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⚓ Sea Power: Naval Combat in the Missile Age

A Gamer’s Reflections on Year One

When Sea Power: Naval Combat in the Missile Age (Triassic Games, MicroProse) launched in November 2024, I was there on Day One. As someone who grew up on naval sims like Strike Fleet, Red Storm Rising, Harpoon Classic ’97, Fleet Command, and Cold Waters, the chance to dive into a new MicroProse-backed project was irresistible. I first heard about Sea Power from The Historical Gamer on YouTube back in 2020, and the wait was worth it—even if the game is still in Early Access a year later.

🌍 Cold War at Sea

According to its Steam description, Sea Power puts players in command of NATO and Warsaw Pact forces during the tense decades between 1960 and the mid-1980s. You’re not just pushing icons on a map—you’re orchestrating ships, submarines, aircraft, and airbases across both historical and fictional scenarios. While the spotlight is on Cold War flashpoints, Triassic Games has broadened the scope to include lesser-known naval confrontations involving China, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Libya, Pakistan, South Vietnam, and Syria.

🛠️ Built for Simulation Fans

The developers have steadily expanded the game: refining aerial combat, adding factions like Japan’s Self-Defense Marine Force, and introducing a dynamic campaign. For hardcore players, the mission editor is a playground, enabling custom scenarios that rival official content.

🎮 Missions That Stick

I’ll admit—I haven’t finished every official mission or the dynamic campaign (fiction writing and moving from Miami to Orlando have kept me busy). Instead, I gravitate toward shorter, punchier missions like Operation Prairie Fire and fan-made scenarios from the Jane’s Redux pack.

• Operation Prairie Fire (1986 U.S.–Libya clash): A thrilling test of nerve where you juggle SAM sites, missile boats, and enemy aircraft. My first run ended with two EA-6B Prowlers downed by Libyan SAMs. Later attempts went better—I even managed a flawless victory once—but those SAMs remain my nemesis.

• Jane’s Redux Pack: A love letter to Fleet Command, with remakes and reimaginings of classics like Hair Trigger, CVBG Norwegian Sea, and Pacific Pirates. My favorites?
  • Strike Back: A mid-1980s World War III scenario where two Ticonderoga-class cruisers and a small U.S. air base must fend off Soviet frigates and destroy a Yemeni airfield.
  • Iraqi Strike: The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower battlegroup faces Soviet and Iraqi air attacks while USS Long Beach launches Tomahawks at a chemical weapons facility. The catch? Civilian ships and airliners crowd the Gulf, and one stray missile can ruin your career.

✨ Final Thoughts

One year in, Sea Power is still unfinished, still evolving, and still frustrating at times. Yet it has already earned a permanent place in my gaming life. Its blend of Cold War tension, tactical depth, and community-driven content makes every mission feel like a living history lesson.

Even in Early Access, Sea Power: Naval Combat in the Missile Age has become one of my favorite games of all time.

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