Panzer General

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Panzer General
Developer(s) Strategic Simulations, Inc
Publisher(s) Strategic Simulations, Inc
Platform(s) MS-DOS, Mac OS 7, Playstation
Release date 1994
Genre(s) Turn-based strategy
Mode(s) Single player or two player via hotseat or PBEM
Input methods Mouse and keyboard

Panzer General is a World War II computer wargame published by Strategic Simulations in 1994.

Contents

[edit] Overview

Panzer General is turn-based, set on operational level hex maps. One plays lone scenarios from either Axis or Allied side and against a computer or human opponent. In Campaign Mode, the player assumes the role of a German general against the Allied computer.

The basic design of the game shares some commonality with the popular Squad Leader board game series, with a wide variety of units available.

Panzer General is an operational-level game, and units approximate battalions, although unit size and map scale from one scenario to the next are elastic. While the names and information for the units are reasonably accurate, the scenarios only approximate historical situations.

Its novel feature was to link individual scenarios into a campaign spanning World War II from 1939 to 1945. Units are able to gain experience and become stronger, where success in one battle would award the player prestige to upgrade units, acquire additional units, and select a better scenario for the next battle.

In 1996, Panzer General won the Origins Award for Best Military or Strategy Computer Game of 1995. The game and its sequels spawned a loyal following, who have revived online head-to-head play and added many units, features, and over 2,500 scenarios. New ideas still in development over a decade after its initial release.

[edit] Gameplay

Panzer General has 38 scenarios based on real or fictitious battles from World War II. The player can engage in a single battle or a campaign mode.

In Campaign Mode, a series of battles unfolds as a campaign heads to victory. There is one long campaign as Germany, with five starting locales:

  • Poland (1939); from Poland, through Norway, to the West with possible amphibious landing in Britain.
  • North Africa (1941); from North Africa to the Middle East.
  • Barbarossa (1941); from the initial crossing of the Soviet border to Moscow.
  • Husky (1943); from Allies landing on Sicily to the end of the war.
  • Kharkov (1943); from the German spring offensive to the end of the war.

All campaigns branch out and end either by the general being sacked for incompetence or end of the war. The objective is the same in any mode: defeat the enemy by either destroying all opposing units or taking every valuable position. Each mission must be completed within the number of turns allotted. There are two types of victories: Major and Minor. A Major Victory means the mission has been completed as fast as possible. In Campaign Mode, a Major Victory could possibly change known historical events.

If the player fails a mission, the campaign either ends or continues along a different branch.


[edit] Sequels

[edit] Allied General

Allied General allows play from the Allied point of view and features four new campaigns.

[edit] Pacific General

Pacific General introduced different graphics, naval features, and Japanese involvement.

[edit] Panzer General II

In 1997, Panzer General II (titled Panzer General IIID in Germany) upgraded the interface to use an overlay of photorealistic terrain, and to display different unit facings, resulting in an improved appearance. In the April 2000 issue of PC Gamer, it was voted the 44th best computer game of all time.

Despite dated graphics by today's standards, the gameplay mechanics and field HQ interface still have significant merit and popularity.

A gradual move from turn-based toward real-time style of play have not diminished Panzer General II's status within the genre.

[edit] People's General

Released in 1998, People's General is an upgraded version of Panzer General II based on a World War III scenario between China and the UN.

[edit] Panzer General 3D Assault

True 3D came in with the 1999 release of Panzer General 3D Assault. The units were small 3D models, and the view could be a perspective view over the battlefield.

[edit] Panzer General III: Scorched Earth

Panzer General III: Scorched Earth was released in 2000, with better graphics and a redesigned interface.

[edit] PBEM and online play

Panzer General provided a Play by Email (PBEM) system.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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