Hnefatafl - The ancient Viking Board Game - How to make it and play it.

Hnefatafl the Ancient Viking Board Game. Make it and play it
just like the Vikings did over 1,000 years ago. I show you
how to make the board and pieces and I give you the rules of the game.
THere are varations to how to play the game and the original rules
have been lost to the centuries. The Word Hnefatafl stands for The Kings Table
and there are variations. It has also been spelled Hnefetafl.
There are two players and the object of the game is for one team to get his
king to the safe squares. The opponent team tries to capture the team.
This game is strategic and a lot of fun.
And one of the brilliant things is that the two teams do not start out even.
The kings team has twelve pieces and the king. The opposing team has 24 pieces.
The Web based tutorial for this project with lots more stuff is here:
stormthecastle.com/Things/hnef...
About My Channel:
I have hundreds of videos covering all kinds of creative projects.
I put out two new videos every week and if you want to stay updated you can subcribe to my channel here:
kzbin.info_c...

[@hollymerryman]

My 5th grade son is studying Vikings and planning a Viking Feast at school. I plan to show them the instructional portion of this video so they can play! Thanks so much for sharing the instructions so clearly!

[@BR5499a]

Play starts at 7:17

[@floris812]

thank you

[@dungeoneering1974]

Thank you!

[@hhaerewa9172]

Thanks brother was wandering when he starts lol

[@deadcenter9270]

bless you.

[@noahbasara8529]

you are a saint

[@epicfantasy]

Thanks :) I appreciate you sticking with me for so long! More vids coming!

[@innocentBystander19]

Came upon this video again and I wanted to stop and let you know that my since the first time I saw this video, my friends and I have played this game a million times. We've gotten quite good, and had many hours of fun playing. I wanted to thank you for introducing me to this.

[@1aerjen1]

The King is captured by boxing him in on four sides. Or by being boxing against the king square.

[@gloriserve12]

I watched your intro and how-to-play section at the end. Very thankful for your colleague who did the research for how to play for your version. I love the concept for this game. It was jaw dropping to listen and watch to how you explained it. Especially because it is an ancient game from the vikings.

[@bryanmullins3324]

Definitely a project for me and my friend. I would love making the board and pieces while he paints. Perfect. =)

[@epicfantasy]

You are very welcome. And thanks for subscribing. I have a lot more stuff coming!

[@yote2248]

Having recently discovered your channel as my hobbies are similar to yours I'd like to say that I appreciate your enthusiasm toward these pass-times. I've recently moved and have shown some new friends the things I've made (some from your tutorials actually) and my favorite response was "People do this and no one told me?" Keep being awesome!

[@inigomontoya6421]

For an older man, you have lovely hands. The purple nail polish is a nice touch...

[@epicfantasy]

this is such a terrific question. I just looked that game up. I am putting it on my list. Thanks!

[@parrishriddle7945]

Love love that you shared this. I am going to make this for sure. Seems the pieces need a large base to enable stability. Thank you for putting this together!

[@dbztiki]

Been subscribed for years, this is my favorite channel on KZbin.

[@karentravis1575]

Great instructions, thank you. My husband made a beautiful board from faux leather, complete with draw strings to turn it into a sack he can carry the game pieces in. He made the pieces from clay and after they were fired, he painted them with Testor enamel paint. The King and his defenders are white and the attackers are red. This is an easy to learn game! Always had trouble with chess, this is more my style.

[@spectrequill]

Thanks so much for this. I have made a few traditional board games before. This was new to me, and is next on the list. Great job with the paints - it looks fantastic. Love your site/channel. Keep the inspiration coming!

[@richardturner6981]

Thanks for showing us how to make and play this ancient game. My Danish ancestors must have had hours of fun playing this game.

[@backyardsounds]

OH my, you have such LOVELY hands! And especially when you were molding those pieces! wooooo!

[@WigWagWorkshop]

Very cool Will! You always amaze me will the variety of your projects!

