PANZER COMMANDER WORLD WAR II TANK SIMULATOR TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 1 GETTING STARTED.................................................................................................... 1 What Comes with this Game? ............................................................................ 2 Installing the Game .............................................................................................. 2 Starting the Game ................................................................................................ 2 Uninstalling the Game ........................................................................................ 2 Saving Games ...................................................................................................... 2 Electronic Registration ........................................................................................ 2 Electronic Documentation.................................................................................... 3 TROUBLESHOOTING.................................................................................................. 3 Sound and Video Cards ...................................................................................... 3 DirectX 5 Setup ...................................................................................................... 4 Using a Joystick in PANZER COMMANDER................................................................ 5 Playing PANZER COMMANDER with a 3D Accelerator ............................................ 5 Contacting SSI Technical Suppor t ...................................................................... 6 TUTORIALS.................................................................................................................. 7 Training Mission 1 – Basic Tank Command ...................................................... 7 Training Mission 2 – Basic Platoon Command ..................................................13 MAIN MENU AND RELATED SCREENS ..................................................................17 PLAYING A SINGLE SCENARIO ................................................................................19 Choosing a Scenario ............................................................................................19 Ending a Scenario ................................................................................................20 PLAYING A CAMPAIGN..............................................................................................21 Loading a Career or Starting a New Campaign ................................................21 The Campaign Briefing Menu ........................................................................ 22 GAME OPTIONS ..........................................................................................................24 Credits ..................................................................................................................24 Sound Effects and Music ....................................................................................24 Configure Keyboard Commands..........................................................................25 Configure Joystick ................................................................................................25 Level of Detail Settings ........................................................................................25 Adjusting Simulation Realism Settings ..............................................................28 3D Accelerator Settings ......................................................................................30 PLAYING A MULTIPLAYER GAME ..........................................................................32 Network Protocol Selection ................................................................................32 Setting up a Multiplayer Game ..........................................................................33 Network Troubleshooting ....................................................................................37 VIEWING VEHICLE MODELS....................................................................................39 SIMULATION CONCEPTS ..........................................................................................40 Crew Positions ......................................................................................................40 Changing the View................................................................................................42 Driving and Basic Navigation ............................................................................43 TABLE OF CONTENTS Operating the Main Gun ......................................................................................45 Using the Range Finder ........................................................................................47 Operating the Coaxial Machine Gun ..................................................................52 Issuing Platoon Orders ........................................................................................52 Victory Conditions ................................................................................................54 Using the Status Bar ............................................................................................56 TANK TACTICS............................................................................................................58 Mobility ................................................................................................................58 Armour..................................................................................................................59 First Shot Advantage ..........................................................................................59 Weapons Capabilities and Limitations ..............................................................60 Making Use of Terrain ........................................................................................60 Dealing with Artillery and Air Strikes ..............................................................61 Attacking Fortifications ......................................................................................62 USING THE SCENARIO EDITOR ..............................................................................63 Loading and Saving Scenarios ............................................................................64 Creating the Terrain ............................................................................................65 Placing Non-Unit Objects ....................................................................................67 Placing Units ........................................................................................................68 Changing Unit Stats ............................................................................................69 Assigning Platoon Orders and Way Points ........................................................70 Setting up Air and Artillery Strikes ..................................................................71 Victory Conditions ................................................................................................71 Scenario Creation Tips ........................................................................................72 TANK STATISTICS AND CAPABILITIES ..................................................................73 German Vehicles ..................................................................................................73 Soviet Vehicles......................................................................................................87 American Vehicles................................................................................................95 British Vehicles ....................................................................................................100 DESCRIPTIONS OF ENEMY ORDNANCE ................................................................108 German Mobile Ordnance....................................................................................108 Soviet Mobile Ordnance ......................................................................................110 American Mobile Ordnance ................................................................................111 British Mobile Ordnance ......................................................................................113 French and Polish Mobile Ordnance ..................................................................114 Stationary Gun Emplacements ..........................................................................115 Airplanes ..............................................................................................................118 KEYBOARD AND JOYSTICK COMMANDS ..............................................................119 Keyboard Commands ..........................................................................................119 Joystick Commands..............................................................................................121 CREDITS ......................................................................................................................123 1 INTRODUCTION On the prowl: a PzKw V Panther in Northern Europe, 1944. ■ INTRODUCTION PAN Z E R COM M A N D E R is a simulation of World War II tank combat. In PAN Z E R COM M A N D E R , the attempt has been made to rec r eate