by James Cobb

  There is no tutorial yet and the instant action option throws you instantly into a fight for your life where rumination is suicidal. Easy scenarios are the best way to learn at the moment. For Germans, the earliest scenario, Toum, can be a fine learning experience. The terrain is mixed, the goals straightforward and the Americans are weak.

To begin, set your vehicle to invulnerable, make spotting as easy as possible and make the Americans as green as they really were. Observe the actions of the other German platoons for tactical hints. Mistakes will be pointed out by the metallic tapping of hits on your hull and the untimely demises of your wingmen.

As you get more comfortable with the controls, add more realistic options. Learning to handle American tanks can also be done in this scenario, especially the use of the commander's periscope. However, since the Americans rely more on resources other than their own vehicle, players must graduate to more multi-faceted play to survive.

Playing a scenario opens up a whole new range of concepts. They demand the integration of two types of resources into the moves of the player's vehicle. The first resource is the rest of your platoon, called wingmen. Historically accurate, a German platoon can have up to four vehicles where Americans get an invaluable fifth member.

Using the binoculars, a German commander engages in a short-range, head-on dual with an Sherman.

The care and feeding of wingmen starts at the Headquarters screen. Right clicking on tanks brings up a submenu that allows picking a custom mix of rounds, possible upgrading of tanks and addition of field expedient modifications such as bolt-on armor and mantlets. This screen also has crews sitting around the camp. Clicking on a crewmember will bring up the qualities of each crewmember for that vehicle and the replacement pool. Players may want to bring in a better trooper if one is available. The skill levels of the crews should be kept in mind while in battle.

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Flushed out by HE fire, a bazooka team is taken under machine gun fire

During play, the other members of your platoon become extensions of yourself. Through hotkeys or the "mini-tank", the platoon can be ordered into column, line, right or left echelon, wedge, inverted wedge or diamond formations which can be broadened or tightened. Column is only for travel in safe areas. Line is the most effective firing formation but should only be used when the enemy's exact position is known; otherwise, a nasty enfilade awaits.

The other formations are compromises between firepower and your best guess at enemy dispositions, with diamond indicating a fearful ignorance. Care should be taken to consider the relationship between formation and terrain. Going into wedge while probing a narrow valley may put a wingman on a crest where he's nicely silhouetted. In this case, a narrow wedge or a column may be called for.

Remaining in formation when the shells start flying probably isn't a good idea. Panzer Elite allows for giving commands to individual wingmen. If there's a target that needs immediate attention, click on it, then select a wingman and give him an attack command.

If a scenario goal is defensive, wingmen can be ordered to good hull-down positions with a click and the "go to" hotkey. Sometimes it's best to leave a unit behind to take care of an area; click and guard works here. Wingmen can help you in an active sense. Good ones will spot targets and inform you. If given the "fire at will" command, they will engage. This not only helps cut down the enemy but pinpoints danger if their shot paths are followed. Wingmen, then, are more than just pawns. They are partners.

To play a scenario well, the other resources such as other units and artillery strikes, must be used. The radio op map, otherwise known as the "player's friend", is the key to tapping these assets. The radio-op map shows a scrollable map of the scenario areas. It has eleven levels of zoom and, depending on the realism options, can show your platoon, units in your line of sight or all units. Tabs toggles on place and unit names, a map grid, a message log and areas of control.

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