Hnefatafl

About this board game

Hnefatafl is a two-player strategy game played in about 20 minutes, pitting an outnumbered defending force against a larger attacking army. Also known as The Viking Game, The King’s Table, or simply Tafl, it creates a tense battle of positioning and escape.

The defending side begins with twelve soldiers and a king arranged in a cross formation at the center of the board. The attackers command 24 soldiers, positioned in four groups of six around the perimeter. The two sides have different objectives, making every move part of an unequal tactical struggle.

• Defenders: Help the king reach any of the four corner squares.
• Attackers: Surround the defending force and prevent the king from escaping.
• Movement: All pieces move like the rook in chess.
• Captures: Trap an opposing piece horizontally or vertically between two of your own pieces.

With its asymmetrical forces and simple movement rules, Hnefatafl rewards careful planning from both sides. The defenders must create opportunities for the king, while the attackers use their numbers to control routes and close in from multiple directions.

One of the oldest games in the world, Hnefatafl is traced through various versions to the Vikings, Welsh, Saxons, and Irish. Its origins can be followed through Petteia, played by the Romans, to even older games associated with Ancient Greece and Egypt.

Many rule variations are available to explore, and derivatives include Breakthru, Break Away, Seikkailu Merellä, Tablut, and Thud. A version was published in Dragon magazine issue #128 in December 1987 and later republished in The Best of Dragon Magazine Games boxed set.