PanzerBlitz Solo Play Situation #1 (first 3 turns)

I’m playing PANZERBLITZ for the first time and it is a solo experience, so might as well record it so I am ostensibly not speaking to myself. Instead, now I’m instructing teeming masses of interested Grognards and WWII enthusiasts on different approaches one can take with this wargaming fossil.

If you are here reading this blog post you must know something about the PANZERBLITZ story, the most important being, the game was released in 1970! It is old school as draughts. Is it still playable and enjoyable as a tactical wargame? With all the water under the bridge of boardgame development shouldn’t it be relegated to the dusty shelves of old and forgotten wargames?

By the enthusiasm with which this simple wargame is still played and modified the answer is clearly yes to the first and no to the second. Over the intervening years the game has been put through its paces and has been played millions of times and there are a few features which repeatedly get called out as flaws to what otherwise is a fast-moving tactical wargame fun to play. These flaws are claimed to wreck the enjoyment of the game for many wargamers. Specifically called out are the spotting rules, lack of “opportunity” fire and putting more units into a hex reduces the effect of Artillery and Mortar fire into that hex. There are lengthier lists.

But that is not my point or focus of this play-through. No, the purpose of the exercise is to determine if a homemade variant eliminates these perceived warts and if the change in gameplay is worth the brain damage in learning and building these changes. I am going to play the game two times, same scenario both times. The first play will be according to the rules as written. Of the four possible optional rules only two will be used; Panzerblitz Assault and Indirect Fire. None of the Experimental Rules are going to be in effect.

The second game will be run per the “Panzer Warrior” rules, a Panzerblitz/Panzer Leader rules consolidation incorporating optional rules by Byron Henderson and some new rules by Fred Schwartz. Panzer Warrior is only one of many variants but seems committed to following the RAW as much as possible in this attempt at improving play. I hope this exercise will enlighten me on how I am going to best enjoy this game over repeated play.

Situation #1 is an attack by the Russians on a German Signal Coy. hunkered down on the high ground in woods, town and a few fortifications. The Germans are all in on holding their position on the plateau. The CP far to the north is going to be left to fend for itself. Here is the initial German deployment in detail. 

The Russian coy. commander is a no-nonsense sort and picks the shortest path to his target, the village on the plateau. He has been ordered to clear out the town of the German Fascists and wastes no time executing the attack. 

Turn 1

There is no combat for the Russians this turn so we begin movement. The armored units, with the submachine gun coy.s riding on top, drive north on the road up the hill and pull up under cover of the ridge short of the minefield on the road. The submachine gun coy.s dismount and prepare to follow the armor into town. The other T-34 and SU-76 continue past another hex and expose themselves on the open approaches to town. I do not have to fear being fired upon this turn because the German setup has left the 50mm’s with obstructed lines of sight to these Russian armored units.

The rest of the attack group; cavalry, horse-drawn artillery, move along the road at their slower rate, remaining limbered.

The German Commander, realizing they cannot fire, does some limited maneuvering in town. The engineer platoon is sent forward to contest the south of the village. And this concludes the German’s turn and turn 1 itself.

Turn 2

Time to kick the door in! I drive the SU-76 and T-34 at the west side of town. The other two T-34’s go at the center of town and take position on the west side of the road to avoid the minefield. The infantry units spread out and move up on either side of the road. Cavalry and artillery continue their slow pace of advance.

The Germans are up, and the first shots of the war are to be fired! I review my combat options. They are a) Normal Attacks, b) Overrun Attacks and c) Close Assault. Normal Attacks are further broken down into more options which need to be understood.

Every available unit will fire on the SU-76 platoon in a Selective Attack. My possible attacking stacks are of mixed types so all the effects to the AF and DF need to be figured before an odds ratio for the combat can be determined. The two “I” units are prohibited from firing on armored units, so they need to hold tight. The 50mm ATG gun and 20mm FLK have no such problems. They open up with everything they have in a barrel-burning fusillade.

I total up the AF of the direct fire weapons and adjust per WEC. If I am doing the math right, I end up with 20:9, or 2:1 odds, on the Russian assault gun. The roll is 4, D, Dispersed! The line of SU-76’s sputter on their approach and seek cover from the heavy fire. The counter is flipped over reflecting its Dispersed condition.

I imagine the defending infantry holding their fire as the first T-34’s move through town. The battalion commander must have orders to only attack when the enemy is close! Close Assault takes place after movement, but the Germans have no maneuvers to make so the hastily laid ambush is sprung. The close assault is being made by units in separate hexes so the Engineer plt. does not receive their effectiveness bonus during the attack. The attack will be made at 1:2 odds with only a -2 die modifier. Result of 3, no effect. The German Infantry is unable to turn back the tank coy.’s push. And so ends Turn 2.

Turn 3

Combat before movement, that is the PANZERBLITZ way. Except for Close Assault, this type of combat action happens after all units have moved. And Overrun Attacks. They are conducted while your units are moving. Subtle distinctions, but part of the subtle rules which create the PB Experience. I have two direct fire attacks to make. The T-34 in the stack with the Dispersed SU-76 will shoot at the 50mm ATG. But since it is in a town hex the Russians have to attack the entire stack, not an individual unit. Let us do the math. The tank’s AF is doubled for firing into a town hex giving an AF of 24, but also suffer a +1 DRM. The stack of German units nets DF 8. 3:1 odds. The roll is 3+1=4. DD Special Dispersed. All 3 defenders are flipped over to show their dispersed state.

The other 2 tanks fire on the Engineer plt. The math says the tank’s total AF is 48. Engineer DF 10, 4:1 odds with a +1 DRM. The result is another 4, enemy eliminated! The T-34s bring the town down around their ears wiping out the German plt.

Now for movement. The supporting SMG infantry coy.s moves up one, bypassing the minefield and getting set up to take the town. The cavalry climbs the road and looks to hook left. Finally, the Dispersed SU-76 assault gun is flipped back over indicating it is back to normal and Turn 3 passes to the German side.

The German’s are looking at combat ineffective troops face to face with the Russian armor. Being Dispersed they cannot move or shoot. Like their Russian opponents, the Dispersal will not be removed until the end of the German’s turn. This doesn’t leave many options. Even Indirect Fire is out because I don’t have a CP with line of sight on any targets, even though units are currently spotted. I conclude the best move the Germans have is to do nothing for Turn 3. The Russians are going to have to slog their way through town and eat the business end of 88s when they get to the other side. Dispersed German units are flipped over now, clearing this condition.

I need to go to sleep now, so I will pick up and run a few more turns tomorrow.