Not only is Panzer General: Allied Assault an Xbox Live Arcade and board game, it holds a bit of history too. On a regular basis, we will feature two cards and a tile from the board game version in a contest to win a signed copy of each!

All you have to do is respond in the official game forums or Twitter @petroglyphgames the name of the game (Panzer General: Allied Assault) and one of the items here. Those randomly selected each week will receive a signed copy of their selection!

Our first week brings us the PZ VI King Tiger (German) and M3A1 Stuart Tank (American) cards, as well as the 'Bocage' tile:

PZ VI KING TIGER TANK

Historically the King Tiger was developed along the lines of the Panther with improved armament and armor as thick, as the Panther tank, and sometimes thicker than the original model Tiger tank. The slope of the front of the tank had Panther lines, vastly improving its defense.

The King Tiger was a tank designed for defensive warfare and breaking through strong lines of defense. It was unsuitable for rapid maneuver and highly mobile warfare because of its great weight and low speed. To accommodate the gun the turret has been made unusually long in proportion to the total length of the tank. When "buttoned up" the tank was extremely blind, considered its weakest point.

Game Fact: Since it isn’t a fast moving card, look for your King Tiger to attack where the enemy has lots of support. Attacking by bocage tiles is always a great idea. It’s a good card to bring up into an empty tile the German’s already own.

M3A1 STUART TANK

This model had a power traverse turret; it was given to England under the Lend Lease program and used in the war before US forces joined the European theatre. The name, penned by British reporters comes from a Civil War General, Jeb Stuart, known for his fast maneuvering of cavalry troops. Obsolete in 1943, it remained in service until War's end.  This was the most widely used American built light tank.  Fast and reliable, it was well suited for the "recon" role.

Game Fact: Drive those Stuarts into any swamps you see. They don’t take a lot of damage, but are excellent in getting out in front and discovering face down enemy units.

BOCAGE TILE

The bocage form of the word came to English notice during World War II.  It refers to a terrain of mixed woodland and pasture, with tortuous side-roads and lanes bounded on both sides by banks surmounted with high thick hedgerows, which limit visibility. It is the sort of landscape found in Normandy in the former Duchy of Normandy. It is situated along the English Channel coast of Northern France between Brittany and Picardy and comprises territory in northern France. It acquired a particular significance during the Battle of Normandy, as it made progress against an entrenched opposition extremely difficult. American soldiers also referred to bocage as hedgerows.     

Game Fact: Units in bocage may not add support against targets next to them.