What is Harpoon ?

Tom Clancy used it as his database for his book The Hunt for Red October and again with Mr. Larry Bond to game out the convoy battles in Red Storm Rising. It was the naval miniatures rule set Harpoon authored by Mr. Bond. Those rules were successfully computerized in 1989 (Harpoon) on Macintosh and IBM PC compatibles, and a second product, intended as a replacement (Harpoon II), was created in1996. In spite of problems with various publishing firms, both products continued to thrive thanks to the international fan base connected by the Internet. After giving up on a planned third product (Harpoon 4) the fans once again rose to the occasion and overhauled both products to create Harpoon Classic 2002 for MS Windows and Harpoon 3 for MS Windows and the Macintosh. In June 2006 we [AGSI] shipped Harpoon 3 Advanced Naval Warfare with Matrix Games (PC Only) and by Fall we will ship Harpoon Classic Commander's Edition with them too (PC only). We will continue to publish the Mac Harpoon 3 for the time being. Some of the earlier editions of computer Harpoon were used by the Brazilian War College and the USAF Staff and Command School. Unofficial use has been reported in the Netherlands, Greece, Turkey, UK, Korea, and at the US Fleet & US Naval War College. Starting in 2002 the Australian Defense Department funded two variants of Harpoon 3: Harpoon 3 Multi-Player (H3 MP), and Harpoon 3 Professional (H3 Pro).

Harpoon History

* 1975 Lt. Larry Bond learns NAVTAG. As a longtime wargamer decides he can do better.

* 1979 Adventure Games publishes the first commercial version of the miniatures rules Harpoon.

* 1979 Don Gilman purchases Harpoon for reference material, writes Bond a letter while working the graveyard shift on the Corps Quad at Texas A&M University.

* 1982 GDW acquires rights to publish Harpoon. Agrees to register Trademark.

* 1986 Don Gilman reads Red Storm Rising and The Hunt for Red October and notices the credit given to Mr. Bond and Harpoon.

* 1986 The 3rd Edition of Harpoon is published by GDW. Chris Carlson works tirelessly behind the scenes on various modeling issues

* 1987 Don Gilman fails in acquiring computer rights to Red Storm Rising, but is offered computer rights to the Harpoon game.

* 1987 Agreement reached with Gilman Louie of Spectrum Holobyte/Sphere for Harpoon. Terminated a few months later.Original Harpoon 1979

* 1987 Applied Computing Services (ACSI) reaches agreement reached with Three Sixty Pacific (TSPI) to fund and publish Harpoon.

* 1988 Development begins, falters, two managers replaced. The Digital Illusions staff members are hired by Three Sixty.

* 1989 Gordon Walton leads the team in shipping Version 1.0 Harpoon.

* 1989-1993 Attempts to market Harpoon to the US Navy fail. The US Naval Institute does distribute the product as their first professional product a few years later.

* 1991 ACSI signs an agreement with Kesmai Corporation to develop an on-line version of Harpoon.

* 1990-1993 BattleSets® are produced, the game is now v1.3. Sales are record breaking.

* 1993 Kesmai's Harpoon OnLine goes into limited beta testing on GEnie.

* 1993 Mr. Bond publishes Command at Sea a WWII miniatures rules - a derivative of the Harpoon system.

* 1994 Kesmai is purchased by Newscorp. Adjustment is made to their contract, all military rights are returned to ACSI.

* 1994 Carl Norman leads the team that ships Harpoon II.

* 1994 TSPI goes Tango Delta. IntraCorp buys the assets of TSPI. ACSI and Bond are unsuccessful in preventing the transfer of the Harpoon II contract and rights. New contract is moreharpoon2_game_1.jpg exclusive in that Harpoon II may be 1 or 2 player only, no military, no online rights are conferred.

* 1995 ACSI licenses Alliance Interactive to upgrade and publish Harpoon Classic in accordance with the agreement with TSPI/IntraCorp.. A Windows version is added.

* 1996 Mr. Bond publishes the miniatures rules: Harpoon 4

* 1996 Kesmai's Harpoon OnLine goes into limited public beta testing.

* 1996 Alliance makes the last modification to Harpoon Classic, for Windows 95 and calls it Harpoon Classic 97. Interactive Magic is the co-publisher. Sales are good for this "B" product. >

* 1996: Carl Norman leaves Intracorp/360, but arranged to have Mike Robel brought on board. Frank Hale/Mike Robel lead the small team that as a last act publishes Harpoon II Admiral's Edition, including the basic game, scenario editor, and database editor. Mike Robel folds the Intracorp office and returns to DoD Simulation Development.

* 1996 IntraCorp goes Tango Delta.

* 1997 Harpoon OnLine goes into final beta on AOL and Compuserve. Computer Gaming World gives it a 4.5 star review in the March issue.

* 1997 Harpoon OnLine goes live on AOL, Gamestorm, CompuServe and others.

* 1997 Adjustments are made to the licensing agreement between ACSI and Bond/Carlson, the copyright and trademarks are transfered to Bond and Carlson. ACSI retains interest in Harpoon, Harpoon II, Online and Military rights.

* 1997 ACSI transfers all of its rights and interest in the Harpoon property to Advanced Gaming Systems Inc. (AGSI).

* 1997 A contract is signed for Computer Harpoon 4 (CH4) with SSI, Carl Norman is the Producer..

* 1998 SSI fires original CH4 developers. SSI and its parent company are sold 2-3 times. End up as a division of Mattel.

* 1999 CH4 Final Design Milestone

* 2000 Harpoon Online is dropped by AOL/Kesmai.

* 2001 SSI is purchased by The Learning Company, who is purchased by Mattel, who divests itself of the gaming business via a 3rd party and the SSI games end up at Ubisoft (a French company that purchased many US Game companies).

