The Boardgamer’s Special PANZERBLITZ Issue

Sample file

Featuring New Counters, New Situations, Historical Corrections and Rules Clarifications 2 The Boardgamer’s Special Panzerblitz Issue Introduction To The Special Issue Of PANZERBLITZ By Alan Arvold Back in 1968 an up and coming game developing the game system or creating he has also run for the past six years. designer by the name of James new ones using PANZERBLITZ as a He allowed the tournament to be the Dunnigan designed a game about basis for comparison. testing ground for many of the scenarios tactical armored warfare on the Eastern presented in this issue. Among the Front in 1944 during World War II. He By 1975 PANZERBLITZ was showing people who playtested at the tournament called the game STATE FARM 69 after its age. By that time state of the art had were Dave himself, Chuck Leonard, a fictional Russian farm collective where left the game far behind. Tactical Johnny Hasay, Oscar Kenneth Oates, all the scenarios in his game occurred. were already on the market Bill Scott, Jay Zollitsch, Bruno Sinigaglio As he was affiliated with the then new which were more realistic and complex. and Kurt Kurtz. Other playtesters who organization Simulations Publications Yet despite this PANZERBLITZ were not at the tournament were Alvin Incorporated (SPI) he naturally remained a good seller, its ease of Muelling and Jeff Swegler. My thanks to presented it to them first. SPI saw great playability virtually insuring a steady all of them. potential in the game and after cleaning supply of gamers who were getting tired it up a bit released it as one of their of the ever increasing levels of In closing the future of PANZERBLITZ experimental test series games in 1969. complexity of the new tactical appears to be uncertain. With the sale Entitled TACTICAL GAME 3 the game wargames. And the proof of this is of to and their proved to be immensely popular with evident even today at the turn of the subsequent dumping of all but a few their playtesters and many ideas came century. Most of the tactical wargames wargames, it would appear that the in to further improve the game. As the of the period have gone the way of the game is slowly fading into history. game was being further developed, SPI, dinosaur, lying in wargamers' private However, Multi-Man-Publishing has which was rather strapped for cash at collections and showing up only in purchased the rights to publish the game the time, sold the game along with auctions while PANZERBLITZ can still and is now working on a redevelopment several others to the Avalon Hill Game be seen today in stores (in ever of PANZERBLITZ slated to be released Company. By that time most of the shrinking numbers though). sometime in late 2001. PANZERBLITZ developmental work on the game was has been around for thirty years and already done and after some minor In 1976 Avalon Hill came out with the let’s hope that it stays around for thirty touch ups Avalon Hill released the game original Wargamer's Guide to more. as PANZERBLITZ in the autumn of PANZERBLITZ, a collection of 1970. With the release of previously published PANZERBLITZ PANZERBLITZ the wargaming hobby articles from the GENERAL plus some was turned on its ear and was never the new material.Sample Once plentiful file it has now The BOARDGAMER’s same again. become a rare item to find. In response Special Issue Of to this Bruce Monnin and myself PANZERBLITZ was revolutionary for its decided to produce a new Panzerblitz time. Here was a game that presented BOARDGAMER's Special tactical armored warfare in a PANZERBLITZ Issue using new The BOARDGAMER’s series of unofficial boardgame format, something that was material. In this issue are a variety of guides is published by Bruce Monnin, thought at the time to be restricted to articles; new scenarios, updated publisher of The BOARDGAMER. The the realm of miniatures. While it took a previously published scenarios, a Special Issue of Panzerblitz is intended to be a compilation of quality articles for the game. while to learn the game, as it introduced compilation of every rules question that new concepts not seen before in was answered by Avalon Hill, an EDITOR: Bruce A. Monnin previous wargames, it was great fun to analysis of the new counters introduced ADDRESS: 177 South Lincoln Street play once you mastered the rules. And to the game over the years and more. It Minster, OH 45865-1240 most importantly it SOLD. In the first is our hope that PANZERBLITZ gamers E-MAIL: [email protected] WEB: www.bright.net/~monninb few months it was out, tens of find enjoyment in them. PHONE: (419) 628-3332 thousands of copies of the game were bought by eager young gamers like It would be rude of me if I did not Copyright 2001 myself. Almost immediately articles to mention the people who contributed to the game appeared, not only in the the making of this issue. Leading the GENERAL but in other wargaming list is Michael P. Flagiello. Besides Copyrights magazines as well. Variants to the collaborating with me on several articles The game Panzerblitz is copyrighted by game showed up all over the place with and submitting an article on his own, he Avalon Hill/Hasbro. new counters, rules, and boards has provided me with much information springing from the minds of amateur on German T.O.&E.’s and unit strengths All images included in this issue are gamers. Gamers quickly adapted the in many of the battles depicted in the copyrighted by Avalon Hill/Hasbro and game to other theatres of war such as scenarios presented. Coming at a close are used with permission. the Western Front, North Africa, and second is Dave Giordano who is a even into the Pacific. Even other game three-time winner of the PANZERBLITZ All articles included in this special issue companies were busy further tournament at Avaloncon/WBC which are not official. The Boardgamer’s Special Panzerblitz Issue 3

Inside The BOARDGAMER’s Special PANZERBLITZ Issue

More New Expressions For A Familiar Face 4 Do Your Own Panzerblitz by Alan Arvold

Prokhorovka 14 New Scenarios For Panzerblitz by Alan Arvold

Historical Addendum To Prokhorovka 23 Historical Orders Of Battle For Each Scenario by Alan Arvold

Panzerblitz Clarifications 26 and Question Box by Alan Arvold

Variations On A Theme 35 For Panzerblitz by Alan Arvold

Tournament Situations 42 For Panzerblitz by Alan Arvold

Panzerblitz Tournament Situations – Part II 43 And An Analysis Of The Situations by Alan Arvold

The Pieces Of Panzerblitz 50 Part 2 by Alan Arvold

References From The General 58 by Alan Arvold Sample file New Expressions For A Familiar Face II 61 Still More Situations For Panzerblitz by Alan Arvold

Operation Wintergale 67 The Relief Of by Alan Arvold

Beyond Situation 25 73 Yet More New Scenarios For Panzerblitz by Michael Flagiello

More Historical Corrections 80 To Panzerblitz Situations by Alan Arvold and Michael Flagiello

Additional Panzerblitz Counters 85 Required To Play Scenarios In This Issue by Alan Arvold and Bruce Monnin

References From The Boardgamer 86 by Bruce Monnin

Other Products From The Boardgamer 86 & 87 by Bruce Monnin