View source for Gladiators of Death

{{short description|Play-by-mail gladiatorial combat game}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Infobox game
| name = ''Gladiators of Death''
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| publisher =  Fantasy & Futuristic Simulations (US)
| years = 1993 to unknown
| genre =  [[Play-by-mail]], [[gladiatorial combat]]
| language = English
| system = computer
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| setup_time =
| playing_time = fixed
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| materials = Instructions, order sheets, turn results, [[paper]], [[pencil]]
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'''''Gladiators of Death''''' is a [[Play-by-mail game#Closed versus open ended|closed-end]], [[Play-by-mail_game#Computer_versus_human_moderated|computer-moderated]] [[play-by-mail]] (PBM) gladiatorial combat game published by Fantasy & Futuristic Simulations. In play by 1993, it bore similarities to the PBM games ''[[Adventurers Guild]]'', ''[[Blood Pit]]'', and ''[[DuelMasters]]'' Players roleplayed teams of five fighters. Each fighter was designed, trained, and equipped before combat began. The game received positive reviews in various gaming magazines in the 1990s.
==History and development==
''Gladiators of Death'' was a PBM game of gladiatorial combat published by Fantasy & Futuristic Simulations of [[Chula Vista, California|Chula Vista, CA]].<ref name=Watson43>[[#Wat93|Watson 1993]]. p. 43.</ref> It had similarities with ''Adventurers Guild'', ''Blood Pit'', and ''DuelMasters''.<ref name=Watson43/> It was a new game in 1993.<ref name=Watson43/> It was computer moderated.<ref name=Larson8>[[#Lar94|Larson 1994]]. p. 8.</ref>
==Gameplay==
Players roleplayed a team of five fighters.<ref name=Watson43/> Initial play involved customizing the characters using available races and traits, as well as training and equipping the gladiators.<ref name=Watson43/> Races available included [[Dwarf (Dungeons & Dragons)|Dwarf]], [[Elf (Dungeons & Dragons)|Elf]], [[Goblin (Dungeons & Dragons)|Goblin]], [[Halfling (Dungeons and Dragons)|Halfling]], [[Human (Dungeons & Dragons)|Human]], Lizardman, [[Orc (Dungeons & Dragons)|Orc]], and [[Troll (Dungeons & Dragons)|Troll]].<ref name=Watson43/> Players could equip characters with armor and choose from 29 available weapons.<ref name=Watson43/> Magic was also an element of play.<ref name=Wright41>[[#Wri94|Wright 1994]]. p. 41.</ref> Reviewer Bob Watson noted that the game was for mature players since "The fights get ''very'' bloody and if lots of bloodshed turns you off, this game is not for you."<ref name=Watson43/>
==Reception and legacy==
Bob Watson reviewed the game in the March–April 1993 issue of Flagship, noting that it was "easy to learn, even for a beginner. He also spoke positively about its value, the publisher, and the gamemaster.<ref name=Watson43/> Brian Larson reviewed the game in the May–June 1994 issue of Paper Mayhem, calling it a "great game".<ref name=Larson9>[[#Lar94|Larson 1994]]. p. 9.</ref> The game ranked No. 9 of 72 games in the July–August 1994 issue of Paper Mayhem with a rating of 7.441 of 9 points.<ref name=Editors>[[#Edi94|Editors 1994]]. pp. 44–45.</ref>{{efn|The games rating above were, in descending order, ''Adventurers Guild'', ''Star Fleet Warriors'', [[Victory! The Battle for Europe|''Victory!'']], ''Star Quest'', ''World War IV'', [[Continuum (play-by-mail game)|''Continuum'']], ''[[Galactic Prisoners]]'', and ''A National Will''.}}
==See also==
* [[List of play-by-mail games]]
==Notes==
{{noteslist}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite magazine |author=((Editors))|title= Gladiators of Death|magazine= Paper Mayhem|issue= 67|pages= 44–45|date= July–August 1994|ref=Edi94}}
* {{cite magazine |last=Larson|first=Brian|title= Gladiators of Death: Player's Hints for Character Design|magazine= Paper Mayhem|issue= 66|pages= 8–9|date= May–June 1994|ref=Lar94}}
* {{cite magazine |last=Watson|first=Bob|title= Gladiators of Death|magazine= Flagship|issue= 44|page= 43|date= July 1993|edition=US|ref=Wat93}}
* {{cite magazine |last=Wright|first=B.E.|title= Gladiators of Death|magazine= Paper Mayhem|issue= 67|pages= 41–43, 45|date= July–August 1994|ref=Wri94}}
{{refend}}
==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite magazine |last=Heppner|first=Vaughn|title= Gladiators of Death|magazine= Paper Mayhem|issue= 59|pages= 18–20|date= March–April 1993|edition=US|ref=Hep93}}
* {{cite magazine |last1=Warner|first1=John|last2=Kelly|first2=Nathaniel M.|title= Gladiators of Death|magazine= Paper Mayhem|issue= 75|pages= 28–30|date= November–December 1995|ref=War95}}
{{refend}}
{{Play-by-mail games}}
[[Category:American games]]
[[Category:American role-playing games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer games]]
[[Category:Play-by-mail games]]
[[Category:Role-playing games introduced in the 1990s]]
[[Category:Role-playing games introduced in 1993]]
[[Category:Strategy games]]
[[Category:Tabletop games]]
[[Category:20th-century role-playing games]]