* 2001 UBISoft cancels CH4

* 2001 AGSI authorized updates to Harpoon II Admiral's Edition for both the Mac and PC as well as Harpoon Classic 97 (HC97) for Windows.

* 2001 Jesse Spears ships Harpoon 3 for the Mac.

* 2001 www.harpoonhq.com starts selling HC97 and H2AE for $20 for one and $25 for both FOB customer's location.

* 2001 UBISoft restarts CH4 development

* 2002 February Jesse Spears ships Harpoon 3 PC ships through Naval Warfare Simulations' site.

* 2002 March - Second official military sale is made to the Australian Ministry of Defense

* 2002 August - Harpoon Classic 2002 ships as an upgrade only to Harpoon Classic 97 .

* 2002 October - Work begins on Harpoon 3 Pro by adding GIS features and writing specifications for Multiple Player, Umpire Assist, and game logging (i.e. Hot Wash-up).

* 2003 July - Open Beta begins for Harpoon Classic 2002 Gold.

* 2003 July - Harpoon 3 Pro - has HTI features delivered for Beta testing.

* 2003 October - Harpoon Classic 2002 Gold ships.

* 2003 November 24 - UbiSoft Cancels Harpoon 4

* 2003 ? - ACSI is dissolved, a long suffering survivor of the Recession.

* 2004 March - Harpoon 3.6.1 Ships

* 2004 March - Harpoon 3 Multi-Player goes Beta

* 2004 May - Press Release on the future of Computer Harpoon

* 2005 February - Work restarts on Harpoon Classic 2005

* 2005 April - AGSI signs with Matrix Games to publish Harpoon products as Harpoon Commander's Edition (HCE) and Harpoon 3 Advanced Naval Warfare (ANW)

* 2005 May - Community Beta for H3 ANW begins.

* 2005 October - Northrop Grumman utilizes Harpoon 3 Professional w DIS enhancements.

* 2006 June - Work completes on H3 ANW, Harpoon 3 Pro DIS, Matrix Games ships Harpoon 3 ANW.

* 2006 August - Research begins on "Harpoon, the Untold Story of a the Video Game with 9 Lives"

* 2006 October - Serious Games Presentation on the long standing dual use of the Harpoon system.

What is Harpoon 3: Advanced Naval Warfare (ANW) ?

This major new commercial release (v3.7 and soon 3.8 of the engine) is published by Matrix Games.. It includes both single player and multiplayer versions of the game - inlcuding the server. The product also includes an updated database and several new multiplayer scenarios, This release also includes a professional installer and launcher system - to allow for easy tuning of the many configuration options addressed by this sophisticated simulation. The manuals have been overhauled and re-organized into two: Basic (Game and Scenario Editor) and Advanced (Database Editing and advanced topics). The game ships with the Scenario Editor. The Database Editor is available for free (see the link for AGSI to request one).

Features:

* Multiplayer 2 to 6 or more players

* Spectator mode for Multiplayer

* VCR Record and Playback of games

* Support for Player databases and scenarios

* Scenario Editor

* New Manual

* New Installer

* New Launcher program to facilitate settings and launching of the Server, Client or Single Player products

* Updated documentation

* Includes both Single Player and Multiplayer

* Windows Only, Mac players with new machines may use emulation.

The Harpoon 3 (H3) PC version is being discontinued effective July 1, 2006. The Mac version is unchanged (v3.6.3).

What is Harpoon Classic ?

Tom Clancy used the Harpoon Classic database for The Hunt for Red October and used the tool again with Mr. 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 Mr. Bond. Harpoon Classic 2002 Gold is the current generation of the original Harpoon computerization of Larry Bond's game, first published in 1989 by Three Sixty Pacific. This was the first software ever sold as a professional education product by the US Naval Institute.

Harpoon Classic 2002 (HC) Gold Features:

* Based on Larry Bond's Harpoon 3rd Edition Rules

* Microsoft Windows compatible: 98, ME, NT4, 2000, and XP

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

* Wicked computer opponent

* Easy to play, hard to master

* Further optimization and defect removal of the EXE

* New Platform Editor

* Updated Scenario Editor

* Updated, expanded, and enhanced database

* Updated EC2003 Scenarios (based on B.I. Hutchinson's EC2000 BattleSet)

* Massive library of user created scenarios

Harpoon Commander's Edition (HCE) Features:

* WestPac Battleset Starter

* Land Units (AD Fixed, AD Mobile, Armored, UnArmored) partial implementation.

* Neutral and Unknown (indeterminate) sides partial implementation

* Replaced 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

* SAM Firing rate tweaked

* Lots and lots of bug fixes

* In Community Beta Winter 2005

* To be published by Matrix Games Pricing/upgrades (if any) are all subject to announcement 30 days before shipping. All prior statements regarding intended pricing are retracted. Est ship date no sooner than Feb 2007.

Notes:

* The computer copyright for Harpoon was registered to ACSI but transferred to Bond and Carlson and licensed back to AGSI.

* The trademark to Harpoon is registered to Larry Bond and Chris Carlson and licensed to AGSI.

* The trademark to BattleSet and Staff Assistant were registered to ACSI but transferred to Bond and Carlson and licensed back to AGSI.

* Microprose won the rights to Red Storm Rising and did a great tactical submarine simulation. Gilman's design was for a series of interconnected games. Oddly enough, Spectrum Holobyte became Sphere and bought Microprose and then was assimilated by Hasbro.

The HCDB is an acronym for what is now known as the Harpoon Commander's Edition Database, the official database that ships with AGSI's newest naval warfare simulation product, Harpoon Commander's Edition (HCE).

