Harpoon is more than a computer naval game … it’s a true naval warfare simulation. The Harpoon products allow you to simulate air/sub/surface and power projection, at a tactical-operational scale, using hundreds of pre-built scenarios or your own custom resources.  Updated several times a year the products cover a range of fidelity and ease of use. 

Harpoon has it covered! Look for the Hx20 bundle in the fall of 2009, which will be released in honor of  the 20th anniversary of the original computer Harpoon.

Harpoon is the premier modern naval warfare simulation. It grew out of the Harpoon board game designed by Larry Bond in the 1980s, the one used by author Tom Clancy in writing The Hunt for Red October and Red Storm Rising.

Harpoon is available in four different forms, including Larry Bond’s Harpoon Classic Edition (HCE), Harpoon Advanced Naval Warfare (ANW) , Harpoon 3 Pro and Harpoon 3 for the Mac (H3Mac).

HCE, ANW, and H3Mac are available to hobbyists, while Harpoon 3 Pro is a simulator for naval warfare professionals.

Harpoon 3 Pro embodies the latest in naval warfare simulations for analysis, education and training. Among the new features are programmable mission behaviors, a new mission type allowing for boarding of ships by helicopter simulating special operations. Users may simulate situation taken from today’s headlines, such as fighting Somali pirates or interdicting drug runners who use submersibles.  Customization is available, and both the databases and scenarios are open for end-user editing. AGSI has former Defense experts available to assist in training, configuration, design and execution.  Call for details...

Harpoon 3 ANW is the commercial version of Harpoon 3 Pro.  Here players may undertake a number of different missions involving naval, air and submarine forces of various countries. The conflicts vary from actual engagements to hypothetical confrontations, such as World War III, China-Taiwan, or a spat between Third World countries; to historical confrontations. These are all packaged into seven Battlesets with more than 120 pre-built scenarios ready for single- or multi-player action. There are also eight separate tutorials instructing the player step-by-step on everything from navigation, use of sensors, to combat. Features include single-player action, multi-player capability for up to six players via the Internet, scenario editors, and the ability to VCR record and playback games.  This product includes both scenario and database editors so players can roll their own. Version 3.10 includes encrypted databases, boarding actions, and programmable mission behaviors configured for civlian use.

For those who may find ANW a little overwhelming, there’s HCE. Not quite as complex as ANW, HCE puts the player in the position of a fleet commander making life and death decisions on the high seas. There are 269 scenarios spanning a time frame from 1989 to 2008 with a database of more than 2,900 ships, aircraft, helicopters and submarines. GamersInfo.net says of HCE, “… fans of naval warfare are going to be hard-pressed to find a better expenditure of funds.”