by James Cobb

  On the other hand, a puny 37-mm round can take out a mighty Tiger if it hits a tread. The Tiger can still fight but it's now open to flanking maneuvers. Also included are small things many other tank sims let pass. These small but important nuances are hull-mounted smoke pods and the German close-defense grenade launchers. Mere chrome? No! In an urban setting where the infantry gangs up on you in an alley, the main gun and forward-sighted machine guns won't help. These little trinkets can save your tank.

Even crews are variable. A poor gunner will waste valuable time and ammunition before he hits things. A bad driver will run off an embankment. A bad radio op may be slow in relaying a message while the loader has to shove that new round in fast. All crewmembers must be able to spot the enemy; otherwise, tanks are just mobile targets. Furthermore, don't imagine armor makes crews safe. A stray piece of shrapnel or a bullet coming through a view slit will kill just as much as an exploding ammunition magazine.

All these things could make Panzer Elite impossibly frustrating to any but the most dedicated tanker. Fortunately, several things allow gamers to ease into the full depth of this game. Realism options, available from the Aide de Camp menu in the Headquarters screen, allow for different models.

For example, gamers can choose between three different levels of gunnery, can opt to have the engine not over heat and have all or some enemies automatically spotted. They can make the crews better then average by three levels and make their enemies correspondingly inept. Tanks and commanders can be invulnerable with unlimited supply. Even selecting these options is made easy by allowing them to be grouped in beginner, intermediate and advanced modes that can be refined further.

Mouseable Interface

Panzer Elite is also made playable by readily accessible controls. Force-feed joysticks are supported and can be used for most vehicle tasks. The plethora of hot keys may seem unmanageable until their logical layout is recognized. The crew views form a small tank pattern on the keypad.

Click to continue

An American bazooka team has already taken out a Mk. II and is looking for you. This is a view from a German commander's cuppola.

Turret and movement arrows are intuitive as is speed; memorizing the rest is simple. Many operations can be completely turned over to the responsible crew member, e.g. it's not necessary for the tank commander to aim the gun; just left-click on a target an hit space for the gunner to open fire. Similarly, CNTRL-/ will have the loader use the bow machine gun any time he sees a target.

The easiest way to control the tank as well as the rest of the platoon is through the innovative "mini-tank". An overlay on the screen, the "mini-tank" allows click-and-drag control for movement, turret facing and combat commands. It also provides quick movement through crew positions and platoon orders. In combination with hotkeys, the "mini-tank" lets the player handle his vehicle without constant reference to a keyboard overlay or list of commands. Sizing allows it to be as inconspicuous and as handy as the player wishes. The "mini-tank", along with the radio op map, is crucial to navigation through the compass rose surrounding the display.

Panzer Elite allows the usual external views and panning but the real graphics treat is the views from inside the tanks. Each position accurately reflects the vehicle interior. Driver and gunner instruments are functional. Views through slits, periscopes and open turret hatches are not only pretty but reflect the rocking and rolling of vehicles whose suspension systems were not built for comfort.

Sound effects are not individually overwhelming but, together, they're very effective. Driving through a village in a barrage taking machine gun fire with your crewmen screaming in your headphones is reminiscent of the beach scenes in Saving Private Ryan. Authentic languages and accents lend an air of authenticity to the environment. The word "immersive" sums up the experience of fighting your vehicle.

Go to Page Three