if the Werfer continues to aim so badly. But Luvnest mangaes to clear the center nevertheless, and grabs control of all three Victory Points.

Then the IS-2 arrives, in front of the Panther and Pak Anti-tank gun. Jeez. I spoke too soon! The Meat Grinder overdrives in, clears the Pak as the ZiS-3 lines up two shots. The Panther is destroyed! Paul has clawed his way back into the game! But he is down to one hundred and fifty-seven Victory Points. His opponent has three hundred and thirty-four. A lot of work awaits Paul. And he needs to repair his IS-2, it will be out of the fight for a while. But that Pak will come in handy.

The Panzerwerfer fires again! Three men. It seems its aim is improving!



The repairs go slow for Paul, only one squad of Engineers are on it, the other is out in the field. They secure the East Victory Point, but the Meat Grinder needs repairs. Just as they move away, a squad of Grenadiers arrive to contest the Point. But not for long, a squad of bums with Sniper support shows them the way home!

With repairs done, the IS-2 traverses out onto the battlefield, but a new Panther is on its way. The heavy tank and the Meat Grinder hurries to the Western Victory Point, where they rout the defenders and wipe an MG42 crew out of existence! And just in time, the Panther is here. It misses it first shot. Not good for Luvnest, but perfect for Paul! But neither player dares to push to try a finish on the other tank. The MG42 gets stolen.

Oooohh! The Mortar one-shells a group of bums out! And the stolen Pak fell earlier. Oh no! The last Sniper team goes down to a one-two punch from the German sniper! Things are looking fantastic for Luvnest. Except for his Werfer's performance. Since last time, it has fired two barrages, killing three men in one, while gently massaging the IS-2 with the other.

Both sides fight over the Victory Points, as time ticks down. A rocket barrage kills one of the Combat Engineer squads. The ZiS-3 gets cleared. The IS-2 gets a Panzerfaust into its engine. A recrewed Pak is decrewed by the Werfer. Things are looking worse and worse for Paul! He is at ninety-nine Victory Points, Luv at three hundred and nine.

A second Panther is afield! Both advance through the center. This could be the killing blow for Paul! He has no Anti-tank guns left. But, the two Panthers politely stop in the middle of the middle. Apparently, Luv is afraid of mines. Despite that the Werfer has made love to that area several times.

This gives Paul time to crew the two abandoned Anti-tank guns laying at the top of the center as a new ZiS-3 travels afield. But it does not need the new one to knock out one of the Panthers! However, it is not a killing blow.

The Soviets capture all three Victory Points! Now he just needs to hold them for ten minutes to win. But Luvnest will not have it. He sends his Sniper to take back the middle, he succeeds! The Meat Grinder gets destroyed by the Panther! There is a new Pak gun on the field, and the IS-2 is badly damaged after an engagement.

A Soviet Anti-tank gun goes dooown! The IS-2 is self repairing, if anything finds it, it will not be able to fight back. A big risk! It is not back home at the base, but in the upper West. But thankfully, no one spots it.



Alas, there is again a second Panther afield! What is worse, is that the IS-2 is below half health, it ran into a Pak and a Panther earlier. This could be the end, for Paul!

It is the end! The IS-2 goes down, and only eighteen Victory Points remain for him, while Luvnest has two Victory Points secured.

Paul throws the Good Game! It is over.


It is on the same map, with the same factions for both players, will the build orders be the same? Yes, and no. Two conscripts, farmers this time, and two Engineers into the Special Rifle Command, snipers I bet. The same as last time from Luvnest. Oh, and Armoured Assault Tactics is selected again.

Oh look, rush to the center, wire and capture. The same order as last time. Luvnest does it too. Again to the Left side. Too predicable, my friends. Sooner or later, someone will use those patterns against you. Mark my words.

The West is captured by the Germans, while the East belongs to the Soviets. As before, here comes the wire cutters to slice the middle. Lads, just how boring can you be?

The Pioneers are forced from the center by some farmers and Engineers. No pitchforks nor torches, although, the farmers would probably do better with them than their rifles.

A Sniper then a Grenadier for Luv. A Sniper team for Paul. A stale game for the readers and Yukiko. We could do with some torches and pitchforks here!



