About Hormuz Standoff
Hormuz Standoff is a free 3D naval strategy game set in the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire is fraying, a tanker is hit in the night, and each side blames the other. Play the same crisis from three decks: an Indian merchant captain carrying diesel, the commander of a US Navy destroyer, and an Iranian fast attack boat defending home waters.
Every side plays differently. The merchant has no weapons, only seamanship, the radio and fire hoses. The destroyer has interceptors, a close-in gun, a 5-inch gun, torpedoes and a helicopter, and strict rules of engagement. The fast boat has speed, missiles, a machine gun and a squadron to command. Ships ride real waves, take fire and flooding, and can be steered from the bridge, from behind or on a tactical map.
The heart of it is the standoff. An escalation meter rises if you fire first, skip the warning ladder or crowd the other navy, and at 100 the ceasefire is over. Fifteen story missions cross over on the same nights and close in on who really wants the strait shut. It is a work of fiction: the ships, people and companies are made up.
How to play
- Pick a side in the campaign. Each has five missions with a briefing, a loadout choice and objectives. Bonus objectives give extra stars.
- Handle the ship: W and S move the engine telegraph one step, A and D move the rudder, which stays where you leave it. Big ships take a long time to stop and turn, so plan ahead.
- Use the radio (R). Hail a contact, warn it, fire a warning shot: each step gives the other side a chance to back down. Merchants can send MAYDAY, PAN-PAN and SECURITE calls.
- Identify before you shoot. Contacts start as unknown. Close in, use the binoculars on the bridge or send the helicopter. Some fishing boats are not fishing boats.
- Defend against missiles with interceptors at range, the close-in gun up close and decoys. A ship that fires at you or at someone you protect is hostile, and you may engage it freely.
- Convoy Endless: escort wave after wave of merchants. Log in to put your best run and your campaign score on the leaderboards.
Controls
| W / S | Engine telegraph up or down |
|---|---|
| A / D | Rudder (X centres it) |
| V | View: bridge, chase, tactical map |
| Tab | Next target |
| 1 to 9 | Weapons and systems |
| Space | Fire (hold for the machine gun) |
| R | Radio |
| G | Damage control |
| L | Searchlight |
| Z | Binoculars on the bridge |
| T | Time compression |
| K | Auto-intercept on or off |
| ? | Show or hide the on-screen controls guide |
| Esc | Pause |
| Phone | On-screen telegraph, rudder, fire and radio buttons |
FAQ
Is Hormuz Standoff free?
Yes. It runs in your browser with nothing to install, on computers and phones.
Is this based on real events?
It is inspired by the news about shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, but the story is fiction. The ships, people and companies are made up, no real event is depicted, and the game does not take a side.
Which side should I start with?
The merchant campaign is the gentlest introduction to ship handling. The US Navy campaign is about air defence and rules of engagement. The Iranian campaign is fast and close-range.
Why did my mission fail when I fired?
Firing on a ship that has not shown hostile intent raises escalation a lot. Use the warning ladder first: hail, warn, warning shot. If a ship fires at you, it turns red and you may engage it.
Can I play on my phone?
Yes, in landscape, with on-screen buttons for the telegraph, rudder, fire, target, radio and view. A keyboard and mouse give the most control.
How do I get on the leaderboard?
Create a free account (18+). Your best Convoy Endless run and the total of your best campaign mission scores are saved automatically.
A parody and fiction inspired by real events. Not news or advice, and not affiliated with or endorsed by anyone in the game. Legal & privacy