Editor's Note: If any wargame deserves to carry the honorific of "classic," it would be Panzerblitz. It took the wargaming world by storm when it was first published in 1970, and it was a top seller for decades. Even after more than 30 years of evolution in tactical-level wargames, Panzerblitz can still impress and charm players with its simplicity, its fast action, and its gritty feel. We fully favor anything that supports the continuing popularity of Panzerblitz and its sister games, Panzer Leader and Arab-Israeli Wars. With that in mind, we're happy to present this updated version of Tom Oleson's Situation 13 article which allows players to create unlimited new scenarios for this classic game.
Panzerblitz and Panzer Leader contain within themselves the potential for new scenarios limited only by the ingenuity of the gamer. Here are rules for creating scenarios that are well-balanced and amply supplied with that nail-biting tension so familiar to PB and PL fans. Moreover, this system allows players to use those units supplied with the game but not featured in the printed situations.
Each player has 1,000 points from which to select his combat force (players can use more or fewer points by mutual agreement). Each unit has a point cost as shown on the Unit Costs and Factors Tables below. For the curious, these costs were generated as follows:
- Tanks and tank destroyers -- AF + RF + DF + MF
- Assault guns and self-propelled artillery -- AF + DF + MF + RF/2
- Armored cars -- Those with A-class weapons are treated as tanks, those with H-class weapons as assault guns
- Transport -- Wagons and half-tracks = DF + MF; Trucks = DF + MF/2
- Infantry -- AF + DF + MF + 1. (Infantry seldom attacks except with CAT, so infantry units are treated as if their range is 1)
- Cavalry -- AF + DF + 2
- CPs -- 1
- Towed guns -- AF/2 + RF/2 + DF + MF
Victory conditions
The winner is the player who has the most units on the center and enemy boards at the end of the 12th turn. Units moved off the far edge of the enemy's board count double, but they can't return. Equal numbers mean a tie. To equalize things in competitive play, it helps to play two games, switching sides between them. Add the units on the central board in both games to determine the winner. There are no “shades” of victory as in the other Panzerblitz situations. The game can be shorter (8 or 10 turns), but shouldn't be longer than 12 turns. Player can agree to count or not count half-hexes for victory purposes, but we recommend not counting them.
Selecting Forces
Players either reach mutual agreement about who will play each side, or one player can place a counter from each side in each hand, shuffle them behind his back, and let his opponent choose one.
Each player purchases his army by spending his 1,000 points (or the agreed-upon number). Leftover points are lost. Since you have no idea what to expect from the enemy, a well-balanced force comprising units of all types is usually best. This will usually contain 45-55 units.
After the force selections are finalized, players reveal what they have chosen. The player with fewer units begins at a disadvantage, so he gets to choose whether he will take the first or second turn (moving first lets you seize critical terrain immediately; moving last lets you make a last-turn dash for the central board with all surviving units). In case of a tie, the Soviet or Allied player gets the option.
Players are limited by the number of units in the box. No one can have more than half the available mines or blocks. Mines and blocks don't count as units toward victory or for determining which side has more units. They can be placed on your own board and on your half of the central board. No forts are allowed in PB. In PL, no air units, flail tanks, or bridges are allowed. (The true values of these specialized units are hard to nail down.)
In PB, we recommend using all optional rules but no experimental rules. In PL, any rules can be used except the Turreted Vehicles Functional Mobility rule.
Terrain
To achieve an element of surprise, the boards should be placed randomly after the forces are selected. This also puts a premium on a balanced force that can fight on any of the boards. If you are lucky enough to own duplicate boards, you can also create a new center board by abutting half of one board to half of another, or using Panzer Leader boards with Panzerblitz units and vice versa.
The easiest way to set up the boards is as follows. The German player selects one board at random, either by rolling a die or drawing a board blindly. That board is placed in front of him and serves as his board of entry. He also rolls a die. If the number is even, the "top" of the board (if you were reading the labels) goes to the player's left; if the number is odd, the top goes to the right. The Soviet or Allied player then randomly selects one of the remaining boards and places it the same way, using his own left and right. Finally, a board is selected randomly (or use the one that remains) to be the center board and a die is rolled to determine which way it faces. Board B (the beach) from Panzer Leader shouldn't be used as the central board, for obvious reasons.
