Oh, Well of Deep Joy! A gamekit. Yes, ziplok bag, black & white graphics, photocopied rulebook, no dice.

"My heart skips a beat as I search for the knife, Two hours worth of bliss if I stav clear of the wife".

But in my case, and in my case only, Winsome Games' John Bohrer has committed the unforgivable sin of cutting the action cards and securing them with elastic bands within their own sacred plastic bag. And he provided a die! It is possible to forgive this outrage, because only privileged reviewers are afforded this treatment. You, the punter, will need to cut and sort.

Ultimately, is the DIY process worthwhile'? In the case of PanzerZug, the answer is yes, because this is an enjoyable romp which simulates allied airstrikes against the Nazi rail system.

The package comprises a set of A4 aircraft displays, targets (Zug cards--pray tell me, what is a "Zug"? (SWD: see below) and an action deck which fuels the game. Each turn, players may re-fit their plane (if necessary) or take-off and attack. The first game turn allows players to load their plane (with fuel/weapons), and then turn over the top Zug card. These are, typically, trains and freight yards which note a victory point total. Yes, you're beginning to get the picture--most points wins.

Although players (2-6, works with any combination) are effectively on the same side, they are able to throw a major spanner in the works by playing additional action cards from their hand, all of which clearly outline these possible and immediate hazards. So, you're on your way to obliterate some armoured scout cars, but Alan sends out a Fokkewulf 190, which will shoot you down on a roll of five or six. A "wingman" card will negate the German fighter, but cannot intervene in the case of bad weather (which force the expenditure of additional fuel) or "Explosions", whereby shrapnel can bring down your own fighter. If you survive the flak, each pass over the target uses a fuel weapon card. A single roll of the die dispenses justice.

As can be seen, a decent hand is a pre-requisite, and I was concerned that re-fitting the plane would be a potentially frustrating business if the right cards were buried at the bottom of the deck. Although you might wait a turn before sufficient fuel/bombs/rockets are drawn, this is negated by your own opportunities to attack "the enemy", ie Alan and his cronies. Overall, the card mix appears to be excellent.

File Panzerzug alongside Enemy In Sight, Atlantic Storm and the Great Naval Battles series, because they all require a major offensive against specific targets, with little subtlety required. PanzerZug stands up sturdily next to its more professionally presented brethren and provides Winsome Games with a "fun" arm to its impressive array of railway/business games.

(SWD: 'Zug' is a multi-purpose word in German, but in this context it means 'train'. 'Panzerzug' = armoured train'.)