Panzer Leader (game)

"Panzer Leader" is the sequel to Avalon Hill's "Panzerblitz" game. Like its predecessor, it is a platoon level hex and counter board wargame depicting "WWII" tank and infantry combat on the Western European front. It features 4 geomorphic map tiles, which can be put together in a variety of ways to play the provided scenarios (which are printed on cardstock, showing all the necessary info for a scenario) or home-made scenarios. The 20 provided scenarios cover various battles on the Western Front, with most of the scenarios involving the Normandy invasion or the Battle of the Bulge, with special rules for naval fire included for the former scenarios.

An extension kit covering the tanks of 1940 was also published.

Anticipation

"Panzerblitz" is considered to be revolutionary in the history of tactical wargames and brought many new players into the hobby. When it was released in 1970, the few wargames available for purchase were generally larger scale strategic wargames that did not delve into the same kind of unit detail.

Beyond merely coming up with additional scenarios for the existing "Panzerblitz" game, the idea of a "new" game featuring the western front, was an obvious one and the merits of different approaches were debated outside of Avalon Hill during the early '70s. As an example of this fervor, a proposal in "Panzerfaust" No. 51 inspired three different articles in response in No. 53.

References

* A Western "Panzerblitz" Trilogy, Paul Mills and Roy Easton, "Panzerfaust" No. 53 (Panzerfaust Publications, May-June 1972)

External links

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