The story is set in 1985 on a group of three islands - Kolgujev, Malden and Everon. The Soviet Union is in turmoil after Mikhail Gorbachev is designated General Secretary of the Communist Party. Not everyone is willing to accept his leadership, including General Ivan Vasilii Guba, leader of a well-equipped army based on Kolgujev. Guba attacks nearby Everon, an independant republic, sparking an international flashpoint. The NATO base on Malden is alerted and the plot progresses from there. The player begins in the role of Private David Armstrong, fresh from training on Malden and under the supervision of his commanding officer Sergeant Arnold Berghoff. As the missions progress, depending on the player's performance, Armstrong is promoted and can command a squad of his own. There are other characters which the player controls at various points through the story;Robert Hammer, a novice tank driver, Sam Nichols, a helicopter pilot, James Gastovski, a retired Special Forces operative who is persuaded to join the conflict and settle an old score...