[@peon17]

This is pretty cool. If I can find time over the next couple of weeks I think I might make one of these for a friend for a Christmas gift. I know he'd love it.

[@epicfantasy]

Thanks, and thanks for sharing the love!!

[@PatrickMurphy-sg5fn]

Just brought a version of this game at my local Renaissance Festival. Great FUN!!

[@toezarden]

k thanks! I love your projects, you have been a great inspiration for me.

[@Darkthunder037]

found your channel by looking how to make chainmail and I love it!!! all my subscriptions are dying off so I needed new ones to take there place. and your stuff is what I want to see. thank you :)

[@epicfantasy]

great question! normally no. but there are variations of the game where the colored starting squares are hostile and can be used to flank.

[@JtHih]

This is amazing. I'm definitely going to make it one day.

[@epicfantasy]

thanks for watching, have fun and send a pic when it's done.

[@MythoMead]

What a great and simple game. I have to play it now. Not only because I think it will be a lot of fun, but because I am of Viking heritage. Anyway, thanks for making the video and showing how to play Hnefatafl. Capture the King!

[@Xydorf]

Bryce Menees it is very nice

[@SPQRLegionVIII]

Ancient Board Games? i am SO IN!! Awesome video! -George

[@innocentBystander19]

I'm so glad I stumbled on this. I'm going to make it, and carve the pieces out of foam or clay or wood the way I would make miniatures terrain. Might even make the board with Hirst Arts tiles if I'm feeling up to it. Thank you for this.

[@AwesomeIsNoah]

What a great way to unite the egg tempera and plastic making tutorials!

[@millielps999]

doin a viking project at school, this vid really helped , thanx

[@epicfantasy]

Thanks, I might do this. There are a lot of them!

[@loszhor]

Thank you for the information.

[@wolfsangeleyes]

I've never liked board games. Ever. But this is awesome. Thank you

[@MrAbio333]

Amazing, yesterday i went to a viking museum (in Holland) and there you could learn and play this game. It was tablut thoug the 9X9 version but still cool. So i thought i can make that myself. Today i start up youtube and i see you have uploaded this. wow.

[@underfire987]

Very cool man thanks for sharing!

[@E6DeltaGirl]

Great video as always! Fun, creative and informative :D Thanks Will *thumbs up*

[@epicfantasy]

Great question. They are arts and crafts paints so the colors might be a bit malleable. But the bottles say "Primary Red" and "Christmas Green".

[@combatboi]

This is so awesome!!!

[@almond125]

I love you vids thanks for posting this will be fun projects for me and my friends

[@MisterKisk]

That's pretty awesome. The next board game you should make is Ludus Latrunculorum, the Roman version of chess/checkers, played by Roman soldiers, typically on an 12x8 sized board, but the size varied from place to place (8x8 and 8x7 were commonly found in archaeological digs). Similar manner of capturing in Hnefatafl, but both sides have the same number of pieces. Though taking the "Leader" or "Dux" piece, has to be surrounded.

[@interghost]

Nice one. I might make this using Go-Go's as the pieces as my kids have tons of them!

[@Kartingjon]

This is awesome, im gonna make this dang thing.

[@epicfantasy]

You are wecome! Thanks for following my channel. Got another ancient board game coming, Roman.

[@camarillasmith]

I am so glad I found you! LOVE these tutorials!

[@jimtaggart9288]

Great Video. So inspiring I made my own Hnefatafl Game...

[@epicfantasy]

A king can be captured by just two. But, the game can be varied to make it more difficult by capturing with 4.

[@SailorBarsoom]

I've heard of this game, seen pictures of it, even decided that my Norwegian airship pirate navigator, Kristina Erickson, plays it. But I haven't played it myself. I might try it out, though.

[@SimonYsidro]

Very cool. Thanks

[@OSIStv]

It's actually a really fun game! I'm from Sweden and I've played it quite a few times! Pretty fun! :)

[@watchtheskys65]

I love this game. I collect ancient artifacts and it was only a matter of time before I discovered this!

