Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:30:48-2:31:34

How did Red Storm Rising and Harpoon influence each other?

Naval wargaming influenced Red Storm Rising, possibly through the Harpoon board game; the later computer game drew more directly on the novel.

Harpoon Naval WargameNaval FictionNaval WargamingRed Storm Rising
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Question

Was Red Storm Rising based on the Harpoon game?

Short answer

To an extent. Red Storm Rising drew on naval wargaming, possibly including the Harpoon board game, while the later computer game drew more directly on the novel.

Notes

Red Storm Rising drew partly on naval wargaming, with the Harpoon board game offered as a tentative influence. The later computer game drew more directly on the novel. That creates a feedback between simulation and fiction, with each adaptation changing which earlier work it follows most closely.