Panzer Corps 2 News

[p]Welcome to the second Dev Diary for Panzer Corps 2: Frontlines - Westwall. This part is all about campaign details: how long is the campaign, and what are the key battles included in this DLC?  [/p][p]To answer the first question right away – the DLC includes 14 scenarios in a linear campaign. But before we go more into the details, let’s recap the situation you find yourselves in at the start… [/p][p] [/p][p]
Summertime, and the livin' is easy…[/p][p]It’s summer 1944. The Wehrmacht has suffered heavy defeats both on the Eastern Front, and in the West. Entire formations have been destroyed or suffered losses so heavy that they had to be rebuilt completely. [/p][p]Paris was liberated in August, and during the next weeks Allied forces were racing through France and the Low Countries towards Germany, meeting little opposition. [/p][p]
Optimism was running high in Allied circles these days. Ambitious plans for daring operations were brought up, to swiftly breach the Siegfried Line, or to get over the Rhine quickly after securing key bridges in a massive airborne operation. Could it all be over soon?[/p][p]Panzer Corps 2: Frontlines - Westwall begins when this - for the Allies easier - period slowly comes to an end. 
[/p][p]Where to start?[/p][p]But during the first battles in this campaign the Wehrmacht is still battered from heavy fighting in France before, so you encounter weaker opposition initially.[/p][p] [/p][p]The US First Army’s V Corps is the first American formation which hits the German border, and sends a small recon force into the later infamous Schnee Eifel east of St. Vith. This reconnaissance in force mission is the intro of the campaign. [/p][p]As it is meant to be an easier opener again we just throw you in here with a limited force of mechanized cavalry you cannot change initially. But this setup provides you with a couple of veteran units, and a few heroes. [/p][p]Don’t worry, you can change everything to your liking from the next mission onwards. The intro does not require you to hold large areas, you just need to probe the state of the German border defenses. [/p][p]
[/p][p]Afterwards V Corps attempts the first determined drive into Germany, towards the city of Bitburg. [/p][p]This time the Germans react in a way that becomes a common sight late in the war – by throwing small, ad hoc battle groups of armor and infantry at you, which however can be a serious headache if you underestimate them.
[/p][p]Heating up[/p][p]With the third battle we enter one of the hotspots of this campaign – the area between Maastricht in the Netherlands and the city of Aachen on the German side, which is covered by two separate bands of the Westwall.
[/p][p][/p][p]Several maps deal with various US formations approaching, encircling, and finally taking Aachen. When these advances are delayed in late September due to supply problems and intensifying opposition, we spend some time elsewhere.[/p][p]However, even later, after the city has fallen, we return to this area as continued heavy fighting in the nearby Huertgen Forest requires your attention, and Allied forces aim to reach the Roer River.[/p][p]

