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Panzer General revealed a heretofore unknown desire for the average American male to invade Poland and control Western Europe. It's not that this desire was wholly a surprise (many men like wargames and war gear): It was the staggering scope of its appeal. PG sold several hundred thousand copies, with surprising sales to the console market. Apparently, those armchair generals didn't get enough, because the sequel, Panzer General II, has gone through its initial printing of 100,000 in about a week and returned to remaster. There is obviously a great bubbling need for a quick-playing, accessible, slick, historical wargame - and PG2 more than fits the bill.

Panzer General II is the first major upgrade to the Five Star system that carried SSI though five major games. The title of this new series is Living Battlefield, and with some refinements it should enjoy a run comparable to the first. Apart from some minor exceptions, the engine has been improved for the better, adding greater depth without sacrificing the compulsive playability of the initial design. This is neither the same old PG with a facelift, nor a whole new game - it's an enhancement and expansion of the concepts of the original. Panzer General II is a strategic level, turn-based wargame based upon the European theater of World War II. The scenarios and campaigns embrace the entire epic sweep of the period, ranging from the "dress rehearsal" of the Spanish Civil War to hypothetical invasions of England, Tennessee, and Georgia (!).

Over the course of some 40 battles, the armies of America, Britain, Russia, Germany, and the minor nations range from the huge battlefields of the Russian front, to the frozen landscapes of Norway and Finland, to Western Europe, Italy, and beyond. What distinctly stand out about PG2 are the 30 hand-painted maps. Large, detailed, and evocative, they are works of art that function as the perfect backdrop to the dramatic events unfolding upon them. While the detail of the maps is unquestionably a strength of PG2, it comes at a cost. The units that represent your forces sometimes get lost in all that detail. It's not true 3D, but the tanks, planes, ships, and infantry are depicted from different angles so that they turn facing for movement and attack. They are quite nicely rendered, but more than once I lost an artillery piece among the buildings of a town, or a plane that was flying over another unit. That's the trade-off for the high resolution (and it's really a moot point since you can scroll through units using the "N" key), but it's somewhat of a nuisance. As for the interface, it is both improved and unimproved. The game can be played full screen, with hot keys only, or using the traditional framework.

Frankly, I preferred the burnished bronze of the original to the dull, gun-metal gray of this one. The interface also puts less information on the screen. Where you used to be able to get all relevant info about units on the info bar, now you only get unit ID, entrenchment, and hex number. The detailed information is accessed by right mouse-click, which puts necessary data right at your fingertips, but I miss having it on the screen. But there's no denying how well the interface works. Units are moved by simple point and click. New rules, inherited from Pacific General, allow you to move multiple units, then fire. This leads to an important change in PG2. You now get an attack bonus from having more than one unit adjoining the defender. You still can't attack with multiple units at once, which is something the system needs, but it does add a touch of realism to tactics. Other rule changes increase realism as well. Some units now have greater ranged fire, units have initiative ratings to determine who fires first, and an improved auto-fire routine allows qualifying units to provide support for defenders. For instance, if a defender is attacked, any defending artillery in range will add their fire to the defense.

Artillery is therefore much more important to gameplay. The last major gameplay change is the addition of complex leaders that experienced units may earn. Veteran units get a leader who adds two skills: one related to class, the other one random. One of my ace pilots attacks twice per turn, for instance, while a tank commander always attacks first. Tenacious defense, interceptor, liberator, first strike, and extended front are among the skills a leader may bring to his unit. (Check the GUI97.TXT file for a list of skills.)

Nurturing these core units through a campaign and using them wisely adds greatly to the role-playing element of PG2, and is a great addition. While there are about 30 stand-alone scenarios in PG2, all of them interesting and challenging, the heart of the game is the five campaigns. In campaigns, you strive for the best possible victory (brilliant, regular, and tactical are the three levels) to accrue prestige points, which are used to buy more units. By carrying a core army group through a dozen battles, you build their strength and their skill as a fighting force. Some campaigns branch briefly depending upon victory level (Thermopylae is one booby prize for the "tactical victor"), but you need to win each scenario to continue a campaign. The five campaigns are the full German blitz, American and British invasions of Europe, German strategic defensive, and Russian offensive. Each has a good variety of national equipment and slick introductions. Rounding out an already fulsome package is multiplay and a scenario editor.

