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A submarine simulator is a video game in which the player commands a submarine. The usual form of the game is to go on a series of missions, each of which features a number of encounters where the goal is to sink surface ships and to survive counterattacks by destroyers.[ citation needed ] Submarine simulators are notable for the highly-variable pace of the game;[ citation needed ] it may take hours of simulated time to get into position to attack a well-defended convoy,[ citation needed ] and sub simulators typically include an option for players to adjust the ratio of real time to simulated time up and down as desired.[ citation needed ]
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Most submarine simulators use World War II as the setting; its submarine warfare was lengthy and intense, the historical material is extensive, and the limited capabilities of the period's submarines place a high premium on game playing skill. Games usually feature either US submarines in the Pacific Ocean, or German U-boats in the Atlantic Ocean. Another popular category is modern attack submarines, especially those of the Los Angeles class also known as "688s" after the hull identification number of the first vessel of the class.
Game displays generally include an overhead map or "radar" view, showing the submarine and any ships whose position can be detected, the periscope view if the sub is close enough to the surface, a set of gauges showing depth and course, and a boat plan showing torpedo availability, damage to various subsystems and other in-game issues that may arise.
The first submarine simulator available to the civilian public was Thorn EMI's Submarine Commander of 1982.[ citation needed ]
