Review: Ghost Panzer

Review: Ghost Panzer

Quinns: Heya Matt. What’cha reading?

Matt: It’s Second World War Infantry Tactics by Stephen Bull. An excellent introduction to the infantry doctrine adopted by the antagonists of that famous conflict. I picked it up because it’s listed in the bibliography of this game, Band of Brothers: Ghost Panzer.

Quinns: Oh my god! UNDEAD TANKS?

Matt: …No. Ghost Panzer is the sequel to Band of Brothers: Screaming Eagles which was about the 101st Airborne of televisual fame. This one concerns the exploits of the 11th Panzer on the Eastern Front, and they get their name from the spectral stencil they sprayed on their vehicles. It’s all in the bibliography.

Quinns: A game with a bibliography? It’s not the sexiest of selling points, but what the hell! Let’s play!

Matt: No.

Quinns: What?

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Band of Brothers: Ghost Panzer

Band of Brothers: Ghost Panzer

Band of Brothers: Ghost Panzer is a fast playing game of squad level combat in WWII. It covers the exploits of the German 11th Panzer Division in Russia from 1941 to 1944. The rules are very simple (no combat charts are needed) with very few exceptions to remember and yet the game is meant to be all encompassing and will include infantry, tanks, and artillery.

Based on years of research, the game system uses a unique suppression mechanic. There are no longer two unique states for a unit, but varying degrees of suppression. This allows suppression to accumulate from multiple fire sources and means that the unit will not take a morale check until it is asked to do something. You will never know for sure how your units will respond until they are needed.

Although casualties can be caused by artillery and heavy weapons (which makes them prime battlefield targets), squads will never cause significant casualties shooting at range at dug in, first line troops. Their goal is to fire and maneuver. Sections of the enemy force must be pinned down and eliminated from up close. The system itself forces this realistic play. In a similar fashion, the system rewards you for spreading your troops out and other realistic game play.

Another unique feature of the game is its use of Proficiency and Casualty ratings to differentiate squads in areas besides just morale.

Ghost Panzer is a STAND ALONE GAME, but is also the second in a series.

Band of Brothers: Screaming Eagles was the first in the series and followed the U.S. 101st Airborne Division.

Other games under research are “The Old Breed” (the US 1st Marine Division) and a module that follows Commonwealth forces.

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