Cary, NC, 22 June 2005 Since 2002 The Camo Workshop, one of the hardest working and most dedicated groups of global gamers to grace the wargaming scene, has made available for free SPMBT (Steel Panthers Main Battle Tank). Based on the classic Steel Panthers 2 game released by SSI in 1996, SPMBT is a turn-based tactical wargame covering battlefields from 1946 onwards, with of course the focus being on what Steel Panthers is famous for, armor! That doesn’t mean the rest of the battlefield gets the short end of the stick though, as SPMBT provides a strong emphasis on combined arms operations, allowing virtual generals to use armor, artillery, infantry, and air to their best advantages together. More than just some fan-based mod that tweaks a setting or two in the original game, SPMBT is a total and complete reworking of the original SSI code to make the game one of the most realistic and compelling computer wargames to occupy space on your hard drive. With countless hours of research and refinement beneath the hood, grognards demanding the utmost from their games will surely appreciate the labor of love that SPMBT represents from The Camo Workshop. Yet, just as Steel Panthers when originally released was highly acclaimed for being one of the most intuitive games for players to jump into, SPMBT keeps that aspect alive while managing to supercharge the nuts and bolts of the game system. With all the gaming goodness that SPMBT represented there was one gripe that folks had…it was still, like the original SSI games, a DOS program. Well, The Camo Workshop listened and now the days of SPMBT DOS are no more! Welcome to the new era of SPMBT, welcome to WinSPMPT! WinSPMBT, developed by The Camo Workshop, is the newest version of SPMBT, and is fully Windows functional. Available as a FREE download through Shrapnel Games, this latest version of SPMBT is more than just a Windows update for the game you already know and love, but it also adds the following: Three new scenarios and one new campaign (in addition to all the scenarios and campaigns previously found in the game). Ten new terrains added, including such types as brick cobblestones and autumn orchards. Twelve terrain tile sets completely revised. Updated OOB files, and two new nations (Paraguay and Uruguay added). Barbed wire! Tanks actually can reverse move, instead of having to turn all the way around to retreat move. Many more tweaks, enhancements, and gameplay balance issues. In addition to the free, downloadable version of WinSPMBT, Shrapnel Games will be offering an enhanced CD version. The WinSPMBT CD Edition includes the free version of WinSPMBT, but also includes the following special features: Printed quick start guide. Resolutions as high as 1600x1200 (the downloadable version only supports up to 800x600). 250 PBEM save game slots (the downloadable version includes five slots). External map editor. Multiple levels of undo, cut and paste feature allowing whole sections of a map to be cut out and used in scenarios (perfect for a campaign map). Secure tournament password protected play. Encyclopedia sorting and filtering. The WinSPMBT CD Edition is not a free edition! You are paying for the manual, physical CD, and the hard work that has gone into the bonus features like the external map editor and tournament options. WinSPMBT itself is included for free though on the CD so that you don't have to go to the trouble of separately downloading it, something anyone on dial-up will surely appreciate. Other than the differences listed above there is no difference between the two versions available through Shrapnel Games. The downloadable, completely FREE, edition of WinSPMBT is now available and may be downloaded from www.shrapnelgames.com/SPCamo/wSPMBT/6.htm. The WinSPMBT CD Edition, with the enhancements, is now ready for pre-order, and may be ordered at www.gamersfront.com/cgi-bin/store/category.cgi?item=22222&type=store. Remember, both versions provide you, the consumer, with the game for free, although the CD Edition sweetens the deal with the printed manual, etc. And hey, purchasing the CD Edition can also be considered a nice "Thank you!" to The Camo Workshop for all the years they have worked on keeping Steel Panthers alive for free, and will definitely help them with their ongoing projects! For more information on WinSPMBT, or any other Shrapnel Games title, please visit us at www.shrapnelgames.com Back to 2nd Quarter 2005 List of News Items Back to Master List of News Items Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 2005 by Coalition Web, Inc. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com