Goal of the Game
Players are a Viking leader exploring the islands near their homeland. Once discovered, craftsmen, nobles and fishermen settle on the islands and start to make their home. Warriors are needed to protect the settlers from attacking ships; from which they can also gain fame and gold. The most successful leader wins.
Contents / Set-Up
There are certainly a lot of components inside the box. Both the components and the artwork is of the highest quality and they work together to create a fulfilling game experience.
To start out there are eight square cube player markers (2 of each color, ivory, orange, light brown, dark brown), One is used on the game board to keep track of their score. The other one is placed on the player's homeland to show their player color. These homelands are the starting point for the player. One is included for each player.
There are 76 total tiles. 62 are the island tiles and 14 are ship tiles. The start tiles each have a different back-side from the other tiles, it has a Viking meeple outline on the back. Each player receives one start tile. The rest are returned to the box. This tile is added to a player's homeland on their first turn.
The other tiles are shuffled and placed into 6 stacks of 12 tiles each face down. These are placed on the 6 places on the game board. The game board needs a bit of assembly before your first game. The Wheel needs to be attached. The game board has supply space for the tiles and special tiles, the wheel with spaces for the tiles and Vikings next to it, and the scoring track to record the players' victory points.
There are 78 viking meeples, 13 of each color. The blue meeples are fishermen, yellow goldsmiths, green scouts, red nobles, black warriors, and grey boatmen. All these are placed into the cloth sack and mixed thoroughly. The players choose a start player and they take the start player figure (a stand up Viking ship) and place it in their area next to their homeland.
Each player is also given one of the four scoring summaries to assist them throughout the game.
Playing the Game
The game is played over 6 rounds, in each, one of the 6 tile stacks is used (from the left to right from the supply spaces.) At the beginning of each round, the players lay out and offering of 12 tiles with 12 Vikings. First the start player takes the next stack of tiles from the board (left to right) and places the tiles face up on the 12 spaces next to the wheel.
He places the tiles around the wheel according to the following:
- the first island drawn is placed on the 0 value space, additional island tiles are placed on increasingly costly spaces (e.g. 1, then 2, then 3, and so on)
- the first ship tile drawn is placed on the value 11 space, additional ships tiles drawn are placed on decreasingly costly spaces (e.g. 10, then 9, then 8, and so one)
Next, the start player draws 12 Vikings from the cloth sack, at random, and sorts them by color. He then places the 12 Vikings on the places provided for them around the wheel, one per place. The Vikings are placed starting at zero and moving clockwise around to 11, placing all of one color before moving to the next, and so on. They are placed in the following order: all of the blue fishermen, then the yellow goldsmiths, then the green scouts, then the red nobles, then the black warriors, and finally all of the gray boatmen. If there are no Vikings in a color, it is skipped.
When all 12 tiles and Vikings have been taken, the round ends with scoring. What is scored depends on the round:
- After the 1st, 3rd, and 5th rounds is a small scoring with goldsmiths
- After the 2nd, 4th, and 6th rounds is a large scoring (all but blue)
- After the 6th round, there is also a final scoring (special bonuses)
On their turn each player must acquire and pay for 1 set (tile and Viking). The player must pay the cost, in gold coins, shown next to the set on the wheel (0-11). Then they immediately add the tile and Viking to their homeland. This continues until 12 sets have been acquired.
- A player may only acquire the set at space 0 on the wheel, when the Viking there is the only Viking of that color still on the wheel. Except for that one restriction, a player may acquire any set he can afford.
- On his turn, a player must always take the Viking/ tile set. If a player has no coins or insufficient coins to acquire the least expensive set allowed, he must take the 0 set, even if this breaks the rules above regarding the 0 set.
- A player may, at any time, exchange victory points for coins at a 1 to 1 rate. The player immediately moves his scoring marker back on the turn track 1 space for each gold coin taken. They may not move their marker below the 0, however. So, a player may not have negative victory points or money! A player is never required to exchange victory points for coins, to avoid having to take the set on the 0 on the wheel.
Move the Wheel
After a player has acquired a set, if there is no 0 (the player just acquired the 0 set), move the wheel clockwise until you reach the first set still on the wheel. Therefore, all the sets still on the wheel are reduced in price.
Place Tile and Viking
The player's homeland is his base for placing tiles and Vikings. All tiles they acquire must be placed adjacent to the base or to an already acquired tile. The base has one row for each type of Viking. In each row a player may place any number of tiles.
Placing a Tile
During their turn, a player acquires one set which they immediately place in their play area or on their homeland.
