Panzer III addition, to counter enemy anti-tank rifles, starting from 1943, the Ausf. L version began the use of spaced armour sideskirts and screens (known as "Schürzen" in German) around the turret and on the vulnerable hull-sides. However, due to the introduction of the upgunned and more-armoured Panzer IV, the Panzer III was, after the German defeat at the Battle of Kursk in the summer of 1943, relegated to secondary/minor combat roles, such as tank-training, and it was finally replaced as the main German medium tank by the Panzer IV and the Panzer V Panther. The Panzer III's strong, reliable and durable
Panzer General do is to fight well in each battle to have enough prestige for the next one - and to achieve a major victory in the final defense of Berlin. The design of "Panzer General" was based on the Japanese wargame "Daisenryaku". The Strategic Simulations team had played a Japanese-language version of the game's Sega Genesis release extensively, and were inspired by its streamlined design. The company's Graeme Bayless later wrote of "Daisenryaku", "The genius in this game was the fact that it took the highly complex subject (WWII conflict on land) and boiled it down to the pertinent parts." "Daisenryaku"