Matrix Games Forums

Yep, have both Panzer Leader and Panzer Blitz. As a matter of fact, I also have the custom counter set produced for the PL 1940 mod. That issue of the AH General was excellent.

Also, I have a copy of "Arab-Israeli Wars", a modernized version of that series.

Let me top that -- I have a collected series of the first 15 issues of "Strategy & Tactics" magazine, and packed away in a closet, a 1967 edition of "Stalingrad". That one was my very first wargame.

I've lost count of the boardgames I have stashed away after 30+ years of collecting them.

You guys might be interested in VASSAL which has an area on the Matrix Games forums. Have a look at the following link:

Vassal Module: Panzerblitz/Panzer Leader (TAHGC)

I, too, cut my teeth on Squad Leader, Victory in the Pacific, and so forth. (I miss the days of my youth when I had the stamina for marathon gaming sessions. Now, fatigue sets in in a few hours.)

One thing that is better today than yesteryear is the quality of the artwork and printing, as seen in post # 11.

Panzer Leader and Panzer Blitz and Squad Leader all fit into the same nice catagory for me. Best board wargames ever made.

I got started on D-Day in the early 60's. Then France '40 & WSIM. but found Squad Leader in the 70's. My Gaming Buddy and I would spend hours over the rules in Squad Leader, or really have some explaining to do in Whitehall, kill a fifth of Turkey, and be at it at 0400 the next AM.

Miss those days. Don't have room to set up any of the games I have, including the SPI War in the Pacific.

ORIGINAL: ravinhood

Panzer Leader and Panzer Blitz and Squad Leader all fit into the same nice catagory for me. Best board wargames ever made.

Have to agree ravinhood. PanzerBlitz is probably one of the most eloquently designed games ever. In it's chess-like simplicity it allows for extremely competitive play. It also does one thing that every novice wargamer needs to learn. It teaches the doctrine of combined arms better than any game or book I've seen. Same for PanzerLeader.

I made the switch from Squad Leader to Advanced Squad Leader and am glad I did. Loved Squad Leader but after playing ASL I could never go back. Pretty much only play ASL face to face now, but would play PanzerBlitz at the drop of a hat if the opportunity ever came up.

ORIGINAL: Dave Briggs

ORIGINAL: ravinhood

Panzer Leader and Panzer Blitz and Squad Leader all fit into the same nice catagory for me. Best board wargames ever made.

Have to agree ravinhood. PanzerBlitz is probably one of the most eloquently designed games ever. In it's chess-like simplicity it allows for extremely competitive play. It also does one thing that every novice wargamer needs to learn. It teaches the doctrine of combined arms better than any game or book I've seen. Same for PanzerLeader.

I made the switch from Squad Leader to Advanced Squad Leader and am glad I did. Loved Squad Leader but after playing ASL I could never go back. Pretty much only play ASL face to face now, but would play PanzerBlitz at the drop of a hat if the opportunity ever came up.

..that was then, this is a computerised now, t3 all the way..

..come on, maps all over the floor, the "wife", the kids, the rest of it..

..nahh, at least all i have to do now is stop the little one pushing the keyboard..

Panzerblitz was the first board game I ever bought, way back in hte mid-7-0's when getting foreign exchange was bloody difficult.

I was disappointed with it even at hte time tho - it was OK, and is now a classic, but there was little to "write home about" IIRC.

Brady, are you talking about Victory Game's Tokyo Express? The solitare boardgame produced in the '80s? Good game...


I bought PB in eigth grade, the year it was released and loved it and its progeny (Panzer Leader and Arab-Israeli Wars) until Squad Leader. At first I resisted SL (and ASL) as a cheezy way to make us keep buying the same game (I was a rather poor college student in those days), but finally was converted...

Though to me, Battleline's Flattop was the best ever board game. I am definitely a S. Craig Taylor and Steve Peak fan! I loved everything of theirs I ever bought...

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

Brady, are you talking about Victory Game's Tokyo Express? The solitare boardgame produced in the '80s? Good game...


I bought PB in eigth grade, the year it was released and loved it and its progeny (Panzer Leader and Arab-Israeli Wars) until Squad Leader. At first I resisted SL (and ASL) as a cheezy way to make us keep buying the same game (I was a rather poor college student in those days), but finally was converted...

Though to me, Battleline's Flattop was the best ever board game. I am definitely a S. Craig Taylor and Steve Peak fan! I loved everything of theirs I ever bought...

..expanding the discussion...

..yes, there were some bloody good designers then, imagine what they could do now...

..mind you, we've some beauts, even if sometimes their taste in shorts is somewhat dodgy..[8D]

..reASL, mm, but isn't it nice to have a P3 chip

Personally, I think East Front and West Front are basically PL and PB with some bells and whistles.