The HCDB is available for download from the Downloads section of this website. Extract the zip file into your main HCE directory. It will overwrite your current 'commondb.res' file. To maintain multiple databases, be sure to rename your existing 'commondb.res' file. A *.txt file is also included in the zip which details the latest update.

The design philosophy of the HCDB is to maintain, wherever feasible, backwards compatibility with legacy scenarios. The platforms (ships, submarines, aircraft, installations, and weapon systems) contained in the HCDB cover (generally speaking) the 1980-2015 era, but this is not a hard and fast rule, and there are some exceptions, including platforms from the Vietnam era and some platforms that are purely hypothetical.

Please note that while the HCDB has been distributed with HCE, copyright to HCDB database content is held by Brad Leyte (aka CV32). HCDB database content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. You may copy, distribute and transmit the HCDB and all or parts of its content, but not derivative works based on it without the express written permission of the author Brad Leyte. You may also adapt the HCDB database to your own needs under the terms of fair use. By doing so, you agree to fully attribute Brad Leyte as the author of the HCDB database. The HCDB database may not be used for any commercial purpose whatsoever without the express written permission of Brad Leyte.

A common sense explanation of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License is found here.

The legal code of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License can be found here.

Like any database, the HCDB is always a "work in progress". Requests for new platforms are always welcome, and stand a good chance of inclusion if (1) they adhere to the design philosophy described above, and/or (2) they are required for upcoming new scenarios.

(This FAQ will be further developed as time goes on in order to keep everyone abreast of design or philosophy changes in the HCDB).

Soviet Army Operational and Tactics

Soviet Army Specialized Warfare and Rear Area Support

Soviet Army Troops, Organization and Equipment

Soviet Motorized Rifle Battalion

Soviet Motorized Rifle Company

Soviet Tank Battalion Tactics

Soviet Tank Company Tactics

Heavy OPFOR Tactical Handbook

Heavy OPFOR Operational Art Handbook

NATO order of battle 1989

Bundeswehr order of battle

West German Territorial Army order of battle

Bundeswehr HQ units order of battle

Group of Soviet Forces in Germany, 1988 (zip)

Central Group of Forces, 1988

Northern Group of Forces, 1988

US intelligence and Soviet armor

Industrial Index Numbers

These use a combined number/letter/number pattern that are fairly commonly seen.

First digit:

2 - weapons systems that incorporate fire control systems and missiles

3 - early tactical missiles

4 - naval missiles

5 - strategic missiles of the PVO

8 - strategic ballistic missiles

9 - tactical missiles used by ground forces (replacing the use of '3' as noted above)

Second letter:

K - missile system, including the missile itself, launcher and fire control system

M - missile

V - missile

A - launcher vehicle with radar

P - basic launcher

N - warhead

S - major electronic component

In the 1980s the Ground Forces adopted a three digit system, as follows:

9M1xx - anti-tank missiles

9M2xx - unguided rockets

9M3xx - surface to air missiles

9M7xx - tactical ballistic missiles

Variants are often identified by suffixes, commonly appearing as:

M - first modification

M1 - second modification

E - export

Designation Patterns

Air to air missiles (AAMs):

K - whole weapon system (kompleks)

R - missile (raketa)

T - infra-red guidance (as a suffix)

R - radar guidance (as a suffix)

Tactical air to surface missiles (ASMs):

Kh - a missile that has entered operational service

R - radio command guidance (as a suffix)

T - electro-optical guidance (as a suffix)

P - passive or anti-radation homing (as a suffix)

L - semi-active laser homing (as a suffix)

Surface to air missiles (SAMs):

S - strategic (strategicheskiy), usually named after rivers

V - tactical (voyska), often named after geometric shapes or pointed objects

Ballistic missiles:

RS - strategic missile (raketa strategicheskiy), suffix for most ICBMs

T - solid (tyardiy), suffix for early solid fuel missiles

OTR - a phony designation for tactical ballistic missiles eliminated under INF Treaty

Naval surface to surface missiles (SSMs):

P - tactical antiship missiles

xx-R - ASW missiles

D-xx - secret designation for SLBMs under development

R-xx - designation for deployed SLBMs (also 4Kxx)

RSM-xx - designation used during SALT treaty negotiations

Missile Design Bureaux (and their areas of expertise):

Almaz NPO (previously SB-1 and KB-1) - missile guidance, especially air defense

Antey NPO - tactical SAMs

Bisnovat (previously OKB-4, renamed Molniya) - cruise missiles and spacecraft

Chelomey (OKB-52, renamed NPO-Mashinostroyenie) - satellites and naval missiles

Fakel MKB (previously Grushin or OKB-2) - air defense missiles

KBP - aircraft cannon, anti-tank missiles, low altitude SAMs

Korolev (OKB-1, renamed NPO Energia) - ballistic missiles and spacecraft

Lavochkin (OKB-577, renamed Babakin Research Institute) - strategic SAMs and cruise missiles, spacecraft

Makeyev - SLBMs

Mikoyan (OKB-155, now part of Raduga) - AAMs, cruise missiles

Nadiradze (now NPO Soyuz and NII Teplotekhnik) - solid fuel ICBMs

Nepobidimy (sometimes called KB Mashinostroyenie) - MANPADS, anti-tank missiles, tactical ballistic missiles

NIIP (NII Priborostroyeniya) - radars, tactical SAMs

Novator NPO - anti-aircraft guns, SAMs, cruise missiles, ASW missiles

Nudelman (OKB-16) - aircraft cannon, anti-tank missiles, low altitude SAMs

Raduga (previously part of Mikoyan OKB-155) - cruise missiles, ASMs

Toropov (OKB-134, absorbed by Vympel) - aircraft armament, AAMs, SAMs

Vympel GosMKB (OKB-134, now part of Spetsveshtekhnika consortium along with Zvezda) - AAMs

Yangel (SKB-586, renamed NPO Yuzhmash) - ICBMs

Zvezda - tactical ASMs

Ref: Russian Missile Designations, Steven Zaloga, 1994.

