TASK  FORCE  1942

TIME: 0131, 9 September 1942    
UNIT: USS Atlanta, flagship of Task Force 62.1
LOCATION: Iron Bottom Sound, between Savo Island and Cape Esperance      

  Rear Admiral Walter "Flank Speed" Gray put down the binoculars. It was 
no use; even with the lights on the bridge darkened the night was too 
dark to make anything out visually. Captain Samuel Jenkins came forward, 
removed his hat and mopped his brow. "Hot night, admiral," he said, 
"and dark as the inside of a dog. I know destroyers Fletcher and 
Cushing are in line ahead of us, but I sure as hell can't see 'em, and 
we don't dare run any lights."        

  "Guess we'll just have to depend on that newfangled radar contraption," 
Gray replied, but he nonetheless resumed peering through the binoculars.       
The Exec appeared near Captain Jenkins's elbow. "Radar contact, sir, 
bearing 340, range about 8,000 yards. A big ship, or several small ones 
- the radarman isn't sure which."  Jenkins was suspicious. "Is he sure 
this isn't just some kind of reflection from our lead destroyers?"  
  "Pretty sure, sir."     
  "Then see if fire control radar can pick up a target."  
  
  Admiral Gray picked up the TBS microphone. "Attention all ships. We have 
a possible enemy contact, bearing 340, range 8,000 yards. Increase speed 
to 24 knots and execute a column left turn to course 270. All guns bear 
starboard. Fire on my command only."  
There was a flurry of activity on the bridge as the orders went out and 
sailors donned their helmets and life vests. One by one the cruiser's 
main battery turrets rotated to the right until they were locked in the 
direction of the presumed target. The Exec returned. "Sir, we've lost 
them! Their radar image merged with the reflection from the island. They 
could be...."      
  
  From ahead of the Atlanta came the flash and deafening roar of an 
explosion. As Gray watched in horror, the destroyer USS Cushing lifted 
out of the water and fell back in two pieces. "Torpedoes!" Gray yelled. 
  "Turn hard to starboard or they'll hit us broadside!"  
  
  The sailor at the helm spun the wheel as the oncoming wakes became 
visible in the light of the burning ship. Captain Jenkins held his 
breath as the deadly Long Lance torpedoes hummed past, but Admiral 
Gray was wasting no time. "All destroyers!" he barked into the microphone, 
"fire starshells to illuminate the area to starboard. All guns may fire 
as soon as you have a confirmed enemy target."      
  
  An enemy searchlight stabbed out and struck the Fletcher, lighting her 
up so every detail could be seen for miles. Immediately, shells started 
falling around the destroyer, and her own guns opened up in reply.       
  
  The Atlanta's gun director swiveled around and locked on the source of 
the searchlight, and almost every turret she had lined up with it. When 
all the main battery lights blinked "ready," the gunnery officer struck 
the button labeled "fire" and the ship shook as twelve guns let off in 
a single spasm. "Hits!" cried the lookouts, "We got at least three hits 
on the first volley!"     
  
  "Rapid fire," ordered the gunnery officer, and the Atlanta's guns, now 
zeroed in on the target, began firing as fast they could reload. The 
enemy ship snapped off its searchlight, but several starshells burst 
in the air above it and it could be clearly seen as a Japanese light 
cruiser, Nagara class. Columns of water from near misses erupted around 
her, but many shells were going home, and fires were breaking out in her 
superstructure. Within minutes she was a floating wreck, down by the 
stern and sinking.  
  
  "Cease fire," Gray said, "we've won!" He turned to Captain Jenkins to 
congratulate him on the performance of his crew, then stopped - for 
beyond him to port he could see the after half of the Cushing, still 
afloat and burning fitfully. "Come about and prepare to pick up 
survivors," he said.     
Next time, he thought, next time!

TASK FORCE FEATURES    

* Command a Task Force in the Guadalcanal campaign, Aug. to Dec. 1942. 
  It's your job to keep the naval supply lines open to your troops on 
  Guadalcanal, and to sink the enemy warships that are trying to supply 
  their troops.  
* Task Force A.I. for both sides means player can be US or Japanese.            
* Bridge View puts you on the command platform of your flagship.        
* Chart View enables you to give orders to ships or entire task groups; 
  point-and-click interface is simple and ties in with keyboard commands. 
* Gun Director View enables you to take over the guns in any ship.      
* Torpedo Mount View enables you to launch spreads of torpedos. 
* Binoculars View allows you to scan the entire battle area from your 
  flagship. 
* 3-D Ship Graphics provide realistic detailed views of over 40 classes 
  of American, Japanese, and Australian warships. 
* Graphic Special Effects include night combat, explosions, burning and 
  sinking ships, gun flashes, flares, torpedo wakes, stormy weather.      
* Canned Animations use actual WWII footage from both sides: digitized 
  scenes of guns going off, air attacks, huge explosions, etc.     
* Campaign Options for continued play include awards, promotions, 
  strategic decisions, reality options. 
* Historical Engagements enable the player to refight critical naval 
  actions in the Guadalcanal campaign.       
* Duel Option lets the player 
  design his own battles, choosing the ships involved, the location, 
  and the situation.

THE TEAM

* Lawrence Schick      Project Leader / Game Design
* Ed Fletcher          Lead Programmer / Game Design
* Max Remington        Art Director / 3-D Graphics
* John Paquin          Programming
* Mike Reis            2-D Graphics
* Todd Brizzi          2-D Graphics

SPECIAL FEATURES

* The only first-person simulation of naval surface combat.
* Play either side in a historical campaign game.
* First in a series that continues with Flattop, the WWII naval air 
  combat simulator.

TARGET

IBM VGA version for Fall 1992 release. 

Copyright 1992 by MicroProse Software - MPS Labs