“War Games” is episode four of season one of Space: 1999.
Three ships from a planet are heading towards the Moon and aren’t responding; Victor says they’re Mark IX Hawks. Alan thinks they’re war machine enough for him. Commander Koenig sets red alert and orders Eagles be launched and Alpha ready to withstand an attack. The Hawks are faster than the Eagles, which get behind them. They only have a few seconds in which they are in range, and the commander gives the command to fire. All three are destroyed.
Alan thinks that was too easy. Sandra reports more incoming and the second Eagle flight is ordered to launch. All three are destroyed, two never even getting off the launch pads. Alpha is breached and crew are blown out. Koenig wants the last laser-equipped Eagle launched and speaks to Dr Russell, who tells him the casualties are bad. The Hawks are heading for the first Eagles; the commander contacts Alan and says they’re trying to send help, but right now the Eagles are all that stand between Alpha and the Hawks.
Two Hawks are destroyed, but two Eagles are as well and Eagle 1 is damaged and plays dead. Alpha has lost contact and the lift with the last laser-equipped Eagle is stuck. Koenig orders all non-essential surface areas be evacuated and the crew to head below. The last Hawk opens fire, damaging Main Mission and Medical. Helena contacts Main Mission; they have an atmosphere leak that us under control at the moment. The commander heads there with Paul and David. They’re evacuating Medical, but Dr Mathias is lost when the window cracks.
The Hawk is leaving, but when the commander gets back to Main Mission, Sandra indicates a bomber incoming. They’ve nothing to stop it, but it passes by Eagle 1, which destroys it. Koenig contacts Eagle 1, then Victor and tells him Sandra will find him a safe route back.
The doctor reports 128 dead, most sucked out into space (well, blown). People either survived or they didn’t. They have 8 days battery power and it will take four weeks to get a reactor working. Food and recycling are in an even worse state. Victor states they’re in range of the planet for four days; the commander orders a reconnaissance Eagle prepped; eh and the doctor will head to the planet. Victor thinks they’ve been emphatically told to stay away, but Koenig says Alpha is dead. The only chance they have is to try and meet with the inhabitants and try to get them to talk.
The Eagle takes off. Paul is still trying to contact the planet. The commander says the aliens have the same weapons and fight using the same rules. Dr Russell says they need to show them they have no reason to be afraid of Alpha. Koenig thinks they already know that. They lose contact with Alpha, and control of the Eagle, which is brought into land.
The aliens think humanity is a virus – actually describe them as that. Things are bad and only getting worse. So bad, in fact, that a reset button has to be pressed or the series would end right here.