Gunship (video game)

MicroProse
Company type	Private
Industry	Video games
Founded	1982
Founder	Sid Meier, Bill Stealey
Headquarters	United States
Products	Gunship, Gunship 2000, Gunship!

Gunship is a 1986 combat flight simulator created and distributed by MicroProse. In this title, players command a virtual AH-64 Apache helicopter, undertaking missions that involve engaging enemy forces while providing support to allied units. The game’s strong commercial performance and critical acclaim paved the way for sequels such as Gunship 2000 and Gunship!.

Gameplay

The missions are set across five distinct areas: the United States (training), Southeast Asia (1st Air Cavalry Division), Central America (82nd Airborne Division), Middle East (101st Airborne Division), and Western Europe (3rd Armored Division). Players choose the region, combat style, and opponent factions before receiving both primary and secondary tasks, which may include objectives like destroying enemy command centers or providing close support to friendly forces near battlefronts.

Pilots can arm their Apache helicopters with an array of weapons, including AGM-114 Hellfire missiles designed for heavily fortified targets, FFAR unguided rockets optimized against softer enemies, and HEDP ammunition for the 30 mm cannon. In selected operational zones, AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles are available as supplementary air-to-air weaponry.

Players have the option to employ stealthy tactics by moving between cover to evade enemy detection or execute aggressive low-level strikes, balancing mission duration against exposure to danger. Despite the helicopter’s armor, incoming fire can impair critical systems; severe damage may cause power loss necessitating autorotation landings. Emergency landings within hostile territory typically result in the pilot being classified as Missing in Action unless they manage an uninjured escape.

The simulation permits unlimited trips back to Forward Area Resupply Points for rearming and repairs during missions, which conclude upon returning to Home Base. The most efficient mission completion involves achieving all objectives and returning within a 20-minute timeframe.

Gunship does not feature a fixed conclusion; promotions max out at Colonel rank, but players can continue accumulating honors such as the Purple Heart, Air Medal, Bronze Star, Silver Star, Distinguished Service Cross, and Medal of Honor, ultimately retiring with the rank of Brigadier General. Awarding of medals is based on mission success, target elimination, completion time, and pilot condition, with repeated decorations becoming progressively harder to earn.

Development and release

MicroProse initially intended to develop a helicopter simulation set in an urban environment similar to Blue Thunder, but the complexity of cityscape graphics proved challenging. Consequently, they adapted technology from F-15 Strike Eagle to build another military flight sim. Launched in 1986, Gunship was made available on platforms including MS-DOS, Atari ST, Amiga, Commodore 64, FM Towns, MSX, PC-98, X68000, and ZX Spectrum.

In 1993, Gunship was ported by U.S. Gold to the Sega Mega Drive for the European market. This version adopted a more arcade-oriented approach featuring horizontal shoot 'em up segments that diverged from the original gameplay style.

Reception

By late 1987, Gunship ranked as MicroProse’s third highest-selling title on the Commodore platform, with total sales exceeding 500,000 copies by 1989. The Commodore 64 edition received a perfect five-star rating from Info magazine, which lauded its graphics, armament variety, audio effects, control scheme, physics simulation, and comprehensive documentation as "PRIME!" Similarly, Computer Gaming World awarded it five stars upon release and offered strong recommendations.

The game secured the 1986 Origins Award for "Best Screen Graphics in a Home Computer Game" and was voted best simulation game of that year by readers of Crash. It also earned Computer Gaming World's action game of the year award in 1987, was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 1988, and was ranked as the 102nd greatest game of all time by the same publication in 1996.

Reviews

Jeux & Stratégie #46

Legacy

Following its success, MicroProse developed a sequel titled Gunship 2000, which was released across various platforms between 1991 and 1996. Its successor, Gunship!, debuted in 2000 exclusively for Microsoft Windows.

External links

Photographs of the Gunship Commodore 64 edition's box and manual available at C64Sets.com