Panzer SOLO Digital Wargame Progress Update

It's been a while, but the work (and progress) continues. There are a number of items to cover, so let's get to it!

If you any questions, just let me know in the comments below.

1. When a unit has spotted another unit, a "Spotting Line" is drawn from the selected unit to the spotted unit. If the unit is able to fire on the spotted unit with at least one of its weapons, the spotting line is a solid line. If the unit is not able to fire on the spotted unit with any of its
   weapons, the spotting line is a dashed line.
   
   

   

   The selected unit at the top right has spotted 2 units. However, it can only fire at the unit with the solid green spotting line. The other spotted unit with the dashed spotting line cannot be fired at.
   
   
   

2. Front and rear firing arcs have been implemented for turretless vehicles. For example, the Soviet SU-100 M44 (Data Card S-4B) has a turret turn rate of zero (TT: 0), which indicates that it is turretless and has a front firing arc of only 60 degrees. In order to assign a fire command to this unit during the command phase, it must spot a target within a 60 degree arc to the front of the unit. If the unit wants to fire on a unit outside of this arc, the unit itself must turn (in the movement phase) in order to bring its weapon to bear.
   
   

   

   The selected unit has a front firing arc of 60 degrees. The dashed spotting line to the German Panzer III indicates that the German unit has been spotted, but that it is not in the Soviet unit's firing arc.
   
   
   

3. Ammo types are greyed out on the unit's data card when they cannot be used on a particular enemy unit.
   
   

   

   The "AP" and "GP" ammo types for the Soviet SU-100 are greyed out because they cannot be used on the highlighted spotted German Panzer III (in yellow).
   
   

   
   
4. Gunnery ranges on the unit's data card are highlighted (in light blue) for each ammo type depending on which spotted unit is selected. This makes it easier for the player to look up the range and penetration values.
   
   

   

   The Rifle Squad can use its intrinsic weapon at gunnery range "P" (point blank range) against the currently selected German Panzer III. The penetration value at this range is 8 (highlighted in blue).
   
   

   
   
5. There is a "Spotted Units" area that displays the selected spotted unit. Players can click on the unit to display the data card for the unit in a popup window. This window will display highlighted offensive and defensive values for this spotted unit against the players' selected unit.
   
   

   

   The Soviet Rifle squad spots 2 units. The currently selected spotted unit is displayed in the spotted unit detail area at the bottom middle of the screenshot. The player can click in this area to open a popup window with the spotted unit's data card (bottom right).
   
   

   
   
6. The command phase has been implemented. Players can select a unit and right-click on it to assign any of the applicable commands from a context menu. The context menu disables commands that are not eligible to be assigned. For example, a unit that has a track hit cannot be assigned a "Move" command. The "Move" command will be disabled in the menu. If a unit cannot fire at a spotted unit, the "Fire" and "Short-Halt" commands will be disabled.
   
   

   

   Because this selected Soviet unit can be moved or can fire, all command options are available.
   

   
   
   
   

   

   I rotated the SU-100 so that its firing arc no longer applies to any enemy units. Since it can't fire at anything, the "Fire" and "Short-Halt" commands are disabled in the context menu.
   
   

   
   
7. Commands can be shared between units from the same company by one of two ways. All commands (with the exception of the "No Command" counter) display a number on the counter. Shared commands will have the same number on the counters. The player can select a unit that has a command assigned to it and drag-and-drop the command to another eligible unit. Eligible units need to be from the same "Company" and also need to be in "Command Range" (0, 1, or 2 hexes) of the selected unit. Command Range is automatically determined based on the "Grade" of the Company that the units belong to.
   
   Players can also share commands by right clicking on the selected unit and selecting "Share Command".
   
   

   

   Assigning shared commands with units in the same hex or within command range. The player simply clicks the images to share the same "Fire" command as the selected unit. Each fire counter above has the number 1 assigned to it, indicating that these are shared fire commands.
   
   

   
   

That's all for now :) I'll post a video of these features shortly. Leave any comments below.

This Soviet T34/85 is sizing up a German Tiger II. Note the highlighted gunnery ranges highlighted in the Soviet data card and the rising shot defensive data highlighted for the Tiger.