[Pzt_Kanov]

Any one here played steel panthers? what version? what you thought of it?.

I'm curious in this franchise as it is called everywhere as the best tactical game. I get confused by the various versions and I don't understand fully how the campaign works. There are several free full versions around but they seem to lack some features.

Comments?

[Dima]

I believe SP:World at War from Matrix is the latest (most advanced) version.
Used to play it like 15 years ago as it is much more interesting to play vs AI than CC, especially metacampaigns (??) where you command your core units through different campaigns something like campaigns for Panzer Corps.

Graphics is quite good - vehicles look similar to CC3 ones, pretty difficult to play vs AI and gameplay is good but could be boring sometimes moving dozens of units one by one turn over turn .

[dj]

I want to buy that latest version of Steel Panthers but the list price is insanely too expensive.  Played the original version and really liked it, especially the metacampaigns and yes the AI is way better than CC.  Only other compliant beside prices is that the graphics are getting stale.  It would be nice if Matrix/Sliterine could do a re-write for this classic.  Then maybe I would not mind paying what they are asking for the latest version.  Assuming that Matrix/Sliterine does not make gameplay worse like they did with the CC rewrites.  

[MajorFrank]

It's turnbased. For me, after playing CC, it's difficult to go back to turnbased. Then again the thing that makes Steel Panthers SPWAW or whatever the latest 'full' version is called, is the ease with which you make new scenarios and 'what if' - type scenarios, or load some user created content and improve on them etc. Very easy to get into, and the grand campaigns are really grand. I remember having tanks with over 100 kills. I liked the Six Day War - scenario, and the Yom Kippur - scenarios.

[tripwire]

Pzt Kanov, I have a second original disk of Steel Panthers II - Modern Battles that I can give to ya.  Just email your address to me and maybe send the postage that I pay after you receive it.

[Ivan_Zaitzev]

I have been playing SPWAW for years.
The base game is FREE, what matrix sales is basically the base game plus four megacampaigns. These are like normal campaigns but really big and you can choose between different missions. For example your next scenario in guadalcanal is Edson's Ridge, but you are not in the mood for a big defensive battle, so you check your options and there might be a patrol or some other small mission you can choose.

I would recommend you try the base game first, you can download it here with all the patches: http://spwaw.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=16547 you have to be registered in that forum.
Now that you have downloaded the game, you should try the enhanced mod: http://enhanced.freeforums.org/enhanced-final-release-download-links-t736.html
 
There are enough scenarios and campaigns in the game and free for download to keep you busy for quite a long time.

I hope you enjoy the game, if you have any questions just let me know.

[dj]