Red Storm Rising

Red Storm Rising is a computer game based on Tom Clancy's novel Red Storm Rising and released in 1988 by MicroProse. The player is put in charge of an American SSN submarine in the Norwegian Sea Theater with the overall role of a hunter killer performing various missions in the context of the global conflict described in the book representing a campaign.

As with the USS Chicago in the book, the game concentrates on the Norwegian Sea theater, placing the player as captain of a single USN nuclear-powered submarine tasked to disrupt Soviet forces in the area between the Kola Peninsula and the Greenland-Iceland-UK barrier. Missions may include interdiction of tanker fleets, stopping amphibious landing forces, eliminating soviet Wolfpack submarines and many others. The background story remains true to the book's plot but the final mission is always to prevent the Soviets from launching nuclear missiles by locating and eliminating their ballistic-missile submarines or SSBNs.

The player may choose any of four different timelines. Starting in the early 80's limits the player to Sturgeon and early Los-Angeles class submarines, but the Soviets have weak sonars, whereas starting in the late 80s allows the player to use the improved Los-Angeles class and even the new Seawolf subs. Weapons improve accordingly, with Tomhawk Missiles and improved Mark 48 torpedoes included in later timelines but the Soviets begin deploying nuclear powered Aircraft Carriers and much better ASW ships.

No matter what timeline or which class of Submarine the player commands, the ultimate goal remains the same: Inflict as much damage on the Soviets in the Norwegian Sea, thus allowing safe passage to supply convoys coming from America and preventing amphibious forces from conquering Norway and Iceland.