- BGG rank
- BGG #2,887
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Hera and Zeus
- 2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2000
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,774
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Thunder & Lightning
2016
Rules assistance for Thunder & Lightning
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 40 min
- 13+
- Complexity 1.9/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Thunder & Lightning
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Thunder & Lightning is a board game released in 2016 for 2 players, 40 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Richard Borg and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Secret Unit Deployment, and Action Points.
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About the game
In Thunder & Lightning, players take on the role of Thor or Loki and fight their way through an army in an epic mythological showdown. Because Loki has already stolen Odin's Crown, the Allfather has entrusted his son Thor with his prized ring of power, Draupnir, to help him defeat the vile trickster. But who really has what it takes to gain control over both relics and therefore claim the throne of Asgard? Thunder & Lightning, a reimplementation of Hera and Zeus, features the same gameplay as the earlier design, but with larger decks of cards with a different distribution of powers. In the game, each player starts with nine cards in hand, then places three cards face down in their first row, with these rows butting against one another and each player having space for four rows in their playing area. If a player loses a card in a row, then any cards in the same column behind this card slide forward to fill the empty slot. On a turn, a player has as many action points as the number of columns they have in the playing area. They can use these action points to draw cards, play cards to the battlefield, play a mythological card for its power, or challenge an opponent's card. To challenge, the player chooses a card in their first row that abuts an opponent's card, then reveals both of them. Most cards have a strength value (0-7), and the card with the lower strength value is discarded, with the opponent's other cards in the same column then sliding forward. If a player cannot use all of their actions or has no actions (due to having no cards on the battlefield) or loses control of Odin's Crown/Ring, then they lose the game.
Designers
Publishers
- Filosofia Éditions
- Z-Man Games
Questions and answers
Thunder & Lightning supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Thunder & Lightning is 40 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Thunder & Lightning for ages 13 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Thunder & Lightning has a complexity rating of 1.9 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Thunder & Lightning belongs to these categories: Card Game, Fantasy, and Fighting. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Secret Unit Deployment, and Action Points. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Thunder & Lightning are: Richard Borg. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Thunder & Lightning as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.