This can effectively mean that you (as the player) or the AI (the computer) can launch strike after strike, or sortie after sortie, as quickly as the turn around of 30 minutes will permit. Moreover, the inventory of weapons and fuel on both sides is essentially limitless.

In the past (and occasionally even now), scenario authors would try and get around this by providing instructions or notes to the player (typically contained in the Orders file or a readme.txt) directing the player to do such things as not change his available loadouts for aircraft.

You can, however, introduce a measure of further realism (and difficulty!) into a scenario if you self-impose certain limitations.

The easiest of these to do is to create an artificial limit on your inventory of weapons.

The posts that follow in this thread will hopefully provide some direction on how to do this.

About the DBs

Those DBs are a series created by Enrique Mas (Planes) and René Haar (Ships, Installations partly planes) of DBs roughly splitted into chunks of aproximatly 15 Years. At the Moment it contains the HC-35to50-DB, the HC-50to65-DB, the HC-65to80-DB, the HC-80to95. An expansion into the Future HC-10toXX is in progress! And we have the HC-Weapons-DB a DB only conatining weapons and sensors. this file is our masterfile for weapons and sensors used by all timeline dbs, so each timeline db uses the same weapons set. For example an AIM-9 Sidewinder of a certain Version doesn´t change it´s values and beahviour only because we shift the time frame or region. It always beahves the same in our DBs for the same Submodel of a certain weapon or Sensor!

About altering and using our DBs, each DB has a license agreement, but feel free to ask about a permission to use our work as a base for your personal project! The only requirement is that you mention the use of our work!

How to use them easily

First thing, you need the picturefile for HCxxtoxxdb otherwise the unit display may crash when you open a Unit with a drawing/picture not support by the file provided with the game. There´s a good and a bad thing about this file. The good, it is 100% compatible with the stock db! The bad thing it is around 50mb in size.

second take care not to confuse the files, the Game engine only supports a specific name and folder for the db files so you need to replace the file in the main game folder with the db you want to use. But there´s a perfect workaround for those that only play the game without creating new scens. It is called the HC Launcher created by TonyE, simply install it and you can choose wich db you want to use and lots of more settings, please check HG for further information about this tool! And addtitionally to the launcher you can use the hc-timelines-db collections file, it provides a zip file containing some subfolders with the db files. Simply unzip it into the main folder and choose the db file with the HC Launcher! When future db updates are published simply unzip them into the right zub folder and that´s it!

I hope this little explanation helps to bring more joy and less confusion into the gameplay with the HC-timeline-DB dbs.

Kind Regards René

The HCCW is an acronym for the Harpoon Commander's Edition Cold War Database, a new custom database that will focus on aircraft, ships, submarines and installations that appeared during the height of the Cold War, and more particularly, during the period from 1950 through 1975.

Harpoon Commander's Edition is particularly well suited, I believe, to modeling warfare during this period - the dawn of the missile age. The models in HCE are relatively simple and lend themselves well to the emergent technologies of the period: missiles, radar, electronic warfare, weapon guidance, to name but a few.

The current release version of the HCCW is available from the Downloads section of this website. Extract the zip file into your main HCE directory. It will overwrite your current 'commondb.res' file. To maintain multiple databases, be sure to rename your existing 'commondb.res' file. A *.txt file is also included in the zip which details the latest update.

The design philosophy of the HCCW is to maintain, wherever feasible, backwards compatibility with scenarios created with the database. The platforms (ships, submarines, aircraft, installations, and weapon systems) contained in the HCWW cover (generally speaking) the 1950-75 time period, but this is not a hard and fast rule, and there may be exceptions.

Please note that copyright to HCCW database content is held by Brad Leyte (aka CV32). HCCW database content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. You may copy, distribute and transmit the HCCW and all or parts of its content, but not derivative works based on it without the express written permission of the author Brad Leyte. You may also adapt the HCCW database to your own needs under the terms of fair use. By doing so, you agree to fully attribute Brad Leyte as the author of the HCCW database. The HCCW database may not be used for any commercial purpose whatsoever without the express written permission of Brad Leyte.

Like any database, the HCCW is always a "work in progress". Requests for new platforms are always welcome, and stand a good chance of inclusion if (1) they adhere to the design philosophy described above, and/or (2) they are required for upcoming new scenarios.

(This FAQ will be further developed as time goes on in order to keep everyone abreast of design or philosophy changes in the HCCW).

A BattleSet will therefore always contain a map, and if you're in luck, one or more Scenarios. It may also, but not necessarily, also contain a Database.

Pre EC2003

The twenty (20) oldest BattleSets in the Harpoon Classic genre, and included in HCE, are:

GIUK - Greenland-Iceland-UK Gap

NACV - North Atlantic Convoys

MEDC - Mediterranean Conflict

IOPG - Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf

HDS1 - Harpoon Designers' Series BattleSet 1 - Enhanced GIUK

HDS2 - Harpoon Designers' Series BattleSet 2 - Enhanced NACV

HDS3 - Harpoon Designers' Series BattleSet 3 - Enhanced MEDC

HDS4 - Harpoon Designers' Series BattleSet 4 - Enhanced IOPG

HDS5 - Harpoon Designers' Series II Set #1 - GIUK Gap

HDS6 - Harpoon Designers' Series II Set #2 - North Atlantic

HDS7 - Harpoon Designers' Series II Set #3 - Mediterranean Sea

HDS8 - Harpoon Designers' Series II Set #4 - Indian Ocean/Persian Gulf

HDS9 - Harpoon Designers' Series III - GIUK

HDSA - Harpoon Designers' Series III - NACV

HDSB - Harpoon Designers' Series III - MEDC

HDSC - Harpoon Designers' Series III - IOPG

EC2000 Battle for the Norwegian Sea

EC2000 Battle for the Atlantic Ocean

EC2000 Battle for the Mediterranean

EC2000 Battle for the Gulf of Oman

As you can see, all of these BattleSets and the scenarios contained within them are focused on one of four geographical areas: the GIUK Gap, the North Atlantic, the Mediterranean, or the Indian Ocean/Persian Gulf.

