Panzer Commander v1.3

A general update to Panzer Commander. See "More Info" for a full list of changes.

Panzer Commander Readme V.1.3

(c) 1999 SSI, A Mattel Company

Developed by Ultimation, Inc.

For additional information, we recommend reading Panzer Commander Frequently Asked Questions (PzCFAQ.txt or PzCFAQ.doc).

Panzer Commander Patch 1.3 6/7/99

Improved: To reflect the many AI improvements made in patches 1.1 and 1.2, (Collectively these changes made some scenarios extremely difficult to win). 5 of the 6 campaigns have been redesigned in 1.3. (The redesigned 8th Guards campaign will follow at a later date). Changes include making the user platoon part of a company, adding more supporting units, clarifying scenario briefings and modification of victory conditions.

Fixed: Campaign scenario user platoon facing

Modified: Multiplayer Briefings

Modified: Decreased chance of driver wounding

New: American mini campaign (11 scenarios) 1944, "The Ardennes"

New: British mini campaign (11 scenarios) 1941, "Desert Rats"

New: 3D Tank Model: SOMUA S-35 in French service, Pz35-S in German service. (Each with distinct texture set)

New: Tank Model Variants: British Churchill I, Cruiser A13, Crusader III, Stuart I*, Valentine II, Valentine X. French H-39, R-40. German PzIVF1. Soviet BT-7A, BT-8. U.S. M3 Stuart*

New: Other Vehicle Model Variants: French Panhard Armored Car*, German StuH42 Assault Gun, Soviet SU-152 Mechanized Gun*.

New: Antitank Guns: British 2Pounder, French 25 mm, German PaK36 37mm, U.S. 37mm.

New: Antitank Rifles: British Boys, German Panzerbuchse and Soviet PTRD.

New: FAQ update

New: "Campaign Design" document that includes instructions on how to design your own campaigns

New: Interface changes to support US and British Campaigns

New: FK.EXE (a self extracting file) contains a set of spreadsheet files that cover in detail all the Armored Fighting Vehicles in Panzer Commander, along with a Word document that explains how to use them.

Special thanks to Fionn Kelly, Michael McConnell and Grant Michaud

*These models use correct performance data, but are not visually accurate.

Panzer Commander Patch 1.2 9/16/98

Please make sure that the 1.2 patch file is copied to the drive that Panzer Commander is installed on before you run it.

Improved: Vehicle collision recovery (Tactical Pathfinding improvement part 2).

Improved: Target selection AI

Improved: Line Of Sight AI performance

Improved: AI use of AP and HE ammo.

Improved: Panzerschreck, PIAT, and Bazooka performance.

Improved: Vehicular "bounce".

Modified: Level of Detail setting - The "Maximum View Distance" slider is now a "Range of Visibility" slider. Allows a range of engagement band of 800-1600 meters, in 40 meter increments.

Modified: Multiplayer settings set to host machine.

Modified: "E" and "T" command keys - main gun will now remain sighted on last target acquired and destroyed in AI sequence.

Modified: Platoon members no longer "drift" when halted.

Fixed: High Explosive shell effectiveness versus trucks.

Fixed: The "Missing turret" phenomena.

Fixed: New VoodooII 3Dfx driver startup crash.

Fixed: Scenario Editor feature - Road, River, Wall and Hedgerow sections can be deleted.

Fixed: Multiplayer Scenario Briefing display.

Fixed: Scroll bar presence in the multiplayer scenario selection interface.

New: Stuart Light Tank.

New: F4 view toggle that zooms the tactical map to full screen size. (Tap once to enter standard F4 view, tap F4 again to zoom map. Tap F4 again to shrink map).

New: Realism setting - Gunnery AI on or off.

New: Realism setting - Target Reticle on or off.

New: Scenario Editor feature - up to four tanks per platoon.

New: Targeting aid - tracking pointer that appears when an enemy vehicle is spotted, but is unable to be seen by the naked eye.

New: Ability to change vehicle textures.

New: A Panzer Commander FAQ.

Panzer Commander Patch 1.1 7/15/98

Improved: Physics model.

Improved: Vehicular bounce.

Improved: "Floating objects" when viewed at range.

Improved: Formation pathfinding responsiveness. (Tactical Pathfinding improvement part 1).

Modified: Vehicle Definition Files (*.VDF).

Modified: Scenario adjustments based on increased engagement range. (See #5, above).

Modified: Scenario adjustments regarding time, victory conditions and play balance.

Modified: Brake (Delete) key (will eliminate need for multiple taps for full stop) function.

Modified: AI engagement range. (Increased to 1600 meters).

Modified: Rush order function. (Will allow engagement if casualties occur).

Fixed: Target assignment keys (Shift 1 and Shift 2) function. (Please see Controller.ini special note).

Fixed: Formation orders problems.

Fixed "A" key functionality. (Autopilot-driver will now go to nearest waypoint and proceed from there).

Fixed: Armor slope formula.

Fixed:Targeting reticle absence in Multiplayer Melee.

Fixed: Lack of smoke effects when structures are destroyed by fire.

Fixed: E key function when Gunner is a casualty.

Fixed: Lack of ground and wall (stone wall, hedgerow) hit particle effects.

Fixed: Lack of non-penetrating (AP and HE) hit particle effects.

Fixed: Caps Lock key function.

Fixed: AI gunners attempting to shoot through forests.

Fixed: Friendly fire problems.

New: Vehicle. Centurion I.*

New: Scenarios.*

New: Machine Gun tracer rounds.

Controller.ini special note: This patch will replace your controller.ini file, which will reset your Joystick and Keyboard settings back to the default. If you would rather change only the section of controller.ini that addresses Shift 1 and 2, please temporarily copy and move your controller.ini file before installing the 1.1 patch. To manually implement the Shift 1 and 2 platoon member target assignment commands, please do the following - select the following (starting with [SHIFTED]) text by highlighting it with the mouse. Press Ctrl-C to get the text into the clipboard. Open your controller.ini file. Find the spot in the file where it says [JOYSTICK]. Place the cursor on the line above that, and press Ctrl-V. That will paste the text into controller.ini. Save controller.ini, and copy it to the root directory of Panzer Commander. You will now be able to use the shifted key commands, including target assignment.

[SHIFTED]

TRAVERSE_LEFT = K_NUM4

TRAVERSE_RIGHT = K_NUM6

TRAVERSE_UP = K_NUM2

TRAVERSE_DOWN = K_NUM8

ASSIGN_TARGET_1 = K_1

ASSIGN_TARGET_2 = K_2

ASSIGN_TARGET_3 = K_3

ASSIGN_TARGET_4 = K_4

RG_FINDER_UP = K_PGUP

RG_FINDER_DOWN = K_PGDN

*New Vehicle: Britain's Centurion I Tank. (It arrived in Europe slightly too late for WWII).

*New scenarios. After installing the patch, be sure to check the British and Soviet single scenarios.

British: Harz Werewolves I, (features the Comet) and Harz Werewolves II (features the Centurion I).

Soviet: Wasp's Nest (features the IS-2 "Stalin"). Use the H, Shift 1 and Shift 2 commands to win this one.