Panzer General II/Blitzkrieg

The Blitzkrieg campaign begins with German support for Franco's Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War. It then carries the player to Poland, battles in Scandinavia, and war with France, Britain, Russia, and eventually the United States.

Mission 1 - Madrid Offensive
The Civil War in Spain provided a testing ground for the German Wehrmacht, as well as the Soviet and Italian armies. The Luftwaffe’s Condor Legion air wing is the best-known German formation to have assisted Francisco Franco’s Nationalist army, but the German Army also sent a small motorised unit, including a number of tanks, to Spain.

In the battle of Guadalajara, northwest of Madrid, both sides committed some of their best units as the Nationalists tried to cut off Madrid, still held by the Republic despite repeated attacks. Franco sent in the tough Moroccan brigades of the corps-sized Soria Division, and the Italian “ volunteer” corps, the CTV, provided three divisions of Blackshirts and the Littorio division. This last was supposedly a regular army division, though the army had as little to do with it as possible. The troops were in their 30s, unemployed workers who had signed up either as colonists for Libya or Ethiopia, or for work as extras in the movie Scipio in Africa, then in production in Libya. They were deeply surprised when their ship docked in Cadiz, they received rifles and uniforms, and they learned that they had volunteered to fight Communism.

The Republic committed some of its own top units, including the elite 11th Shock Division and a number of International Brigades including the “ Garibaldi Battalion” of anti-fascist Italians, which successfully induced over 1,000 CTV soldiers to desert with promises of fair treatment, and then massacred them. Also present were a brigade of Germans and Austrians, the extremely tough Spanish El Campesino Assault Brigade, and the Soviet-manned 1st Tank Brigade with over 100 T-26 and BT-5 tanks.

Guadalajara proved a disaster for the Nationalist cause, especially for the CTV. Madrid would hold out for two more years as the war continued in Spain.

Axis Player Strategy
Your forces are divided into two groups. The western group is comprised of Spanish troops, while the eastern is a coalition of German, Italian, and Spanish troops.

With your western group, capture the towns of Jadraque and Miralrio. They are defended by infantry and an artillery unit. You may want to wait for help from the eastern group before pushing too hard. The tactical bomber (which you are encouraged to requisition) will be able to silence the enemy artillery before it causes too many casualties. Once both towns are captured, send one of your infantry units to capture Terrebelena and the rest toward Torre del Burgo and then south to join up with the eastern group.

The eastern group has a lot more firepower than the western. Right from the beginning, go to the requisition screen and get yourself a Ju-87B Stuka tactical bomber. Deploy it next to the airfield and then fly it to Almadrones to bomb the artillery positioned there. Use your artillery to bombard the middle of the 3 enemy infantry units to open a breach for a tank to go through and finish off their artillery. Eliminate all enemy units in the area and then send all your forces down the road to Torija. Order one of your non-German infantry to capture all of the towns in the north-east quadrant of the map. None of them are defended.

Torija is defended by an armoured unit, so use your tactical bomber to weaken it before your ground units get there. Send your recon unit to Brihuega and Archilla, and then cross the river in the south to go after the airfield. Once you have this town, set up your units for the final attack on Taracena and Guadalajara. Create a front line of infantry with artillery right behind for support. The Republican forces will put up a tough defense. Keep a close eye on your German core units. Do not let them get completely destroyed, since you will need them for future battles. Pull them back and replace their losses if necessary. If you make a quick advance to Torija, then you can take a turn or two setting up your final attack and still have enough time to take the final objectives for a brilliant victory. No matter what the results of this scenario, you go to Ciechanow.

Allied Player Strategy
You do not have a lot of troops to start with. Hold in the north-east and north-centre as long as possible to slow down the enemy advance. Build up your defences around Torija, with your armour and artillery right behind it for support. You will get some reinforcements on turn three, so rush these units to Torija to help out. This town is in a narrow pass, which means that the enemy cannot mass a lot of units for a quick attack. Instead, they must send one at a time.

In order to win, you must maintain control of Guadalajara for twenty turns. Unfortunately, you do not have enough units to make a counterattack into the enemy's rear area. However, you may want to retreat your eastern-most infantry in the north south acrossthe Tajuna River and hide it along the map edge until all of the enemy units have passed by, and then send it to take the Axis victory locations while the enemy is attacking in the south-west.

Mission 2 - Ciechanow
The Poles put up a pretty stiff defense against the Wehrmacht here. Though Mlawa lies almost directly north of Warsaw, the German objectives actually lay to the east and south, towards Ciechanow. German leaders considered it politically very important to present eastern Poland to the Soviet Union as a gift, rather than the Soviets conquer it for themselves. The Kempf Panzer division, a hastily thrown-together outfit which later became the 10th Panzer division, was supposed to move quickly past the frontier fortifications and had for Brest-Litovsk on the new German-Soviet border. Instead, the Poles inflicted serious damage on the panzer unit, and it did not participate further in the Polish campaign. Polish cavalry in turn invaded East Prussia, deeply embarrassing the German army.

Players should not be misled by the quick conquest of Poland in the historical campaign. Individual Polish units fought very hard for their country, and where faced they faced fairly even odds, the Poles often frustrated the German advance. The Polish regular infantry is at least as good as its German counterpart, though it is not nearly as well-supplied with modern artillery. The Polish reservists are no worse than the German Landwehr division. The Polish cavalry is superior to the German cavalry brigade. Unfortunately for the Poles, they have nothing to match even a second-rate panzer unit like the Kempf division.

Axis Player Strategy
During your time at Field Headquarters before you begin this scenario, overstrength as many units as you can, upgrade your tank, and requisition the following units: a PzIV tank, a PSW 231 recon, an artillery unit with truck transport, a SdKfz air defense, and a fighter. Deploy your aircraft, recon unit, an artillery unit, your tanks, and some infantry south of Janow and the rest near Soldau. Your forces are divided into four groups: western, center, eastern, and a cavalry group.

The cavalry group should head east to take the undefended city of Chorzellen for some quick prestige points. Then, slowly make your way south, staying east of Kryznowloga. Southeast of this city are a couple of artillery units. Wait until the eastern group can assist. After this area is secure, attach the cavalry to the eastern group.

Allied Player Strategy
Your mission is to keep the German forces from capturing all of the victory locations for seventeen turns. You have a lot of forces with which to defend your cities. Mlawa has plenty of units. However, send all of your infantry and artillery to defend at the gap in the forests west of Kryzznowloga. If you mass your forces here, you will not only stop the German advance in the area but you can then move west to hit the German's western force from the north. Then you can send a couple of units to capture Neidenburg and Soldau to win the scenario for you.