Tafl King isn't a new game. In fact, as Hnefatafl, it's a game that's been around since the period historians refer to as 'the Dark Ages'. There's no shortage of games themed around Vikings but Tafl King has the distinction of being an abstract strategy game that was invented an actually played by Vikings!
Tafl King is an asymmetric two-player game played on an 11 x 11 square board where one player controls the 12 white pieces grouped at the centre of the board to defend the king, and the other player controls the 24 black pieces that start off grouped at the four edges of the board. The white player is trying to get the king to one of the four corners for the win, and the black player wins by occupying the four squares orthogonally adjacent to the king (or three sides if the king is at an edge of the board).
On your turn you can move one of your pieces as far as you like along an unblocked orthogonal path - so equivalent to a Castle/Rook in Chess. Tho' the king has to be surrounded on all available sides, other pieces are captured by having two opposing pieces orthogonally adjacent on just two opposite sides...
It's exciting to encounter an abstract strategy game that was invented more than 1000 years ago that is so asymmetric in terms of set up, number of pieces, objectives and tactics. Because the white player is outnumbered, it's not in their interest to be trading pieces. They need to immediately focus on getting their king on the move and, because the king is only vulnerable when surrounded on all sides, you'll find it can be effective to use the king when pressing attacks on black pieces...
The game may be ancient but this edition from Tactic and Gamestorm Studio has been published as part of their Vikings' Tales series, which includes Odin's Table, which we featured recently on Board's Eye View. The game uses wooden warrior pieces similar to those in Odin's Table.
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