All of these BattleSets and scenarios also use a built in, non-editable database that cannot be accessed through the Platform Editor (PE).

All user built scenarios made for these BattleSets will necessarily use the built in, non-editable database.

EC2003 and Later

The four EC2003 BattleSets are essentially repeats of the EC2000 BattleSets and the scenarios within them, with one notable exception.

They use the Official HCE Database, the HCDB database hosted here at HarpGamer, which is regularly updated and which is in fact accessible through the Platform Editor.

HCE also introduces five brand new BattleSets, set in parts of the world never fully represented before in the HC series:

Westpac - the Western Pacific

Caribbean Basin

South Atlantic

South Africa

Middle East (including the Red Sea and the eastern Mediterranean)

These newest BattleSets, and the scenarios that come packaged with HCE for them, again all use the HCDB database hosted here at HarpGamer.

User scenarios built for any of these battlesets (that is, the EC2003 series and the five newest ones mentioned above) can use either the HCDB or some other custom database.

BattleSet Builder

HCE also introduces a new utility that allows you to scour the globe and actually create - from scratch, essentially - your own custom BattleSet. This is the BattleSet Builder.

The Bering Strait and Baltic Collection BattleSets are examples of BattleSets created using this utility.

Any custom built BattleSet put together using the BattleSet Builder utility can also use either the HCDB or some other custom database.

Downloads

User scenarios available for download here at HarpGamer are organized by their appropriate BattleSets.

Fortunately this also tends to be organized by geography but in all cases the BattleSet hierarchy will rule.

The scenario author should also have indicated which database he used to build the scenario, and which, of course, must necessarily also be used to run it.

Ctrl+U : Rename installation (in Unit window) [HCE]
Ctrl+W : Weather report
Ctrl+Y : Sound options

Function key combos

F1 or Ctrl+1 : Attack or intercept
F10 or Ctrl+10 : Staff note dialog for entering staff notes
F2 or Ctrl+2 : Speed and depth/altitude dialog for Groups/Units
F3 or Ctrl+3 : Course entry dialog for Groups/Units
F4 or Ctrl+4 : Formation Editor
F5 or Ctrl+5 : Ready aircraft
F6 or Ctrl+6 : Launch/land aircraft
F7 or Ctrl+7 : Join Group
F8 or Ctrl+8 : Split Group
F9 or Ctrl+9 : Set sensor dialog

Hot Keys in Harpoon Classic Gold

Tab : Active window toggle between Group and Unit window
F1 or Ctrl+1 : Attack or Intercept
Ctrl+Alt+Z : Auto test (machine plays itself)
B : Bearing only weapon launch (BOL)
Ctrl+F : Calculate range and bearing
5 (on keypad only) : Centers the map view in the currently selected window around the selected object
C : Centers the Unit window around your currently selected group.
F3 or Ctrl+3 : Course Entry Dialog for Groups/Units
. (Period key) : Drop sonobuoy
F4 or Ctrl+4 : Formation Editor
M : Free memory display
F : Full report on the selected object when object is displayed in the dialog box
Ctrl+H : Game Status
Ctrl+G : Set Grid Lines
I or Alt+I : Group and Unit ID display toggle for the map views
Ctrl+I : Icon display selector
F7 or Ctrl+7 : Join Group
F6 or Ctrl+6 : Launch/land aircraft
Ctrl+O : Load game
Ctrl+L : Load user scenario
Ctrl+N : New game
Alt+3 or Alt +F3 : Nuclear release status enabled in any scenario, regardless of the original setting in the scenario
Backspace : Selects the next object to the north (up) in the current window
Spacebar : Selects the next object to the south (down) in the current window
Ctrl+K : Game options
Ctrl+Y : Sound options
Ctrl+M : Staff options
Ctrl+B : Order of battle
Ctrl+E : Show orders
Alt+T : Path toggle for all friendly groups
Ctrl+P : Pause game
D or Ctrl+D : Platform displays
Ctrl+Q : Quit game
Ctrl+R : Range circles display
F5 or Ctrl+5 : Ready aircraft
Alt+R : Force air-to-air refueling
Ctrl+S : Save game
Arrow keys : Scroll the currently selected window, either the Group window or the Unit window
F9 or Ctrl+9 : Set sensor dialog
V : Sonobuoy display toggle
F2 or Ctrl+2 : Speed and depth/altitude dialog for Groups/Units
F8 or Ctrl+8 : Split Group
F10 or Ctrl+10 : Staff note dialog for entering staff notes
Ctrl+A : Staff report
Ctrl+T : Time compression
+ (Plus key) : Time compression - increases time by one increment
- (Minus key) : Time compression - decreases time by one increment
Enter : Time compression is set to 1:1
U : Selects the first unit of the currently selected group (in the Unit window)
Ctrl+W : Weather Report
Z : Zooms in the current window (group or unit)
X : Zooms out the current window (group or unit)

Buy Harpoon Ultimate Edition from Matrix Games

You can buy Larry Bond's Harpoon: Commander's Edition (aka HCE), released November 20, 2007, from Matrix Games here:

Buy HCE from Matrix Games

You can buy Harpoon 3: Advanced Naval Warfare (aka ANW), released June 14, 2006, from Matrix Games here:

Buy ANW from Matrix Games

Note that there are download and hard copy options, as well as HCE/ANW bundles!

