Steel panthers

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Steel panthers
developer SSI
Matrix Games
Publisher Mindscape
Matrix Games
Designer Gary Grigsby , Keith Brors
First title Steel Panthers (1995)
Last title Steel Panthers: World At War (2000)
Platform (s) DOS , Windows
Genre (s) Turn-based strategy game

Steel Panthers is the name of a series of turn-based computer tactical games for MS-DOS / Windows developed under the direction of Gary Grigsby and Keith Brors at SSI and published by Mindscape .

Three parts appeared in stores from 1995 to 1998. The series has been continued since 2000 under the name Steel Panthers: World At War by Grigsby's new developer, Matrix Games . However, World At War is a freeware game available on the Internet .

The name of the series refers to the German armored vehicle V Panther .

Game content

As a general rule

The player assumes the role of a military commander and gives some example commands to stand under his command units. The units are drawn across a landscape map made up of hexes . Alternatively, in very large scenarios, the player can transfer control of his units to the computer and only define the target points on the map. Each hex corresponds to a distance of 50 meters. It is drawn alternately; During the move and the movements, the opponent's units can react to his opponent's moves under certain circumstances. B. return fire.

The player receives the points for each victory field he has cleared at the end of the game. The player receives a point deduction for each soldier and each vehicle that has been lost in the course of the fighting by the end of the game. The result of a game is determined on the basis of points and then leads to 5 variants via the ratio of points or the achievement of the number of points in cases of specifications through a scenario: The player has a great victory. The player got a minor victory. The game ends in a draw. The player suffers a minor defeat. The game ends with a bitter defeat for the player.

Game mechanics

The course of a battle is heavily dependent on various factors that can be influenced by the player. First of all, the landscape provides the given framework conditions. Different types of landscape such as B. high grass, forest areas, cities or swamps influence the properties of the units in terms of mobility, camouflage, cover, field of vision and communication. The player must be careful to take advantage of these local factors by positioning his units accordingly.

Leadership and communication: In addition to its armament, each unit has other, individual characteristics that are decisive for the game, including leadership qualities for commanding the various branches of arms (infantry, artillery, armored units) as well as parameters for morale . As the threat increases, the morale checks carried out by the game engine in combat situations mean that units no longer carry out orders, enemy units within sight no longer report, withdraw or completely evade the player's control and flee. The skilled player is able to take into account the knowledge of the immense influence of command officers and combat morale in his tactics, so that not only the ratio of the number of units has an influence, but also combat operations or artillery attacks in the immediate vicinity can reduce the combat morale of a unit, without having been involved in combat operations.

The command structure also enables a player to repeat a failed morale check of a unit by the next higher command unit in the chain of command, provided that communication between the units is possible via calls (short distance), visual or radio equipment. Leadership and communication are also important when the various branches of arms interact, so that the use of artillery requires communication between artillery units and a forward observer (VB), artillery observer or a joint fire support team . Knowing about the interaction of structurally related units, a realistic chain of command and maintaining communication through small distances between units or the use of radio can be decisive for the game.

Logistics, infrastructure, fortifications: in longer scenarios, ammunition consumption and the supply of units with supplies are of particular importance. The game engine records the ammunition that is still available for each unit and each weapon. Ammunition can be added to ammunition depots or ammunition transporters. The scenario editor enables the placement of different types of bunkers, positions, trenches, minefields and anti-tank traps.

Combat: If it comes to a fight, the ballistics of the projectiles fired are simulated in detail. Each vehicle is armored to different degrees on each side of the vehicle hull and also on the turret of armored units, and the penetration power of the weapons also varies depending on the type of ammunition used, the fire distance and the angle at which the projectile hits the armor. The interaction of the different branches of arms and knowledge of the weak points of armor can be decisive in many scenarios, because anti-tank weapons of infantry units can often only penetrate the armor on the back or the top of tanks. In order to prevent military units from opening fire too early and thus reducing the chances, the player is able to continuously adjust the maximum attack range of each individual unit individually in the game. In addition, individual weapons can be blocked for use by the player, thus saving ammunition.