The supply issues mentioned above are only sufficiently dealt with after the port of Antwerp is reopened. This is primarily an Allied matter, especially for Canadian forces, so not depicted here.[/p][p]Neither is Operation Market Garden, the large British-led airborne assault to bypass the Siegfried Line by swiftly taking key bridges over the Rhine. [/p][p]Still those Allied operations hugely impacted US progress along the Siegfried Line both in terms of supply and troop deployments. [/p][p][/p][p]As a result some US forces were fighting under British command in the Low Countries, so we included actions in support of the Battle of the Scheldt, and in the so-called Peel Marches near the German border.[/p][p]Some little side-notes at this point: as screenshots indicate, units are using historical names on a bigger scale than they did in Bulge. We do not aim to do this for every unit, but key formations, German and Allied, will often show correct names. [/p][p]
[/p][p]In rare cases the Germans are still using Beutewaffen, which display their correct Wehrmacht designations as custom names in this DLC.[/p][p]Some German supply dumps are placed on a few maps, and almost all of them can be captured for bonus prestige and enemy equipment. They are not meant to provide tons of German hardware, but taking a number of them may allow you to field full units at some point.[/p][p][/p][p]Things go...south?[/p][p]Aside from the Aachen sector the second hotspot of this DLC is the Lorraine Campaign fought by the US Third Army and Free French forces, in the southern part of the front. [/p][p]Wait...Lorraine? Isn’t this about the Siegfried Line? History buffs surely are aware of it – the Lorraine Campaign was not treated as a separate effort in 1944, in fact the whole term was only created and popularized after the war.[/p][p]
So when the US advance on Aachen is paused we make the first excursion to this side of the war: in the Battle of Arracourt US forces have to defeat superior German armor. In November 1944 we return to Lorraine in the Battle of Metz and subsequent US advances. [/p][p]The city, guarded by a ring of old, but massive fortifications, blocks access to the German border in the Saar region, where the player finally hits the Siegfried Line again at the end of this campaign. [/p][p]
[/p][p]Let’s sum up[/p][p]Since the German side struggles to regain strength during the early battles of this campaign the overall increase in difficulty is more gradual. [/p][p]In Bulge, some of the most intense German attacks happened soon after the intro mission, when the Ardennenoffensive was in full swing. In this DLC there is no comparable onslaught, and most battles have the player on the offensive instead.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Still, there are two outright defensive missions, and some heavy German counter attacks in various battles.[/p][p]In several cases, but surely not always, players have to deal with various types of fortifications. Usually this is only happening in a part of any given map, while other parts allow for and even require armored advances.  [/p][p]However, there is certainly one battle where infantry takes the lead, and armor plays only a secondary role.[/p][p][/p][p]Conclusion[/p][p]So that’s it for the second part. We hope you welcome the additional info about the battles included, and the overall campaign progression. [/p][p]In the third and final part of this diary we focus on gameplay changes and additions, and share a lot more previews regarding visual enhancements and new units added to this DLC.[/p]

