Once every four years, the Earth Alliance Naval Academy is roofed in a war video game . or rather the Wargame: On the faraway frontier colony, cadets must repair, recommission, and team a fleet of aged, mothballed warships to get a simulated fleet action against several seasoned veterans using top-of-the-line warships.

After some meddling for the Admiralty, many of the Academy’s best are assigned towards the oldest, smallest hulk in the Wargame, the unfortunately named corvette Chihuahua. Because of a genius engineer, an Army veteran loaned towards the Navy for the war game, and an unconventional captain, they make a new discovery which turns her into the most valuable warship in the fleet: The 1st ever Shieldclad warship.

The crew abruptly finds itself center stage in a real combat action, however, when Globe is attacked by an unknown foe, and a lone squadron of these once-mothballed ships may be the Alliance’s only desire to respond . . .