How To Play: Vikings

Overview

If you’ve ever wondered how to rule the seas and stack up victory points while chucking tiles like a Norse god, you’re in the right spot. My friends and I have played Vikings so much, we practically smell like sheep and saltwater now. In this guide, you’ll get a quick outline of the game rules and learn the best strategies for winning. Yes, including my embarrassing mistakes so you don’t repeat them!

What’s in the box

• 78 Landscape tiles
• 8 Starting tiles
• 1 Game board
• 5 Player screens
• 5 Scoring markers
• 1 Price indicator disk
• 60 Coins
• 90 Viking meeples (15 each in 6 colors)
• 6 Ship markers
• 6 Ship tokens
• 1 Linen bag
• 1 Rulebook

How To Play Vikings: Rules Summary

Setup

1. Give each player a player board and a starting coin stash. No cheating! Trust me, my buddy Dave still owes me 2 coins from last game.
2. Place the central wheel and the tiles in the middle. The wheel is more important here than in Mario Kart.
3. Sort all vikings by color and put them in the supply. Pretend you are running a tiny viking daycare.
4. Set out the scoring track. Make sure it’s not upside down or you might win by walking backwards.

Gameplay

1. Each round, spin the wheel to reveal new tiles. Everyone gets excited, or at least pretends to.
2. On your turn, buy a tile along with its attached viking, using your hard-earned coins. Sometimes you have to think, is it worth paying extra so Steve doesn’t get the blue viking?
3. Place your tile on your player board to expand your islands and coastal waters. Don’t box yourself in—my friend Tina did and she ended up with viking surfers stranded on tiny rocks.
4. Put your new viking in the correct spot. Fishermen go on the shore, nobles on the big islands, and so on. Color matching is key, unless you want chaos—like my garage.

Winning

1. When all tiles are gone, score up your points. I recommend a calculator if you’re bad at math like me.
2. Score for completed islands, the number of vikings in jobs, and end-game bonuses. Smack talk is optional but encouraged.
3. The player with the most points wins. The loser has to fetch the snacks—house rules!

Special Rules & Conditions

1. Ships can mess up your score, so plan ahead. Don’t act surprised like my friend Greg who never prepares.
2. Not every viking you hire can be placed right away. Unplaced vikings go to your board’s waiting room. No one likes the waiting room.
3. If you run out of coins, you may have to pass, which is tragic. Plan your spending, unlike me at the donut shop.

So, that’s How To Play Vikings in a nutshell. Set up your islands, place your vikings with care, and outscore your friends—you might even make them jealous of your superior viking skills!

Best Vikings Strategies

Tile Placement Tactics That Make You Look Like a Norse Genius

Maximize Your Shoreline

First, slap those tiles down to make a nice long coast. This trick helps you grab ships and valuable resources later. Even better, you block your friends from easy options.

1. Place shoreline tiles to chain water spaces.
2. Block opponents by interrupting their coastlines.

Connect Islands for Big Points

Next, keep your islands together. When you link matching terrain, you score extra. I did this once and my buddy Erik still won’t speak to me.

1. Match terrains to build larger islands.
2. Plan placement to connect future tiles.

Plan for Future Vikings

Finally, think ahead. Leave room for vikings you’ll need later. It’s way better than kicking yourself for boxing in your own meeple. Remember, How To Play vikings always comes down to clever tiles and cheeky moves!

1. Leave open spaces for extra vikings.
2. Anticipate your opponents’ next move.

How To Play Vikings: Mastering Resource Management For Victory

Always Watch Your Coins

During my third game, I ran out of coins and had to pass on a juicy tile. The pain! So, keep these points in mind:

1. Count your coins, especially near the end of a round.
2. Buy the cheapest tiles—sometimes the best things in Vikings are free, or almost!

Know When To Spend, When To Save

Every game, someone splurges early and regrets it. Instead, use these tricks:

1. Save coins for expensive but powerful tiles that push your score up.
2. Don’t buy every viking you see. Choose the ones that boost your islands the most.

Ship Your Vikings Wisely

I love a good ship, but they cost money. Remember:

1. Only buy ships if you really need to block thieves or complete a big island.
2. Keep an emergency coin stash for those surprise ship needs.

Score Big or Go Home: Mastering Points in Vikings

Count Those Ships

1. Always grab ship tiles early, because they pay out often.
2. Fend off those pesky pirate ships for bonus points at game end.

Island Builders Score More

1. Focus on finishing islands. When sealed, you’ll unlock new ways to score.
2. Plan ahead; leave room for builders and goldsmiths for sweet extra points.

End-Game Bonuses

1. Collect a variety of vikings. This bonus feels so good when you get it right!
2. Don’t ignore coins. Sometimes, coins tip the scales between winning and losing.

How To Play vikings? Scoring is about timing and sneaky grabs. I learned the hard way: don’t forget those bonuses or your friends will laugh all the way to Valhalla!

Victory Awaits in the North!

Let me tell ya, after plenty of rounds shouting ‘No, not the boat again!’ and watching my friend Greg weep over a lost fisherman, I can say Vikings rewards planning and a bit of mischief. Keep your coins close, your islands open, and your wits just sharp enough to spot a sneaky move. Now you know How To Play vikings, go build your own viking empire—just watch out for Greg, he’s ruthless with those ships!

Want to know what we think of Vikings? Read our detailed review of Vikings here