by Peter Robbins, 11 December 2025
I was a major Panzer General 2 player. It was one of the computer wargames of old that absolutely solidified my love of wargaming as a hobby. I’d done a lot of simulators prior to that, Jet, MS Flight Sim 1, Gunship, Silent Service and many others, but Panzer General 1 and 2 was what sealed the deal computer wargaming wise for me. It was the gateway drug that turned me ultimately into the addict I am today. The complexity of the wargames has fluctuated throughout my hobbyist life, but the principles of combined arms taught in Panzer General 2 and its progenies still offers plenty of cathartic warring entertainment.
I also eventually played Panzer Corps 1 to a reasonable extent. I would classify PC1 as the spiritual progeny of Panzer General 2 all said and done. Panzer Corps 2 then brought its 1st version into the new age that is 3D, and here we are. A good several years and many DLC later and now we finally are getting some Soviet coverage as DLC ; and it’s solid. The 3D engine has grown on me as it improved itself over time to be mostly near the visual quality of the 2D images of old. It’s slowly getting there. I’m a sucker for a hand made 2D artful map, but Panzer Corps 2 offers a lot in the way of animations and overlay functionality that Panzer Corps 1 could not provide given its flat presentation elements. Sometimes to move forward you have to accept some moving back, just as in wargaming.
I’ve seen folks on the STEAM and Slitherine discussion boards state that this 1st Guards DLC is one of the best of the bunch, and that is saying something as it’s one of the most affordable as well. So, two birds, cheap and an enjoyable time = buy it. I agree with the general sentiment online that 1st Guards DLC is one to own if you enjoy the core game, Panzer Corps 2. Let’s dive into the first few scenarios of the set to show off what you get with this very cost effective DLC.
TL;DR
Eastern Front, Soviet Forces, Large 3D maps, variety of fronts and time-frames of the war, plenty of unique Heroes to add to unit leadership, lots of core units to purchase and upgrade, primary, secondary and bonus objectives, think, fight, repeat, fun.
click images to enlarge
| The Specifications | The Steam Info (excerpt) | |
| Developer: Flashback Games
Publisher: Slitherine Ltd. Scope/Scale: Corps sized scenarios, Regimental Unit Counters, 30-40 Turn scenarios typically. Gaming Elements: Combined Arms Basics, Estimated Combat Results, Hex Based, One unit per hex, No Ground Unit Stacking, Artillery and Air support mechanics, Weather, Encirclement, High Ground, Core Units roll over in campaigns, Large Maps. Pricing: $4.99 at release
|
When Nazi Germany broke the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact and invaded the Soviet Union in June of 1941, they anticipated quickly adding the Soviet Union to their ever-growing list of defeated adversaries. What they got was years of brutal, grueling warfare on World War II’s bloodiest front that only finally ended in the total collapse of their 1000 year Third Reich at the hands of the millions of Soviet troops who resisted their invasion.
Born from the devastation and catastrophic battles of Operation Barbarossa, the most bloodied, the most elite, of these defenders of the Motherland were the Soviet Guards. |
THE MOTHERLAND’S BEST
This second Elite Campaign of the 1st Guards offers Panzer Corps 2 its first playable campaign for the Soviet Union during their struggle against the German Wehrmacht during World War II. As an elite campaign, 1st Guards spotlights Soviet Russia’s best fighting units and showcases their major contributions to winning the battles that turned the tide of war against Germany. From pre-war beginning where the first lessons of this new era of warfare were first being learned to major turning points of Stalingrad and Kursk to the final collapse of the Third Reich, this campaign touches upon it all! |
| Elite – 1st Guards supports the player option to disable the turn limit. | Read more at the Steam page | |
Lessons Of War
Let’s go feet first into the first scenario pool. The new campaign shows up under the Elite header of the Campaign section of the menu system. A lovely little livery ensues. The artwork for this DLC is very well done.
As shown above, your commander has a mix of Positive and Negative traits. A nice touch, personalizing your play thru experience. You can run through the same scenario many times over with varied commanders and never end up with exactly the same experience. Very well done throughout.
The depiction of Soviet equipment during the Spanish Civil War, prior to WW2 content is a rare treat. I was expecting to only see WW2 content, but pleasantly surprised at the content of this first scenario, and the second as you will see further below.
Ending Stalemates
Not too many wargames traipse into the Battles of Khalkhin Gol which occurred just prior to WW2 fighting on the eastern front. This is a nice area of operations to see depicted here.
Born In Flames
Born in flames finally takes the Soviets to the Eastern Front of Operation Barbarossa. The third of nine scenarios depicts the situation post the loss of Smolensk, as Zhukov begins to show his prowess on the field of battle.
Core Game Sale Alert
At least at the time of writing this article, on the Matrix site, the core Panzer Corps 2 game is on sale. If you buy it there, you are able to convert it to a STEAM code if you prefer managing your game content there.
This is the main page for buying Panzer Corps 2 if you do not already own it.
This is the page for the 1st Guards DLC to purchase.
You can chat about this game in the Modern World section of our discussion forums
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