It simulates conflict during World War II. The designers of Panzer General were heavily influenced by the Japanese wargame series Daisenryaku.

The Story Behind Panzer General

In 2007, Retro Gamer dubbed Panzer General "greatest-selling true wargame of all time", and SSI's most successful title across all genres. The four reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly remarked that the game's high level of complexity makes it difficult to get into and unappealing to anyone but enthusiasts of the genre, but that the gameplay design is solid and there is a strong dose of variety to the campaigns. Panzer General was the first game in the Panzer General series, which grew in the years after its release.

Sir Garnabus of GamePro complimented the accuracy of the 3DO port but otherwise panned the game, contending that war strategy games in general are poor due to their minimalist graphics and focus on thinking rather than acting. Panzer General 3D Assault arrived in 1999, with fully 3D graphics. A critic for Next Generation argued that while the music and battle animations quickly wear thin, the game allows them to be turned off and "what it lacks in style, it makes up in substance".

How Panzer General Plays

The performance of units is increased by their experience points, which are acquired through combat. In Campaign Mode, the player assumes the role of a German Generalissimus against the Allied computer. One plays lone scenarios from either Axis or Allied side and against a computer or human opponent.

The player must carefully observe the road system to speed the advance, or may use Bridge engineers to cross the rivers. Its novel feature was to link individual scenarios into a campaign spanning World War II from 1939 to 1945. Dug-in enemy positions must be softened by artillery, which is vulnerable and needs protection.

Why Players Still Load It Up

There is one long campaign as Germany, with five starting locales: The task in most scenarios is to take all objective cities in a given number of turns; taking them at least five turns earlier is considered a major victory. A typical task is then "hold at least two of our objective cities for 20 turns; for a major victory, hold at least five". It simulates conflict during World War II.

The best the player can do is to fight well in each battle to have enough prestige for the next one - and to achieve a major victory in the final defense of Berlin. The player can engage in a single battle or a campaign mode. In scenarios from later stages of war, the Germans try to hold positions against a stronger enemy.

Panzer General — Frequently Asked Questions