Thunder at Sea

Play-by-mail naval wargame

Thunder at SeaPublishers| Command Authority Games (US), Coconut Council (US), Paul Webber (UK)

|

Years active| 1993 to unknown
Genres| naval wargame
Languages| English
Players| varies
Playing time| Fixed
Materials required| Instructions, order sheets, turn results, paper, pencil
Media type| Play-by-mail

Thunder at Sea is a closed-ended, computer moderated, play-by-mail (PBM) naval wargame. It was published by Command Authority Games and Coconut Council in the United States and Paul Webber in the UK. The game was set in the period 1906 to 1945, using various historical scenarios.

## History and development

[edit]

Thunder at Sea was a naval wargame published by Command Authority Games of Iowa City, Iowa.[1] In January 1995 Don Ayers of Command Authority Games transferred games underway to the PBM company Coconut Council for a planned year hiatus.[2] In 1995, Paul Webber began running the game in the UK[3] A game in 1996 using the Battle of Jutland scenario, had 45 players.[4]

## Gameplay

[edit]

The game's timeframe was 1906 to 1945.[5] Combat elements included surface naval vessels only.[5] The publisher offered various scenarios, including the Battle of the Platte and Battle of Jutland.[5] Reviewer Patrick M. Rodgers stated that the game had "a definite focus on historical accuracy and realism.[6] Diplomacy occurred in-game.[6]

## Reception

[edit]

B.E. Wright reviewed the game in a 1996 issue of Paper Mayhem.[7] He stated, "I've played in a lot of tactical naval games but this game has the most realistic feel of them all, and I wholeheartedly recommend Thunder at Sea to any and all."[7]

## See also

[edit]

* List of play-by-mail games

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Palmer 1994. p. 14.
2. ^ Editors 1995. p. 9.
3. ^ Palmer 1995. p. 33.
4. ^ Wright 1996. p. 19.
5. ^ a b c Wright 1995. p. 8.
6. ^ a b Rodgers 1995. p. 93.
7. ^ a b Wright 1996. p. 20.

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Palmer, Mike (September–October 1994). "Thunder at Sea: When Legends Meet". Flagship. No. 51 (US ed.). pp. 14, 16.
* Palmer, Mike (January–February 1995). "When Legends Meet (part 3): Close Quarters". Flagship. No. 53 (US ed.). pp. 33–35.
* Rodgers, Patrick M. (January–February 1995). "Post Marque: Ship Ahoy! New Games on the Horizon [Thunder at Sea]". Shadis. No. 17\. p. 93.
* Wright, B.E.; Stone, Trey (May–June 1995). "Thunder At Sea Demo – Raiders!". Paper Mayhem. No. 72\. pp. 8–13.
* Wright, B.E. (May–June 1996). "The Fifth Battle Squadron: A Jutland Perspective". Paper Mayhem. No. 78\. pp. 19–20.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Palmer, Mike (November–December 1994). "When Legends Meet – Thunder at Sea diary, part 2". Flagship. No. 52 (US ed.). pp. 32, 34–35.
* Editors (January–February 1995). "The Spokesmen Speak". Flagship. No. 53 (US ed.). pp. 7–9.

* v
* t
* e

Play-by-mail games

Arena combat|

* Adventurers Guild
* Arena Combat
* Blood Pit
* CTF 2187
* Death by Starlight
* Duel II
* Gladiators of Death

Crime|

* Crime Lords
* Family Wars
* It's a Crime

Wargames|

* Balance of Power
* Battle Plan
* Centurion
* Company Commander
* Crisis
* Dawn of the Ancients
* Diplomacy
* Empires for Rent
* The Final Campaign
* Global Supremacy
* Horizon's End!
* Moscow '41
* Nuclear Destruction
* Realpolitik
* Sirius Command
* State of War
* Strategic Conflict
* Victory! The Battle for Europe
* Warlord
* World Campaigns
* World Conquest

| Fantasy|

* Alamaze
* Atlantrix
* Battle Cry
* Death & Sorrow
* Domination
* DungeonWorld
* Earthwood
* Epic
* EverMoor
* Fall of Rome
* First World
* Forgotten Realms
* Hyborian War
* Kings & Things
* Kings of Karadon
* Krahlizek
* The Land of Karrus
* Legends
* Lizards
* Loot the Castle
* Lords of the Earth
* Middle Earth PBM
* Odyssey
* Quest of the Great Jewels
* Realms of Fantasy
* Swords of the Gods
* Talwaithe
* Trolls Bottom
* War of the Dark God
* Venom
* You Rule!

|

Historical|

* Adventurer Kings
* Aegyptus
* Austerlitz
* Conquest
* Conquest of Insula II
* Feudal Lords
* The Glory of Kings
* LandLords
* Midgard
* Moneylender
* Renaissance
* Strategic Imperial Conquest
* Terra II
* Thunder at Sea

Political/Intrigue|

* Illuminati
* Power
* SpyKor

Railroad|

* Continental Rails

Roleplaying|

* Catacombs of Chaos
* Crack of Doom
* Crasimoff's World
* Crystal Island
* Dark Blades
* Darkworld
* Delenda est Carthago
* Dukes of Hell
* En Garde!
* Firebreather
* Heroic Fantasy
* Kings
* Lands of Elvaria
* Logan's Run
* Lords of Valetia
* Midhir
* Monster Island
* Quest
* Realms of Sword and Thunder
* S.A.B.R.E.
* Saturnalia
* Silverdawn
* Trajan's Treacherous Trap
* TribeNet
* Wofan

| Western|

* Stand and Deliver
* Westworld

|

Science fiction|

* Absolute Power
* Alien Conflict
* The Assassin's Quest
* Battle of the Gods
* Cosmic Crusaders
* Cyborg
* Fleet Maneuvers
* Galactic Prisoners
* The Keys of Bled
* Out Time Days
* Portinium
* Raumkrieg
* Space Battle
* Space Combat
* Starship Command
* Survival Challenge
* Tactical Assault Group
* The Tribes of Crane
* Vorcon Wars
* Warboid World
* Warp Force Empires

| Space Operas|

* Ad Astra
* Belter
* Beyond the Quadra Zone
* Beyond the Stellar Empire
* Capitol
* Cluster Lords
* Continuum
* Eclipse
* Empyrean Challenge
* Galac-Tac
* Galactic Conflict
* Galactic Empires
* Galactic Power
* Galaxy: Alpha
* Infinite Conflict
* Lords of Destiny
* Mobius I
* New Order
* Pellic Quest
* Rimworlds
* Smuggler's Run
* Space 101
* Star Cluster One
* Spiral Arm
* Star Empires
* Star Fleet Warlord
* Starglobe
* Star Trek: The Correspondence Game
* Starlord
* Starmaster
* Star Saga
* Stars of the Dark Well
* Star Venture
* Starweb
* Supernova II
* Takamo
* The Next Empire
* The Orion Nebula
* Universe II
* The Weapon
* Zorphwar

|

Sports|

* Gameplan

Magazines|

* Flagship
* Gaming Universal
* Paper Mayhem
* The Nuts & Bolts of PBM

Companies|

* Adventures by Mail
* Agents of Gaming
* Flying Buffalo, Inc.
* Harlequin Games
* KJC Games
* Reality Simulations, Inc.
* Schubel & Son

Other|

* List of play-by-mail games

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template