Game of the Week, Sep 1 - 7

Hi everyone,

It’s Monday again, and it’s time for a new Game of the Week!

This week’s Game of the Week is Panzer Campaigns: Salerno ‘43 Gold. The game covers both the invasions of Salerno in September 1943, exactly 82 years ago, and Anzio in January 1944. These were two very different operations. 

The assault at Salerno during Operation Avalanche marked the Allies’ first major landing on mainland Italy. On 9 September 1943, just hours after Italy’s surrender, American and British forces launched a bold amphibious offensive south of Naples, aiming to seize key ports and outflank the German defensive line. The German 10th Army, under General Heinrich von Vietinghoff, reacted swiftly, launching fierce counterattacks with armored and infantry divisions in a bid to throw the invaders back into the sea. Players commanding U.S. VI Corps or British X Corps must secure fragile beachheads at Paestum and Maiori, navigate rugged terrain, and hold against determined German resistance. As the German commander, you must delay reinforcements from the south, disrupt the tenuous Allied link-up, and exploit every opportunity to shatter their lodgment before it solidifies. The fate of southern Italy hangs in the balance.

The landing at Anzio during Operation Shingle was a bold Allied attempt to outflank the Gustav Line and threaten Rome directly. In January 1944, U.S. and British forces landed almost unopposed behind German lines, aiming to cut Highway 7 and force a German retreat. However, their initial caution gave Generalfeldmarschall Kesselring time to react. German reserves—including elite Panzergrenadier and Fallschirmjäger units—rushed in to contain the beachhead, initiating a brutal campaign of attrition. Allied players must strike quickly to seize the Alban Hills before the noose tightens. As the German commander, you orchestrate concentric counterattacks, unleash artillery barrages, and use the flooded terrain to your advantage in a desperate effort to crush the beachhead before it can break out. Every turn is a race between containment and collapse, with Rome just beyond reach.

Also included is the Battle of Crete, showcasing the first major airborne invasion in military history. In May 1941, German Fallschirmjäger launched a daring assault from the skies, targeting key airfields and ports across the island in an effort to wrest control from British, Australian, New Zealand, and Greek defenders. The fighting was intense and chaotic, with lightly armed paratroopers facing determined resistance from regular troops and local civilians alike. Players can command the German airborne forces as they attempt to secure Maleme, Heraklion, and Retimo before Allied reinforcements can regroup—or take the Allied side, organizing a desperate defense and counterattack to repel the invaders.

Salerno '43 Gold includes 53 Scenarios – covering all sizes and situations, including a solo tutorial scenario plus specialized versions for both head-to-head play and vs. the computer AI.

The longest campaign scenario is 325 turns, with a lot of scenarios being very playable in sub-35 turns. 

The three master maps cover the invasion beaches around Salerno (5,280 hexes), Anzio (2,860 hexes), and the whole island of Crete (31,000 hexes)

In addition to the aforementioned scenarios and campaigns, Salerno '43 Gold includes a Getting Started scenario designed to introduce new players to the game system. The included scenarios are a good mix of small (Division), medium (Corps), and large (Army/Army Group) engagements.

We included a lot of documentation, maps, and notes with this title. You can review each by clicking on the links below.

Getting Started Guide

Design Notes

Situation Map 1

Situation Map 2

Situation Map 3

Crete Planning Map

Salerno Planning Map

Anzio Planning Map

There has been a range of books covering the three campaigns. The following are some representative books for anyone who would like some more background on the campaign. You can click on the book images below to be taken to the publisher or Amazon, if applicable. 

Bibliography

Salerno:

Morris, Eric. Salerno: A Military Fiasco. Stein and Day, 1983. - An in-depth, critical look at the Salerno landings, highlighting the challenges of Allied command and coordination. Offers excellent operational-level detail and a clear narrative.

Anzio:

Katz, Robert. The Battle for Rome: The Germans, the Allies, the Partisans, and the Pope, September 1943-June 1944. Simon & Schuster, 2004. - Though broader in scope, this well-researched work explores the Anzio operation within the context of the race for Rome and the war crimes that occurred along the way.

and finally Crete:

Following are some historical background videos, worth your time:

The excellent World War Two in Real Time Channel covers the Salerno landings in their coverage of their coverage of 3-10 September 1943.

A great video for the Anzio landings is from Mark Felton.

A brand-new documentary was just released this Saturday by one of my favorite channels: House of History.

The following are some in-game screenshots of what to expect. Each image can be clicked for a full-sized view.

If you don’t already own this title, what are you waiting for? You can buy it directly from the dedicated product page. 

We hope you enjoy this week’s Game of the Week. Like all WDS titles, there is a lot of gameplay included at a very attractive price.