In addition to battle tanks and vehicles, infantry , artillery , landing craft, airplanes , parachutists and sometimes static units such as bunkers can also be used in virtual battles. In terms of air units, in the early versions of the game, aircraft could still be played by the player; With WinSPMBT the game concept was changed in such a way that airplanes as well as unmanned drones or UAV can only be requested and played by the computer, while helicopters can still be played by the player. Infantry units are always moved as a group. An exception are snipers as so-called "zero-size" units.

The game engine takes into account different factors for each type of unit in terms of visibility, camouflage, cover, speed of movement and the risks in different terrain. The game not only takes into account different flight altitudes of flight units or the eye level of infantry units, but also the speed of vehicles and thus possible carelessness in rough terrain such as swamp, mud, snowdrifts or sand dunes: With an increasing number of movements per lap, this increases for certain vehicle types Risk of getting stuck in this area.

Basic game concept and the influence on tactics and strategy

The principle of the game engine's reaction fire means that an action by a single own unit can trigger a reaction from a large number of enemy units, which in turn can cause the reaction fire of its own units. Every action within sight of opposing units therefore means a risk that should not be underestimated and that is often incalculable for one's own units, so that the investigation is of particular importance. A single shot by a separate unit can quickly raise the suppression value to over 10 (out of 100) as a result of the provoked counterfire; from this value onwards the unit refuses to move and thus ignores a possible command to withdraw. The experience of units and the leadership strength of the leading units, assuming a possible communication, decide at this moment whether a player can regain control of his own units.

Game modes

All Steel Panthers parts offer the option to play pre-made or randomly generated missions and campaigns. The scenarios of the missions varied from part to part. In all parts of the series there is a map editor and a multiplayer mode for two to four players.

A special feature of the game is that each scenario can not only be played from both sides involved, but the game can also be played fairly via e-mail (Play by Email, PBEM): A game opened by the opponent in a PBEM game and already played The saved game cannot be repeated again by reloading the saved game. The number of PBEM games that can be saved in parallel is 5 PBEM in the freeware version and 250 PBEM memory slots in the full version.

Before randomly generated missions, the player has to spend a limited amount of so-called unit points in order to assemble his units. Here, too, the player has to weigh up between a few powerful and expensive units or numerous but cheap units. By completing missions in a campaign, the player earns new unit points to compensate for losses and repair damage. Within a campaign, the initially selected units are taken over in further missions, where they also gain experience. In randomly generated campaigns, the player can also partially choose the location of his next mission.

The parts

Steel Panthers (1995)

The first part appeared in 1995 via Mindscape and is programmed for MS-DOS using SVGA graphics and Soundblaster sound. He addresses the battles of the Second World War and places particular emphasis on historical scenarios ( Battle of Kursk , Operation Overlord, etc.). The simulated period covers the years 1939 to 1945, with the armed forces of 17 countries involved in World War II being simulated.

Steel Panthers received a positive response from the trade press when it appeared. In PC Games (12/1995 issue) the game was given a rating of 86%, commenting that the game was "even more fun than Panzer General due to its countless possibilities for action ." The Power Play (12/1995 issue ) rated the game with a rating of 79% and commented that the "mixture of strategy planned in turns and real-time elements [lends] this game an incomparable character." However, the rather opaque game mechanics that prevent quick successes and the arbitrary sequence of were criticized Campaign mode missions. In PC Player (issue 12/1995), where the game was only rated with 63%, the level of detail was viewed as too extensive, and the graphic presentation was criticized as "inadequate".

Age classification: Approved from 16 years according to § 14 JuSchG.

Steel Panthers II: Modern Battles (1996)

The second part appeared only one year later and at the end of 1996 was only an update of the content, while the technology remained almost the same. The addition of Modern Battles already reveals that the game focuses on combat operations after the Second World War. The years 1949 to 1999 are implemented with all important conflicts ( Vietnam War , Six Day War , Operation Desert Storm etc.) and innovations ( helicopters , guided missiles etc.). In addition, the scenario that extends into the future from that point in time also allows fictitious missions such as B. an escalation of the Cold War .

