"Panzer Miniatures?" Topic

Has anyone played these rules by Jim Day?

I have played the boardgame version on Vassal, but I'm more interested in playing on the actual table and was wondering what differences there are on the data cards for each version? Is there an easy was to convert the boardgame stats to the table version?

I've read that it's 40 or 50 meters per inch on the table, but what does that do to the board game stats? Do you half them?

Thanks for any info

Jim Day's Panzer rules have been around since the 80's in one form or another. We always played them as a miniatures game with 285th scale stuff. We just used 1 hex equals 2" on the tabletop. Direct conversion would be 1 hex equals 1".

I don't quite understand what you mean about tabletop play affecting board game stats. It doesn't if you go with 1 hex = 'your preferred tabletop dimension for 1 hex'

You could search for a set of Panzer miniature rules. They were published by Lost Battalion Games but are long out of print.

Playing it now. Love it! Never played the board game. But the hit location rules have been modified. It uses a 360 degree template. I don't know if movement was simply converted from Hexes to inches on the data cards.

So looked at it on Wargamesvault and it looks like you have to buy the rules AND buy each other country you want for equipment (and forces?) statistics. Is this true?

Pretty much. You can find a few of the data cards online. It might be a bit pricey to buy the rules and the expansions, but I think they are worth every penny.

Frankly since getting back in the hobby I have been picking up way too many rules sets, none of which match my expectations. I am also looking at Mein Panzer which uses a similar "buy the rules then buy the forces info books" format which I have also not gone for. I am also much more interested in infantry centric actions with armour and other support only being available, if at all, in limited amounts. I have the original games Panzer miniatures is based on and frankly infantry is a poor afterthought at best. Are the miniatures rules the same? Could you have an infantry only game and have a fun game? I never got a straight answer wrt Mein Panzer so figure it also is a poor representation of infantry actions.

The games I have played the infantry does all right if they can get close enough to be effective. Their transport usually draws a lot of fire and gets wiped out early on. Everybody seems to like shooting at halftracks and trucks.

stephen m:

I play the Mien Panzer rules. I strongly prefer these rules, having spent more years than I'd care to count going from one ruleset to another and then back.

All rules will be a compromise between details ("realism") and fast play ("playability"). I like where this set sits on that compromise -- it is reasonably fast play, but with enough detail to keep my imagination engaged.

I have had several infantry-dominated games that played very well. I have had several armor-dominated games that also played very well. Most importantly for me, the balance of armor vs. infantry does not appreciably change the pace of the game -- both play smoothly and at about the same pace. This is something I had never found in other rules -- in so many 1-to-1 unit scale games I've played the vehicles side of the game might play reasonably quickly, but the moment the infantry appear everything comes to a crashing halt. Either that, or the infantry combat is SO simplified that there is just nothing there for a gamer to enjoy.

With MP I find that I can set up games where each player runs a re-enforced company, where multiple players can be on each side building up battalion or larger forces, where any mix of infantry, tanks, artillery and support weapons can be involved, and the whole thing moves along at a pace that is engaging for all, with enough detail to keep me (a nut for the details of the weapons) rewarded.

Like 'em. Recommend 'em. Keeping 'em.

If you want to start with just the rules, I'm sure you can get the stats for specific units you want to run in your first few games just by asking other players of the rules. Eventually you will want to get the data book(s) to expand and explore other units, but I expect you'll be more confident in that purchase after running one or two games.

Good luck and good gaming.

-Mark
(aka: Mk 1)