I know you are supposed to not take too many risks when you are ahead, but sitting on your arse all day will get you nowhere, Luvnest. It will only get your opponent back into it. Especially, if you do as you did last time.

Without a fight, Paul gives his dear lover the middle Victory Point. Let us hope Satan gave them a room already. An engineer dies to a burst from the MG42, the rest of the squad flees. Meanwhile, the Soviet Sniper team pass on a perfect opportunity to nail a German. Apparently, paranoia has taken Paul. He sees German snipers everywhere.

Map control is even, except that Luv has the middle Victory Point. Both players got another Sniper, and the early game has been a quiet and dull one. Hopefully, the Middle Game will prove more exciting.

Well, someone got over their fear of German snipers. A Grenadier falls down, with half his head missing. Good shot to you both! For the German Sniper took a shot at some Engineers. Oh, and the Pioneers and a Grenadier squad advanced on the Eastern side. They capturing the Victory and Fuel Points there as we speak. Already, this is much more fun than the first five minutes of the game.

While he gets the Eastern Victory Point, Luvnest does not acquire the Fuel. A farmer squad interrupted him, rudely. As did some vodka filled Engineers. Somewhat odd of Paul to not go for the other side. It is wide open. And he cannot get the Fuel back, the Grenadiers are holding the house, looking over the point.

Bang! A Soviet Sniper falls into a bush. Somehow, one of the German Snipers spotted him, but not his comrade. He retreats back home, and is soon followed by a one man farmer squad. Sadly, it is an old limping farmer, and that threw off the Sniper's aim.



Luvnest planted a S-Minefield on the Right Munitions Point, keeping his snipers in the center. Paul's forces are already undermanned out in the field, and one Sniper just took another man down. Two Engineer squads are clearing away the mines. Under the fire from two Snipers. They force one squad to retreat, but dares not to take more than two shots combined. Seems it is Luv's turn to be paranoid. Which, if I may say, is quite queer for a devil.

The Right Fuel Point is back under Paul's control, but the Grenadiers did not leave the area. They contest the point. A sniper shot does not deter them, but they retreat the moment they make the point neutral.

A German Sniper kills a farmer in the center, but an enemy Sniper team is there, they get down, aim... and nothing. They were too slow on the trigger. Bang! A new chance, down, aim... no. Still too slow. You know, perhaps Soviet Snipers are not the answer to German ones.

The Snipers are having fun, on both sides, killing their enemies. An LMG Grenadier retreats after two shots, a Conscript after four, and a Sniper team after taking a shot at the Pioneers. Wait, what? The Pioneers got that close, you say? Well. You two suck.

Both Munitions Points are under the control of Luvnest. An S-Minefield goes down in the center, while a nasty Demolition Charge is planted on the Eastern Fuel. Ouch. This could hurt for whoever does not pay attention.



Lesson one, for snipers, always stay in cover. Bang! That was close, Soviet Sniper. You just managed to get to cover before you got shot. No idea who made your camouflage, but you may as well marry them. They just saved your life! The same cannot be said for your comrade here. His brain is all over my jeep's wheels. Ugh, this will be a mess to clean up.

Some farmers with minesweeper support run through the center, at the German Snipers. Heroic, but also idiotic. One, two, and three men down. Retreat. One, two, retreat. One, retreat. What? The Pioneers walked into the middle, got shot, and retreated. The sad thing is that the minefield is still there.

Paul just got another Sniper team, despite being unable to keep them alive last game. This bodes well! For Luvnest, that is. Or not, he just lost a Grenadier squad. Kept them too long in a fight for the Eastern side, where two Sniper teams were.

Double bangs, Sniper team down, retreat, retreat! No revenge for the Soviets today! A victory for Luv, but short term wise it may not have been. For now the Soviet Snipers have free reign for some seconds. The question is, will Paul use his time well?

A Grenadier, with an LMG, tries to make a stand behind a truck, wanting to send a squad of farmers running. But woe unto thee, for two Sniper teams there are, nearby. Twice is the sound of a bang.

A Pak Anti-tank gun is afield. But it has been left near the cutoff in the center and on the road. A Conscript, and two Snipers, are on the way there. They do not know that it is there. But now they do. One man falls down, but the other Sniper is too slow to take the shot. And time is up. The German Snipers are back. The Conscripts are the first to feel their wrath. They flee!