[p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]Welcome to the first Dev Diary for Panzer Corps 2: Frontlines - Westwall, the newest entry in the Frontlines series. [/p][p][/p][p]To get things started we explore the broad idea for this new campaign and share some more general info about it. As this is the second US-themed DLC we’ll also highlight similarities and differences compared to the earlier Frontlines-Bulge campaign.[/p][p]More Dev Diaries with details about campaign progress, specific battles included, and new additions to the game will follow soon. As with Bulge, the full campaign path, and a list of Frequently Asked Questions are provided later separately
[/p][p]Several details seen in this preview are not final and may still change.[/p][p]
Border Wars[/p][p]Frontlines - Westwall is played once again from the American side. The DLC depicts the Siegfried Line campaign from ca. mid-September 1944 to early December 1944.[/p][p]But while the Battle of the Bulge is a quite compact subject – happening in a timeframe of ca. 8 weeks, and in a rather limited area – the Siegfried Line campaign is a somewhat different beast, so let’s get a bit more background first.
[/p][p][/p][p]Siegfried Line is the term usually used in English for the German border defenses built in the late 1930s. In German these were simply called the Westwall, which made it back into the Anglosphere as the West Wall.[/p][p]These fortifications were not as extensive as World War I trench lines, nor as impressive as the French Maginot Line with its sophisticated underground installations. Still the Westwall, made of several fortified zones littered with mines, anti-tank obstacles and a myriad of pillboxes, soon posed a serious problem for the Allies.[/p][p]Outside Germany the existence of those defenses was certainly known, but the Allies had only a vague understanding of the exact locations and depth of the fortifications.
[/p][p]
As the Westwall covered nearly the entire German border from the Netherlands down to Switzerland almost everything that happened in fall 1944 on the western front is either part of the Siegfried Line campaign, or at least somehow linked to it.[/p][p]So in a broad sense this DLC depicts Allied efforts to liberate Western Europe as far as possible – notwithstanding isolated locations still held by the Wehrmacht – with the goal to approach and breach the Siegfried Line to finally enter German core territory. 
[/p][p][/p][p]To the wall...[/p][p]We will go more into the details of the campaign in the next diary, but for now only this: Frontlines - Westwall offers a larger variety of battles compared to Bulge. [/p][p]Players get to fight in the Low Countries, France, and in Germany, in vastly different settings and conditions ranging from rather open areas with towns and villages in between to heavy terrain covered by dense forest or larger swamps that restrict movement. 
[/p][p][/p][p]Often maps are a mix of the above, and on top of that several scenarios include larger urban areas protected by extensive fortifications.[/p][p]Players don’t have to destroy each and every bunker on the map, but may get tasked to clear specific areas or simply need to break through fortified lines to be able to reach the mission objectives.[/p][p]
…and into Germany[/p][p]But once you are past those fortifications things are not always easier, as German armored reserves may just be waiting there to make their move.[/p][p]That requires players to balance their cores – of course heavy hitting tanks and tank destroyers rule in the open, but without experienced infantry and artillery support they can quickly get stuck. [/p][p]However, if you overdo it on the infantry side to get through the fortifications more easily you may suffer once you get into tank terrain again.
[/p][p][/p][p]Since we start in late summer the USAAF can play a bigger role in this DLC. On the other hand the Luftwaffe might become a more frequent problem soon, even if it does not have the numbers to challenge Allied air superiority. [/p][p]As the campaign progresses adverse conditions like rain and even the first snow may temporarily hamper air operations, but this never gets as serious as in the early stage of the Battle of the Bulge.
[/p][p]The more things change, the more they stay the same[/p][p]Despite all these differences this is still part of the Frontlines series, so it should be no surprise that there are also similarities to Bulge: 
[/p][p]Frontlines - Westwall includes more battles than Bulge. Since players often ask for longer campaigns this DLC offers a linear campaign, and so the longest campaign path is, well, longer. [/p][p]But map scope and detail are very much similar to Bulge, so you can expect detailed maps, and a consistent or near-consistent scale in many scenarios of the campaign. 
[/p][p][/p][p]Most battles are based on historic developments, so there are no outright ahistorical scenarios. Only the intro is more loosely based on the first US actions at the Westwall, but still has a historic core. [/p][p]Sometimes details are changed or added purely for gameplay reasons in various battles - that is no different from any other content for Panzer Corps.[/p][p]As in Frontlines - Bulge the timeframe of this DLC is somewhat challenging with key developments happening simultaneously, especially early in the campaign.
[/p][p][/p][p]To deal with this we give players the chance to experience many of these developments in consecutive scenarios, where we just jump in at a certain date, and join the next battle a bit later.[/p][p]This too is very similar to the approach taken in Bulge, so individual scenarios often focus on key aspects or crucial stages of certain battles. 
[/p][p]Conclusion[/p][p]That’s all for the first part of this Dev Diary. Hopefully this appetizer gives you a good impression of the new campaign. The next part with more details about campaign progress and some of the battles is not too far away, so watch this space![/p]

We’re excited to announce Panzer Corps 2 – Frontlines: Westwall, the next chapter in the Frontlines series, focused on the critical battles along the Siegfried Line between September and December 1944.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3508950/Panzer_Corps_2_Frontlines__Westwall/
After the collapse of German forces in the Falaise Pocket and the liberation of Paris, the Allies turned their attention to the heavily fortified German border. As commander of US Army formations, you’ll lead the charge through fortified zones, dense forests, and urban strongholds, from the outskirts of Aachen to the Saar region in southern Germany.

Frontlines: Westwall introduces a dynamic campaign that evolves in intensity. Early progress will come quickly, but the deeper you advance, the tougher the resistance becomes. The DLC features a wide variety of mission types, fortified enemy positions, and several new units and visual elements to enhance immersion.

If you’re interested in helping us test this upcoming content, beta sign-ups are now open. This is your chance to gain early access and provide feedback on the campaign before release.

Click here to join the beta.

