Steel Panthers Versions..

[Lazareth]

I'm taking a break from reading the manual and was browsing through Matrix Games website and found Steel Panthers General Edition, made in 2004 and sells for $48.99.

Well, what actually did bring me to this forum and Matrix games website?
A Steel Panthers:WAW! Website
Telling me about this really cool free game to download. With patches.

So I downloaded it and am playing it and learning it. But I feel that I may have been lead to wrong-doing and want to make sure. Is the website link above legit? Or have I gotten my hands on an illegal copy?
If it is illegal, I'll be deleting it immediately. Then, as soon as I can afford SP:WAW for real, I'll be buying it. At the moment, I'm saving up for Lock-n-Load: Heroes of Stalingrad.

If it isn't illegal, what are the pros to purchasing the game over the free one?

[Goblin]

Fabio's site is legit, and he is a great guy. Helped alot on earlier versions of the game too, IIRC.

The game is free for anyone, and the same copy is included on the purchased General's Edition. What you are buying when you order that is all of the Mega-Campaigns that were developed by Matrix, and it is well worth the money. The game itself is free for anyone.

I recommend stopping by the Depot ( the official fan support site for the game - www.spwaw.com ), updating to 8.403, and installing the Enhanced Mod (link to the ENH site is in Alby's sig line).


Goblin

[Lazareth]

Roger Roger!  I'll definitely look into the Enhanced Mod.  Thanks for easing my worried mouse hand.

[Goblin]

You're welcome, and the community benefits from having an honest gamer like yourself around. [:)]

[JEB Davis]

SP:WAW is the greatest free game in the universe.

Enjoy it, Lazareth.
Check out the SPWAW Depot, which has a free academy to help you learn the finer points. Then, there is play-by-email, which is awesome.