Multiplay can be co-op or conventional, and SSI is setting up Club SSI as a meeting room. If your tastes run to "what ifs," you can use the editor to place units on the maps (sorry, no map editor) and create custom scenarios. Panzer General II is a rich and rewarding package for grognard and novice wargamer alike. Its quick and easy play may not appeal to the historical or wargaming purist, but there is absolutely no question about the fun factor.

For Windows (32-bit Systems) [*Please review compatibility/platform IS: USED - CD IN SLEEVE

WHAT YOU GET:

This sale is for the original media, and includes only the media (ie. CD, floppy ...) UNLESS specifically stated above and/or in the title. If more than just the media is included, it will state which items are (ie. box, manual, etc ). Items that come in a sleeve refer to a generic CD sleeve (typically white) and will be sent with shipping protection to avoid damage during transit. If available, we will also send the front and/or back CD inserts if in stock. If these are important to you, please message us to verify we have them available to send. Please do not assume items are included other than what's stated. Again, ask questions PRIOR to purchasing if you have any concerns.

IMAGES:

All images/pictures are stock photos and are for reference only, mainly to show the type of game you will be getting. Please read "WHAT YOU GET" for what is included with the media. Screenshots may vary based on your own computer system, video card, monitor, etc.

COMPATIBILITY:

Computers are like people, each one is different. Unlike console games, a computer game may install and work flawlessly on one system but may need adjustments on another. This is due to a variety of factors, mainly the OS platform running, video card you have, drivers, protection software installed, etc. Many times manufacturers release updates to games to fix bugs and add enhancements. We would be happy to help get the game going on your computer, but ultimately compatibility issues are the responsibility of the buyer. We suggest going to Google and searching for the name of the game along with the words "system requirements" to determine if your system is suitable. Ultimately, we are not responsible for software compatibility problems or publisher's errors.

PLATFORM:

Stated within the sale is what platform the game will work on (ie. Windows, Mac, Linux...) This is a generic statement and specific platform versions (ie. XP, Vista...) will have to be researched by the buyer. Games that came out PRIOR to XP or higher will not specifically state they will work on that release, but only because they came out before those versions were made. Many, if not most, will work on XP or higher with a few quick adjustments. We provide instructions with all items purchased on how to do this adjustment using the Program Compatibility Wizard. If we find out that an item will definately not work on a specific version, we will state it. For DOS games, you may need to play it with a free DOSbox program if the Program Compatibility Wizard does not work.

64-Bit Windows OS Systems:
For 64-bit Operating Systems, older games most likely will NOT work due to 64-bit systems not being able to run 16-bit programming code (most games prior to 2000). For DOS games, you may need to play it with a free DOSbox program.

Macintosh Systems:
For Macintosh programs, most older games will need to be run in Classic Environment if you have a MAC OS X 10.0 - 10.4 version. Please research Google on how to do this, or send us a message for information prior to purchasing. If your MAC OS system doesn't support Classic Environment (ie. MAC OS X 10.5 or Higher OR Intel Macs), you will have to try running it using the free program called SheepShaver, but compatibility is not ensured. Please research prior to purchasing or ask questions.

MEDIA FORMAT:

Please verify you have the required hardware in order to use the specified media (ie. CD, DVD, floppy drives, etc.) If the item comes as a floppy disc, make sure you have either the needed 3.5" floppy drive or the bigger and older 5.25" floppy drive.

SHIPPING:

We typically ship all items out within 2-4 business days after payment is received. In regards to the stated shipping and handling, remember that these costs include more than just postage. We combine shipping and handling, with each additional item after the first just $2 more. Message us for an invoice if doesn't automatically adjust it.

International buyers not shipping to an address within the U.S. can expect their orders to take anywhere from 5 days to 4 weeks to be received, depending on how fast/well USPS is moving. Additionally, international orders typically have to go through governmental customs, which can delay the arrival process. Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to offerding or buying. Customs fees are normally charged by the shipping company or collected when you pick the item up. These fees are not additional shipping charges.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A SMOOTH PURCHASE:

Ask questions PRIOR to purchasing an order to avoid any confusion.

Be patient if there are problems during installation or gameplay. Typically someone else has already ran into that problem and has listed a solution online. Contact us and we will do our best to help.

Be sure to update your video card drivers and search for updates to the game from the manufacturer.

Please message us prior to leaving negative or neutral response in order for us to help solve your problem.