Battles of Normandy is Released

[Strela]

Hi All,

We are finally releasing Battles of Normandy (aka Panzer Battles 2).







The official product page is here; http://johntillersoftware.com/PanzerBatt...mandy.html






The blurb and screen shots is as follows;

Battles of Normandy
 
"Men, I am not a religious man and I don't know your feelings in this matter, but I am going to ask you to pray with me for the success of the mission before us. And while we pray, let us get on our knees and not look down but up with faces raised to the sky so that we can see God and ask his blessing in what we are about to do.”
"God almighty, in a few short hours we will be in battle with the enemy. We do not join battle afraid. We do not ask favors or indulgence but ask that, if You will, use us as Your instrument for the right and an aid in returning peace to the world.”
"We do not know or seek what our fate will be. We ask only this, that if die we must, that we die as men would die, without complaining, without pleading and safe in the feeling that we have done our best for what we believed was right.”
"Oh Lord, protect our loved ones and be near us in the fire ahead and with us now as we pray to you."
Lt Col Robert Wolverton, Commanding Officer, 3rd battalion, 506th PIR.            KIA June 6th, 1944
 
Overview
The Battle of Normandy evokes so many emotions. It was the beginning of the ‘Great Crusade’ in Northern Europe by the Western Allies, yet was viewed as long overdue by the bloodied Soviets. Few realise that the casualties suffered in the three months of the summer of 1944 in Normandy rivalled the worst of the Eastern Front. The air and seaborne landings in Northern France were the largest the world has ever seen, with meticulous planning for D-Day, yet marked by a surfeit of clear goals once ashore. Both the bocage terrain and the dogged defence by the Germans resulted in the need for unexpected improvisation. Both sides had significant constraints; the British were nearing manpower exhaustion and would have to rely excessively on their armour arm, the United States had boundless resources but many of their divisions had never been in combat, while the Germans were short of everything and it was only through their ability to organise disparate troops into flexible kampfgruppen that they held the Allies for as long as they did. Ultimately, the Battle of Normandy resulted in the utter defeat of the Germans at Falaise with France and Belgium quickly liberated thereafter. The Allied advance would last till late September 1944, ending in the streets of Arnhem with Operation Market Garden. This second release in the Panzer Battles franchise is focused on many of the battles that occurred across the Calvados & Cotentin regions of Northern France. Fought across nearly three months from June 6th 1944 to August 20th 1944, actions from the D-Day landings, through the bocage fighting to the pursuit and destruction of the German forces at Falaise are included.
 
Campaigns and Scenarios
Battles of Normandy includes 2 Campaigns with 23 scenarios, 5 variable scenarios and a further 65 standalone scenarios ranging from 6 turns to 144 turns in length – a total of 93 different situations. Representative days of battle from June, July and August 1944 are included with a good mix of small (battalion/regiment), medium (division) and large (corps) engagements.
·        June 6th;                                                 D-Day Landings                                  14 scenarios
·        June 7th;                                                 Hitlerjugend’s counterattack                2 scenarios
·        June 11th;                                              Operation Perch                                  3 scenarios
·        June 13th;                                              Villers Bocage                                      2 scenarios
·        June 13th to June 14th;                          Carentan                                               2 scenario
·        June 22nd;                                              Cherbourg                                            3 scenarios
·        June 25th;                                               Operation Martlet                                 2 scenarios
·        June 26th to June 29th;                          Operation Epsom                                 4 scenarios
·        July 4th;                                                  Operation Windsor                              1 scenario
·        July 11th;                                                St Lo                                                   4 scenarios
·        July 18th to July 19th;                             Operation Goodwood                         6 scenarios
·        July 25th;                                                Operation Spring                                 2 scenarios
·        July 26th to July 29th;                            Operation Cobra                                  3 scenarios
·        July 30th to August 5th;                         Operation Bluecoat                             7 scenarios
·        August 7th to August 8th;                      Operation Lüttich                                 3 scenarios
·        August 8th to August 9th;                      Operation Totalize                               4 scenarios
·        August 11th to August 12th;                 US 3rd Army breakout                          2 scenarios
·        August 19th;                                           Falaise gap                                           1 scenario
 
·        4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards Campaign                                                       5 scenarios
·        2nd Armored Division (US) Campaign                                                             18 scenarios
 
 
Features
·        93 Scenarios – covering all sizes and situations, including specialized versions for both head to head play and vs. the computer AI
·        The Master Map covers 398,000 hexes covering the area of Calvados and the Cotentin Peninsula. 70 sub maps are included. The map area is four times bigger than the map included with Battles of Kursk – Southern Flank.
·        An Order of Battle with over 21,200 units from two Allied Army Groups and a German Army Group including units from Wehrmacht, SS, and Luftwaffe formations as well as United States, British, Canadian, French, Polish, Belgian and Dutch units.
·        Unit component, Order-of-Battle and Scenario Editors which allow players to customize the game.
·        Sub-map feature allowing any of the included maps to be "chopped" up into smaller segments for custom scenario creation.
·        All new map graphics with a new visual style to improve height perception. Fortifications and other icons are integrated into the game map.
·        Three different counter sets switchable in game including side on, top down and NATO symbols.
·        All new images for unit art for both sides, including infantry, guns and vehicles.
·        Exceptional Documentation including a 136 page 'Visual Order of Battle Guide' and 149 page 'Designer Notes & FAQ'. Both are included with the game. In addition, for optional download an 88 page 'Daily Situation/ Scenario Maps' and a 190mb digital version of the complete game map.
 
 
Battles of Normandy provides multiple play options including play against the computer AI, Play by E-mail (PBEM), LAN & Internet "live" play, and two player hot seat.
 