[@BBURN2007]

I made this game for my future father in-law and he loves it, thank you for the inspiration

[@MrReallyBlind]

I subscribed about a week ago. Best decision ever! Keep up the awesome work! In a few days, I may post a video with either stop motion or the assassins creed chestpiece! Thanks alot!

[@floris812]

Thank you sir, i think it could be a cool idea to make a game about it! if i finish it it might come on my channel

[@epicfantasy]

Great question. The mover dominates and the O is removed from the board.

[@GreatTechnologicalRU]

Awesome!

[@adamsgamecenter]

AWESOME!

[@epicfantasy]

great question! Yes, those squares are hostile to the king too.

[@argonwheatbelly637]

The game uses custodian capture, with the king requiring four spaces to be occupied rather than two. The throne may count as one of those spaces, I.e. One custodian set, one lone piece opposite the throne, and the king at the center. There's more, but I'd suggest the Copenhagen rules, as they fix a few imbalances in the Fetlar rules, which are pretty good.

[@MrReallyBlind]

Great job! When are you making more assassins creed stuff? ( I got assassins creed 2 about a week ago, and I wanna be Ezio for Halloween.)

[@chrisbrentlopez]

awesome!

[@cy2087]

Hi Epic: This is great! I was looking for a present to make for my nephew and this fits the bill perfectly. I love games like chess and I'm trying to see if I can get him interested. He likes the unique things and this is not very common here in the US. I think I'm going to try to make a wooden board w/ metal inlay and field minitures as the pieces. Thanks for an awesome idea.

[@lukeeeeeeeeee3613]

@cy2087 how did he like it?

[@epicfantasy]

wow,thanks!

[@JustintheRedneckDruid]

You should do a tutorial for the ancient egyptian board game tenet if you haven't already done one

[@toezarden]

Very Cool. I made this and I LOVE IT! this is so awesome. But I have 1 question. Can you capture a piece diagonal.

[@epicfantasy]

thanks!

[@epicfantasy]

YEs, red and green can both be flanked. this is two player game only. and in this variation of the game red squares are not a threat.... but,... it can be played that way to make it more challenging. There are variations of how the game is played.

[@bryanhoward2003]

Great video. One Variant of The game that is older, has The Same number of kings Men but The enemy has eight men to each side. The Board was 13x13.

[@epicfantasy]

thanks :)

[@epicfantasy]

Wow, Really kind of neat to hear this! thanks. And well..youre welcome! Got another ancient board game coming. Ludus Latronculum.... Think I spelled that wrong.

[@toezarden]

very AWESOME :D

[@Jade87Dragon]

is there a link to your website? I would like to find out what marking to put on each piece please (kings marking, sun etc you mentioned)

[@Majilikin]

that's makes it even harder. Fun!

[@LegosSnake]

dude this is cool im going to add this to the board game i making

[@epicfantasy]

no, not in this version. Although there are some versions where you can do that.

[@JoiBASSi]

the literal translation of hnefatafl from icelandic to english is "fist chess". If you are interested in the pronauntion the first word hnefa has a strong "e". also the "fl" in tafl is more of a "bl".

[@PhilR720]

Interesting! Thanks for the info! Oh and you have beautiful nails ;D haha

[@HWHForceGamer]

I love your Videos

[@ericward8459]

I made a tile-top table with a pattern like that so I could play it without the board... Though I can't bring it with me..

[@epicfantasy]

Eric Ward Wonderfully creative!

[@ericward8459]

+epicfantasy Thanks, all because of you, man!

[@ogcmanjahsson8884]

I got a game like this as a kid. maybe the same. It was about 1971 it was called Swords and Shields. and the kings pieces were shields and the attacker were swords I think it was a Milton Bradly production. loved it. the swords won about 70 %

[@natis413]

this is actually the video that subscribed on but i do want to know who moves first?