When they acquire a ship tile they must place it in the first row (next to the ship picture on the homeland). The first ship acquired can be placed in any of the first three columns of the ship row. Future ships must always be placed next to another ship. Ships cannot be placed in columns 4+ until columns 1-3 are filled.
When a player acquires an island tile they must place it according to the following rules in one of the other five rows of their homeland.
- When placing an island tile, the player must place it so at least one of its sides is touching either another tile or the base. Touching only diagonally does not fulfill this rule.
- All island tiles have specific orientation. The player may not place a tile up-side-down
- If a player places a tile to the right or left of another island tile, a newly placed island tile must match either sea to sea, or land to land (or sea to base).
Placing a Viking
When the player places an island tile in the row the matches the color of the Viking that was taken as part of the set the player may immediately place the Viking on the island tile he just placed. The player may not place the viking on a different tile in the same row or any other row. Once a Viking is placed on an island tile, it remains there for the rest of the game. If the player does not want to place the Viking on the tile, he places it on the base next to the boatmen graphic.
When a player acquires a Viking with a ship tile, he must place the Viking on his base next to the boatman. When a player acquires a boatman Viking, he must always place it on his base next to the boatman graphic.
Only one Viking may be placed on each island tile.
A Viking may only be placed in its own row, or next to the boatman. The player may never trade tiles or vikings amongst themselves. A player may place as many vikings as he wishes next to the boatman graphic.
Scoring
When there are no more tile/ Viking sets around the wheel, it is time for a small or a large scoring. Players earn points or gold for Vikings on the island, regardless if the island is complete or not.
Small ScoringThe small scoring occurs at the end of rounds 1, 3, and 5. A player earns 3 gold coins for each goldsmith he has on an island (not the base). If a goldsmith is threatened by a ship he earns no coins.
Large Scoring
The large scoring occurs at the ends of rounds 2, 4, and 6.
The player take turns in clockwise order, beginning with the start player, executing actions and scoring. Each player moves his scoring marker on the score track immediately to record the points he earns. The player scores the Vikings from top to bottom in their play areas.
1. Boatmen: Only at the beginning of a large scoring can the boatsmen move Vikings form the base to the islands. 1 boatman can move all Vikings of one color or 1 Viking of each color form the base to empty island tiles. All rules for placing Vikings must be followed. In each Large Scoring, a player may use as many of his boatsmen as he wishes. A player may only use a boatman to move Vikings form the base to the islands. He may not move Vikings among the islands. After a player uses a boatman, discards it from the game.
During the third large scoring (after the 6th round) each player must use all boatsmen that they can to move any remaining Vikings form the base to the islands.
2. Ships: A ship threatens vikings that stand on islands directly below the ship. The effect of the threat extends to (including) the row that matches the color of the ships sail. Any Viking threatened by a ship cannot earn points. To emphasize its effect, players should put affected vikings on their sides during scoring.
3. Warrior: When a warrior stands on an island tile directly below a ship, the warrior repels the threat of the ship. Vikings below the warrior are not threatened by the ship and the player collects coins or points indicated on the ship.
4. Noble: For each noble standing on an island tile, the player earns 2 victory points. If a noble is threatened by a ship, the player earns no points for the noble.
5. Scout: For each scout standing on an island tile, the player earns 1 victory point. In addition, the player earns 1 victory point each for a goldsmith or fisherman, which stand directly below a scout. If the scout is threatened by a ship, the player earns no points.
6. Goldsmith: For each goldsmith standing on an island tile, the player earns 3 gold coins. If the goldsmith is threatened by a ship, the player earns no gold coins.
7. Fishermen: The fishermen are only responsible for supplying the Vikings with food, which is only scored in the final scoring. In the large scoring, he counts only in connection with the scout.
Next Round
After the scoring, the start player gives the start player figure to his left neighbor, who begins the next round by placing a new supply of tiles and vikings in the spaces around the wheel.
Final Scoring
After the six stacks of 12 tiles have been exhausted and the third large scoring has been completed, the players perform the final scoring. The final scoring is scored as follows:
Ships: For each ship not repelled by a warrior, the player must give up the value shown on the ship - in coins or victory points. If a player has to give up coins, but has none left, he gives up victory points instead on a 1 for 1 basis.
Gold: For each 5 gold in coins the player has, they score 1 victory point, returning the scored coins to the bank. The remaining coins are kept in their area.
Boatsmen: The player with the most boatsmen left on his base earns 10 victory points. In the large scoring at the end of the 6th round, each player must use as many boatsmen as he has to move Vikings from his base to empty islands. He cannot choose to leave Vikings behind if they have an empty island to go to and a boatman to take them.
