Hnefatafl is an ancient Scandinavian board game that antedates chess. There are several different variations of play, but the gist of the game is simple. There are two players, each controlling an opposing force, one black and the other white. The black army is the invading one that hopes to capture the king of the white army, and begins with pieces arrayed on all four sides of the board, near its perimeter.
The white side is attempting a retreat of sorts, and needs to move its king to a predetermined part of the board, usually part of the periphery or one of the board’s corners. The white army has around a dozen pieces, and the black army typically has double that. The invading army typically moves first, with all pieces will typically move in horizontal or vertical patters, in similar fashion to how one would handle a rook in chess. Players can capture pieces from the opposing sides by maneuvering their own to the point where one opposing piece is sandwiched between two of their own, and play continues until the king is either captured or reaches a spot of safety.
Hnefatafl Features:
– Variant “Hnefatafl”
– Variant “Tablut”
– Variant “Ard Ri”
– Variant “Brandubh”
– Variant “Tawlbwrdd”
– Variant “Alea Evengelii”
– Offline play for two humans or against the computer
– Online play via Google Play Games
– Achievements
– Rules included
Hnefatafl is available for free from Google Play. It is supported by ads, but those can be removed through a single IAP for $2.21. Bonus points if you can pronounce the name of this game properly.
