Panzer General
| Developer: Strategic Simulations | Graphics: |
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| Publisher: Strategic Simulations | Sound: |
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| Year: 1994 | Difficulty: |
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| Genre: Strategy | Lastability: |
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| Number of players: 2 alternating | Rating: |
8/10 | |
I mentioned some worthy representatives of the wargame genre on the page for Battle Isle. Now it’s time to look at one of the most popular, Panzer General, which inspired countless sequels and re-releases (or transpositions into sci-fi or fantasy universes) during the late ’90s. The series experienced a dry spell in the following decade, before being “rescued” by Ubisoft … just kidding.
I first discovered the “franchise” on PlayStation, starting with the second game, Allied General (1995), which is practically identical to Panzer General. Like many other young fools, I was disappointed because I was expecting a Command & Conquer clone in real time. Still, I eventually got around to it, reluctantly, months or maybe even years after buying it. Surprise—it turned out to be accessible, even for a pot of lukewarm tea like myself.
[Suspicious sounding translation but I like the picture. – Ed.]
Panzer General puts you in the boots of a Wehrmacht general, from the invasion of Poland to the end of WWII, in Berlin (or Washington if you’re really impressively skilled). The game offers 38 scenarios, allowing you to replay famous battles (or fictional ones, like the invasion of the U.S.), with your choice of side. The five extended campaigns, however (Poland, North Africa, Operation Barbarossa in Russia, defense of Italy in 1943, and the third Battle of Kharkov) have you lead Nazi forces. I found that curious, though the term “Nazi” is never actually used. In a game that strives so hard for historical authenticity, this caused a bit of cognitive dissonance. Perhaps this lack of context stems from the game’s origins. According to Wikipedia, it was “inspired” by the Japanese game series Daisenryaku. Specifically, I think Advanced Daisenryaku (Sega Genesis, 1991).
I like the presentation: simple and clear. Some might call it austere. I’d say it looks better than the “photorealism” Panzer General 2 went for. That said, you’ll probably be tempted to turn off the music and disable the combat animations pretty quickly…
Each mission kicks off with a spoken briefing—and that’s all the story you get. Then you’re shown the operational map, decked out in its traditional hex grid. The goal is to capture designated cities or hold positions within a set number of turns. Reaching secondary objectives earns you prestige points, which you can exchange for additional reinforcements.
In the end, your performance will be rated as a “major” or “minor” victory (or a crushing defeat, followed by dismissal, for completeness’ sake), and this will affect the rest of the campaign, sometimes leading to a split from history and an alternative scenario. A similar setup, by the way, was later used in Colony Wars (and in Wing Commander, five years earlier).
Units move a certain number of squares based on a complex calculation that takes into account their movement capacity, the terrain type (plain, mountain, forest, river…), sometimes the weather, and of course, your attention to fuel supplies… Don’t worry, the computer takes care of the math. Your job is to make decisions, pick routes, select units, bring your forces to enemy positions, assess engagement risks … and then regret your decision.
The interface highlights where you can move and even estimates losses on both sides before you pull the trigger. One important detail: artillery can’t attack after moving. Only before.
In the game, as in military doctrine (and as in every good cheese shops), there are two types of units: hard and soft. Tanks and bunkers are hard targets; practically everything else (soldiers, artillery, transport trucks, reconnaissance vehicles…) are soft targets. The distinction is crucial, and you’ll need to scrutinize your units’ attack stats, especially for your tanks, before deciding which ones to use against what.
Furthermore, each type of unit possesses strengths and weaknesses that should be exploited. For example, soldiers are more comfortable on difficult terrain or in fortified cities, whereas tanks dominate on open, flat ground. I’m sure you can figure out the optimal use of “anti-tank” or “anti-aircraft” units all on your own…
So, success lies in cooperation between different military branches. Experts call this “combined arms”. I call it a sophisticated form of rock-paper-scissors. The second key to success is managing priorities; understanding that you don’t always have the time to take a secondary city or wait for reinforcements, because, yes, you’re expected to put blitzkrieg into practice. However, note that your troops and vehicles gain experience over successive battles (making them more effective) and that your veteran forces follow you through successive missions. It is therefore crucial to preserve them.
A tip to remember: always leave a garrison in a city under your control! I repeat the same mistakes in every wargame with admirable consistency…
I said the game was accessible, but don’t approach it without at least a little determination. What’s known as the “difficulty curve” takes the shape of a bell. [“Cloche” in French, also means “idiot”. Please laugh… – Ed.]
The missions’ length and complexity increase rapidly. Some gigantic maps, with multiple fronts, might be a bit daunting. But eventually, you reach a plateau. Tactics repeat themselves, only with a broader selection of units. Still, a deep understanding of certain mechanics can give expert players a real edge, in addition to dramatically reducing the inherent luck factor in this type of game. This means it will interest players of all skill levels for a long time.
The Abandonware-France version works great and includes a manual, which walks you through (in English) how to approach the first mission of the campaign. It’s a handy start.
All in all, Panzer General didn’t invent anything. Its talent lies in striking the perfect balance between accessibility and depth.
“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
“Nice job on that deep conclusion.” — NN
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Allied General (1995)
A quick word about the first “sequel” to Panzer General, although the lack of new features would make it seem like an extension. By the way, it should not be confused with Panzer General 2 (1997), which is actually … the sixth game in the series!
Allied General features four campaigns. This time, on the Allied side (British, Americans, Soviets) and the theaters of operations are located in North Africa and Europe, still during WWII. There are also 39 scenarios where you can choose your side.
I noticed a slight graphical improvement, it is notably easier to identify the units that have not yet played. They’ve also made an effort on the presentation, adding those charming little black and white clips.
Some units have been rebalanced too (artillery has a range of 3 squares instead of 2, for example), and a wider choice is offered.
Not being a history buff myself, I can’t be sure, but I read that the focus on the Allied side forced the developers to compromise on historical accuracy—because the Allies were better supplied and outnumbered the Axis forces. Representing that faithfully would have made the game too easy.
I don’t know about the Mac version, but on PC, the transition from DOS to Windows 95 caused a change in the interface. I’m not a fan of the nested (and detachable) windows. The real issue, though, is that this version is harder to get running properly on a modern computer (with sound and scaling issues). Thankfully, there’s always the console version…
Like the previous game, Allied General was released on PlayStation (the images below come from this version). The interface had to be simplified due to the lower resolution, and that’s actually a plus! On the one hand, I find it easier to tell units apart (especially planes) since they appear “zoomed in”. On the other hand, the lack of space forced the designers to embed information on the screen instead of multiplying windows—and they did a good job of it. I think the interface is quite well optimized on PlayStation, except for that darn “quit” button (returning to the title screen to select another scenario), which remains hidden in the middle of the options menu.
The links to download the original games are at the bottom of the page. If you’re looking for a slightly more modern alternative, Panzer General 2 (the sixth one, if you’ve been paying attention) is available for purchase on GOG. There’s also a free remake out there: Open General.
Nowadays, the spiritual successors to Panzer General go by the names of Panzer Corps Gold (2011) and Panzer Corps 2 (2020).
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