We look forward to your feedback as we prepare to launch this new addition to the Panzer Corps 2 experience.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3714230/Panzer_Corps_2_Elite__Ghost_Division/

Panzer Corps 2: Elite – Ghost Division is now available for $4.99, inviting you to command one of the most iconic units of World War II through a new nine-scenario campaign. This DLC follows the full combat history of the 7th Panzer Division from its early battles in Poland as the 2nd Light Division, through the breakthrough in France, to brutal fighting on the Eastern Front.

Famous for its speed and surprise tactics, the Ghost Division campaign emphasizes momentum and historical accuracy, offering a mix of classic objectives and challenging bonus goals that reward you with rare prototype gear.

https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/18363/Panzer_Corps_2__Complete_Edition/

[h3]The Introduction from the book “The 7th Panzer Division”[/h3]
The Ghost Division DLC for Panzer Corps 2 is deeply rooted in real historical events, with the developers carefully tracing the 7th Panzer Division’s wartime path to shape the structure, scenarios, and tone of the campaign. As a tribute to that legacy, here’s an excerpt from the introduction of The 7th Panzer Division in World War II, a book written by veterans to preserve the memory of their unit and offer future generations a deeper understanding of its history.

Thirty years after the surrender of 1945, we published the book “The 7th Panzer Division in World War II,” which won admiration inside and outside of Germany. We did it to remember, and to express our thanks to the men of our division whom we have buried on the battlefields for their final sleep.

Today, another thirteen years later, the contours of war experiences have become less clear through the long passage of time, and even in our own memory many a picture of the service and sacrifice of Rommel’s onetime “Ghost Division” has faded away. Although the reality of the present day surrounds us and the fast pace of time wipes out one memory after another, the general striving for clear historical portrayal has grown stronger, even the younger people want to understand the reality of the war’s events.

For these reasons, there arose the plan to portray the war history of the old 7th Panzer Division once again. By presenting this work, our wish is fulfilled that it may be accepted not only a contribution to the better understanding of our history, but rather this volume of pictures should cause us to reflect and, through constant striving and mutual understanding, be able to build a good future.

Gerhard Hohensee
Honorary President
Tradition Society of the 7th Panzer Division
Summer 1978

Before we begin today, we wanted to just take a quick moment to once thank our incredible community for their overwhelming feedback generated from our Elite – Ghost Division announcement.

Facing the bombardment of hundreds upon hundreds of points of engagement across our various feeds is quite the humbling experience for us; it truly is amazing to really see that so many people have such passion for Panzer Corps. It’s an honor to read so many of your insights, ideas, and yes even criticisms, because it totally demonstrates how much our community really cares. So once again, our deepest thanks to all of our community, we’re absolutely going to continue to do our best to provide you the best Panzer Corps gameplay content we can make.

Now then, on to the Developer Diary!


Welcome to the Elite – Ghost Division Developer Diary and DLC preview.

As Ghost Division swiftly moves towards its May launch date, we wanted to do a little bit of a deeper dive into the upcoming content. We’ve got a whole bunch of cool stuff to showcase, from scenario analysis to revealing our internal thought processes, so let’s begin!

[h2]Something New, Something Familiar[/h2]
One of the biggest internal objectives we have with these Elite campaigns is to bring back more focus on the classic Panzer Corps combat gameplay, while mostly regulating some of the more whacky and wild elements to optional aspects of the campaign.

The best way to explain this will be to look at some of the scenario design within Ghost Division, so let’s take a look at a couple of maps and see what that’s all about.

The first scenario will actually take place in Poland before the formation of the 7th Panzer Division with its predecessor unit that was known as the 2nd Light Division.


As you can see from that screenshot, Ghost Division is immediately starting on healthy sized maps with significant turn limits, so players can anticipate plenty of action through every step of this campaign.



From your starting positions, objectives are spread out before you in many directions, offering the player ample choice on where to focus their forces as the battle unfolds. And since someone is going to inevitably ask about it, we can talk about the various types of objectives because their design philosophy is important for allowing players the option to disable the turn limit, should you so choose.

