hneftafl - playing instructions.pdf - Hnefatafl (Viking board game) - johnny5555

Hneftafl

All pieces move as far as they choose along any straight

line (like a rook in chess). Any piece may pass through the

throne (Yellow Circle) on a move. No piece except the

King, however, may stop on the throne (Yellow Circle) or

the corners (Red Squares).

Pieces are captured by flanking them on two sides. If a

piece moves between two pieces of the opposing team, that

piece is not captured; the capturing party must actively cap-

ture a piece of the opposing team. See Diagram 1.

See above for the starting position of Hneftafl.

The King is captured by surrounding him on all four sides.

See Diagram 2. If the King is on one of the spaces immedi-

ately next to the throne (Yellow Circle) or on the edge of

the board, it takes only three Attackers to capture him. See

Diagram 3.

Diagram 1 shows a legal

move on the Defenders part to

capture a Attacker. The piece

about to move will not be cap-

tured by making this move.

Hneftafl is comprised of two teams: the Attackers (Green

Squares) and the Defenders (Blue Squares) with their King

(Yellow Circle). The attackers are attempting to lay siege

to the king, while the defenders are attempting to help the

king escape.

In order for the attackers to win, they must surround the

king on all four sides. The defenders must help the king

escape to any one of the corners (Red Squares) of the board

in order to win.

Diagrams 2 and 3 show legal moves to capture the king.

Attackers move first (or may draw lots to decide). Then

players take turns, each moving one piece per turn.

hneftafl - playing instructions.pdf