Infiltration

Having landed their small biplane in the desert, Blazkowicz and Coulson meet with their local guide and make their way to a nearby oasis where they are due to meet up with Agent Waterson. However when they arrive the small settlement is overrun with Nazis.

The agents must defeat the Nazis and break through to the dig site beyond.

The quiet outpost has a small Nazi presence, but beyond a nearby hill is an incoming foot patrol

Neumann and Pfeil amble around near the oasis - they can't see anything untoward at the moment

Blazkowicz and Coulson cross the open ground around the flank, led by the able Haddo

The Germans leap into action as their caught between two fires - Waterson's group inside the cordon take fire from Heinz

With Hisham badly wounded, Waterson and Nazir race around the house to team up with Blazkowicz

Well in advance of Bachmann's patrol, Bauer charges through to the Oasis to take cover there and fire at the infiltrators

Our heroes are beset on all sides and things are looking grim

Waterson leaps forward, firing at Heinz and his cronies as she advances. She takes them all down, before she vanquishes Heinz in fearsome hand-to-hand

Nazir's attempt to get control of the car ends badly, advancing unseen from the house, Pfeil guns him down.

Bauer reaches the car and empties his sub-machine gun at the agents, killing Haddo and Coulson outright but failing to scratch Blazkowicz

Despite being outnumbered, Blazkowicz charges in, chucking a grenade into the car and suppressing (the hell out of) the nearby Nazis

Waterson races over to the stricken Hisham, smacking her rifle stock into the head of the German who was about to execute him. They have to secure Blazkowicz' escape

His Tommy Gun irretrievably jammed (to a freak rifle shot) Blazkowicz considers discretion to be the better part of valour and runs for it, taking cover behind the house.

The Nazis follow

But Waterson, from a significant vantage point, fires, wounding the over-eager Bauer and giving her surviving teammates a chance to escape.

Blazkowicz' infiltration was successful, but at a terrible cost, losing one agent and all their local allies...

Top (Film) Duels: #3, #2, #1

Drumroll please!

#3 The Duellists (Pick one!)
I think this is my favourite, but honestly I would not begrudge you a different choice (the fourth duel, from horseback almost pipped this one). Of course this film is more about the culture of duelling than the duels themselves.



#2 The Princess Bride (The Man in Black vs. Inigo Montoya)

I'm sure this scene requires no introduction. The 'techniques' referenced are just nonsense I think, but the names are all genuine.



#1 Rob Roy (McGregor vs. Cunningham)

The film itself is a bit forgettable, but this fight is top of the class. At this stage we have no doubts as to the character and abilities of both combatants.



In all cases I think the drama and story of the situation is paramount, but we still need an element of realism and skill in the fight.

Quite a few didn't quite make the list, including:

• The Four Musketeers (Rochefort vs. Athos)
• The Bourne Identity (Magazine vs. Knife)
• Le Bossu (de Nevers vs. Assassins)
• Brotherhood of the Wolf (Mani vs. Brigands)

Maybe a short list of group brawls and melees and a matching list from TV are required...

Top (Film) Duels: #6, #5, #4

So, into mid-table of my list of top hand-to-hand fights

#6 Eastern Promises (Bath House)

This is a pretty brutal fight, a no-holds struggle to the death.



#5 Haywire (Coffee?)

This is just such a surprise as it's the first scene we get with the characters. I like the way some bystanders try to help out too.



#4 Sanjuro (Sanjuro vs. Muroto)

Unfortunately, this clip doesn't include the first 30 seconds of the standoff. It's in stark contrast to the rest of the film, which has a comic slant, it's more tragic as we know that the last act of violence thrills the young onlookers more than it horrifies them.



Top three next week!