Steel Panthers

Steel Panthers is the kind of strategy game that looks innocent for about five minutes, then suddenly has you worrying about armor thickness, firing angles, ammunition and whether sending that tank forward was a spectacularly bad idea. Set across a wide range of twentieth-century conflicts, it combines turn-based tactical combat with a remarkable amount of military detail. Units have different strengths, weaknesses and capabilities, while terrain can turn a seemingly simple attack into a complete disaster. The interface is functional rather than glamorous, but that suits the game perfectly: this is a battlefield simulator first and a pretty picture second. Campaigns and scenarios offer plenty of replay value, especially for players who enjoy planning several moves ahead. Steel Panthers does not hold your hand, and occasionally it seems to actively enjoy watching your carefully prepared assault collapse. That is part of the fun.