The boxed game includes a printed manual and jewel case. The game is also available in electronic form with PDF manuals.

Tom Clancy used the Harpoon Classic database for The Hunt for Red October and used the tool again with Larry Bond to game out the convoy battles in Red Storm Rising. What was that tool? It was the naval miniatures rule set Harpoon authored by Bond.

Harpoon Commander’s Edition is the current generation of the original Harpoon computerization of Bond’s game, which was first published in 1989 by Three Sixty Pacific.

This was the first software ever sold as a professional education product by the U.S. Naval Institute.

During the long development from Harpoon Classic 2002 Gold until now – the project had some other code names – none of those products ever shipped. Many were available in timed out beta form only.

Features:

Based on Larry Bond’s Harpoon 3rd Edition Rules

Microsoft Windows compatible: 98, ME, NT4, 2000, and XP. Vista probable but not guaranteed.

Five combat areas (North Atlantic, Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom Gap, Indian Ocean/Persian Gulf, the Mediterranean and Western Pacific)

Wicked computer opponent

Easy-to-play, hard-to-master

New platform editor

Improved scenario editor

Updated EC2003 scenarios (based on B.I. Hutchinson’s EC2000 BattleSet)

New WestPac Scenarios and database (contributed by HarpDB – Brad Leyte/Tony Eischens and crew)

Massive library of user-created scenarios available

New land units (AD Fixed, AD Mobile, Armored, UnArmored) partial implementation.

New neutral and unknown (indeterminate) sides partial implementation

New radar model, much better variability in detection ranges is possible, stealth modeling.

Area ECM upgraded.

Improved SARH logic

Improved AI aircraft AAW evasion

Increased weapons types per loadout/multimount

Improved SAM firing rate