The magazine Power Play rated the game in issue 1/1997 with 78% and found that Steel Panthers II: Modern Battles had hardly been improved compared to its predecessor, but thanks to the modern scenario and the corresponding weapon technology, it was “much higher Degree of variety in itself “berge. It was also praised that the “mixture of strategy planned by train and real-time elements still belongs to the unused section of the genre”. The PC Player (issue 2/1997) also expressed itself favorably with a rating of three (out of five possible) stars. Michael Schnelle commented that the new features of the game resulted almost exclusively from the capabilities of the new unit types. Fascinating are the "man-to-man battles, where every shot has to be fired individually, the squad leaders morally straighten their men up again and tank columns suddenly appearing cause fear and terror." Overall, so Schnell, professionals come up with this game your costs.

Age classification: Approved from 16 years according to § 14 JuSchG.

Steel Panthers III: Brigade Command (1997)

Part three of the series modified technology and gameplay quite comprehensively at the end of 1997. The engine is optimized for Windows and thus allows higher resolutions and a better overview. This means that larger battlefields and a higher number of units can now be simulated than in the predecessors. The scale is four times smaller than all other parts of the series, so that a hex field is 200 m in size and the units represent trains and gun batteries instead of infantry groups or individual vehicles and guns. The playable time frame is set in 1939 and 1999, which practically merged both previous games. Fictitious scenarios are in the foreground in this version.

In its 1/1998 issue, Power Play gave Steel Panthers III: Brigade Command a rating of 78% and, given the wealth of details, called it “a game for the toughest.” Home generals for whom Panzer General were too simple, according to the test report, would after some training, rewarded with "extreme depth of play and endless variations". On the other hand, PC Action (issue 1/1998) assessed the complexity as a defect and commented in the test report, which closed with a rating of 61%, that the game is suitable as “training software for real soldiers”, but not for ordinary civilians. The criticism in PC Player (issue 1/1998) was also negative : Manfred Duy wrote that the "lousy animated plain-faced presentation and the ultra-complicated operation" made positive aspects such as artificial intelligence or the extensive selection of units take a back seat . Individual aspects of the game are "annoying". The game was rated here with only 53%.

Age classification: Approved from 16 years according to § 14 JuSchG.

Steel Panthers: World At War (2000-present)

After SSI was dissolved and a continuation of the series was ruled out, a newly founded development studio called Matrix Games developed. a. Bill Stealey collaborated on a new game. The game developed under the title World At War was initially freeware and was based on the engine of Steel Panthers III . The first versions from the year 2000 were still financed through advertising banners in the game, but these disappeared after the game was also sold commercially as the " General's Edition ". The game has been updated and expanded since then. The current version number is 8.40.

World At War spanned the years 1930 to 1949 and thus also simulates other important conflicts of the time, e.g. B. the Spanish or the Chinese civil war . The engine corresponds to a revised SP3 engine, which has been expanded to include an Internet mode.

WinSPWW2 and SPWW2 (1999-today)

WinSPWW2 ( Steel Panthers World War 2 ) is a further development by The Camo Workshop , independent of World at War , and covers the years 1930 to 1946. The basis for the development was Steel Panthers 2, so that the game first appeared as DOS version SPWW2, before switching to Windows with WinSPWW2 .

SPWW2 was initially marketed as freeware , but now there is also a purchase version that offers extended functions compared to the freeware version and is distributed by Shrapnel Games over the Internet. The current version number is 10.0 (as of March 2017)

SPMBT (2001-today)

WinSPMBT ( Steel Panthers: Main Battle Tank ) is a version of SPWW2 that spans the years 1946 to 2020.

