Computer Bismarck

Computer Bismarck
Front cover art of Computer Bismarck. Artwork designed by Louis Saekow.
Developer(s)	Strategic Simulations Inc.
Publisher(s)	Strategic Simulations Inc.
Designer(s)	Joel Billings, John Lyons
Platform(s)	Apple II and TRS-80
Release date(s)	February 1980
Genre(s)	Wargame
Mode(s)	Single-player, Two-player

Computer Bismarck is a computer wargame developed and published by Strategic Simulations, Inc. (SSI) in 1980. The game is based on the last battle of the battleship Bismarck, in which British Armed Forces pursue the German Bismarck in 1941. It is SSI's first game, and features turn-based gameplay and two-dimensional graphics.

The development staff consisted of two programmers, Joel Billings and John Lyons, who programmed the game in BASIC. Originally developed for the TRS-80, an Apple II version was also created two months into the process. After meeting with other wargame developers, Billings decided to publish the game as well. To help accomplish this, he hired Louis Saekow to create the box art.

The first commercially published computer war game, Computer Bismarck sold well and contributed to SSI's success. It is also credited in part for legitimizing war games and computer games.

The game is a simulation of the German battleship Bismarck's last battle in the Atlantic Ocean during World War II. On May 24, 1941, the Bismarck and Prinz Eugen sank the British HMS Hood and damaged the HMS Prince of Wales at the Battle of the Denmark Strait. Following the battle, British Royal Navy ships and aircraft pursued the Bismarck for two days. After being crippled by a torpedo bomber on the evening of May 26, the Bismarck was sunk the following morning.