HCE Database Editing Guide

The HarpGamer Forums are no longer fully moderated. This means that your post will now appear on the board immediately.

We do reserve the right to edit and/or delete inappropriate submissions after their posting to the forums, and we encourage you to ensure your post is compliant with the Forum Guidelines.

I have built a scenario for Harpoon Commander's Edition, and I'd like some feedback. What to do?

New scenarios are always welcome, encouraged, and even sought after. You will find a helpful, knowledgeable, and encouraging environment at HarpGamer for new scenario writers. All the major databases for HCE are found here, as well as a large library of scenarios.

If you're looking for scenario ideas, help with building a scenario you're working on, some helpful feedback about where your scenario might be improved, or just some feedback about how your scenario was enjoyed by others (or how it kicked their butt, hehe), you'll find it here.

There's a dedicated sub-forum for Scenario Design & Discussion that you will find here.

Because scenario files are (thankfully) quite small, you can zip up your 'scenario in progress' file and attach it directly to your post in the above noted forum.

I have built a scenario for Harpoon Commander's Edition, and I'd like to share it. What to do?

HarpGamer has a dedicated Downloads section for HCE scenarios.

The scenarios are organized by BattleSet, so simply find the BattleSet to which your new scenario belongs, and upload your zipped file there. We'll approve the upload as soon as possible.

You should add a little commentary that tells what your scenario is about, or what the player might expect.

Be sure to advise which database you used to create your scenario.

The actual zipped file should contain three individual files:

(1) the actual scenario file, which are automatically identified by their filename extension (as explained here).

(2) a file containing a set of orders for the BLUE side

(3) a file containing set of orders for the RED side

You should use the Orders Writer to create BLUE and RED orders. If the scenario is intended for play by one side only, say BLUE, you should still add some basic information in the other (RED) tab, if only wording to the effect that "This scenario is intended for play by the BLUE side only".

I have a request for a new platform in a database, or I think an entry might need fixing. Where should I post my request?

Database designers generally welcome requests for new platforms, weapons, sensors, etc, especially if you intend to use that platform in a new scenario that you hope to share with other players. Each database has its own design guidelines, so if your request is in keeping with those guidelines, it stands a good chance of inclusion.

Database designers are equally appreciative of notes and reminders that a certain entry might contain an error, typographical or otherwise. Keep in mind that any database is always a 'work in progress' and its a huge undertaking to try and maintain one database. Many designers around here maintain several! Also, there may be a legitimate difference of opinion about whether a certain entry is 'accurate' or 'realistic'. While a designer will probably be very happy to hear you out, you should also appreciate that the final decision belongs to the designer, of course, and he may have his own reasons for deciding to take the database in any given direction.

There's a dedicated sub-forum for Database Design & Discussion that you will find here.

There's a specific thread for HCDB requests in that sub-forum that we'd ask that you use, in order to streamline tracking of such requests and subsequent changes to the DB.

How do I add a Youtube video to my post?

This is a standard Youtube link: h*tp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms6dXiIDofE

Where the video code is the following portion ms6dXiIDofE.

The proper tags for Youtube videos are therefore [youtube*] insert video code here [/youtube*], without the asterisks of course.

The end result is a video window in your post that readers can click and play.

Updated 7 February 2012

The HCWW is an acronym for the Harpoon Commander's Edition World Wars Database 'Americas', a new custom database that will initially focus on aircraft, ships, submarines and installations of the Second World War, and in due course, select platforms from the First World War.

It is important to keep in mind the limitations of the current code when it comes to modeling WW1/2 era engagements, however, including: less than ideal modeling of aircraft guns; difficulty in modeling radio intercept; no limitations to communications; targeting based on formation center rather than unit to unit; etc. That said, I think there is still potential for extracting enjoyment of WW1/2 warfare simulation from HCE, and it is always possible we may be able to overcome some of these barriers in due course.

The current release version of the HCWW is available from the Downloads section of this website. Extract the zip file into your main HCE directory. It will overwrite your current 'commondb.res' file. To maintain multiple databases, be sure to rename your existing 'commondb.res' file. A *.txt file is also included in the zip which details the latest update.

The design philosophy of the HCWW is to maintain, wherever feasible, backwards compatibility with scenarios created with the database. The platforms (ships, submarines, aircraft, installations, and weapon systems) contained in the HCWW cover (generally speaking) the 1914-18 and 1939-45 time periods, but this is not a hard and fast rule, and there are some exceptions.

Please note that copyright to HCWW database content is held by Brad Leyte (aka CV32). HCWW database content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. You may copy, distribute and transmit the HCWW and all or parts of its content, but not derivative works based on it without the express written permission of the author Brad Leyte. You may also adapt the HCWW database to your own needs under the terms of fair use. By doing so, you agree to fully attribute Brad Leyte as the author of the HCWW database. The HCWW database may not be used for any commercial purpose whatsoever without the express written permission of Brad Leyte.

A common sense explanation of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License is found here.

The legal code of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License can be found here.

Like any database, the HCWW is always a "work in progress". Requests for new platforms are always welcome, and stand a good chance of inclusion if (1) they adhere to the design philosophy described above, and/or (2) they are required for upcoming new scenarios.

(This FAQ will be further developed as time goes on in order to keep everyone abreast of design or philosophy changes in the HCWW).

The HCDA is an acronym for the Harpoon Commander's Edition Database 'Americas', a new custom database designed to cover the North, South and Central America theaters, and to be used in conjunction with the upcoming BattleSet Builder.

