Panzer Ace: 1939-45 is a solitaire, tactical-level game that places you in command of a German tank or tank-destroyer during World War II in North Africa, on the Eastern Front, and the Western Front Theaters of Operation.
You will make the tactical decisions a tank commander faced and control the actions of your crew, while trying to survive. You will be assigned missions to attack, defend, or conduct movement to contact, depending on the current situation.
As time progresses and players survive, they may use the experience gained to improve their odds of success by purchasing skills. As their prestige increases, they may request improved tanks when they suffer the loss of their previous tank. Awards and promotions help to narrate the player’s eventual goal – to survive the war and help defeat the Allies.
Players will find it challenging to survive an entire tour from September 1939 to April 1945, although shorter games may be played involving different start dates. You will start with one of the tank models available to the German Army at the start of the game, but as your fame and prestige rise, more advanced tanks will be available to choose from.
Gameplay moves quickly. Once you have your initial tank and commander, play proceeds by rolling for a mission, then conducting it. Enemy forces range from Polish horse cavalry to British Firefly tanks, all randomly generated for each theater and time period, ensuring no two careers will ever be the same.
Combat is swift and often deadly, as many of the Allied tanks, SPGs, and AT guns can destroy your vehicle. Terrain and weather also have an impact on operations, as well as smoke. Players must pay attention to hull down status, the orientation of their hull and turret, and decide when it is prudent to “button up:’ Artillery and mortar fire sometimes support either side, and random events add to the uncertainty of combat.
With its streamlined play, a single mission can be completed in as little as 10 minutes. When a mission is completed, assuming you have survived, you will ascertain if any awards have been earned or experience points gained.
Promotion is also possible, which has the advantage of allowing for artillery and mortar support. You may also upgrade your tank if you have sufficient Prestige to get a better model; otherwise, you continue to fight in your starting tank until it is knocked out.
While Panzer Ace is designed as a solitaire game, additional options for play are provided for both multi-player cooperative and competitive gaming sessions.
Available vehicles:
- Panzer III (8 types)
- Panzer IV (10 types)
- Panzer V (3 types)
- Tiger I (late)
- Tiger II (2 types)
- PanzerJager I
- Marder (4 types)
- StuG III (3 types)
- StuG & JgPz IV (3 types)
- Hetzer
- Nashorn
- Elefant
- JagdPanther
- JagdTiger
Product Information:
- Complexity: 4 out of 10 (Low/Moderate)
- Playing time: 10-15 minutes (single mission), 4-5 hours (full career)
- Solitaire Suitability: High; Designed for solitaire play
- Players: One or more
- Map Scale: Abstract
- Time Scale: Semi-abstract (individual missions, 8 missions per month)
- Unit Scale: Individual tanks, crewmen, enemy vehicles, anti-tank guns, and ammo
- Game Design: Gregory M. Smith
- Game Artists: Nadir Elfarra, Vincent Bourguignon
Game Components:
- 21 Vehicle Display Mats (2-sided, of 40 total different vehicle models)
- Three full-color counter sheets
- Seven Player Aid Cards (2-sided)
- Two Commander Status cards (2-sided)
- Three Battle Boards (one 1-sided, one 2-sided)
- One Operations Maps (1-sided)
- Three Mission Log Sheets
- Eight Sequence of Play cards
- Eight “Ace” cards
- Two 6-sided dice and one 10-sided die
- One Rules Booklet with Designer’s Notes
- One Box & Lid
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