1943.

On the Black Sea, the Russians are fighting a desperate battle to wrest control of its waterways from the Germans. But the Russians' one real weakness was on the water: whatever they did, the Germans did it better, and the daring hit-and-run tactics of the E-boats plagued them.

At last the British agree to send them a small flotilla of motor torpedo boats (MTBs).

Given command of them at short notice, John Devane soon learns that, even against the vast and raging background of the Eastern Front, war could still be a personal duel between individuals.