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Expansion for Afrika Korps: The Desert War – Platoon Level Combat in World War II: A Panzer Grenadier Game
Panzer Grenadier: Secret Weapons
2008
Rules assistance for Panzer Grenadier: Secret Weapons
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 30 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.2/5
Rules assistant for Panzer Grenadier: Secret Weapons
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Panzer Grenadier: Secret Weapons is an expansion for Afrika Korps: The Desert War – Platoon Level Combat in World War II: A Panzer Grenadier Game released in 2008 for 2 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Michael Bennighof, Doug McNair, and John R. Phythyon, Jr. and its main mechanics are Hexagon Grid.
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About the game
From the Avalanche Press website: Science fiction became reality during the Second World War, as scientists and engineers labored madly to bring bizarre new weapons to the battlefield. Panzer Grenadier: Secret Weapons is a 64-page book supplement to the popular Panzer Grenadier series, looking at some of these laboratory products — all of which existed at least on the drawing board, and many of which actually saw service. Origins Award winning author John R. Phythyon Jr. tells of odd programs like Germany's super-heavy tanks — vehicles like the 180-ton Maus tank and the equally huge Tiger III. None of those actually saw combat, but the world's first anti-tank guided missile, the German X7, apparently did. Britain's huge tanks are also covered, with the slow and heavy Tortoise and the slow and heavy Black Prince. And there's the awesome Centurion, a design so solid it remains in service in some of the world's armies more than six decades later. Plus we have flying machines. There are German Fl.282 helicopters (in three versions), Fa.223 helicopters (also in three versions) and the huge Fa.284 helicopter. Plus the P.1003 tilt-rotor aircraft, ancestor of the modern-day Osprey. Finally, German jets make an appearance to lend close support, including the Me.1099 attack plane fitted with a 55mm automatic cannon. And there's more. The Americans get their Sikorsky R4 reconnaissance helicopter, while the Japanese receive the Ka-1 autogyro. For every Panzer Grenadier fan who's asked for weird science, this is exactly what you've wanted.
Mechanics
Publishers
- Avalanche Press Ltd.
Questions and answers
Panzer Grenadier: Secret Weapons supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Panzer Grenadier: Secret Weapons is 30 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Panzer Grenadier: Secret Weapons for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Panzer Grenadier: Secret Weapons has a complexity rating of 2.2 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Panzer Grenadier: Secret Weapons belongs to these categories: Wargame, World War II, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Hexagon Grid. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Panzer Grenadier: Secret Weapons are: Michael Bennighof, Doug McNair, and John R. Phythyon, Jr.. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Panzer Grenadier: Secret Weapons as an expansion for Afrika Korps: The Desert War – Platoon Level Combat in World War II: A Panzer Grenadier Game. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Afrika Korps: The Desert War – Platoon Level Combat in World War II: A Panzer Grenadier Game to use it. Check that your edition of Afrika Korps: The Desert War – Platoon Level Combat in World War II: A Panzer Grenadier Game is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.