Panzerblitz German Unit Costs and Factors
| Towed Guns |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| 50 mm antitank guns |
8 |
5 |
3 |
0 |
9.5 |
2 |
| 75 mm antitank guns |
13 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
11.5 |
3 |
| 88 mm flak guns |
20 |
20 |
1 |
0 |
21 |
2 |
| 20 mm AA cannons |
4 |
10 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
2 |
| 20 mm AA cannons, quad |
14 |
10 |
1 |
0 |
13 |
2 |
| 75 mm howitzers |
2 |
12 |
2 |
0 |
9 |
4 |
| 150 mm howitzers |
20 |
12 |
2 |
0 |
18 |
2 |
| 81 mm mortars |
3 |
12 |
3 |
1 |
11.5 |
4 |
| 120 mm mortars |
15 |
20 |
2 |
0 |
19.5 |
4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Infantry |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| Engineers |
3 |
4 |
10 |
1 |
18 |
3 |
| Security platoon |
2 |
4 |
5 |
1 |
9 |
3 |
| Rifle platoon |
3 |
6 |
8 |
1 |
16 |
18 |
| Submachine gun platoon |
6 |
3 |
6 |
1 |
14 |
6 |
| Command post |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
5 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Transport |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| Wagons |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
| Truck transport |
0 |
0 |
1 |
12 |
7 |
16 |
| SdKfz 251 halftracks |
2 |
4 |
4 |
10 |
14 |
11 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Armored Cars |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| SdKfz 234/2 puma (A) |
6 |
5 |
3 |
14 |
28 |
1 |
| SdKfz 234/4 (A) |
13 |
8 |
3 |
14 |
38 |
1 |
| SdKfz 234/1 (H) |
2 |
4 |
3 |
16 |
23 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Self-Propelled Artillery |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| Maultier (H) |
50 |
12 |
4 |
10 |
70 |
1 |
| Wespe (H) |
40 |
32 |
5 |
8 |
69 |
2 |
| Hummel (H) |
60 |
24 |
6 |
8 |
86 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Anti-aircraft and Assault Guns |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| GW 38 (m) (H) |
10 |
12 |
5 |
6 |
27 |
1 |
| Wirbelwind (H) |
14 |
10 |
6 |
8 |
33 |
2 |
| Stu H 42 (H) |
14 |
12 |
12 |
8 |
40 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tank Destroyers |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| Marder III (A) |
12 |
8 |
7 |
8 |
35 |
2 |
| StuG III (A) |
12 |
8 |
12 |
8 |
40 |
4 |
| Hetzer (A) |
12 |
8 |
12 |
6 |
38 |
2 |
| JgdPz IV (A) |
16 |
12 |
9 |
8 |
45 |
1 |
| Nashorn (A) |
20 |
20 |
6 |
8 |
54 |
1 |
| JgdPz V |
20 |
12 |
15 |
9 |
56 |
2 |
| JgdPz VI |
22 |
12 |
18 |
5 |
57 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tanks |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| Lynx |
2 |
4 |
6 |
10 |
22 |
1 |
| PzKpfw IV (A) |
14 |
8 |
8 |
8 |
38 |
12 |
| PzKpfw V panther (A) |
16 |
12 |
12 |
10 |
50 |
12 |
| PzKpiw VIa tiger I (A) |
16 |
12 |
12 |
8 |
47 |
2 |
| PzKpfw VIb tiger II (A) |
20 |
12 |
16 |
6 |
54 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Static Defenses |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| Mines |
|
|
|
|
10 |
|
| Blocks |
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
Soviet Unit Costs and Factors
| Towed Guns |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| 12.7 mm machine guns |
6 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
8 |
2 |
| 45 mm antitank guns |
7 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
8 |
4 |
| 57 mm antitank guns |
9 |
4 |
3 |
0 |
9.5 |
2 |
| 76.2 mm antitank guns |
12 |
5 |
2 |
0 |
10.5 |
6 |
| 76.2 mm howitzers |
3 |
10 |
2 |
0 |
8.5 |
2 |
| 122 mm howitzers |
40 |
20 |
1 |
0 |
31 |
2 |
| 82 mm mortars (motorized) |
2 |
12 |
3 |
1 |
11 |
3 |
| 82mm mortars |
3 |
12 |
3 |
1 |
11.5 |
6 |
| 120 mm mortars |
24 |
20 |
2 |
0 |
24 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Infantry |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| Engineers |
3 |
