In Harm's Way: Naval Battles in the South Pacific

In Harm's Way: Naval Battles in the South Pacific is a strategic naval simulation of Japanese and American forces in the South Pacific during World War II.

Designed for 1–2 players, each player controls either the American or Japanese forces. A computer opponent is available for 1-player games. The viewpoint is of the theater naval commander, and the player composes task forces, establishes missions and destinations for those groups, and responds to operational events.

The game is text-only, and came with a board and physical pieces to allow the player to keep track of the location of theirs and enemy units. Nine scenarios are included, as well as a scenario builder. Each of the pre-generated scenarios can be manipulated in a number of ways. The game covers 1943 and 1944 scenarios. All 1943 scenarios will be night actions on the Solomon Islands map and all 1944 scenarios are open ocean engagements, although they can be either day or night battles.

The player controls the individual movement and firing of their flagship, but can only radio commands and receive reports from other ships in their fleet. During each gameplay segment, the player sets taskforce management, where the player can combine and split ships from each group to create new groups. The player also sets movement orders for their ships. The player adjusts battle doctrine for each group, including open/close range rules, rules of engagement, and tactical guidance. The player's vessels then follow their commanding officer's directions for a 20 minute interval, at which point they await new orders.