This article describes the computer game. For other meanings, see wolfpack

Wolfpack

Wolfpack or wolf pack may refer to:* Pack , a group of wolves that live, feed, and travel as a family groupIn entertainment:* Wolfpack, a Battletech novel written by Robert N...

.

Wolfpack is a World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 submarine simulator

Submarine simulator

A submarine simulator, or subsim for short, is usually a computer game in which the player commands a submarine. The usual form of the game is to go on a series of missions, each of which features a number of encounters where the goal is to sink surface ships and to survive counterattacks by...

 published by Brøderbund

Brøderbund

Brøderbund Software, Inc. was an American maker of computer games, educational software and The Print Shop productivity tools. It was best known as the original creator and publisher of the popular Carmen Sandiego games. The company was founded in Eugene, Oregon, but moved to San Rafael,...

 in the 1990s, for use on the Amiga

Amiga

The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...

, Atari ST

Atari ST

The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...

, DOS

DOS

DOS, short for "Disk Operating System", is an acronym for several closely related operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995, or until about 2000 if one includes the partially DOS-based Microsoft Windows versions 95, 98, and Millennium Edition.Related...

 computers and the Apple Macintosh. It simulates combat actions between wolf pack

Wolf pack

The term wolfpack refers to the mass-attack tactics against convoys used by German U-boats of the Kriegsmarine during the Battle of the Atlantic and submarines of the United States Navy against Japanese shipping in the Pacific Ocean in World War II....

s of German U-boats and convoy

Convoy

A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...

s of Allied destroyers and merchant vessels in the Battle of the Atlantic.

Gameplay

The player can choose to command either side, the wolfpack or the convoy, with the computer controlling the enemy vessels. At any time the player may take command of any vessel in his group, including of the tankers

Tanker (ship)

A tanker is a ship designed to transport liquids in bulk. Major types of tankship include the oil tanker, the chemical tanker, and the liquefied natural gas carrier.-Background:...

 and freighters

Cargo ship

A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...

 which each carry a single gun. Each vessel can be set to remain on course or at rest, or to act under computer control while the player controls another vessel. This feature helped pave the way for many modern day real-time strategy video games.

The game allows the player to choose between different levels of tactical complexity. The player can simply command one submarine, or one a time, or issue orders and command the operations of the entire group. He can order a vessel to patrol a certain path, laid out using the mouse

Mouse (computing)

In computing, a mouse is a pointing device that functions by detecting two-dimensional motion relative to its supporting surface. Physically, a mouse consists of an object held under one of the user's hands, with one or more buttons...

 with the map screen, or to anchor at a certain point, or take other actions. The user can also create new missions, choosing initial locations, orders, and patrol routes for vessels on both sides.

The player can choose to run the simulation in real-time, or increase the speed by up to 32 times, allowing the ships to cross large distances in a reasonable time. The simulation automatically slows to real-time at important times such as when shots are fired.

Technology

The game reflects a number of advances in technology that occurred during the course of World War II. Each mission takes place during a particular year of the war. In later years new submarine classes are available to the player, with advances such as greater underwater speed. Destroyers gain radar

Radar

Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...

 and active sonar

Sonar

Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...

 for detection of submarines, and hedgehog

Hedgehog (weapon)

The Hedgehog was an anti-submarine weapon developed by the Royal Navy during World War II, that was deployed on convoy escort warships such as destroyers to supplement the depth charge. The weapon worked by firing a number of small spigot mortar bombs from spiked fittings...

 antisubmarine weapons, to supplement the depth charge

Depth charge

A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...

s, guns and passive sonar of the earlier destroyers.