[@ThePaganBorn]

My only question is how do the edge squares play? By that I mean, if the King's Guard moves infront of an assaulting piece at the board's edge, are they flanked or not?

[@MultiOrton123]

It is AWESOME

[@kaioocarvalho]

Can the king's pieces capture defending pieces too?

[@Toboten]

does the guards of the king have to flank to kill also?

[@shadowphoenix8962]

Thumbs up on your method of making the set and board,very good.But I believe you should have said the king needs to be surounded on 4 sides.the most common variation☺

[@frontofthesoapless5445]

Could you flank a row, lets say red on d3 and d4, but green on d2 and moves one to d5, would both the red pieces be captured?

[@TheFhace]

You commented awhile ago but just in case, no you cannot flank a row.

[@greenyk3904]

such a fun game

[@kailaan134]

I remember playing this when I was younger. Thanks, now I know how to play for real lol

[@rma002]

I have a question about capturing; What happens if I move a piece into a position where I can capture an opponents piece, but am also "framed" but my opponents pieces? Here is an example of what I am talking about: X O X O (Imagine the second 'X' was just moved into that position.) In this case, both the middle 'X' and the middle 'O' are in "captured" positions.

[@JAEvans]

I just made the pieces out of sewn together colored buttons with a weighted bottom.

[@ThaRealChuckD]

Kings to the corners is only one version! There is a Kings to the "ends" version!

[@islandbuoy4]

where are the ends?

[@Octopossible]

Not just to the edge of the board, but move the king all the way off the board. Also keep in mind that the king (in this version at least) cannot move into or through any of the home squares of the attacker. ie. the red squares on epicfantasy's board.

[@combatboi]

Sure where can i do that ? I'm a pretty new subscriber but i've seen al your video's :)

[@espositogregory]

This was a very good presentation, as well as first (but surely not last) I’ve seen of your channel. Please do a showon the logistics of chance games: (Do deck features like 52 cards of 4 suites & 13 faces factor in playability? How many varieties of chance exists & in what ways are these elements leveraged in games? A little more history would have tickled my anthropologic pickle, but I’m probably being greedy. Either way, that detail to use (presumed) proper runic labels per/piece was magnificent! I personally suggest when making pieces opposed in color, go for a 2-hue pallet. Red&white vs Green&black would have been my choice, but the gold was a nice touch. Naturalistic, or period-feasible is always my go-to; this doesn’t exclude going a bit over on execution. Like a neo-paleo rendition... I might send a picture of the set I’ve started (This was a good layout resource) from wood on a leather-worker & dyed rawhide. Each piece is going to be hand made, and furthermore, the dyes and pigments will all be natural home-made ash-oils, flower mashes, etc. Probably one Indian paintbrush-red on natural wood background, and the other bonemeal-lightened bluebonnet-blue on black ash paste soaked charcoal background. The board is a medium warm brown rawhide 12x24x1.5” sheet. Just henna type dye and a glossy selant finish thing (leatherworking virgin...)

[@JonDaye07]

So, both teams can use the center and corner squares to flank? Can you move through the center square or do you have to go around it if it's not a king piece?

[@JonDaye07]

I see. Thank you for answering.

[@gabrielem3]

Is that a emerald greed or viridian green and that red is crimson ?

[@GhostsDontWalk1]

Very cool. I'd imagine you could use the egg yolk paint to paint the pieces, right? I think it would be cool to use old school paints to craft an old school game.

[@muzz100]

Hi. Nice vid! One thing: the king can be flanked and captured on 3 sides, if he is at the edges, or off his ‘Throne’ in the centre. A question: in your version/opinion, can the King ‘take’ other players by flanking? Thanks (I subscribed too!) 👍

[@pwnismaximus]

I have a question. What job do you have? Career hobbyist? Cause that's awesome. Another nice job!

[@combatboi]

Do you have any tips for me cause im makin the things out of paper :)