PPG-PANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN

1. TITLE: Panzergruppe Guderian
2. PUBLISHER: Simulation Publications Incorporated (SPI); 2nd edition TAHGC
3. SCOPE: The Battle of Smolensk, July 1941
4. RULEBOOK VERBAGE (SPI): PANZERGRUPPE GUDERIAN is a regimental/divisional level simulation of the German drive to cross the Dnepr River in the summer of 1941 and seize the valuable communication junctions at Smolensk in preparation for the final push towards Moscow.
5. TAHGC CATALOG VERBAGE: The in-depth study of the German offensive into Russia during WWII, recommend for WWII aficionados.
6. YEAR PUBLISHED (EDITIONS): 1976, originally published in Strategy & Tactics issue #37 (Jul/Aug 1976). TAHGC edition; 1985. Published SPI errata taken from on Web Grognards. SPI's PGG is the subject of SPI Revival #1 web magazine. Additional rule added in the TAHGC edition.
7. CREDITS (SPI Edition)
   • Game Design: James F. Dunnigan
   • Physical Systems and Graphics: Redmond A. Simonsen
   • Development: Richard Berg
   • Production: Manfred F. Milkuhn, Larry Catalano, Kevin Zucker, Linda Mosca.
8. NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2+ (multiplayer teams)
9. WGA COMPLEXITY SCALE (1-10): 4
10. TYPICAL PLAYING TIME (HOURS): 2-3 hours.
11. MAP SCALE: 10.5 miles per hex.
12. UNIT SCALE: Regiments and Divisions
13. TIME SCALE PER TURN: 2 days
14. NUMBER OF GAME TURNS: 12
15. ARTICLE LISTING: Click here
16. GAME INVENTORY: 200 counters, Seven unmounted 22" x 32" game mapsheets, 8 page rules booklet, one die.
17. WBC & AVALONCON HISTORY: Not Applicable
18. PBEM TOOLS:
• A working WGA VASSAL module exists on www.vassalengine.org module site. It is being further refined by my games in progress, some help from a java knowledgeable person is sought.
19. PBEM OPPORTUNITES: Contact Wargame Academy if interested. A Group effort would be required to create a VASSAL VPGG module. As a relatively simple game, such would be a reasonable goal. Question is, the SPI version or the TAHGC version.
20. WARGAME ACADEMY COMMENTS: . (Commentary provided by Skip Franklin) Panzergruppe Guderian (PGG) has lasted the test of time as a true classic in the wargaming community. The rules are very clean and "transparent". By transparent it is meant that after a little experience you find yourself playing the game and not looking at the rule book for clarifications. There are two camps of wargamers that believe that one side or the other can't lose. The jury is still out. PGG is an excellent game, playable in a day-long session and copies are available for purchase on rec.games.board.marketplace, ConsimWorld
    http://www.consimworld.com, and eBay. The situation is the summer of 1941 and the Germans are running full tilt
    towards Moscow and have reached the Smolensk area. The Soviets have four armies starting on the map and reinforcements streaming onto the battlefield. The German mechanized forces appear on the west edge of the map ready to slice through the untermenschen on the steppes. The German panzer divisions consist of three regimental counters, each with two steps of strength. The infantry divisions are strong formations with four steps of strength (two counters). The Soviet units on the other hand all start flipped over on their "unknown strength" sides. As the Soviet units enter combat they are flipped over to reveal anything from worthless, zero-strength units to decent mobile attack formations.
21. WARGAME ACADEMY GAME TOOLS: One SPI game edition; an additional game as in the Strategy & Tactics magazine #37 in my collection.
22. ACCOLADES: 1976 Charles Roberts Award Best Strategic Game nominee.