Thunderhawk , released in 1986 for the Atari ST, is an action and adventure game that takes place in the future where you play as a pilot of MERLIN, an elite command, commanded by the United Nations. Your mission is to defuse and prevent crisis situations around the globe before they escalate into real conflicts. With Thunderhawk , you fly the new AH-73M combat helicopter against conflicts all over the world.
The gameplay consists of flying campaigns in ten areas of the world, where you must complete primary and secondary objectives. Each campaign is made up of around five missions that are themed according to real-life events from the part of the world they take place in. You'll encounter various hostiles during the missions, both airborne and land-based, which can be taken care of with the loaded armament.
Before starting each mission, your helicopter is loaded with weapons such as machine guns, fire-and-forget rockets, depth charges, bombs, and missiles. The type of armament used depends on the specific objective. Once you've completed the primary objective, your goal is to return safely to base. However, be aware that your helicopter can only sustain a limited amount of damage, so you must plot your course wisely.