Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Desert Siege (2025)

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A 60-year conflict boils over as Ethiopia invades its smaller neighbor Eritrea, threatening the world's most vital shipping lanes in the Red Sea. An elite team of U.S. Army Green Berets, known as the Ghosts, moves in to safeguard the seas and free Eritrea. As the war rages on, the Ghosts are drawn from Eritrea's shores to the heart of Ethiopia in their deadliest battles yet. - Description

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Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Desert Siege is a 2002 expansion pack for the PC and Mac versions of Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon. It is also included in the PlayStation 2 version of Ghost Recon.

Gameplay

Gameplay is similar to that of the preceding game, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon. Players control six characters in up to three fireteams; the characters are drawn from four classes, Rifleman, Support Gunner, Demolition, and Sniper. It is a first-person shooter.

Storyline

In the year 2009, old hostilities between Eritrea and Ethiopia have resurfaced. Colonel Tesfaye Wolde of the Ethiopian military had participated in illegal arms trades with the same Russian ultra-nationalists who launched the coup the previous year in Russia. Sparing no time at all, and with a newly refurbished arsenal, Col. Wolde seized the opportunity to reclaim Eritrea (which won independence in 1993). The situation garnered international interest when the conflict threatened the shipping lanes in the Red Sea. In response to a plea from the Eritrean government for international support, the Ghosts have been mobilized to stop Col. Wolde from advancing any further.

The African Campaign

In the wake of the upheaval in Russia, a series of a small brushfire wars erupt around the world. One of the deadliest is a resumption of hostilities between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

A growing détente between the two countries is disrupted by a band of Ethiopian insurgents with Sudanese backing. Having purchased massive amounts of weaponry from the short-lived reactionary government in Moscow, they mount a coup. Under the leadership of Col. Tesfaye Wolde, they seize control in Addis Ababa and immediately plunge the country into renewed hostilities with Eritrea over the issue of coastal access.

Ethiopian forces drive to the sea near Assab, seizing assets belonging to US companies and nationalizing them. The Ethiopian offensive sends the Eritrean forces into hurried retreat. US interests are also involved because the fighting has shut down most international shipping through the Red Sea. In one incident, American and other freighters were fired upon with shore rockets by Ethiopian troops north of the Bab el Mandeb.

In the wake of the chaos, a small force of US Marines is deployed to guard the evacuation of US nationals. While they are getting people out of Asmara, the Marines come under fire from advancing Ethiopian troops. An official apology is made, but the stage has been set for US involvement.

All of this coincides with a recurrence of devastating drought and famine, which has already led to calls for UN intervention from the Eritrean government. International efforts to provide famine relief are obstructed by bandits, and there's strong proof that these groups are backed by the new Ethiopian government. In order to avert a humanitarian crisis, an international coalition is built and the UN goes in, with the US leading the way.

Their stated mandate is to secure the Eritrean border, stop the fighting, and make sure relief missions can get to the famine victims.

The Ghosts are back in action, spearheading this force. Their job is to lead the way for the multinational force and to help push the invading troops back to their own border.

Missions

1. Burning Sands - Samhar Awraja, Eritrea - May 16, 2009 - 03:00 Hours
2. Flame Pillar - Massawa, Eritrea - May 23, 2009 - 11:00 Hours
3. Cold Steam - Southern Denakil Awraja, Eritrea - May 29, 2009 - 15:30 Hours
4. Quiet Angel - Tigray Kilil, Ethiopia - June 4, 2009 - 16:00 Hours
5. Gamma Dawn - Denakil Desert, Ethiopia - June 11, 2009 - 23:00 Hours
6. Spectre Wind - Adi K'eyih, Eritrea - June 16, 2009 - 19:05 Hours
7. Subtle Keep - Akale Guzay Awraja, Eritrea - June 22, 2009 - 18:00 Hours
8. Torn Banner - Mereb Wenz crossing, near Adi Kwala, Eritrea - June 25, 2009 - 11:00 Hours

Custom

1. Farm Day - South Ossetian Autonomous Region - April 24, 2008 - 10:00 Hours
2. Stronghold - Ft. Bragg, NC - April 10, 2009 - 06:00 Hours
3. Creekbed - Near Tacoma, WA - April 12, 2009 - 18:00 Hours
4. Wilderness - Ft. Drum, NY - April 14, 2009 - 11:15 Hours
5. Ravine - Hot Springs, CO - April 16, 2009 - 16:00 Hours

Characters

Weapons