"Panzer leader/Panzer Blitz" Topic

While at Southern front this year, i picked up a 6X4 terrain mat made by Monday Knight Productions…the un-flocked version. Very nice color and it has a hex grid on one side. Now I did this because I was going to play some micro-armor games on it.

With the adds for the 1/600 scale stuff flying around these days, I've decided to make the 3D version of PB/PL. I have the mat already of course. Panzer Blitz allows stacking up to 4 units in a hex. at 1.5" per hex, I can't hope to use stands greater than 20mmX20mm. 1/600 scale stuff measures somewhere around 1 CM +/- 2mm in length per vehicle.

The trees recently released will help greatly as well. I'll probably mount them on hex shaped stands and place them in the hexes to form forests.

The houses look a bit ordinary but should paint up ok and will do just fine.

I will use hex shaped hills, probably picture matting board flocked to the same color as the mat.

I do realize that there is a miniatures version of the game out there already but I am kind of fond of the board game anyway. The only thing missing right now is that the miniatures line is a bit light right now for WW2 stuff…at least for later war equipment. John at Pico-Armor did say that more products for the later war are due out soon.

In the mean time, I just ordered a sample pack of the Eastern front stuff. My copy of PB just arrived today in the mail. Things are just getting started!

John

John, sounds good – good visuals and a solid system.

2 suggestions, keep your trees loose, so you can move them to one side as units enter the hex and for hills, add a few bits of polystyrene to the hex base and add filler to get the right shape, then apply a water based paint before flocking – should give some good hills.

You could always reduce stacking to 3 units per hex, to stop things getting too tight.

Did you know that MMP (Multi-Man-Publishing) that have some of the Avalon Hill rights are about to release a new version of the game.

<<Did you know that MMP (Multi-Man-Publishing) that have some of the Avalon Hill rights are about to release a new version of the game.>>

New version in name only.

normsmith,

So you are saying to contour the top of the hex shaped hill? What would you use for filler? Any suggestions from the craft store?

Not sure exactly how big the trees are but I figured I could put 2-3 on a base, separated of course, and still would have room to place troops.

Thanks for the info!

John

Sounds like an interesting project.

I hope you'll bring it to next year's Southern Front. I'd like to see how it turns out.

"Panzer Blitz allows stacking up to 4 units in a hex. at 1.5" per hex"

That is Panzer Leader stacking, PB limits are two for the Russians and three for the Germans. A stacking limit of two is also used in PL for 1940 French tank companies (using the 1940 expansion).

1.5" hexes sound tiny to me, not much bigger than the original boardgame!

That is Panzer Leader stacking, PB limits are two for the Russians and three for the Germans. A stacking limit of two is also used in PL for 1940 French tank companies (using the 1940 expansion).

I wonder why the stacking difference? The games are just about the same. I've only read the PL rules. Just got the PB rules yesterday.

1.5" hexes are at least 50% bigger than the game. I'm not sure if the game has 3/4" or 1" hexes. That said, since you are dealing with area, 1.5" hexes are MUCH bigger.

1*1 = 1 square inch for the game board.
1.5*1.5= 2.25 square inches for my game map
more than twice the size in area!

Thanks for the info!

John

In PB Russian units are companies (rifle companies and ten tank vehicle companies) whereas the Germans are notionally platoons of 5 but they tack on a couple of support vehicles to make them up to 7. 2 x 10 or 3 x 7 both make roughly 20 per hex.

Yes you are right, by the time you've squared it the area is much bigger.

In PB Russian units are companies (rifle companies and ten tank vehicle companies) whereas the Germans are notionally platoons of 5 but they tack on a couple of support vehicles to make them up to 7. 2 x 10 or 3 x 7 both make roughly 20 per hex.

Interesting. I know in PL, most (all?) units are platoons. 40-50 men or 4-6 tanks. 4 units per hex would place things at 20 vehicles (about) or 200 men.

John – re hills,

I would have (1) a hex base (2) glue on small bits of polystyrene, keep it fairly low (3) use a craft knife to ensure the correct shape / slopes on the styrene that you want. (4) buy a cheap tub of filler from a DIY store and apply to hills to smooth out the contours and get the final shape you want – you can by a cheap plastic pallette knife from art shops for 30 pence or use an old credit card to apply the filer. More polystyrene and less filler will prevent any warping. Mixing a bit of paint (or Gesso) with the filler gets rid of the stark whiteness.

I keep my trees loose as it allows you to put extra trees on the table for visual effect but remain functional and then move them slightly to one side when units enter the hex.

doesn't or didn't someone have hex stackabkle terrain out for GHQ? i see them every year at historicon set up for battle

John

How is this project coming?