Introduction

During the last century, the submarine has progressed from the maligned and neglected poor cousin of the surface fleet, to a strategically and tactically vital component of modern naval operations. Since the first forays into submersible technology in the late 19th century, through the introduction of steel-hulled submersibles in the early 20th century, to the transition to modern diesel-electric submarines and the technological revolution of nuclear propulsion, the submarine branch has undergone an astonishing transformation at a nearly unmatched pace.

After proving itself as a crucial strategic influencer in World War One, the submarine force truly came into its own in World War Two with the interdiction of merchant shipping playing a major role in the strategic plans of both the Axis and Allies: The US fleet subs effectively strangled Japan of its supplies and raw materials, and German U-boats came perilously close to doing the same to the United Kingdom. As the world found itself in a tense post-war race for political and ideological domination between the superpowers, the covert and deniable nature of the submarine ensured its presence on the front lines of the Cold War. The introduction of submarine launched cruise and ballistic missiles cemented the submarine as a cornerstone of the nuclear triad with immense strategic importance, with an individual nuclear ballistic missile submarine being capable of deploying more destructive power than has ever been unleashed in the history of mankind.

While we can never truly know how a war between NATO and the Warsaw Pact would have played out, and we cannot foresee how potential near-peer conflicts in the future may unfold, it's a safe bet that the submarine force would feature prominently. From the maritime interdiction of troops and materiel, direct support in fleet battles, counter-submarine operations, covert operations and conventional cruise missile strikes through to potentially apocalyptic strategic nuclear ballistic missile strikes, submarine forces are destined to play a crucial role in any major modern conflict.

The Silent Service explores submarine operations from 1950 through to the modern day, presenting you the player with a glimpse into the world of modern submarine operations. The scenarios are by default arranged in estimated order of difficulty, starting from the easier challenges and moving up. You can, alternatively, order them chronologically and truly witness the shift in weapons and tactics over the post-war decades. The last six scenarios (#12 to #18) form a mini-campaign, presenting a hypothetical WW3 conflict in 1985 and, by placing you in command of submarines from both sides, examining what the crucial role of the underwater forces might have been.