Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!aplcen!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!sdd.hp.com!ucsd!nosc!cod!deichman
From: deichman@cod.NOSC.MIL (Shane D. Deichman)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
Subject: Re: Recommendations for Vette! or Harpoon
Message-ID: <2397@cod.NOSC.MIL>
Date: 24 Oct 90 15:02:42 GMT
References: <90296.121821LSB103@psuvm.psu.edu> <1990Oct23.224137.25667@wpi.WPI.EDU>
Reply-To: deichman@cod.nosc.mil.UUCP (Shane D. Deichman)
Distribution: comp.sys.mac.games
Organization: Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego
Lines: 41

In article <1990Oct23.224137.25667@wpi.WPI.EDU> billmors@wpi.WPI.EDU (William Britton Morse) writes:
>
>I'm also interested in a review of Harpoon.  Please post!
>
>

I haven't seen Harpoon on the Mac yet, but I'll tell you what I think 
about the IBM version:

The IBM version of Harpoon is perhaps one of the best (if not THE best)
Naval Warfare simulators around.  It is very up to date on the various
systems and platforms utilized by the navies of the world.

More than just a "game," it is also a very in-depth data base on the
capabilities of various ships, subs, and aircraft seen in a modern
combat theatre.

Play can either be a small engagement between individual surface craft
or a broad campaign pitting carrier battle groups against one another.
You can play either NATO or the USSR (all engagements are between forces
of the two superpowers; if you want a political statement of "glasnost"
this isn't the place to find it).

You actually perform the functions of the battle group commander, issuing
orders for course, speed, what radar/sonar to activate, what systems to
fire, etc.  The realism of elusive contacts (especially in ASW -- anti-
submarine warfare) and tracking is readily apparent.  You also see the
grim effectiveness of some of today's most advanced weapons (including
tactical nuclear devices; you do have the option of restricting nuclear
releases in the game).

Various other aspects (such as sea state and visibility) are taken into
consideration, making a very real exercise in naval confrontations.

Harpoon is an excellent product, and I would highly recommend it to anyone
interested in modern naval warfare.  Or, if you're just a trivia buff,
I give the same recommendation -- the money you pay for the game is about
half what you'd pay -just to get the database alone (_Jane's Fighting
Ships of the World_ is around $125 these days).

-shane d deichman