WinSPWW2 - Windows, Steel Panthers, World War 2

WinSPWW2: Windows, Steel Panthers, World War 2!
Combined Arms Tactical Combat 1930 - 1946.
Designed by Andrew Gailey and Don Goodbrand,
Developed by The Camo Workshop,
Distributed by Shrapnel Games.

Today is:
Last Updated: May 10, 2007.
Version 1.1 Upgrade! - 07/10/2006 - Download HERE!
Version 2.0 Upgrade! - 03/12/2007 - Download HERE!
Version 2.5 Upgrade! - 05/08/2007 - Download HERE!

About WinSPWW2:

WinSPWW2 (Windows, Steel Panthers, World War 2) is a World War II combined arms tactical level wargame. Its time frame covers 1930 to 1946 AD. This wargame is the latest and greatest version of what began as a classic super-mod for the classic SSI title, Steel Panthers 2: Modern Battles. Now completely updated to take advantage of the Windows operating system, WinSPWW2 completely sheds its DOS roots and brings tactical turn-based strategy gamers one of the most rewarding and engrossing titles they'll ever play.

German PzKpfw VI Tiger I - Heavy Tank.

German PzKpfw V Panther - Medium Tank.

WinSPWW2 features true combined arms warfare from 1930 through 1946, an era that saw the theories of J.F.C. Fuller and Giulio Douhet put to the test as the world burned. Fully Windows compatible, with all that entails (DirectX or Windows GDI based graphics, full Windows sound and mouse routines, et cetera), WinSPWW2 boasts an impressive array of features that will keep armchair generals fighting until someone has to drag their cold, dead hands off their mouse.

WinSPWW2 includes more than three hundred scenarios (332, to be exact), of which sixty-six are entirely new to WinSPWW2. There are sixty new maps, more than five hundred new and revised unit icons, six new nations (Slovak Republic, Manchukuo, Italian Social Republic, Vichy France, Polish Communists, and Chinese Communists), and new scripted long campaigns for France, Chinese Nationalists, and Chinese Communists.

New terrains have been added, and twelve of the terrain tile sets have been revised. Infantry squads can display up to nineteen men. Random maps are intelligently created, such as barbed wire added in defensive battles. The game can be played in 800x600 mode, and even higher (up to 1600x1200) with the enhanced version.

WinSPWW2 also features quite a bit of enhancements beneath the hood. The AI reaction fire routine has been re-written and is much more selective in its targeting, based on a variety of factors such as the weapon being fired and target type. A retire function for troop carriers have been added so that carriers without passengers now automatically head out of harm's way. Unarmed carriers will retire about a kilometer back from the front, while armed carriers will retire closer, ready to provide cover fire. Additionally, a new load up function for troop carriers under the AI has been added, where carriers will actively search for dismounts to pick up (though this is dependent on how close they are to the action).

WinSPWW2 is available (a full version of the game), as a free download, at Shrapnel Games web site (125 MB), or in a CD Edition that can be ordered at Shrapnel Games web site. Both provide players with the exact same, free game but the CD Edition includes helpful items like a printed quick start guide and nice goodies like higher possible resolutions, and a cut and paste map editor.

I highly recommend buying the CD version. I am most pleased and impressed with this game (even more than I was with WinSPMBT!). Another really outstanding achievement by Andy, Don and The Camo Workshop - wargamers doing their best to deliver a first-class product to our community. It is worth every cent.

WinSPWW2 Screenshots.

WinSPWW2 Free Download features:

