How To Play: Vikings

Overview

If your beard gets longer every time you lose a board game, we might just be twins. After scraping through some tense sessions, I’ve cooked up this Vikings strategy guide. Here, you’ll find a simple outline of the rules plus sneaky tips for actually winning. Whether you want to master settlements or finally impress Bjorn from your game group, this How To Play vikings guide might just save your next game night.

What’s in the box

• 1 Game board
• 45 Island tiles
• 78 Viking meeples
• 5 Score markers
• 5 Player boards
• 1 Ship wheel
• 60 Coins
• 1 Sack for tiles
• 1 Rulebook

How To Play Vikings: Rules Summary

Setup: Get Ready to Raid!

1. First, lay out the main board and put the wheel in the center. The wheel gets more action than my old exercise bike.
2. Next, each player picks a color and snags their supply of tokens and starting coins. Trust me, you’ll want these coins.
3. Place the ship tiles and Vikings in piles by the board. Keep them neat—this isn’t your laundry pile.
4. Randomly decide the starting player. If your group is anything like mine, rock-paper-scissors will start a debate.

Gameplay: Viking Life, Turn by Turn

1. On your turn, spin the wheel and choose a tile. Don’t just grab the first one you see. Strategy, people!
2. Pay the indicated cost and add your freshly acquired tile to your island. Yes, it’s like building tiny IKEA furniture, but easier.
3. Place a Viking meeple on the tile and claim the bonuses if you’re lucky. If not, blame your friends for bad karma.
4. Keep going around the table until all tiles are claimed and your islands look like weird archipelagos.

Winning: Who Wears the Horned Helmet?

1. After a set number of rounds, everyone counts up their victory points. You’ll find out who’s the real chieftain and who’s just there for the snacks.
2. If there’s a tie (it happens more often than you think), the player with the most coins left wins. Suddenly everyone cares about their loose change.

Special Rules & Conditions: Extra Mayhem

1. If you can’t place a tile or Viking legally—tough luck! You have to discard it. You also lose some coins. Ouch.
2. Some tiles have sneaky scoring bonuses. Always double-check them, unless you like giving away points.
3. If the tile wheel runs out, refill it and keep the game going. No one escapes the Viking cycle!

With these rules, you can finally answer the big question: How To Play vikings. Now, go forth and conquer! (Or, at least, try not to sink your own island.)

Best Vikings Strategies

Master Settlement Placement for Viking Victory!

Start Strong: Claim the Best Spots

In my first game, I fought over islands like seagulls wrangling over fries. Where you place your first settlements shapes everything! Always aim for diverse tiles.

1. Choose locations with easy access to food and wood.
2. Stay close to expansion paths and bonus tiles.

Plan Expansion Like a Viking

Once you have your foot in the fjord, spread out. Think ahead, or you’ll box yourself in and end up with goats (again).

1. Expand towards open spaces — don’t box yourself in.
2. Watch opponents and block key routes if you can.

How To Play vikings Smartly

Each turn, ask: “Does this spot help me grow, or am I just being greedy?” Good placement trumps luck. My friend Pete learned this the hard way. Poor Pete.

Mastering Resource Management and Timing in Vikings

Plan Your Resource Flow

Always know where your resources come from. If you track them, you spot shortages early and avoid panic swapping.

1. Track your income each turn.
2. Watch your neighbors’ resource builds.

Spend at the Right Moment

Never rush your spending. Instead, wait for key turns so you get maximum value. I once wasted a gold early and cried a little inside.

1. Save for big moves late-game.
2. Time purchases with scoring windows.

Balance Growth and Defense

Spend some resources building; yet always leave enough to fend off rivals. I learned this after my village got overrun by my friend’s sudden attack.

1. Upgrade defenses before expanding too much.
2. Invest in resource multipliers when possible.

How To Play vikings: Master the Timing

Above all, practice smart timing. The best players use every scrap, but only when it’s truly worth it. Trust me, I learned the hard way!

Score Like a Viking: Master Every Opportunity

Snatch Hidden Points

Often, you find little-known ways to score in How To Play vikings. Look for sneaky bonuses and grab them before your friends catch on!

1. Catch endgame bonuses early.
2. Build on special locations for extra rewards.

Chain Your Actions

Next, always plan ahead and mix your moves. Use one action to set up another for a juicy combo.

1. Link settlements for bonus tiles.
2. Connect paths for scoring chains.

Block Opponents

Sometimes the best points come from ruining your friends’ plans. It feels good, trust me.

1. Grab high-value spaces before anyone else.
2. Deny them easy points by blocking routes.

Ready to Raid Like a Viking Legend?

So, that’s the gist of How To Play vikings if you want to get the upper hand! Keep your wits sharp, plan your moves, and always double-check your beer supply (seriously, my mate Dave gets way too competitive without snacks). Remember, it’s all about clever placement, sharp timing, and snatching those sweet, sweet points before your friends do! If you make some mistakes, don’t worry—every real Viking learns by losing a few longboats now and then. Thanks for reading, and may your next raid be glorious and a little bit ridiculous!

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