1994 is definitely a good year for wargamers. With the 50th anniversary of D-Day taking place this year, wargame fans have been treated to a number of timely releases, as well as the dramatic, made-for-TV docutainment courtesy of CNN. 

	With all the attention being paid to our boys over there, it is indeed hard to imagine oneself in the shoes of the enemy, in this case the Third Reich. Come this fall, a game with just such a premise will rumble across retail software counters. Panzer General, a turn-based war game from SSI, will offer a chance to experience and/or change history from a Nazi perspective. Releasing such a game is about as politically correct as a redneck bar on wet T-shirt night. Oh, I can just hear the whining now. "How dare you glorify Hitler and his reign of terror?"; if this applies to you, LIGHTEN UP FRANCIS!!! A very wise man once said, "Know thine enemy." While I have absolutely no idea who said it, nor do I really care, it is a good point so I don't mind stealing it. It would seem to make sense that to underrate the significance of an enemy's abilities or accomplishments, no matter how evil, we could be paving the way for more of the same.

	Since Panzer General is still in development and testing as of this writing, I would shy away from passing judgment on its merits or faults but rather give you an insight as to what kind of elements we might expect in the final version, based on what the boys in the lab are boiling up now. So far it looks promising. 

	I am fairly new to the war game genre, having spent most of my time playing one sim or another, and I must say that this particular specimen is much easier for the novice to get into than others I've played. The interface is easy to get around and you only have to take your hand off the mouse IF you want to rename a unit or something of that nature. 

	Your objective is to dominate Europe, for starters. History demonstrates what Hitler did wrong toward achieving his objectives on the eastern front of the European theater in WW II. The designers tell us that if you concentrate on the eastern front to begin with and take the eastern front early on in the campaign, you can devote more time to the western front later and it's possible to eventually invade Britain.

	The logistics run true to form, although you can certainly stack the deck in your favor. As you succeed, you acquire prestige points which in turn will help you acquire more and better troops. In each turn, you cycle through each unit which you can either move and remain in position, move and shoot if your move puts you in position or, if you're already in position, shoot and move or remain in position to pummel more. All units must be in a connecting hex to the target in order to attack, with the exception of planes. Any land-based unit can attack a ship if in an adjacent hex; they can also be attacked by a ship. With the exception of artillery, most units have a broad range to move within; artillery must be attached to a mobile unit to be of any use. If the grunts have to lug a big gun around, they'll only be able to haul it one hex per turn. 

	In scenario mode, you have control over who plays which side; try pitting the computer against itself and you certainly pick up some pointers, provided you don't blink. For instance, the computer uses a lot of its turns as an investment in future strategy by merely moving units into advantageous positions or as a reaction to one of my aggressions.

	From what I've seen so far, the graphics are well suited for this game. The screens are handsomely detailed in the motif of the era, while not over-stated – you're not in it for the flash, but rather the bang. However, there are some attractive animation sequences with a toggle option for those who would rather just get on with it.

	The designers offer this game as one just as well suited for the entry-level gamer as the jaded vet, a claim which would, by now, be instinctively responded to with a hearty belch and a "Yeah . . . right!" I can only relate that it certainly has all the elements of a good wargame AND it didn't take long to get into the action. Look for it on retail shelves later this year.