Tactical single and multi-player gameplay of combined arms combat from 1930 thru 1946.
Based on the classic Steel Panthers game, although WinSPWW2 is a total reworking, both inside and out, of the system.
Fully Windows compatible, with a complete removal of all DOS problems.
Full screen or windowed, using either DirectX or Windows GDI based graphics.
Game resolution can be raised to 800x600 (original was stuck at 640x480), with even higher resolutions available with the enhanced CD version.
New zoom-in level and a revised game palette.
Over 332 scenarios, 66 of which are totally new to WinSPWW2.
60 new maps and 275 new photos.
Six new nations: Slovak Republic, Manchukuo, Italian Social Republic, Vichy France, Polish Communists, and Chinese Communists.
500+ new and revised vehicle/aircraft icons.
Scripted long campaigns added for France, Chinese Nationalists, and Chinese Communists.
New terrains: Bare Earth, Red Earth, Brick Cobblestones, Stone Cobblestones, Beach Sand, Sparse Grass, Grass (Variant), Leaves (Forest Groundcover), Autumn Trees, Autumn Orchards.
Twelve revised terrain tile sets.
Custom OOBs easily loaded.
Intelligent map generator. Railways are occasionally generated, and barbed wire is added for defensive battles.
Infantry squads will display up to 19 men (such as pre-war Polish units), instead of always only 13.
AI opfire and reaction fire routines have been totally re-written for more selective, and smarter, target acquisition.
A new retire function allows troop carriers to fall back after unloading passengers.
Empty carriers at the scenario start will now search for disembarked units to load automatically.
In depth historical accuracy.
Reversible Tanks!
Too many more details to list that make this one of the greatest tactical games ever seen on your PC!

The Enhanced CD version includes the full, free version of the game of course, but in addition includes the following value-added enhancements:

Printed manual and physical CD.
Higher resolutions! Play at up to 1600x1200, in either full screen or windowed.
Cut and paste map editor. Create one large map and then cut and paste sections to
create smaller scenarios all within the same area.
Encrypted, secure tournament play along with 250 secure PBEM save slots.
Encyclopedic sorting ability!
ScenHack utility: Delete, move, copy, repair, and edit scenarios. Available in read-only mode in the download version.
CampaignHack utility: Convert existing DOS based campaigns to work with WinSPWW2, including renumbering the existing campaigns. The CD edition also allows extraction of a campaign's scenarios into the main scenario menu.

German StuG IV Assault Gun.

Russian T-34 Medium Tank.

And more - for both versions - Free and CD Enhanced:

Dozens of other small tweaks, bug fixes and adjustments to game play such as...

A button has been added to the artillery menu to access the blast circles routine;
Fix to spotter planes (direction 6 was broken).
Delete last formation - properly relinking subordinate formations to HQ (A0) if co HQ is deleted.
Delete core formations now allowed (on the expand core screen of the core upgrade menu);
German and Italian WW2 Long Campaign for tally and N Africa - allow Indians as opponents;
Base morale now shown on purchase screen.
Maps - ability to set battle location and access to the map generator with added buttons in the map editor (inc extended CD map editor).
Included waypoint mechanism to linked scenarios.
New properties for rough terrain.
Minor modification for Z fire triggering AI OP fire.
Fix on Preference bug (pbem).
New code for AI APC vehicles.
New Waypoint technique.
"Z" ( area ) fire will now draw reaction fire.
Modified path-finding code (extended).
Option to delete Core force units and refund the cost.
Modified the Bicycle class and added the snow benefits to the light Ski class.
A new set of ID flags with their positioning lowered.
New ScenHack program.
New CampaignHack program.
New CostCalculator program.
The batloc was not being displayed in campaigns, if the default loc was not being used - fixed.
The game was putting severely crippled vehicles on map. Now fixed to immobilize severely crippled core vehicles (damage >= 1/2 cost).
There was some tinkering with UK/Ger batlocs in North Africa in 1941 - should not go to Crete in LC.
A campaign marginal victory gets min of 300 points, a decisive 500 (for smaller cores), before difficulty adjustment.
When displaying the entry/exit hexes of air units in the bombardment screen, zooming in or out will cause them to disappear from view. And reappear when you move the cursor over them. FIXED.
The "generate Campaign" screen had problems with some of the buttons.... FIXED.
The games costing routine in the mainscreen was only incrementing cost at 90+ morale, and had a minor bug as well. FIXED.
Rough will now cause disablements on ROUGH+SLOPE hexes. It will NOT disable on regular flat rough terrain.
Wagons are now treated like cavalry and not trucks.
Now, the WAV format is the standard sound file for WinSPWW2 because of the difficulties some people were having getting MP3's to run on their machines.

Minimum Game Requirements:

Pentium II 500 MHz, 128 MB RAM, Windows 95+, Minimum 200 MB HDD Space, 8X CD ROM, DirectX 8.1, 3D Accelerator with 32 MB RAM, Windows Compatible Sound Card, Mouse.

WinSPWW2 Links: