“[The game] combines the thrill of commanding an anti-submarine warship with the tactical challenge of managing a whole escort group protecting convoys against relentless wolf packs of submarines.”

THE BATTLE OF the Atlantic is remembered as the Second World War’s longest continuous campaign, and one of the conflict’s most important contests. The struggle, which pitted Allied supply convoys and surface escorts against German U-boat Wolf Packs, spanned six years and helped decide the very outcome of the war in Europe.

Now a new realistic combat simulator for Windows PCs from Iron Wolf Studio S.A. and Daedalic Entertainment puts gamers on the front lines of this epic confrontation. Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter, which drops on Sept 28, lets players take control of a U.S. Navy warship and its crew as it fends off attacks by German submarines on the stormy North Atlantic.  

MHN recently caught up with the developers of Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter to find out more about the game. Here’s what they told us.

MHN: “Tell us a little about Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter. What makes this different from other games about the Battle of the Atlantic?”

Iron Wolf Studios: “Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter – or Destroyer for short – sets itself apart by striving for a level of authenticity and historical accuracy that we haven’t seen in other games of the genre, at least not in games that revolve around naval warfare in the Atlantic during the most combat-heavy years of World War II. In layman’s terms, Destroyer is a cross-genre warship simulator that truthfully depicts the struggles of escort groups protecting allied convoys against German U-Boats during the Battle of the Atlantic.

“In the game you take full control of a Fletcher-class destroyer, using instruments that have been meticulously modelled to resemble those you would find in real life battle stations, as well as time-accurate attack procedures to fully immerse yourself in the anti-submarine warfare experience.

“Destroyer combines the thrill of commanding an anti-submarine warship with the tactical challenge of managing a whole escort group protecting convoys against relentless wolf packs of submarines. The game goes to great lengths to appeal to fans of realism and immersion, at the same time offering a great experience for beginners in the genre as well.

“Whether a military sim veteran or a fledgling captain, there is something for everyone in Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter.” 

MHN: Why does the Battle of the Atlantic lend itself to a combat simulation game?

Iron Wolf Studios: “Naval warfare during this era was fascinating. It saw the development of new weapons, detection technology and tactics. Most of the equipment and weaponry used during this period was brand-new, developed in the years leading up to the war, and in some instances, developed during the war itself. And it was used very precisely – at least in the relative terms of the early 20th Century. From a military history standpoint, the Battle of the Atlantic is extremely interesting as it was the longest battle waged in WWII and, at the same time, one that was key to the eventual Allied victory. It presents a tactical puzzle in the same vein as shepherd dogs protecting flocks of sheep against a pack of wolves – quite literally!”

MHN: What sorts of gameplay might one expect in Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter? Are there single-player missions? Is there multiplayer gaming?

“Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter  is a cross-genre game, combining realistic simulation gameplay with a tactical RTS experience. It’s currently a strictly single-player game, but developer Iron Wolf Studio hopes to develop a multiplayer mode in the future. That is part of the reason why they decided to release the game via Steam Early Access first, in order to continue developing the game along with the community and their feedback.”

MHN: Other Battle of the Atlantic games readers might be familiar with — like the Silent Hunter franchise — let players jump into different roles on a U-boat (sonar, weapons officer, radioman, etc.). What are some of the stations on a WW2 destroyer the player can control?

Iron Wolf Studios: “We managed to bring the different roles across as well, so you have the Bridge – for controlling your destroyer’s movements and maneuvers, the Combat Information Center lets you analyze data and tackle attack planning accordingly. In the Sonar Room you do submerged contact tracking and depth charge targeting. Also, there is the Gun Director – for controlling the main gun battery. The Lookouts stations – for spotting surfaced U-boats — periscopes, for increased situational awareness, and for enjoyable sightseeing whenever the convoy is not on fire.”

MHN: The star of the game seems to be the Fletcher-class destroyer, one of the most successful American warships of the era. Tell me about the research that went into bringing this workhorse of the wartime U.S. Navy to life for gamers?

Iron Wolf Studios: “Our research team spent time in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, taking photos and deepening our knowledge of the 1940s anti-submarine warfare battleships at the USS Kidd Veterans’ Museum. The staff at the museum was incredibly kind and welcoming, and their contribution to our project cannot be overstated. While in the U.S., we also managed to talk to U.S. Navy veterans and we were able to reach out to additional naval warfare experts who continue to help us with this project. During our research we were also able to talk to Korean War veterans who served on the Kidd and shared their combat experience in the field of DRT and Sonar. So, all in all we did a lot of research to give users the most authentic simulation of anti-U-Boat warfare.”

MHN: Where can gamers get a copy of Destroyer: The U-Boat Hunter?

Iron Wolf Studios: “Destroyer: The U-boat Hunter is distributed via Steam, but we are not ruling out other possibilities, including console ports and physical copies in the future, but for the time being, feel free to visit the official Steam game page HERE.

Editor’s Note: Make sure to follow us on Twitter this week for your chance to win your own copy of the game.