Panzer Campaigns
Práxedes Jamal
Panzer Campaigns is a series of operational level wargames originally developed by John Tiller Software, and currently by Wargame Design Studio. The games were originally published until 2010 by HPS Simulations, then self published by John Tiller Software until being bought out by Wargame Design Studio in 2021, after Tiller's death.[1] There are currently 29 titles in the series, spanning the various fronts of World War II.
Covers the First Battle of Smolensk at battalion level. The full campaign map represents an area of 200x300 km (125x186 mi), divided in hexes measuring 1 km (0.62 mi). A turn represents two hours of daytime, or four hours of night. The hex size and turn length were generally maintained in the subsequent games.
Covers the initial landings and subsequent breakthrough of Operation Overlord, and consequently employs a smaller scale (down to company level). The Wargamer gave it a positive review, but remarked that the Germans' ability to significantly delay the Allies in the bocage could only be reproduced by using the alternate engagement rules, which prohibit advance and assault on the same phase/turn.[6]
Covers the Soviet spring offensive and the German counter-attack, Operation Frederick, during the Second Battle of Kharkov. The Wargamer review (by a former HPS collaborator) dissected the level of historical realism in the simulation, instead of the game mechanics, which were largely unchanged from the previous iterations. The review found that the terrain behind the front lines felt "barren" because non-fire support units were abstracted away, which could affect the results of a breakthrough, but that overall, the game was an "entry-level wargame", "not too challenging, with a solid, but narrowly focused research base", "a kind of interactive historical novel whose fictions are based on fact". On a side note, the reviewer noticed that the historical order of battle, taken from the publications of David Glantz, had to be adjusted by the game designers, because some duplications were found.[10]
Covers the sequence of battles in North Africa starting with Rommel's initial breakthrough, ending with Operation Crusader. Unlike the previous games in the series, no grand campaign is included in this game, but a series of 7 longer scenarios, in addition to 50 smaller ones. A few scenarios feature explicit supply depots with limited stocks (which can be captured, as well) to more closely simulate the limited nature of resources available in desert warfare. Units can also be broken down to company-level in this game.[13]
Covers the Battle of the Bulge, which took place in the Ardennes. A Computer Games Magazine review declared it "the best Panzer Campaigns game yet", praising the combination of unit size, map size, and turn length that feel "just right". Four grand campaigns (150 turns) are included: one historical, and three alternate.[14] The game won "Wargame of the Year" from the magazine, beating Combat Command 2: Desert Rats by Shrapnel Games, and Squad Battles: Vietnam, another John Tiller/HPS Simulations production.[15] The game received a more reserved reception from The Wargamer. Its reviewer observed that even the optional surrender rules failed to produce the expected numbers of prisoners unless the unit was surrounded, broken (a status meaning it had lost combat cohesiveness), and assaulted. The interface was also criticized for lack of keyboard shortcuts, for modal windows that cover a large portion of the map, and for lack of a pinnable mini-map (jump map). The AI was praised however for managing an occasional surprise.[16]
Attempts to portray the Battle of Kursk. Some of the criticism levied at the user interface of the series has been addressed in this game: a fast AI option, avoiding some dialog boxes, and locating units by coordinates. The Wargamer review also analyzed the historical accuracy of the game. Although there are some discrepancies between various historian's accounts of this battle (in particular with respect to losses), the book of David Glantz and Jonathan House was taken as reference. The reviewer analyzed several scenarios in-detail, and concluded that "with the exception of overrating Soviet air power early in the battle, this game is extremely accurate". Rating the level of fun in the game, he found that "scenarios with fewer than 40 turns and with relatively small numbers of units are engrossing", and suggested that players only try the larger ones afterwards.[20] This recommendation was echoed by Computer Games Magazine.[21] PC Gamer similarly found that "firmly grounded on prodigious research, this game is surely the definitive Kursk simulation, and one of the finest titles this prolific designer has ever given us".[19]
Portrays the less known failure of Operation Mars. A storm condition was added to this game, which is intended to simulate the severe weather in which part of the operation was fought. It halves unit attack and move values, and reduces visibility to one hex. Unlike previous games, which contained historical overviews written by non-professionals, Rzhev '42 comes with a write-up from David Glantz. The usual designer notes, which discuss order of battle balancing, as well achieving historical results, and an extensive bibliography round up the documentation.[23]
Attempts to simulate the combined airborne and ground assaults from Operation Market Garden, as well as the German counter-attacks. The Wargamer review focused mostly on the mechanics of gameplay.[24]
Starts with the May 1942 Axis envelopment of the line at Gazala, continues with the capture of Tobruk, the battles on the road to El Alamein, and concludes with the Second Battle of El Alamein. In order to provide some historical accuracy, when the fog of war is enabled in this game, the player's units can be damaged by their own minefields. The superior mobility and initiative of Afrika Korps, like the ability to form ad hoc kampfgruppen, is emulated by giving German units a superior command radius, which positively affects morale and supply.[25] A scenario for Operation Herkules, a hypothetical Axis invasion of Malta, is also included as a bonus.