Further up, and a little left, there is an MG42, guarding a Munitions Point. Found by Engineers, and shot at by Snipers. They too flee, but only one man gets home. It is the same story with a veteran Grenadier squad. For they wish to fight for the point, but their own Snipers cannot get sight on the enemy Sniper teams.

Another Demolitions Charge is planted. This one on the Western Victory Point, across from a boat. Yet, Luvnest is supposed to be the devil here. Not Paul!

One of Paul's Engineers are a bit sneaky beaky like, they capture the West Fuel. Two other squads secure the East. Speaking of sneaky beaky like, Paul has two T-70s waiting for his signal. His opponent has no idea what is coming, and he just got a shiny new 222.

BOOOM! Oh dear. Well. Remember that Charge on the West Point? It appears to be gone, as does the MG42 crew stationed there. A "free" MG42 for Paul!

Choo, choo! Here comes the pain train of T-70s! But, the 222 has a spotting scope and sees them. What a party popper! Luckily, Paul splits his light tanks up and comes from two directions. One finds the 222 and the other a Panzerfaust and the Pak. A few shots and the 222 goes down. But that damaged engine will not fix itself. Of course, if you are right next to the Pak gun, then it cannot fire on you, which means that the T-70 can repair its engine damage. Just watch.

Uhm, keep watching! Anytime now. No, no, do not drive backwards after the Pak gun, just repair yourself and get out! Or blow up. You know, in hindsight, Paul could have rushed his other T-70 in there to finish that Pak. But he did not.

Around that time again, where the Middle Game ends, and the Late begins. Map control is slightly in the favour of Paul, but this is mostly due to Luvnest's refusal to tech up. He has two hundred and forty-five fuel stored. This is more than enough for any of the vehicles from The Support Armor Korps, but he does not have that option, because he has not Escalated to Battle Phase Two, despite having the resources. This puts him behind, by the time he got his 222 out, he could have gotten a Panzer Four, which would have dealt with both T-70s. It seems he is going for the Command Tank this time around, having selected the German Mechanized Doctrine yet again. And yet, the Command Tank is one Command Point away. Had Paul been more patient, he could have teched up to get a T-34/85 and then a Katyusha. Alas, he did not.



Paul pushes down the center. With only two farmer squads and a stick. The German Snipers do not find that amusing and puts a few more heads under their belts. Although, the farmers almost kills one of them. A bit up, an LMG Grenadier squad gets shot at. By the Sniper teams. The Germans quickly flee, but lose three men, which is still better than the Soviets eight losses. Overall, not a good engagement for Paul.

A Grenadiers squad make their way to the Western Victory Point. And just as the stolen MG42 sees them, Paul tells them to change position. This cannot get much worse. The Germans close in, the machine gun sets up, and a stray shot from the T-70 kills the gunner. Then the Germans flee. Not wanting to be next.

The Pak gun, apparently on a picnic, decided to try and chase the T-70. Without any protection, nor sight. Across the river and next to a pond, two Soviet snipers take aim. Three bangs, and decrewed. It is at this moment that Luvnest calls in the Command Tank, as some Engineers want to bring the Pak with them home, but the German Snipers say no.

Paul is not prepared for the Command Tank. It drives off his troops and pushes deep into the center. It is here that it finds a SU-76, which decides to give chase. It in turn finds out that there is a recrewed Pak gun in the area. A bit too forward, in fact.

At the same time, two Snipers fall, both players lose one to the other.

The T-70 charges in, followed by the SU-76, which takes the path through the foilage next to the forest. That tank will never expect it! The Command Tank gets distracted by the light tank, leaving its butt open to an attack by the flanking Su-76. A Conscript delivers the killing blow, in the form of an anti tank grenade. Without any support, the Pak's crew gets killed. As does the crew of the T-70, they tried to chase the remaining Germans Sniper, but ran into a squad of Grenadiers. A Faust, and the light tank went up in flames.



A new Command Tank is ordered afield. Luvnest can spend his fuel now, but Paul saves for an IS-2, he is fifty fuel away from it. But he has to survive that long. About two minutes, with his current income of Fuel. He got both points, but no Victory Points.

