The Vikings: Facts and Fictions

The Vikings: Facts and Fictions | Kirsten Wolf, Tristan Mueller-Vollmer

@Texreader the center is set up differently and the board is smaller, but it‘s a variation of the same game. Both games are a version of Hnefatafl. I ended up finding this app by searching for the different names it‘s been called in English. It‘s fun and simple to learn the basics of, but I‘m in the same boat as your and your son. I can‘t figure out how the attackers win. They have more pieces, but they always lose. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Texreader Yep! That‘s a smaller version of it. 5y

GingerAntics @Texreader I feel it would be easier to play with more squares because there would be more wiggle room. You wouldn‘t be starting right on top of the invaders. 5y

julesG Funny, I also found this App. But I've ordered a real set - similar to the one you showed @Texreader - hope it'll arrive in time for my son's birthday. 5y

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GingerAntics @julesG oh has @Texreader started a thing with this game? SWEET!!! Between the five of us, surely we can figure out how to make the attackers win, right? lol 5y

GingerAntics @texreader @julesG
I found a full version online. It does seem easier to play with more space and unlimited movement. I wonder if I can play on this website from my phone or tablet. Fingers crossed that one day someone makes a proper mobile app.

http://www.lutanho.net/play/hnefatafl.html 5y

Texreader @GingerAntics @julesg according to our rules there isn‘t unlimited movement. Hmmm 5y

GingerAntics @Texreader so your pieces move one square at a time, then?

This game has weird rules, too. Apparently you can capture the king like any other piece. Every other game I've seen said it has to be surrounded on all four sides. The attackers win a lot in this version. (edited) 5y

GingerAntics @texreader as an aside...I just read somewhere yesterday that Norwegian has a smaller number of words so it's easier to learn in the sense of learning new words (there are less to learn). I'm guessing your husband speaks Norwegian. I've added it on Duolingo, and I'm just wondering if you think it's a fun language (obviously its not overly useful in America, but still) or if it's just kind of eh. (edited) 5y

GingerAntics @texreader @julesG Okay, officially learning Norwegian now...because...well... Sir Nils Olav. Who doesn't want to converse with a famous Penguin?! Really?!

“Our students [of Scandinavian Studies at University of Edinburgh] come from all over the world: the only continent not represented is Antarctica, but that‘s made up for by Sir Nils Olav, a famous penguin at Edinburgh Zoo who has been granted honorary brigadier status in the Norwegian Army.“ 5y

GingerAntics @julesG Well $#@! apparently Norwegian is easier to learn than German. I was good at German in school. This Norwegian thing is happening!!! lol It even looks easier than French (and obviously Irish). 5y

GingerAntics @texreader @julesG okay, forget that website. It makes up freaking rules to make black win for no logical reason other than to prevent you from winning on the next move. 5y

julesG I find Swedish easier than Norwegian. But, I only get the gist in both languages. I only have the advantage of Scandinavian and Germanic languages being related. Never learned either language properly 5y

julesG I knew about Sir Nils Olav. He's famous. 5y

GingerAntics @julesG apparently if you can speak Norwegian you can speak Swedish and if you can read Norwegian you can read Danish...? 🤷🏼‍♀️ I did not know about Sir Nile Olav. He must be famous in Europe, but he hasn‘t been exported to the states yet. (edited) 5y

julesG I can read and get the gist from Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Friesian (Dutch/North German dialect). Norwegian and Danish are relatively close. I have a colleague with Norwegian background and one from Denmark, they can talk to each other in their own language without much trouble. Danish has several strange vowel sounds, though - to my ears. 5y

julesG The Scandinavian languages are all closely related - apart from Finnish, of course. 5y

GingerAntics @julesG I don‘t know much about Finish or Friesian, but I read about the others today. I know a tiny bit of German. I‘ve lost most of it. I can understand it better than speaking it. Norwegian seems to have some odd sounds. That may be similar to what you‘re talking about with the Danish. (edited) 5y

GingerAntics @Texreader I actually just managed to lost to the computer while playing as the king, but how exactly it happened I couldn‘t tell you. I‘m still picking up the rules, I think. 5y

julesG I think my love and understanding of languages came from reading instruction manuals when on holiday in Denmark or Belgium. Multi-language instructions can be very funny. And you can see the similarities between certain languages. 5y

GingerAntics @julesG that‘s always an interesting study in language, the way things are explained. Especially when one language has like one sentence and the next one had two or three. It really makes you wonder what the difference is and is that other language getting better instructions? lol 5y

julesG That and mistranslated words, because the person translating just chose the first translation from the dictionary without considering the context. 5y

GingerAntics @julesG 🤣😂🤣 that could get interesting. I hadn‘t thought of that. 5y

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Texreader

The Vikings: Facts and Fictions | Kirsten Wolf, Tristan Mueller-Vollmer

My son and I played the Viking game 3 times. The king always won. We will have to play some more to figure out how the attackers win. The rules to the game are from somewhere between the 9th and 10th centuries. Remnants of this game have been found from Ireland to the Ukraine. It‘s addictive.

Daisey Fun! 5y

KarouBlue Your photos and fun facts have my feet itching to run off to Norway! 🏃‍♀️ 🏃‍♀️ 🏃‍♀️ 5y

Crazeedi That's a totally cool looking game! 5y

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GingerAntics Recently found out just how Norwegian I am. This game looks interesting. 5y

Texreader @GingerAntics What were the results? I am 0% Scandinavian! 5y

GingerAntics 22% Eastern Norway, which upset some of my cousins who have spent years incredibly proud to be half Norwegian/Viking (they were all raised in Minnesota, so that does have additional bragging rights I suppose). Of course, the way genetics works, it‘s possible that some of them are much more Norwegian than I am. 🤷🏼‍♀️ 5y

GingerAntics Is there an app for this game? I feel like there should be. 5y

GingerAntics Is it easier to play than chess? I really suck at chess. 5y

Texreader @GingerAntics Wow! 22% is a fair amount! You‘re practically a Viking! The game is easier than chess (at which I suck too). But so far we can only figure out how the king wins even though his side has almost half the pieces as the attackers. Looks like the son and I will have to keep “investigating”. Yes you‘d think there‘d be an app—maybe there is. 5y

Texreader @MellieAntoinette That‘s awesome! And thanks! It‘s not the easiest country to visit though. The roads can be difficult to navigate and sometimes scary, there are not convenient places to eat once out of the cities (we always pack a cooler bag and frequent grocery stores and then picnic), and it‘s expensive as heck (picnicking helps). Worth researching before taking the plunge. 😁 5y

Texreader @Daisey @Crazeedi My son and I loved it. He actually spent his 500 kroner (almost $60!) from his Farfar (grandfather) to buy it. He loves games and wanted something uniquely Norwegian. This sure fit the bill. 5y

GingerAntics From what I‘ve been able to see, there are apps, but they are all meant to be played with a live opponent (almost like words with friends) as opposed to playing against an AI opponent. 5y

Texreader @GingerAntics Very interesting! There‘s an app for everything! Even an ancient Viking game 5y

GingerAntics But if you don‘t know how to play yet, it‘s not very useful. 5y

GingerAntics Wait, I think I found a variation of it. 5y

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