Until the advent of the BattleSet Builder, HCE (and Harpoon Classic) players have been limited to the North Atlantic, GIUK Gap, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and (the most recently added) Western Pacific theaters. The BattleSet Builder utility, however, will permit HCE players to create new battlesets (i.e. new maps) for virtually any area of the globe.

The HCDA contains a wealth of new aircraft, ships, submarines and installations for the 'Americas' theater, as well as retaining and/or adapting many platforms from the official database of the HCE simulation, the HCDB. This allows the fullest range of scenarios to be created with the BattleSet Builder tool, from Soviet/Cuban interventions in Central America and the Caribbean basin, to the 1982 Falklands conflict between Great Britain and Argentina, to an action by the People's Republic of China to protect its 'investment' in the Panama Canal, to a Second Civil War between the States.

The HCDA is available for download from the Downloads section of this website. Extract the zip file into your main HCE directory. It will overwrite your current 'commondb.res' file. To maintain multiple databases, be sure to rename your existing 'commondb.res' file. A *.txt file is also included in the zip which details the latest update.

The design philosophy of the HCDA is to maintain, wherever feasible, backwards compatibility with scenarios created with the database. The platforms (ships, submarines, aircraft, installations, and weapon systems) contained in the HCDA cover (generally speaking) the 1980-2015 era, but this is not a hard and fast rule, and there are some exceptions.

Please note that copyright to HCDA database content is held by Brad Leyte (aka CV32). HCDA database content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. You may copy, distribute and transmit the HCDA and all or parts of its content, but not derivative works based on it without the express written permission of the author Brad Leyte. You may also adapt the HCDA database to your own needs under the terms of fair use. By doing so, you agree to fully attribute Brad Leyte as the author of the HCDA database. The HCDA database may not be used for any commercial purpose whatsoever without the express written permission of Brad Leyte.

A common sense explanation of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License is found here.

The legal code of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License can be found here.

Like any database, the HCDA is always a "work in progress". Requests for new platforms are always welcome, and stand a good chance of inclusion if (1) they adhere to the design philosophy described above, and/or (2) they are required for upcoming new scenarios.

(This FAQ will be further developed as time goes on in order to keep everyone abreast of design or philosophy changes in the HCDA).

http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?/forum/33-general/

Get yourself up to speed with one of these recent builds and run Wscenedt32.exe from your game directory for the HC Scenario Editor (SE)

Background: The HC Scenario Editor (SE) is a 16-bit program from the days of Windows 3.1. Windows has been a 32-bit operating system (with partial exceptions) since Windows 95 more than a decade ago. These newer Windows versions have something called the 16-bit Windows subsystem that emulates a 16-bit environment for older programs such as the SE. It is an imperfect emulation with less and less support as fewer and fewer people know the ins and outs of 16-bit programs.

Facts:

• 64-bit versions of Windows (2000, XP, Vista, 7, 8...) will not run the SE as those versions do not have a 16-bit subsystem. If you have access to a virtual machine running 32-bit versions of Windows you can run the SE in one of those VMs.
  • If you have Windows 7 Pro or Ultimate you can use the included/free XP mode virtual machine to run the SE. See a configuration document at If you have another Windows 7 flavor you can pay Microsoft to update to Pro or Ultimate and gain access to the XP mode virtual machine.[/url'>
  • [url=http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?autocom=downloads&showfile=718]http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?autocom=downloads&showfile=718]Use the HCSysInfo results to help narrow down your issue and solution http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?automodule=downloads&showfile=233]Symptoms/Workarounds: (sometimes workarounds for one symptom helps others)
    • http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?automodule=downloads&showfile=233]Symptom: All I get is a beep, no SE screen at all.

      Workaround: You may have the generation of short (8.3) filenames disabled for NTFS volumes. The SE depends on short filenames to work correctly. Run the utility at http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?automodule=downloads&showfile=234]Symptom: The SE shows up and quickly goes away, with or without error.

      Workaround: Make sue you have a harpoon8.dll file, some virus scanners have been picking on it.

      Workaround: Make sure your virus scanner isn't blocking access to the harpoon8.dll file.

      Workaround: Your battleset path entry may be incorrect, run http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?automodule=downloads&showfile=228]Symptom: I get an error about autoexec.nt or config.nt.

      Workaround: Some viruses/spyware, not to mention antivirus scanners mess up these files and command.com. See http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6121_102-0.html?forumID=45&threadID=27291&messageID=595647#595647]Symptom: I have Avast virus scanner and trouble running the SE.

      Workaround: edit your config.nt file (C:\Windows\system32\config.nt in a default install), comment out the line that looks like "device=C:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\aswmonds.sys" by typing REM before it or ;. See http://forum.avast.com/index.php?board=2;action=display;threadid=7586]Failing all of that, come knock on our door with your HCSysInfo report.

USNI Re-made (i.e. pretty map) *.sc0


SAVED FILE NAMES

Saved File names follow a similar convention to Scenario File names.

Instead of the .sc? extension, saved files use a .hp? extension.

Thus, the format for all Saved Files names is: ????????.hp?

The .hp? extension tells you to which BattleSet a given Save File belongs.

Original BattleSet:
GIUK: *.hp1
NACV: *.hp2
MEDC: *.hp3
IOPG: *.hp4

Harpooner Designer Series 1 (HDS 1):
GIUK: *.hp6
NACV: *.hp7
MEDC: *.hp8
IOPG: *.hp9

Harpooner Designer Series 2 (HDS 2):
GIUK: *.hpa
NACV: *.hpb
MEDC: *.hpc
IOPG: *.hpd

Harpooner Designer Series 3 (HDS 3):
GIUK: *.hpe
NACV: *.hpf
MEDC: *.hpg
IOPG: *.hph

EC2000:
GIUK: *.hpi
NACV: *.hpj
MEDC: *.hpk
IOPG: *.hpl

EC2003:
GIUK: *.hpm
NACV: *.hpn
MEDC: *.hpo
IOPG: *.hpp

Westpac: *.hpq

Carribean Basin: *.hps

South Atlantic: *.hpt

South Africa: *.hpu

Middle East: *.hpv

User Made BattleSet: *.hpz

USNI:
USNI Saved Files all share the Original GIUK designation of *.hp1

USNI Re-made (i.e. pretty map) *.hp0

This list highlights some of the major changes you will find in HCGOLD but is by no means comprehensive.

