Red Sky at Morning

Red Sky at Morning is a 1–2 player strategy game of combat between NATO and Soviet forces.

Each player controls either the NATO or Soviet forces. A computer opponent is available for 1-player games. The game is text-only, and originally came with a board and physical pieces to allow the player to keep track of the location of theirs and enemy units.

Combat can occur during a historical 1973, 1982, and 1991 setting, or a theoretical 2000 low, medium, or high scenario. Each team sets individual objectives, nuclear doctrine, and style, as well as weapon lethality. Individual countries can be set to blue, red, or neutral status to represent the side they're on. Fog of war levels and message delays are also set here.

Each turn, players can set orders to aircraft, battle groups, surface ships, or other groupings. Aircraft can order airstrikes, target priorities, and transfer aircraft. Battle groups can be formed and broken up. Active battle groups can launch missiles and airstrikes, and rules of engagement, target priorities, travel, sensors, logic, and endurance can be individually set. Individual submarine orders can also be set.

Players have a wide variety of reports, including contact reports, order of battle, staff analysis, technical data of individual naval vessels, aircraft, and weapon data. Situation maps are available to help with plotting individual convoy and vessel locations.

After both sides have set their orders, individual events play out on an hourly basis, with complete report of all actions.