ORIGINAL: Dave Briggs
PanzerBlitz is probably one of the most eloquently designed games ever. In it's chess-like simplicity it allows for extremely competitive play. It also does one thing that every novice wargamer needs to learn. It teaches the doctrine of combined arms better than any game or book I've seen. Same for PanzerLeader.

As long as you use the "anti-panzerbush" opportunity fire rules to prevent the "I saw 100 tanks come down the road, round the corner, and hide themselves behind that grove of trees over there, Sir, and I couldn't fire a shot, because it wasn't our phase" syndrome.

Yes we still have a few vestiges. Even the best General article.

ORIGINAL: pasternakski

ORIGINAL: Dave Briggs
PanzerBlitz is probably one of the most eloquently designed games ever. In it's chess-like simplicity it allows for extremely competitive play. It also does one thing that every novice wargamer needs to learn. It teaches the doctrine of combined arms better than any game or book I've seen. Same for PanzerLeader.

As long as you use the "anti-panzerbush" opportunity fire rules to prevent the "I saw 100 tanks come down the road, round the corner, and hide themselves behind that grove of trees over there, Sir, and I couldn't fire a shot, because it wasn't our phase" syndrome.

Well, you're thinking in real time and the game in played in phases/turns, so, in this situation you looked before you were supposed to also. Funny I played a 100 games of more of both and I never felt that way or that thought ever crossed my mind. But, then gain I play games as they were intended to be played. Strategically or tactically, I don't recall ever playing like HEY I'm Captain Tweety and I taw I taw a putty tat. lol I played them like chess games. You see your opponent do things it it as well and you have to deal with the same situation seeing before it's your turn to react. Too many people go overboard with this "realism" an "historical accuracy" thing, too over the top imho. It's just a game and they are made to be balanced and competitive not to recreate the war/battle tits for tats.

Go here:

http://www.imaginative-strategist.layfi ... 0Page.html

for some really cool PanzerBlitz stuff.[8D]

Still have my old slipcase version of PB.  Thought about selling it but just couldn't, even though I haven't played since 1986 or so.

IMHO, I thought both East Front and West Front were nice equivalents.

ORIGINAL: civdiv

Personally, I think East Front and West Front are basically PL and PB with some bells and whistles.

..me too..

..toaw however, mmm, dat's'a bunny that'l go the distance..

Hi Stardog,

I remember them well. I bought a copy of each, wore them out playing them and bought another copy of each and then only played one of them once. They were great games as well as the third game in the series, Arab Israeli Wars, which was the best if you ask me.

If anyone wants to buy my copy of any of the aforementioned games email me at rob.mcclure@c-a-m.com. One of the concessions I made to the wife in order to have my own ham radio room was to clean out the closets full of war games. Everyone here along with my local gaming buddies get first dibs, then they go to the auction place.
I have lots of SL and ASL, as well as other AH games, punched and unpunched. Email me for a list.

I hate getting rid of them, but I'm doing a lot more ham radio nowadays than I am FTF board gaming.

Regards all,

Rob McClure, aka sysrkm aka KC5RET

ORIGINAL: pasternakski

ORIGINAL: Dave Briggs
PanzerBlitz is probably one of the most eloquently designed games ever. In it's chess-like simplicity it allows for extremely competitive play. It also does one thing that every novice wargamer needs to learn. It teaches the doctrine of combined arms better than any game or book I've seen. Same for PanzerLeader.

As long as you use the "anti-panzerbush" opportunity fire rules to prevent the "I saw 100 tanks come down the road, round the corner, and hide themselves behind that grove of trees over there, Sir, and I couldn't fire a shot, because it wasn't our phase" syndrome.

PASTERNAKSKI!!! Good to see you back on the old Matrix diatribe. Missed that razor sharp whit of yours.

I have to side with Ravenhood on the PanzerBlitz/PanzerBush argument. I've played these games with every possible variant to come along and I always go back to the basic PanzerBlitz sequence of play. As we have mentioned, PanzerBlitz is more like chess than a simulation. It's just plain fun and competitive. If I want a simulation I'll play something else, but if I want a fun, beer and pretzels game, basic PanzerBlitz is hard to beat. But then, I've also enjoyed playing with anti-panzerbush rules, but it ain't the same thing. I just like the simplicity of the game.

Panzer Blitz, lots of fun.. especially with the ruler out to check line of sight and elevation... It was my first real serious wargame, played risk and some silly civil war game too. Most of the AH games above, lost my pnazer leaderstuff, loved third reich against another human,
Dday.. and others.
fyi wooden ships and iron men made it to pc
lol what a funny typo ships to Sh@@s sorry guys!