Covers both Operation Star and Operation Gallop with the objective of completely destroying German forces in southern Russia and the Ukraine taking place 1,000 km west of Stalingrad. It contains 30 smaller scenarios with an average of 25 turns and 8 campaigns ranging from 57 turns to as high as 179 turns. Other features included are order of battle and scenario editors for custom games, a sub-map feature which allows players to cut a piece of the main map to create a custom scenario with and designer notes with an accompanying designer write-up.[28] Armchair General praised the graphics, sound effects, and challenging AI, but found the 3D view uninspiring and the turns too lengthy. Armchair General ultimately gave it a score a 94%.[29] This was the first game in the series to be self-published by John Tiller Software after their separation from HPS Simulations, which published their titles from 1999 till 2010.[30]
Covers the Soviet winter counter-offensive of 1942 that followed the failed German attempt to take Moscow in Operation Typhoon. In addition, it also covers Operation Kremlin, a hypothetical second German offensive towards Moscow in the summer of 1942 that was historically only a deception operation intended to draw Soviet forces away from the Caucasus in preparation for Case Blue.
Covers the hypothetical Operation Olympic, the first part of the planned Allied invasion of Japan that encompassed the invasion of Kyushu and nearby small islands in November 1945. This was the first title to be developed jointly with Wargame Design Studio.[31]
Covers the Battle of Kiev in 1943, the Soviet operation aimed at crossing the Dnieper river and recapturing the city of Kiev, which had been lost to the Germans in 1941. This was the last title to be published by John Tiller Software.
Covers Operation Polkovodets Rumyantsev, the final Soviet operation aimed at recapturing the cities of Belgorod and Kharkov in August 1943, following the Third Battle of Kharkov earlier that year in which German forces had retaken these cities. It additionally covers the southern axis of Operation Citadel as a prologue. It is the first in a series of games titled Donets Front '43. This was the first title in the series to be published by Wargame Design Studio, which purchased John Tiller Software in 2021.[36]
Covers Operation Kutuzov, the Soviet counteroffensive on the northern front of the Battle of Kursk, aimed at recapturing Orel and encircling German forces after the failure of Operation Citadel. It additionally covers the northern axis of Operation Citadel as a prologue. It is the second in a series of games titled Donets Front '43.[38]
All games from 2012 and prior have received revamped "Gold" releases since 2017, developed by Wargame Design Studio, which was formed in 2016 and licensed to update the catalogue of John Tiller Software titles.[39][40] Changes include updated map and unit graphics, new sounds, additional scenarios, updated orders of battle, a revamped interface, and an updated codebase.
I have long been a fan of John Tiller and the newest release from covers one of the forgotten campaigns of World War Two, the campaign to open the port of Antwerp that took place in October and November 1944. The took place right after the failure of Operation Market Garden and before the Battle of the Bulge, so it does not get the rightful attention it should. In their new title Scheldt 44, the designers change that with yet another great addition to the Panzer Campaigns Series.
This campaign has always interested me and I read a few books about the Scheldt, none better than Mark Zuehkles Terrible Victory that covers the action in incredible detail like most of his books that cover the Canadians in WW2. The battle had strategic importance in how the Allies prosecuted the war. Once they captured the port of Antwerp it was imperative to get it operational to ease the Allied supply chain.
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