Platform Editor added: First ever in the 14 years of the Harpoon Classic Series

Database updated using best sources, primarily Larry Bond’s H4 annexes

Mobile Land Units now modeled for the first time ever in computer Harpoon

New BattlesSets Added: WESTPAC and EC2003 (both featuring the player-editable DB)

USNI BattleSet returns to the Classic series

Scenario Converter: Converts original and user-created EC2000 scenarios to EC2003

New Orders Utility: makes adding orders to user-created scenarios a breeze

SE Repeat Patrol and Repeat attack fixed (had been disabled in most versions)

Message Log added as new window

AI now more aggressive, particularly for subs and aircraft

HARM/ARM code: No more H/ARM-ing a ship or airfield to death! Many changes here.

SAM code: Enhanced “per target” missile allocation model; Variable ROF for Player

Land/Sea/Surf Weapons: Introduces “ship” and “land” only target classes

Simultaneous, Multi-axis attacks enabled for air and sea AI

Sonar model: Vastly improved detection algorithm and user-configurable noise signatures

Radar Cross Section now user-configurable as well

Electronic Warfare model improved

Aerial Refueling problems fixed

Weather report time display fixed with game consequences for daylight/night

2. System specs: What works and what won't

HC2002 GOLD will run on:

Windows 95 all variants (even without Internet Explorer) [tested Win95 original, 95b, 95c]

minimum of 32MB RAM if possible, though 16MB can work. If you have virus scanners and other clutter, double or triple that amount.

Windows 98 all variants [tested 98 upgrade, 98 original, 98se]

minimum of 32MB RAM if possible, though 16MB can work. If you have virus scanners and other clutter, double or more that amount.

Windows ME (ME's reputation aside, it does support HCGOLD)

minimum 64MB RAM, double or more if possible.

Windows NT 4 all variants (tested on sp3 and sp6a)

minimum 64MB, double or more if possible (use common sense, a bit more may be needed if you are running Exchange server on the same machine...)

Windows 2k all variants (tested on original, sp1, sp3, workstation, server...no, we didn't test on DataCenter version)

minimum 64MB RAM, double to be reasonble, triple or better is ideal.

Windows XP all variants (tested on Home, Pro, Server release candidate 2)

miminmum 128MB RAM, double if you ever want to accomplish anything; 1GB to be happy.

HC2002 GOLD Platform Editor has been run on:

Access 97

Access 97 Runtime

Access XP

Access 2000

Access 2000 Runtime

Access 2003

Access 2007

*Notes:

The Platform Editor (PE) requires the MS Text ISAM be installed to import and export properly. If not already installed, the ISAM can be installed via your MS Office Installation CD.

If you can run Windows 95 (or newer), you can almost certainly run HCGOLD. How fast it will run is up to your system specs.

HCGOLD may run on x86 Unix/Linux machines running newish versions of WINE. HC2002 ran ok on RedHat with WINE, HCGOLD likely will too.

HCGOLD will not run on:

Windows 3.1x or older will not run the game (with the possible exception of a thorough win32s configuration).

Windows NT 3.x probably will not run the game but we haven't tried.

Mac OS of any type will currently not run the game without an x86 emulator.

Non-x86 instruction set based machines will not run the game unless you have a good x86 emulator (bochs anyone?).

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3. Using the Scenario Converter

First, copy the four pairs of RES/RSR files for EC2000 (hdsd, hdse, hdsf, hdsg) from your hard drive or HC97 CD-ROM to your HCGOLD root directory. Then:

a) The "Read-Only" attribute of the above files may need removal. Right-click their icons to reveal PROPERTIES. Uncheck the "Read-Only" tick box if checked.

Start HCGOLD

c) Use the Battlesets button to find your HCGOLD root directory if it isn't already pointing there

d) Locate the commondb.res file in your HCGOLD root directory, double click on it and return to normal game play. Then exit the Game Engine.

At this point you should be able to run the Scenario Converter and bring any EC2000 Scenario up to the EC2003 format, enabling you to apply the upgraded database.

Note: The scenario you are looking to convert must be present in the HCGOLD root directory. Please copy it (and any others you want to convert for now) from it's existing location, and paste into the game root directory, before trying to start the Scenario Converter.

4. Using the Platform Editor

Please see the PE User's Guide for how to edit and export data back to the Game Engine and Scenario Editor.

Joe Lanza has produced a DB Worksheet for laying out platforms prior to data input. An excellent and very useful tool.

5. How to report bugs or unusual game behavior

We plan to post a "Known Issues" section under the "Tools & FAQ" button. So before compiling a bug report, please check there, and if you've found something new, consider including the following information in your report

a) Windows version

HCGOLD version (check the about box for build date)

c) Whether you were using an official HCGOLD commondb

d) Which battleset you were in (i.e., WESTPAC, EC2003, HDSII, GIUK)

e) Which scenario is causing the trouble

f) Any error message you received

g) Steps we should take to reproduce the event

h) Your system specifications

Post your report in the . Please identify the game component affected in the subject line of your email (GE for Game Engine, SC for Scenario Converter, PE for Platform Editor, SE for Scenario Editor, DB for Database issues).