Hnefatafl – The Viking Game

• Gift box presentation.
• Made in the UK.
• 1 white King.
• 12 white Defenders.
• 24 dark Attackers.
• Linen playing surface.
• Rules and Historical information leaflet.

The Viking Game, also known as Hnefatafl, The King’s Table or simply Tafl, is one of those rare games with two unequal sides.

The attacking side is positioned around the border and comprises of 24 infantry in four groups of 6. All pieces move like the Rook in chess and pieces are captured by “sandwiching” i.e. moving a piece so that your opponent’s piece is trapped horizontally or vertically between two of yours.

The game starts with the defending team in a cross formation in the center of the board. This team comprises twelve soldiers and a king. Their objective is for the king to escape by reaching any of the four corner squares.
There is an abundance of information available on the Internet about Hnefatafl, including many rule variations that are worth experimenting with. Which every way you play, its a great game and an ideal gift.

THE HISTORY

Hnefatafl was most popular during the Dark Ages in Northern Europe and ranks as one of history’s greatest board games. As early as AD400 the game was popular in Viking homes and carried to the lands they conquered.

The attacking force has the advantage at the start of each game and this, most likely, mimics the success of these Viking raids. The king is another cultural indication of the Viking chiefs’ presence in battle.

Over the years, the game was developed and as such, different versions have been found on archaeology sites. Hnefatafl literally means ‘Kings Table’ and manuscripts revealed how to play the game properly. There is no doubt that various types of board and pieces, along with different versions of rules, existed in different place and at different times. Its popularity declined in the 11th century however with the rising popularity of the chess set.

This Hnefatafl set brings to mind, the famous Isle Of Lewis and with the “board” printed on woven textile there is a nice medieval feel to the set. Most pieces found to date are more basic in design than this, giving evidence of just how popular the game was among ordinary people who could not indulge in the finer things in life.