Credits
Project Co-ordinator
David Freer, Glenn Saunders
Scenario Design
Rick Bancroft, Dave ‘Blackie’ Blackburn, Jeff Conner, David Freer, Kevin Hankins, Glenn Saunders
Order of Battle
Mike Avanzini, David Freer, Glenn Saunders
Planning Maps
Mike Avanzini
Game Maps
Dave ‘Blackie’ Blackburn, David Freer, David Michas
Unit Graphics/Game Art
Joe Amoral, David Freer
Game Documentation
Mike Avanzini, David Freer
Play Testing
Eric Baker, Rick ‘Ricky B’ Bancroft, Brian ‘Dogsoldier’ Bedford,
Julio ‘JC’ Cabrera, Jeff Conner, Stephen Duncan, David Freer,
Kevin ‘Kuriltai’ Hankins, César ‘Indragnir’ Librán Moreno, Phil Niven, Ed ‘Richie61’ Pacitto, Dennis ‘Landser34’ Suttman, Martin Svendsen, Ed ‘Volcano Man’ Williams







































































We hope you enjoy the game as much as we do....

David

[Compass Rose]

      

[Gregor]

[GerryM]

David:

I apologize to you and your team for making these comments. Obviously the history element of the game is fantastic plus you having such detailed design notes, etc. is awesome. The problems many have with Tiller games are still the same: 1) graphics and 2) UI.
1) Graphics: in today's wargame computer environment why do the colors have to be so dull like Epsom - Day 3? I understand wargamers want a good AI etc. but looks matter.
2) UI: same UI for a million years now. Such a menu system is so antiquated. Any changes? Can you right-click aunit for example and get a pop-menu?

As I said, sorry to be negative about these things but JT could attack more gamers I think with some improvements. To milk an engine and UI for so many game series is unprecedented.

Gerry

[Strela]

David:

I apologize to you and your team for making these comments. Obviously the history element of the game is fantastic plus you having such detailed design notes, etc. is awesome. The problems many have with Tiller games are still the same: 1) graphics and 2) UI.
1) Graphics: in today's wargame computer environment why do the colors have to be so dull like Epsom - Day 3? I understand wargamers want a good AI etc. but looks matter.
2) UI: same UI for a million years now. Such a menu system is so antiquated. Any changes? Can you right-click aunit for example and get a pop-menu?

As I said, sorry to be negative about these things but JT could attack more gamers I think with some improvements. To milk an engine and UI for so many game series is unprecedented.

Gerry

Gerry,

Constructive criticism never hurts.

1. Graphics. Epsom 3. That scenario is in soft conditions and the ground condition is 'darker' to represent the water within it. There are different colours per height level. The other shots are more indicative. I honestly believe we have continued to improve the graphics. The design notes show what I started with. I have spent countless hours improving them but will take the blame personally for anything that is currently viewed as sub standard.
   
2. A far as UI, we are/were limited to the amount of time John has been able to spend on the engine. John has a multi year contract with the US Military and we were lucky he made time to get this released pre Xmas. Changes to the UI and other enhancements usually come as an extension of requests through his military contracts. His iOS & Android work was funded by the Air Force for one of their projects. I know John has talked about further enhancements but we don't have anything at this point. We could have delayed the game indefinitely waiting for these and I doubt anyone would have been happy. There is a quorum of players that like the interface as they are familiar with it - its a personal choice. Finally, there are a heap of short cut keys to help with the interface that many are not aware of (click the space bar for example!)
   

David

[Kool Kat]

Gents: 

Congratulations on the release of "Battles of Normandy!"

  achievement and one that all developers and play testers should be proud! 

[berto]

We are finally releasing Battles of Normandy (aka Panzer Battles 2).

Congratulations on the new release!  Likely my one and only Christmas present selfie.

[scots greys]

Congratulations on the release of Battles of Normandy.

[GerryM]

David:

I apologize to you and your team for making these comments. Obviously the history element of the game is fantastic plus you having such detailed design notes, etc. is awesome. The problems many have with Tiller games are still the same: 1) graphics and 2) UI.
1) Graphics: in today's wargame computer environment why do the colors have to be so dull like Epsom - Day 3? I understand wargamers want a good AI etc. but looks matter.
2) UI: same UI for a million years now. Such a menu system is so antiquated. Any changes? Can you right-click aunit for example and get a pop-menu?

As I said, sorry to be negative about these things but JT could attack more gamers I think with some improvements. To milk an engine and UI for so many game series is unprecedented.

Gerry

Gerry,

Constructive criticism never hurts.

1. Graphics. Epsom 3. That scenario is in soft conditions and the ground condition is 'darker' to represent the water within it. There are different colours per height level. The other shots are more indicative. I honestly believe we have continued to improve the graphics. The design notes show what I started with. I have spent countless hours improving them but will take the blame personally for anything that is currently viewed as sub standard.
   
2. A far as UI, we are/were limited to the amount of time John has been able to spend on the engine. John has a multi year contract with the US Military and we were lucky he made time to get this released pre Xmas. Changes to the UI and other enhancements usually come as an extension of requests through his military contracts. His iOS & Android work was funded by the Air Force for one of their projects. I know John has talked about further enhancements but we don't have anything at this point. We could have delayed the game indefinitely waiting for these and I doubt anyone would have been happy. There is a quorum of players that like the interface as they are familiar with it - its a personal choice. Finally, there are a heap of short cut keys to help with the interface that many are not aware of (click the space bar for example!)
   

David

David:

You are always a gentleman. Maybe you can think of brighter colors in the future and maybe continue to work on John. Both improvements could be optional so that people that like the current system can keep it.

Gerry

[phoenix]

Thanks. I've bought it and am delving in. It looks good!!! Congrats to your team, David. Hope it sells well.

Peter