2 |
8 |
1 |
16 |
2 |
| Reconnaissance platoon |
3 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
9 |
5 |
| Rifle company |
5 |
4 |
16 |
1 |
23 |
9 |
| Guards company |
6 |
5 |
18 |
1 |
26 |
10 |
| Submachine gun company |
8 |
1 |
12 |
1 |
22 |
6 |
| Cavalry |
10 |
3 |
8 |
3 |
20 |
4 |
| Command post |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
5 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Transport |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| Wagons |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
8 |
| Truck transport |
0 |
0 |
1 |
12 |
7 |
17 |
| SIS 33, M3 halftracks |
2 |
1 |
2 |
10 |
12 |
6 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Assault Guns |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| SU 152 assault gun (H) |
40 |
10 |
16 |
7 |
68 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tank Destroyers |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| SU-76 (A) |
12 |
5 |
9 |
9 |
35 |
2 |
| SU-85 (A) |
14 |
8 |
12 |
11 |
45 |
2 |
| SU-10() (A) |
16 |
8 |
15 |
8 |
47 |
2 |
| JSU-122 (A) |
17 |
10 |
15 |
7 |
49 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tanks |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| KV 85(A) |
15 |
8 |
13 |
10 |
46 |
2 |
| T-34c (A) |
12 |
6 |
9 |
11 |
37 |
12 |
| T-34/85 (A) |
15 |
8 |
10 |
11 |
44 |
6 |
| JS II (A) |
18 |
8 |
12 |
8 |
46 |
2 |
| JS III (A) |
18 |
12 |
14 |
8 |
52 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Static Defenses |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| Mines |
|
|
|
|
10 |
|
| Blocks |
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
Panzer Leader German Unit Costs and Factors
| Towed Guns |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| 75mm antitank guns |
13 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
11.5 |
3 |
| 88mm antitank guns |
20 |
20 |
1 |
0 |
21 |
4 |
| 20mm anti-aircraft guns |
4 |
10 |
1 |
0 |
8 |
4 |
| 20mm anti-aircraft quad |
14 |
10 |
1 |
0 |
13 |
2 |
| 37mm anti-aircraft guns |
6 |
12 |
1 |
0 |
10 |
1 |
| 75mm infantry guns |
2 |
12 |
2 |
0 |
9 |
4 |
| 75mm howitzers |
20 |
28 |
2 |
0 |
36 |
3 |
| 105mm howitzers |
40 |
32 |
2 |
0 |
58 |
2 |
| 150mm infantry guns |
20 |
12 |
2 |
0 |
18 |
2 |
| 150mm howitzers |
60 |
36 |
2 |
0 |
80 |
3 |
| 170mm guns |
50 |
80 |
2 |
0 |
92 |
2 |
| 81mm mortars |
3 |
12 |
3 |
1 |
11.5 |
3 |
| 120mm mortars |
15 |
20 |
2 |
0 |
19.5 |
3 |
| Nebelwerfer |
60 |
16 |
1 |
0 |
69 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Infantry |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| Engineers |
3 |
2 |
10 |
1 |
16 |
3 |
| Security platoon |
2 |
2 |
5 |
1 |
7.5 |
1 |
| Rifle platoon |
3 |
2 |
8 |
1 |
11 |
18 |
| Submachine gun platoon |
6 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
12.5 |
9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Transport |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| Wagons |
0 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
6 |
| Trucks |
0 |
0 |
1 |
12 |
7 |
6 |
| Halftracks |
2 |
2 |
4 |
10 |
14 |
10 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Armored Cars |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| SdKfz 234/1s |
2 |
4 |
3 |
16 |
23 |
3 |
| SdKfz 234/2 Pumas |
6 |
5 |
3 |
14 |
28 |
1 |
| SdKfz 234/4s |
13 |
8 |
3 |
14 |
38 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Self-Propelled Artillery |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| Wespes |
40 |
32 |
5 |
8 |
69 |
2 |
| Maultiers |
50 |
12 |
4 |
10 |
70 |
1 |
| Hummels |
60 |
24 |
6 |
8 |
86 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Assault Guns |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| Gw 38s (M) |
10 |
12 |
5 |
6 |
27 |
3 |
| FlakPz IV Wirbelwinds |
14 |
10 |
6 |
8 |
33 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tank Destroyers |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| JgdPz 38 Hetzers |
12 |
8 |
12 |
6 |
38 |
2 |
| StuG IIIs |
12 |
8 |
12 |
8 |
40 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tanks |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| Lynx |
2 |
4 |
6 |
10 |
22 |
1 |
| PzKpfw IIIs |
8 |
6 |
7 |
9 |
30 |
2 |
| PzKpfw IV (Wehr.) |
11 |
8 |
7 |
8 |
34 |
2 |
| PzKpfw IV (SS) |
14 |
8 |
8 |
8 |
38 |
6 |
| PzKpfw V Panthers (Wehr.) |
13 |
12 |
11 |
10 |
46 |
6 |
| PzKpfw V Panthers (SS) |
16 |
12 |
12 |
10 |
50 |
6 |
| PzKpfw VIa Tigers |
15 |
12 |
12 |
8 |
47 |
3 |
| PzKpfw Vib King Tigers |
20 |
12 |
16 |
6 |
54 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Static Defenses |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| Mines |
|
|
|
|
10 |
5 |
| Blocks |
|
|
|
|
2 |
10 |
Allied Unit Costs and Factors
| Artillery |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| 57mm antitank guns |
9 |
5 |
2 |
0 |
9.5 |
3 |
| 76mm antitank guns |
12 |
10 |
2 |
0 |
13 |
2 |
| 90mm antitank guns |
15 |
20 |
1 |
0 |
18.5 |
2 |
| 17 lbr antitank guns |
14 |
10 |
2 |
0 |
14 |
1 |
| 40mm howitzers |
8 |
12 |
2 |
0 |
12 |
2 |
| 25 lbr howitzers |
35 |
35 |
2 |
0 |
54.5 |
3 |
| 105mm howitzers |
40 |
32 |
2 |
0 |
58 |
6 |
| 8 inch howitzers |
80 |
40 |
2 |
0 |
102 |
1 |
| 76mm mortars |
3 |
8 |
3 |
1 |
9.5 |
2 |
| 81mm mortars |
3 |
12 |
3 |
1 |
11.5 |
3 |
| 107mm mortars |
10 |
17 |
2 |
0 |
15.5 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Infantry |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| Engineers (US) |
1 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
9 |
6 |
| Engineers (UK) |
3 |
2 |
10 |
1 |
16 |
4 |
| Scouts |
1 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
5.5 |
3 |
| Machine gun platoon |
2 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
7 |
3 |
| Rifle platoon |
2 |
2 |
6 |
1 |
9 |
18 |
| Armored infantry |
4 |
2 |
10 |
1 |
14 |
9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Transport |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| Trucks |
0 |
0 |
1 |
14 |
8 |
6 |
| M3 scout cars |
2 |
2 |
2 |
14 |
16 |
3 |
| Bren carriers |
2 |
2 |
2 |
10 |
12 |
9 |
| Halftracks |
2 |
2 |
3 |
10 |
13 |
18 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Armored Cars |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| M20s |
2 |
4 |
3 |
15 |
21 |
3 |
| M8s |
3 |
5 |
3 |
15 |
26 |
3 |
| Daimlers |
3 |
5 |
3 |
16 |
27 |
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Self-Propelled Artillery |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| Sextons |
35 |
35 |
7 |
8 |
67.5 |
3 |
| M7 Priests |
40 |
32 |
7 |
8 |
71 |
3 |
| Recon HQ Troop |
4 |
12 |
4 |
10 |
24 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Assault Guns |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| M16s |
8 |
4 |
3 |
10 |
19 |
2 |
| M4/105s |
14 |
10 |
9 |
8 |
36 |
2 |
| Churchill flamethrowers |
40 |
1 |
11 |
5 |
57 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tank Destroyers |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| Achilles |
16 |
10 |
6 |
9 |
41 |
2 |
| M10s |
14 |
10 |
6 |
9 |
39 |
3 |
| M18s |
14 |
10 |
4 |
12 |
40 |
1 |
| M36s |
15 |
12 |
6 |
9 |
42 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Tanks |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| M5 Stuarts |
5 |
5 |
5 |
11 |
26 |
3 |
| M24 Chaffees |
11 |
8 |
7 |
11 |
37 |
1 |
| Cromwells |
9 |
8 |
8 |
7 |
32 |
4 |
| Sherman Fireflies (UK) |
10 |
8 |
8 |
8 |
34 |
8 |
| M4/75 Shermans |
11 |
8 |
9 |
8 |
36 |
9 |
| M4/76 Shermans |
14 |
10 |
10 |
9 |
43 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Static Defenses |
AF |
RF |
DF |
MF |
Cost |
# in Game |
| Mines |
|
|
|
|
10 |
5 |
| Blocks |
|
|
|
|
2 |
10 |
