PUBLISHER: The Avalon Hill Game Company (TAHGC) but was
actually designed and package by SPI as a complete package to TAHGC on a royalty
basis.
SCOPE: (World War II) Armored warfare on the eastern Front
TAHGC CATALOG VERBAGE: All-time best seller-but for hard-core
wargamers only. Actually 12 games in one; each recreating a different battle
drawn from the WWII eastern front.
GAME BOX VERBAGE: The game of PanzerBlitz enables you
to re-create the drama and furious action of tactical-level a4rmored warfare.
Battle-simulations take place on a realistic mapboards which reproduces about
twenty square miles of typical Russian Terrain. The playing pieces are accurate
symbolizations of the platoon and company sized units which fought on the
Eastern Front in World War II.More than a dozen different "scenarios"
are given, each of which allows you to re-create a completely new game simulation
in which to exercise your skill as an armor tactician. Prior military knowledge
or experience, however, is not needed to play PanzerBlitz - just common sense,
clear thinking and a competitive spirit.
YEAR PUBLISHED (EDITIONS): 1970 (revised 1971). The first
games were published in the three piece 'sleeve' bookcase box, the latter
games were published in a standard two piece bookcase box.
CREDITS
Game Design, Historical Research and Campaign Analysis:
James F. Dunnigan.
Graphic Design, Slipcase & Box Art and Equipment Design:
Redmond A. Simonsen
Rules Editing and Integration: James F. Dunnigan &
Redmond A. Simonsen
Campaign Analysis Profile Drawings: George Bradford
Game Play and Testing: Robert Champer and staff of
Strategy & Tactics Magazine
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2
WGA COMPLEXITY SCALE (1-10): 4
TYPICAL PLAYING TIME (HOURS): Three hours and up.
MAP SCALE: approximately 250 meters per hex.
UNIT SCALE: German platoons, Russian companies
TIME SCALE PER TURN: 6 minutes
NUMBER OF GAME TURNS: Varies per scenario, typically 6-10.
GAME INVENTORY: 353 5/8" unit counters, three 22"24"
full-color mapboards, rulebook, 12 scenario cards, campaign analysis booklet,
plastic components tray, one die.
WBC & AVALONCON HISTORY: Continuous event since Avaloncon
1991. May be combined with PanzerLeader.
PBEM TOOLS:
Java application VASSAL module
exists for Panzerblitz (Combined with PanzerLeader).
A full, but now obsolete due to Vassal, Play by Graphics toolset using
Claris Draw exists in the WGA archives to PBEM using a multi -layer graphics
file. Claris Draw installers exist for both Macintosh OS9 and Windows.
Claris Draw is an orphaned application. In many ways this tool was the
basis of the VASSAL PZB/PZL module.
Panzerblitz's great strength is its simplicity and non interactive nature,
a player completes his entire turn in a single mailing, no opponent decisions
are required.
PBEM OPPORTUNITES: There is an active PBEM ladder administrated
by Panzerblitz.org. The same organization administrates
the annual Boardgame Player Associations PBEM event in addition to the BPA
PBEM tournaments
WARGAME ACADEMY COMMENTS: Good introduction to combined
arms. Terrain LOS rules are simplified but quirky. Predecessor to Panzer Leader
and Arab-Israeli Wars. WGA is the custodian of the PanzerBlitz VASSAL java
module (cross-platform between Windows, Macintosh OSX, LINUX and UNIX). PanzerBlitz
also is a game system open to numerous scenarios of a players design limited
by only the three mapboards included in the game.
WARGAME ACADEMY GAME TOOLS: WGA is the custodian of the
VASSAL PanzerBlitz & PanzerLeader
module. Development of the original module is credited to John Fermendzin,
Dennis Jorgenson, and Jeff Wise. Two game play copies, softcopy rulebook,
complete game editable multilayer map, Order of Battles, Counter library &
charts in Claris Draw. WGA is working on creation of the softcopy article
library, an amplified rulebook edition, and a PZB-PZL rules differences guide.