Victory Objectives are the conditions that directly control your campaign progression:



These are objectives that must be met and they also instant award scenario victory upon completion, so if you’re hunting for bonuses, make sure to save the Victory Objective for last! These objectives are marked with solid outlines around such hexes.

Prestige Objectives are your primary source of prestige resource income, and they are marked with dotted outlines.



In the past, players have frequently struggled with predetermined prestige settings. Some players will find themselves starving of prestige that effectively ends their ability to repair their forces and continue to wage an effective campaign, while others find themselves so flush with prestige that they basically have unlimited resources at their disposal. By removing almost all predetermined prestige settings and instead populating each scenario with an abundance of bonus Prestige Objectives, we’re hoping to increase player agency in terms of economic management. If you’re starving for prestige, there are very specific tasks you can aim for that will provide huge prestige rewards, while players who feel they have enough prestige can instead bypass some of these objectives to give themselves extra time to tackle Special Objectives.

Special objectives are where we’ve put in some of the more complex and advanced DLC mechanics, and also really ratcheted up the difficulty.



These optional tasks will definitely test your mettle to complete, and they will always offer some pretty fantastic rewards, such as access to unpurchaseable equipment or perhaps a chance to custom pick a new hero’s abilities.

That’s just the beginning of your campaign, and as it progresses, you will find even larger maps with more options on how to approach them laid out before you.


[h2]Historical Context[/h2]
Something else we’d like to aim for in the Elite campaigns is to keep the all important focus on history omnipresent without steering too far into heavy narrative or character-centric elements. While some players absolutely adore deep diving into the kind of writing that frequently colored the Axis Operations series, especially the alternate history branch, we definitely recognize that not everyone was a fan of seeing some briefing dialogue-only scenarios.

Instead, Elite campaigns are going to strive for maximum gameplay with minimum friction to get right into historical Panzer combat. The whole concept of this particular campaign design is to showcase the real history of some of the most elite and legendary divisions that fought during World War II, and we want their heroic exploits to really speak for themselves.


Ideally, we’re going to spotlight every major nation of World War II with this treatment, but of course that is highly contingent on producing campaigns our players really want to engage with, so we’re not going to get ahead of ourselves too quickly on talking about distant plans here.

[h2]The Art of Ghost Division[/h2]

You have probably noticed some of the awesome imagery we’ve been embedding throughout the various Ghost Division articles, and we wanted to make special mention of them real quick. They’ve all been drawn by the artist Adrián Rodríguez, and we’re super stoked to have them to enhance the characters and events that populate the Elite – Ghost Division campaign!



Because generative AI artwork is such a hot topic though, we thought we’d better briefly talk about it. While generative AI artwork is an incredible technology that is improving by leaps and bounds at an unbelievable rate, we just didn’t feel comfortable utilizing it for any aspect of Panzer Corps 2, past or present. All of our artwork is human made, and all of our writing is human written. One single person wrote all of the base game briefings, and that same person wrote the entire Axis Operations saga without any AI aid. I know this, because that person is me, Kerensky!

So again, while generative AI is pretty amazing stuff, it’s our official position that it won’t ever be utilized in the creation of official Panzer Corps 2 assets, files, or materials.

Now that said, there is no such restriction placed upon the custom modding scene, so if any aspiring modder out there is wondering, you are fully allowed to create mods of Panzer Corps 2 that invoke things such as AI generated briefing VO. In potential anticipation of that, in part of the Panzer Corps 2 update that accompanies the launch of Ghost Division we’re investigation the possibility for custom player mod campaigns to enable their own sets of VO audio files.


[h2]Conclusion[/h2]
We hope you all enjoyed this sneak preview of the upcoming Elite – Ghost Division campaign. Get ready for its imminent release scheduled for May 29th, and then stay tuned for way more Panzer Corps 2 goodies to start rolling out right afterwards as we march towards July 11th Panzer Corps Day, marking our 14th year of working on the Panzer Corps franchise!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3714230/Panzer_Corps_2_Elite__Ghost_Division/