Luvnest must have fallen in love with aggression all of a sudden. There goes his tank, straight down the center and into enemy lines. Again. He really does not want anyone else to touch his Pak gun, does he?

He drops smoke on its location, rushing in some Grenadiers to recapture it. But Paul is there too, with some Conscripts. Somehow, the Germans get to it first. They pull it back, heading for home. But Paul has other plans for them. He calls in a Sturmovik attack on their position and supports it with the Conscripts, a Sniper team and the SU-76. He decrews the Pak again and sends Luv running.

Over on the Eastern Fuel Point, things are q-BOOM! Well, they were quiet until those Grenadiers tried capturing it. Not a piece of them are left. They turned to smoke. Bloody smoke.

This is not good for Luvnest. His forces are reduced to two Grenadier squads, one Pioneers, one Sniper and the Command Tank. Paul has a slightly larger force with a stolen MG42, one Sniper team, two Engineers and two Conscripts. And soon, he will have the IS-2. But he has to save for it.

This gives Luvnest the chance to rebuild his forces. He gets two Panzergrenadiers squads, but nearly losses one to a Demolition Charge, but Paul does not pull the trigger. Either unaware of them, or wanting more in return for his investment.

Slowly, the map control turns in Paul's favour. His IS-2 arrives, and he has a ZiS-3 Anti-tank Gun. But Luvnest is not out of the fight yet, he has enough Munitions to upgrade both of his Panzergrenadiers with Panzerschrecks. Later he gets himself a Pak Gun.

A battle for dominance begins. Paul quanders his Demolition Charge, getting nothing in return. Losses a squad of farmer Conscripts. But keeps a grip on all three Victory Points. He has two hundred and sixty-six points to Luvnest's one hundred and forty-five.

In one engagement, Paul takes down the Command Tank, losing only a T-70 on his right flank, while still gripping all three Victory Points. Luvnest is down to eighty-eight points. Surely, this is the end for the devil of mines!

But he is not out yet, he gets another Command Tank and captures the middle Victory Point as well as the left one. He is still in this.

He manages to lose the left Victory Point, but captures the right, and gets a second Pak. Then he losses a Pak and his Command Tank, for the third time. Well, we are back to a grim looking future for Luv.

One Panzerfaust may change it all, however! The IS-2's engine is hit. The Panzergrenadiers advance on it. There is little Soviet support in the area, a Sniper team nearby, some Conscripts further away. Will they be able to save the IS-2?



No, they will not! It goes down! And a new Command Tank is afield! With no manpower saved up, Paul cannot get fresh IS-2 out straight away. He has two hundred and twenty-two Victory Points left, but is this his end?

He throws away a captured Pak! That will not make it any easier for him if he should get another IS-2. But he wants to win. He smells it. His opponent is only at forty points! Surely, there must be a way!

Oh no! The SU-76 goes down! And there is still several minutes until the IS-2, and yet... Pail throws his men at the middle Victory Point. This is something he cannot afford, he needs Manpower for the IS-2. But he is throwing it away, despite having time to wait. This may not be good. Ah, he is smart, though, he does not reinforce his forces.

The IS-2 arrives! But Paul is down to one hundred and twenty-seven points. There are two Paks and two Panzergrenadiers with Schrecks out there. He may have lost, but that remains to be seen.

Before he can launch an assault, Luvnest sprints at him. If he can have his say, there will not be a third game to decide the winner of the American Cup. He forces the IS-2 back, but fails to kill it. Eighty-nine points left.

He lays siege to Paul's base. None shall slip out to capture the Victory Points! Although, the captured MG42 is out there, trying. Alas, the Sniper ends its attempt.

Fifty-four, Paul makes a desperate attempt to break out! His IS-2 is almost dead, but he only has a minutes and some seconds left! There is no choice. He must make a break for it or die.

He is pushed back. It certainly is over. He has thirty points, less than a minute left. Despite the odds, he makes one last attempt, going for the East and West Victory Points. But, the ticker reaches zero. He has lost.


Paul came close, but no dice for him. Luvnest, the master of mines, stands supreme! But only for now, someone may take that title from him today. For the second American Cup will be later, while the European one has started. I wish I could play in it, but it is too late. Luckily, there is always a next time!