Steel Panthers III: Brigade Command 1939–1999

Steel Panthers III: Brigade Command 1939–1999 is a 1997 computer wargame developed and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc.[1] It is the third game in the Steel Panthers series, following Steel Panthers (1995) and Steel Panthers II: Modern Battles (1996). Like its predecessors, it was designed by Gary Grigsby and Keith Brors.

Steel Panthers III:
Brigade Command 1939–1999
Developer(s)Strategic Simulations
Publisher(s)Strategic Simulations
Producer(s)Joel Billings
Designer(s)Keith Brors
Gary Grigsby
Programmer(s)Keith Brors
Gary Grigsby
Artist(s)Maurie Manning
Composer(s)The Samsara Project
SeriesSteel Panthers
Platform(s)DOS, Windows
ReleaseNovember 26, 1997
Genre(s)Tactical wargame
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay

Steel Panthers III is a wargame that simulates combat scenarios around the world between 1939 and 1999.[2] The game covers six primary conflicts—such as the North African campaign and Vietnam War—across 40 individual scenarios.[1][3] A map editor enables the player to create custom scenarios.[3]

Development

Steel Panthers III was designed by Gary Grigsby and Keith Brors.[4] The game reuses the game engine from Steel Panthers II: Modern Battles,[1] and was developed exclusively for MS-DOS. CNET Gamecenter noted that it would be "probably one of the last DOS-only games we'll see".[5] It released on November 26, 1997.[6]

Reception

T. Liam McDonald of PC Gamer US enjoyed Steel Panthers III but considered it "a missed opportunity", as it did not significantly build on its predecessors.[1] In Computer Gaming World, Jim Cobb concurred: "Steel III is not anywhere near the definitive wargaming statements made by Steel I or II", he wrote.[2] Writing for Computer Games Strategy Plus, Richard Lechowich was more positive, arguing that the game "continues the excellent system begun in the earlier games and builds on that foundation."[3]

In its 1997 game of the year awards, CNET Gamecenter nominated Steel Panthers III in its "Strategy/War" category, but the prize ultimately went to Age of Empires. The site's editors called Steel Panthers III "one of the best war games running on any operating system."[5]

Aftermath

Following Steel Panthers III, Gary Grigsby and Keith Brors entered a contract to create several new projects for the wargame company TalonSoft. At the same time, GameSpot's Alan Dunkin reported in January 1998 that the two were working on new Steel Panthers titles for Strategic Simulations, beginning with an add-on for Steel Panthers III. A fourth Steel Panthers game, programmed for Windows 95, was also in production.[8] The add-on was soon announced as Steel Panthers III: Brigade Command Campaign Disk, which included a multiplayer mode with Windows 95 support.[9]

References
  1. McDonald, T. Liam (February 1998). "Steel Panthers III: Brigade Command 1939-1999". PC Gamer US. Archived from the original on March 8, 2000.
  2. Cobb, Jim (February 27, 1998). "Steel Panthers III: Brigade Command 1939-1999". Computer Gaming World. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000.
  3. Lechowich, Richard (1997). "Review; Steel Panthers III". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Archived from the original on April 28, 2005.
  4. Udell, Scott (1997). "Steel Panthers III First Look". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Archived from the original on April 28, 2005.
  5. "The Gamecenter Awards for 97!". CNET Gamecenter. January 28, 1998. Archived from the original on February 13, 1998. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  6. Staff (November 26, 1997). "Now Shipping". PC Gamer US. Archived from the original on February 18, 1998.
  7. Cirulis, Martin E. (December 2, 1997). "Reviews; Steel Panthers III". CNET Gamecenter. Archived from the original on January 21, 1998.
  8. Dunkin, Alan (January 26, 1998). "War Games Update". GameSpot. Archived from the original on June 3, 2000.
  9. Dunkin, Alan (January 28, 1998). "SSI's New Add-On for Steel Panthers III". GameSpot. Archived from the original on July 12, 2000.
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