Silent Thunder: A-10 Tank Killer II

Last updated: January 9, 2026

Overview

Silent Thunder: A-10 Tank Killer II is a flight simulation video game developed by Dynamix and published by Sierra On-Line in 1996¹². The game serves as the sequel to A-10 Tank Killer, which was released six years earlier³. Players take the role of an American A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft pilot who fights in various campaigns across the world in order to keep peace⁴.

The game simulates the Fairchild-Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II, a very powerful anti-tank aircraft developed for the US Air Force in the 1970s². Designed to give the beginning gamer an introduction to flight simulation, Silent Thunder delivers intense gameplay and serious details while remaining accessible⁵. GameSpot’s Chris Hudak praised it as “a wicked, clean, no-B.S. combat sim with enough options and realism to hold the serious gamer’s interest”⁶.

Game Info

Developer: Dynamix¹ Designer: Charles Gilley, Frank Evers, Mike Jahnke, Nels Bruckner¹ Publisher: Sierra On-Line² Platforms: DOS, Windows, Windows 95, Windows 3.1⁷ Release Year: 1996 Series: A-10 Tank Killer Sierra Lineage: Core Sierra

Story Summary

Silent Thunder: A-10 Tank Killer II places players in the cockpit of the A-10 Thunderbolt II, nicknamed the “Warthog,” across various global military campaigns⁴. The game covers multiple combat scenarios including Desert Storm and Colombian drug wars⁸. Players must complete 24 missions across different theaters of operation, utilizing the aircraft’s specialized ground attack capabilities⁹.

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

The game supports multiple input methods including keyboard, mouse, gamepad, joystick, and analog joystick⁷. Players can calibrate their joystick through an enhanced calibration routine added in patch version 1.01¹⁰. The game runs at 640×480 resolution with 256 colors and supports both windowed and full-screen modes¹¹.

Structure and Progression

Silent Thunder features 24 missions with 10 different weapons available to players⁹. The game employs Dynamix’ Terrain and 3DSpace technologies for realistic graphics, providing “astoundingly smooth, photo-realistic, texture-mapped terrain and structures”⁶¹². A significant gameplay enhancement allows players to drop weapons anywhere, regardless of whether they have a lock on the target¹⁰.

Puzzles and Mechanics

The flight model includes realistic elements such as roll coupling, enhanced through updates¹⁰. The game balances accessibility for newcomers with enough complexity to satisfy serious flight simulation enthusiasts⁶. However, some reviewers noted that “this is NOT a game for the hard core flight sim enthusiast”¹³, positioning it as an intermediate-level simulator.

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

Publication	Score	Notes
GameSpot	8.5/10	Praised graphics and accessibility14
Computer Gaming World	2/5	Critical review by Scott A. May1
Computer Games Magazine	4/5	Rod White’s positive assessment1
MobyGames	72%	User aggregate score15

Modern Assessment

Modern retrospectives have been generally positive, with users on MyAbandonware giving it a score of 4.77/5¹⁶. One user noted that “Silent Thunder A-10 TK2 is easily in my top 5 most enjoyed and missed flight simulator games of the mid ’90s”¹⁷. The game maintains a user score of 6.4 on GamePressure, though Glitchwave rates it lower at 1.50/5.0¹¹⁸.

Development

Origins

Silent Thunder was developed as a sequel to the original A-10 Tank Killer, building on the success of Dynamix’s military simulation series³. The development team included designers Charles Gilley, Frank Evers, Mike Jahnke, and Nels Bruckner¹. The game was part of Dynamix’s broader portfolio of combat simulations during the mid-1990s.

Production

The game’s soundtrack was composed by Loudmouth and features 12-13 tracks with a total duration of approximately 34-60 minutes¹⁸¹⁹. One notable track called “Jungle Salsa” features guitar and flute arrangements that became memorable to players²⁰. The audio was delivered through redbook audio soundtrack technology⁹.

Technical Achievements

Silent Thunder employed Dynamix’ Terrain and 3DSpace technologies to deliver advanced graphics for its time¹². The game supported Direct3D and DirectDraw technologies, with Direct3D support specifically tested and approved on video accelerator cards based on the Rendition Verite chip²¹. Enhanced DirectSound and DirectDraw support were added in version 1.01¹⁰.

Legacy

The game was later bundled in the “Action Pack: Earthsiege 2 + Silent Thunder” compilation alongside EarthSiege 2²². Silent Thunder became known for having “one of the shortest, meanest cinematic intros in a Sierra title”⁹. The game’s soundtrack gained particular appreciation from fans, with some players actively seeking sheet music for the compositions²³.

Despite mixed critical reception, the game found a dedicated audience among flight simulation enthusiasts who appreciated its balance of accessibility and realism. The A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft simulation remained popular enough to influence later military flight simulators.

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores

• Currently not available on major digital platforms

Download / Preservation

• MyAbandonware
• Internet Archive - Multiple Versions

Series Continuity

• Previous: A-10 Tank Killer (1990)
• Next: No direct sequel

References

Footnotes

1. Dynamix Fandom Wiki – - Development credits and team information ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

2. MobyGames – - Publisher and release information ↩ ↩² ↩³

3. Sierra Gamers – - Series background and sequel information ↩ ↩²

4. Internet Archive – - Game description and story overview ↩ ↩²

5. eBay Listing – - Product description and target audience ↩

6. GameSpot Review – - Professional review assessment ↩ ↩² ↩³

7. MobyGames Specs – - Platform compatibility information ↩ ↩²

8. Glitchwave – - Campaign details ↩ ↩²

9. Old-Games.com – - Mission and weapon count specifications ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

10. Internet Archive Patch – - Version 1.01 patch notes and improvements ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

11. GamePressure – - Technical specifications ↩ ↩²

12. Neoseeker – - Engine and technology information ↩ ↩²

13. Web Archive GameSpot – - Target audience assessment ↩

14. Wikipedia – - Review score compilation ↩

15. MobyGames Reviews – - User aggregate rating ↩

16. MyAbandonware – - Modern user ratings ↩

17. GOG Dreamlist – - User testimonial ↩

18. KHInsider – - Soundtrack details ↩

19. 101 Soundboards – - Music track information ↩

20. Reddit Discussion – - Specific track appreciation ↩

21. Vogons Forum – - Graphics card compatibility information ↩

22. MobyGames Action Pack – - Compilation release details ↩

23. Sierra Gamers Forum – - Fan interest in soundtrack ↩