WinSPMBT (2001-today)

WinSPMBT, Windows Steel Panthers Main Battle Tank, is being developed by The Camo Workshop in parallel with WinSPWW2 . WinSPMBT is also sold as freeware and as a purchase version by Shrapnel Games , USA. The updates and patches for WinSPMBT can be downloaded free of charge from the Shrapnel Games website. The current version number is 11.0 (as of March 2017)

The free freeware version of WinSPBMT is compatible with the full version, i. H. Players of the free version can play together with players of the full version without any problems. The decisive difference between the freeware version and the full version is the possible screen resolution and the number of storable PBEM slots. WinSPBMT in the full version supports u. a. 1920x1080px (WinSPMBT 5.5, tested under Windows 7, January 2012) and 250 PBEM storage spaces instead of a resolution of 800x600px and 5 PBEM storage spaces in the freeware version.

Map and scenario editor using the example of WinSPMBT

The specialty of the map generator from WinSPBMT is that the map generator generates a realistic landscape for the region on the basis of 250 predefined so-called "map regions" when specifying a year and month as well as selecting two neighboring playable states that exist at that time for the respective epoch the type u. a. the type of development varies. In order to generate a new map for a battle simulation, the player can adjust over 20 parameters in the map generator, on the basis of which WinSPMBT dynamically generates the topography, the vegetation, the population density, the infrastructure and the influences of precipitation such as mud fields or snow drifts. Furthermore, it is possible to create maps for landing maneuvers or river crossings using additional parameters, so that either half of the map is shown as a water surface or rivers created by the scenario designer are enlarged.

In addition to randomly generated maps, the map editor, in connection with a differentiation between landscape topology on the one hand and vegetation on the other, enables a scenario developer to convert satellite images into map models for WinSPMBT. With a current maximum map size of width / height 160/200 hexagonal map fields and a scale of 50 m per hex field, regions with an extension of 8 kilometers can be simulated.

The editor also makes it possible to edit military units already placed on the map, so that the armament, the naming and the hierarchical command structure can be adapted. In this way it is possible to flexibly create additional units using the large number of already defined military units and their armament. The integration of civil, unarmed units is possible due to the removal of the armament. In addition, it is possible to set the value of such units so high that a loss of these units automatically leads to the loss of the game. However, the game engine of WinSPMBT does not allow neutral units, so that each unit in the game must be assigned to one of the two players and each military unit fires at unarmed enemy units.

Features of WinSPMBT not documented in the rules

If you save the score of a finished game with the ending of a scenario, you can then edit this score again with the scenario editor. This enables players to expand the game rules concept at this point and, for example, to expand the construction of roads, trenches or other map components depending on jointly agreed house rules.

Community

Because of its free availability, World At War in particular has a large community on the Internet. Numerous maps, scenarios, campaigns and mods have been developed.

Use of marks of unconstitutional organizations

In Steel Panthers, the warring factions involved and their respective units and hexes are identified by their historical flags; in the case of the Nazi era, the swastika flag, which was banned in Germany . The weapons encyclopedia also contains images of weapon systems that contain symbols that are prohibited in Germany with regard to Air Force aircraft . This issue affects the original versions of Steel Panthers 3 , SP: World at War, and SP World War 2 . For the original game, however, flags with crossed bars were also used in the English version .

Computer games that contain these prohibited symbols are fundamentally prohibited in Germany with reference to Section 86a of the Criminal Code ( use of symbols of unconstitutional organizations ).

There is an adapted German version for the third part of the series. World at War supplied an alternative graphics set, which replaced swastikas with crosses. Something similar is possible in the current version of WinSPWW2 with a patch. Steel Panthers 2 and SPMBT are set after World War II and are therefore not affected.

literature

  • Walker MH Games That Sell !. - Wordware Publishing, 2003. - 550 p. - (Wordware Game and Graphics Library). - ISBN 9781556229503 . - ISBN 155622950X .
  • Black M. , Kurlander E. Revisiting the "Nazi Occult": Histories, Realities, Legacies. - Boydell & Brewer, 2015. - 297 p. - (German history in context). - ISBN 9781571139061 . - ISBN 1571139060 .

Web links