| Designers | Bill Feild, Peter Stassun |
|---|---|
| Publishers | Game Systems Inc. (US), KJC Games (UK) |
| Years active | April 1, 1981 to unknown |
| Genres | fantasy wargame |
| Languages | English |
| Players | 25 |
| Playing time | Fixed |
| Materials required | Instructions, order sheets, turn results, paper, pencil |
| Media type | Play-by-mail |
Earthwood is a closed-ended, computer moderated, play-by-mail (PBM) fantasy wargame.
Earthwood was a fantasy wargame published by Game Systems Inc. (GSI). [1] GSI's Bill Feild and Peter Stassun introduced it as their first game when opening on April 1, 1981. [2] The game was closed-ended and computer moderated. [3]
By 1988, Game Systems Inc. created a new version of the game called Earthwood-Sea Kings due to the popularity of Earthwood. [4]
Each game has 25 players who roleplay three types of characters: 16 kings, five warriors and four magicians. [1] Kings rule cities populated with one of various fantasy races such as elves and dwarves. [1] Players can encounter up to 12 types of non-player characters in the game, to fight, interact, and enlist as party members. [5] Economics was not a significant part of the game. [6] Diplomacy was a key part of gameplay, with reviewer DeAnn Iwan stating it involved "intense diplomacy". [3]
The purpose of the game was to conquer all the game's cities. This could also be done with allies. [1] Games could last 30–40 turns. [5]
David Ladyman reviewed Earthwood for Fantasy Gamer magazine and stated that "In sum, I recommend Earthwood with reservations. You get a lot of decision-making and player interaction for your money, especially if you start passing messages early and keep the note cards moving. You'll find much more profit in negotiation than in confrontation; the difficulty comes in deciding when a neighbor has become more of a liability than an asset. There will be frustrating rule restrictions; if you insist on strict logic in all your games, you might avoid Earthwood for this reason. At $3 a turn, however, I find myself paying as little as 50 cents an hour for very engrossing entertainment (not counting phone bills, of course!)." [7]
Nicky Palmer reviewed the game in a 1985 issue of Flagship. [5] He recommended the game, highlighting its diplomatic aspects. [5]
Stewart Wieck reviewed Sea Kings in a 1988 issue of White Wolf. He called it "a very enjoyable game", rating it a 5 of 10 points for Strategy, 7 points for Materials and Diplomacy, 8 for Moderation, and 7 points overall. [4]