Codename: Panzers gives the player a small number of infantry squads, trucks, artillery units and tanks to control. Rarely have we been in charge of more than 20 units, 30 at the most. The player is pitted on missions in a linear campaign. A typical task involves the capture of a landmark, escorting units to a location, or anything else that serves as an excuse to bring combat around.

The combat, naturally, revolves around the tanks. The game is named after them, the real war was defined by them, thus they do tend to play a leading role. Tanks can charge through forests, ignore enemy infantry fire and even put up with anti-tank attacks. Their spearheads are what permit the rest of the player's forces to come up in support.

The game relies on a hitpoint system to simulate combat and, thanks to some complexities, it does an admirable job. Every vehicle has an armor rating on its four sides, typically strongest up front, weaker in the side and very weak in the rear. This armor not only deducts damage taken, but takes damage itself as well, becoming less effective the longer its been abused. All friendly vehicles can be repaired by repair trucks, even while in combat or motion. The repair truck does have a limited supply of parts, but it's still not likely to run out even after a major engagement. Its only weakness is its own fragility. The vehicles have to be resupplied with ammunition as well, so there are ammo trucks for that.