Whether I try a single scenario or campaign, the game just boots me back to a failed (lost) game screen without ever getting me into the game!

Any ideas?

Need more info. What operating system and version of DirectX
Check your error log data/Desertfoxlog.txt

The Deserfoxlog.txt has no errors just the INIT line.

Here is some stuff from DXDIAG:

Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_qfe.130503-0418)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
System Model: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
BIOS: Rev 2.00
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3000+, MMX, 3DNow, ~2.0GHz
Memory: 2558MB RAM
Page File: 1344MB used, 5056MB available
Windows Dir: C:\windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.5512 32bit Unicode

I'm pretty sure it's a 3D Directx kind of things as the game loads fine, movies run fine but when I click "Go" in the battles it just goes in and out of the window and says I've lost the battle.

Thanks in advance for any assistance. This is my first GOG.com download - oh well, just $2!

First, make sure that no mods are active. Lets get PESE 1.2 working first.

The first thing to try is running is sowtware rendering mode. Launch the 3D config program and set the rendering mode to software render and disable sound. That should run on XP without a problem. If it does not, right click on your desk top icon for Panzer Elite and set it to run in windows 98 compability mode.

The error log will give a more complete report if you open data\PE_MENUSYSTEM.INI and change the line 'debug=no' to 'debug=yes'.

Used 3D Config program to set software rendering and no sound - same result. Interestingly, the sound comes on when the intro screens start!

Tried setting compatibility to Windows 98 (had it on Windows 95) - same result.

I set the debug=0 to debug=1 and I still only get the INIT error line.

It seems like it must be something simple but I've played around with all the 3D settings, changed my desktop resolution down to 640x480 all with no effect.

I haven't degraded my DirectX as suggested in some of the FAQ section and probably won't fiddle with that just to run a $2 game!

Thanks for the help.

PS No mods installed

It's been years since I have seen an XP computer that will not run PESE 1.2. I would need to see the desertfoxlog.txt

The primary problem back then was the videos included with the game needed a codec that MS had dropped support of.. You can turn off intros and movies in the game ini.

Vista caused problems because PE needs to write to the HDD and the default install folder does not allow that.

Your dxdiag says you have 9c installed. fyi, running a DX install of older files will not replace newer files, but that should not effect your problem.

When you run PESE in software rendering mode, the enire game uses C code flowing through your CPU directly to MS windows display modes..

As a last measure I decided to reinstall the game.

When I first started a "quick action" game after re-installing my AVG anti-virus popped up a window saying something about "General Behavioral Detection" in F:GOG.com/Panzer Elite\gameProject.exe

I said "allow" and AVG said access was denied.

I re-installed a THIRD time and ran the game with AVG disabled and it ran fine.

I can see why it's so difficult to determine what exactly is going on with a game with so many different systems and their various anti-virus / protection systems!

Thanks for your help!