I'm working on a project called "Achtung Panzer!". It is nothing special - a German custom campaign containing 31 single-player missions divided into 10 chapters.

It's about 60 % complete now so I decided to let you know that in probably 2 weeks, it can be available for download here. But only if you wanna play it.


Here's a first bunch of info:

The chapters cover the following periods:

Bootcamp
Tiny episode added only because of the Blitzkrieg engine.

Fall Weiss
Invasion of Poland.

Fall Gelb
First phase of the western offensive in 1940.

Afrika Korps
Rommel's first offensive in North Africa in order to help the Italians.

Barbarossa
Invasion of Soviet Union - first phase till the end of September 1941.

Taifun
Assault on Moscow known as operation Typhoon.

Operation Blau
That custom campaign you already know. Revised a bit and incorporated into the campaign.

Kharkov 1943
Stabilization of the Russian front during the early months of 1943 (after Stalingrad).

Gustav line
Defence of the Gustav line in Italy.

Wacht am Rhein
Battle of the bulge played from the German perspective.


If you have any questions, post them here and I'll answer them as soon as possible.

Hi,

Thanks for the preview, though I wouldn't say that 31 maps are "nothing special"!. Quite an ambitious project but the fact that you have done 60% shows you are committed. 10 chapters are sure to keep a few people indoors during the summer days.
Looking forward to hearing more about this.

I can bring some screenshots, more detailed info but I don't know what might be interresting to be posted (especially when it's not a mod).

I think some details of the maps would be interesting for people to read.
Of course, you might want to just concentrate on the campaign and let people find out for themselves when it is finished.

Good shot! I think it wouldn't be correct to expose all "sweets" in advance.

But if somebody want to know some special or exact aspects I'll post it here. But not everything. It wouldn't be a surprise then.

I'll post more info in few days.

I am seriously excited about this-thanks Gordon.

It sounds great and Im happy that you're adding the Gustav line! I cant wait to play this.

Just one question though, are Italians included in the Afrika Korps and the Gustav line missions? If so, please dont portray them as cowards.

Quite a task you have assigned yourself. I appreciate your efforts and look forward to playing your creation. If you need playtesters, I volunteer.

Sounds very impressive.

Just want to check, will it will work on an non-upgraded blitzkreig 1?

True, it can be interesting
But what would You say, GordonCZ, if Boot camp would be changed with Spain Civil War?
Or lessons in war situation, let say Austrian Anschluss ?

To Fanatic_Blitzer


Some people asked me if there are mountains in "Operation Blau" but they were not. That's the main reason why battles for the Gustav line are added. I'll try to make the heights as high as the editor allows me.


In the Afrika Korps definitely (about half or more units at your disposal are Italian) but in Italy, I don't know yet. The chapter starts in January 1944 so I don't know if the range of contribution of the Italians to battles is broad enough in this war period to add them there.

Ehm, one tiny question: On which side would you consider them as "cowards"?

To Grimm Ironhand


Not so far. When it comes out, the campaign will be already tested. Still, thanks.

To Ufiak


Great idea! I'll think about it (the Spanish Civil War mainly).

Note: I could change it but the campaign cannot use any major mod because it could be made only as a regular German campaign to mislead the Blitzkrieg engine which doesn't allow to play a custom campaign normally as custom chapters and missions. So if there would be the SCW, only German and Soviet pre-war units can fight there (not Franco's and republican).

Yes, but always You can try to get new units from modders like CorpBob
The more NEW units, the better

What about new units? Will be there any?

That's the main problem of this project. There simply cannot be any new units because the game engine would not allow this. Even if I want that.

Custom campaigns cannot be launched and the regular campaigns don't allow itself to be played with any mod loaded. If I wanted to create a campaign (not only a large chapter), I had to create it as a regular campaign based on the principle of temporary replacing the original German campaign files (by the .pak files). And that's the reason why it can't be based on any major gameplay mod (concerning new units mainly).

Sorry about that.

There is always the possibility to add it to objects.xml and have 2 of them, the old one creates a back-up file.

And if such new units are added to objects.xml, the game won't consider it as a mod (and allow the campaign to play then)?

That would be better than I thought!

Let the man get on with his modding. The last singleplayer download was Seelowe/Halbe and the Anzio maps. We need new downloads.

Here are miscellaneous screenshots from Achtung Panzer! testing:

Fall Weiss in progress


***

Desperate assaulting waves of Russian infantry


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Battle of Smolensk


***

Enemy airforce will be tougher and tougher as the war continues


***

Depressing Stalingrad streets

And these are screenshots illustrating what can you expect from Achtung Panzer missions' concept:

Use your artillery to weaken the enemy defensive positions before an attack
(=your artillery batteries are mostly so distant from the enemy artillery that you both can provide artillery support for your soldiers without eliminating each other)


***

Provide an air support to your bombers...
(=relax times were shortened to allow you to provide fighter cover for your bombers and ground attack planes)


***

...and fight for the air superiority
(=most of the time, you will see more fighers simultaneously in the sky than that common known duo which will make the planes fight each other less problematically)


***

Use solid river crossings...
(=sometimes you will have to cross the river and mainly, the decision where to cross it will be up to you)


***

...or build your own
(=you can also bypass the enemy defensive positions by building your own river crossings)


***

Combined armes policy is a key to success...
(=many enemy positions are heavily defended so without combining artillery, airforce, tanks and infantry, you will not succeed)


***

...but infantry is essential for the battles in the streets where tanks are vulnerable
(=you will have more infantry than tanks at your disposal so you can use infantrymen to destroy heavier enemy tanks which could cause heavy losses to your own armored units)

STOPPIT. STOPPIT!!!!!! You are making us crazy. Bring it ON!!!

Congratulations!
I liked the most the idea of fighter support for the bombers.
When do you release the chapter?

Quite nice
Good work and good luck with mod!

I'm glad you like it. It encourages me to finish it as quickly as it gets.

It is planned to be out in the second half of July. I've got stuck for a while when trying to check the possibilities of making a mod for this campaign but now I'm back at work.

For Ufiak: I realised that it would take lotta more time (cca more than several months) to incorporate a mod in it. All the maps would then have to be reworked or made completely again so I decided to leave it as it is for now and afterwards, I could make some kind of "addon" which would be for such mod. Then the Spanish Civil War might be added and so on... I believe it's the best solution for now.


PS for all: Unitnames and skins are only illustrative. These won't be a part of this campaign. It depends on you which textures you have downloaded and prefer.

OK
Gamers will tell what would like to see in this maps and then, part 2 odf this mod campaign would be made as a normal mod with units etc
Good luck!

I am so happy to hear about the availability of fighter protection for other aircraft! That alone is a huge improvement!

Not having it was the most annoying and unrealistic aspect of Blitzkrieg.

Anyone know when will appear?

It also can be postponed for few days...

News?

Thanks

I've just send one-mission demoversion of the campaign to Lee for download...

Here is GordonCZ's demonstration map for his Achtung Panzer campaign:

http://bkportal.com/default.asp?content=maps&MapID=891

Excellent Work GordonCZ

I am looking forward to the completion of this Mod