History VideoGame / PanzerGeneral

''Panzer General'' is an operational-level TurnBasedStrategy game published by Strategic Simulations, Inc. It's one of the classic games of the genre and the flagship title of SSI's Five Star General franchise, which also includes ''[[AnotherSideAnotherStory Allied General]],'' ''[[ChinaTakesOverTheWorld People's General]]'', ''VideoGame/FantasyGeneral'' and ''[[RecycledInSpace Star General]]''.

''Panzer General'' is an operational-level TurnBasedStrategy game published by Strategic Simulations, Inc. It's one of the classic games of the genre and the flagship title of SSI's Five Star General franchise, which also includes ''[[AnotherSideAnotherStory Allied General]],'' ''[[ChinaTakesOverTheWorld People's General]]'', Fantasy General and ''[[RecycledInSpace Star General]]''.

In the game, you take control of the forces of UsefulNotes/NaziGermany during WorldWarII. Battles take place on a hexagonal map; the entire map is visible at the start, but there is a FogOfWar which hides enemy units outside the player's vision. The objective of each map is to take and hold certain key cities within the time limit; whether and how quickly the player does this determines how well he does, which on certain maps can unlock [[AlternateHistory ahistorical campaign options]]. The ultimate goal of the original game is to invade the United States and conquer Washington, D.C.

* LastStand: In the final mission, an Axis attack on Washington DC, there is a tiny ground of die-hard British veterans under US command.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: The first game ends with some congratulatory text, jolly oompah music and some WWII film reel of marching Wehrmacht. Then the whole picture is suddenly tinted blood-red. That's right, the game subtly reminds you, you've just conquered the world for Nazism...

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: The first game ends with some congratulatory text, jolly oompah music and some (apparently genuine) photos of Rommel larking around with his Field Marshal's baton. Then the whole picture is suddenly tinted blood-red. That's right, the game subtly reminds you, you've just conquered the world for Nazism...

In the game, you take control of the forces of NaziGermany during WorldWarII. Battles take place on a hexagonal map; the entire map is visible at the start, but there is a FogOfWar which hides enemy units outside the player's vision. The objective of each map is to take and hold certain key cities within the time limit; whether and how quickly the player does this determines how well he does, which on certain maps can unlock [[AlternateHistory ahistorical campaign options]]. The ultimate goal of the original game is to invade the United States and conquer Washington, D.C.

** Panzer General II opened up the options to play as the British, the Americans, or the Soviets as well (complete with the ability to slightly change how history turns out depending on how well you do), but the Germans are still in the spotlight here. You can choose to play as early as 1936 commanding the Condore Legion in the Spanish Civil War to create the AlternateHistory scenarios mentioned above, or you can choose to play as the Germans from Stalingrad to try and prevent the total capitulation of Germany as per our timeline. [[HarderThanHard Good luck.]]

* EasyLogistics: The fuel and ammunition are limited. It takes a turn to replenish either one of them.
* FramingDevice: The second game (Allied General) opened and closed each Campaign with an installment of "Allies on the March", a [[{{Retreaux}} Black and White Newsreel]] produced for the game using wartime StockFootage.

* NoCampaignForTheWicked: So averted the damn thing probably broke in half. Even dancing around the issue of the Soviets, the only vanilla campaigns for the original WERE for the Wicked, namely the Third Reich. While this was slightly toned down in the sequels, they remained the stars of the series, coupled with the addition of the Soviets. The only vanilla aversion came in two, with the "Crusade in Europe" campaign(s), which were identical but offered the choice of whether you wanted to fight using the Americans or the British. Fanmade camapaigns rounded things out, but things still lean very heavily towards the Germans.

* NonEntityGeneral: Played with. While you aren't actually represented on the battle maps, your MissionControl will actually offer you drinks and smokes during briefings and otherwise interact with you as though you are a living, breathing human being in the same room.
** In Panzer General II, you even receive your own dossier folder, complete with randomly generated name along with how many medals you've been awarded during your career. You know you've [[TookALevelInBadass leveled up in badassery]] when the officer briefing you addresses you as "Field Marshall."

In the game, you take control of the forces of NaziGermany during WorldWarII. Battles take place on a hexagonal map; the entire map is visible at the start, but there is a FogOfWar which hides enemy units outside the player's vision. The objective of each map is to take and hold certain key cities within the time limit; whether and how quickly the player does this determines how well he does, which on certain maps can unlock [[AlternateHistory ahistorical campaign options]]. The ultimate goal of the game is to invade the United States and conquer Washington, D.C.

* NoSwastika: Big time.

* TankGoodness

* GameBreaker[=/=]GoodBadBugs: Panzer General 2 has a bug where the T-34 (Soviet) is free. ZergRush those Nazis!

The game is a computer version of a classic TableTop WarGame, of the sort not repeated much since.