Completed Islands: The player with the most completed islands left on the base earns 10 victory points. If players tie for the most, they each earn 7 victory points. A completed island has a left and right end, and any number of middle pieces, with no empty spaces. The tiles need not be occupied by Vikings.
Over and Under Supply: Each player counts the number of vikings he has (both on islands and his base, including remaining boatsmen). All Vikings must be supplied with fish to eat. Each fisherman standing on an island that is not threatened by a ship can supply himself and 4 other vikings with fish to eat.
For each additional Viking in that the fisherman could supply, the player earns 2 victory points for over supply. For each existing Viking that the player's fishermen cannot supply, the player loses 1 victory point for under supply. If a fishermen is threatened by a ship or a fishermen stand on the player's base, not on an island, he can supply no Vikings, but must be supplied.
Game End
After the final scoring, the game ends. The winner is the player with the most victory points. If there is a tie for most points, the player among those tied with the highest value in coins is the winner. If there is still a tie the players rejoice in their shared victory.
My Thoughts
Vikings is a great game that unfortunately is a bit hard to find, because it is out of print. Since Z-Mann and Hans im Glück announced their new partnership there has been a lot of call to reprint the game. I hope that happens because it is truly a joy to play.
Tile placement games are always a weakness of mine. They are a lot like putting a picture together without knowing what the puzzle is supposed to be. At games end you have created a small world, which is unique every time you play. Vikings isn't about conquering or pillaging, it's about exploring and discovering so tile placement really fits that theme.
The components are beautiful, I love the different colored Viking Meeples and how they are used in the game. I'm not thrilled with the wheel, since putting it together means the board won't lay flat in the box. We never did put it together and instead lay it on top and it works fine. Even the back of the board has a picture of a viking ship, I love when companies do that.
There is a lot of luck in the game, but planning and strategy is still very important. Tiles and Vikings come out randomly so being the starting player certainly gives an advantage. You are first to choose your island / Viking combination. Getting the right island tiles and planning your homeland is important. There have been a few times where I had to set my island piece aside because it wouldn't work. I hate doing that. You also need to be careful with your funds. Without gold you will have a hard time getting the best islands. You never want to take victory points away for gold even if the option is available to you. I like that the prices for the sets change during the round as players choose and Vikings of one kind are taken. I especially like taking that 0 set whenever I can.
While placing your tiles and Vikings you need to watch which round it is. I like the three unique types of scoring used. It adds both a bit of tension and relief to the game. Tension because you may want to focus on protecting your goldsmiths for the small scoring or getting the right combination of scouts, fishermen and goldsmiths for a large scoring. Relief because you know you don't need to worry about fishermen to the final scoring.
For that final scoring you also have to keep in mind how many islands you are creating and how large they are. Getting the start and end pieces is not always the easiest thing to do, you do need to be a little lucky. The ships can also be a bit of a problem if you don't have the warriors to protect your land. If you do, the islands can be a great source of victory points and gold. Oh, and now you also need to worry about having enough fishermen to supply your Vikings, even the ones not on the island.
The game play simple and quick, but the decisions are deep and strategic. Luck plays a part, but it can be mitigated by careful game play and planning. Watching you homeland grow as your Vikings discover and settle new land is fulfilling and fun. The three types of scoring keeps the game interesting as players make decisions based not only on the current round, but that final end scoring.
Advanced rules involving auction and special tiles are also included but since I usually play the game two-player auctions rarely work. I really hope to see this game reprinted one day, because it really is unique.
Quick Stats:
Artist: Harold Lieske, Michael Menzel
Players: 2-4
Publishers:Abi, Hans im Glück Verlags-GmbH, MINDOK, Rio Grande Games, Smart Ltd
Time:60 minutes
Ages: 10 & Up
Photo Credits: Steve Duff (UnknownParkerBrother), john aminass (whoami), Svetlana (LanaDove), Tom Delme (tdelme), Scott Petersen (scottredracecar), Antony Hemme (Toynan), Rik Van Horn (Rokkr) (3), Ender Wiggins (EndersGame), I love Auction/Bidding games (allenj82), Ender Wiggins (EndersGame) (2), Tom Delme (tdelme), Antony Hemme (Toynan), Guilherme Estevao Goulart (Galender) john aminass (whoami), Antony Hemme (Toynan), Karen Messenger (cmessenger)
Thanks for taking such beautiful photographs and sharing them with us!
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