Althing Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents
• Game Purpose
• Cards and Symbols
• How to Play
  • Recruit a Viking to the Assembly
  • Complete One Stage of the Saga
  • Trick, Dodge or Cause an Event
  • Develop Your Strategy
  • End of Game
• The Setup
• Discovery Campaign
  • First Game / Setup
  • Second Game / Setup
  • Third Game / Setup
• New Games
  • Setup
  • Saga Alternative
  • Reserve Option / For Veteran Players
• Solo Mode / Can You Beat Thorfinn?
  • Setup
  • How to Play
  • Normal or Difficult Mode
• Reminder of Symbols

Contents

• Three Troll pawns to represent the players.
• A set of 72 cards including:
  • The saga deck (9 recto verso cards): Kattegat, Thing/Althing, Drakkar, Dragvendil, Eldaskali, Snekkar, Knokker, Kernelyd, Vegvisir.
  • The Assembly of Vikings deck (30 cards): 4 cards Gudrid, 4 cards Floki, 4 cards Sigvaar, 3 cards Siggy, 3 cards Aslaug, 3 cards Horik, 2 cards Hild, 2 cards Bjorn, 3 cards Halldora, 2 cards Olaf.
  • 3 personal decks (9 cards): 4 cards Odin, 1 card Thor, 1 card Freyr, 2 cards Troll and 1 card Storm Troll.
  • The Thorfinn deck (6 cards with different backside) for single player game mode.

Game Purpose

To be recognized as the King of the Vikings, you must show that you know how to write your saga and get to Althing first. Surround yourself effectively with Vikings who will provide you with the necessary resources, throughout the stages of your saga. Build your deck in the best way at each stage. Prevent your opponent from winning before you by using tricks. Dodge tricks at the right time and stay ahead.

Cards and Symbols

In Althing, there are two types of cards: the stage cards and Viking cards.

Elements of the play area: the Assembly of Vikings (and its deck), the Track of the saga, the Player's hand, the Personal deck, the Discard pile, and the 2 Trolls and 1 Storm Troll. A Viking card shows its card name, its resources (gold nugget, wood, bones), its symbols (Event, Trick, Dodge) and its recruit cost.

How to Play

The game is divided into consecutive turns, until one of the players has won the Thing or the Althing stage. He or she will then be recognized as the King of the Vikings.

Each turn is made up of phases, one per player during which the active player will be able to perform several times, and in any order, all or some of the actions below:

• recruit one or more Vikings;
• complete a stage (only one per turn);
• trick, dodge or provoke an event;
• adjust your strategy for the next round.

A card or a card combination is only used to perform one action.

Recruit a Viking to the Assembly

The cards represent the different Vikings that can help you get through the stages. The gold nugget is used to recruit Vikings available to the Assembly.

From your hand, place on the table face up, the card or cards to be put into play. Add the value of the nuggets present on them. Then, for an amount less than or equal to your total nuggets, recruit the card or cards you would like.

Cards recruited and put into play are placed in your discard pile. The empty Assembly slot is immediately replaced with a new card from the top of the Assembly deck.

During your turn, you can therefore recruit a Viking and once the Assembly is full, you can recruit a new one.

If the Assembly deck is empty and it is no longer possible to reveal new cards, the game continues, but you will have to play only with the Vikings you have already recruited.

Example: I want to recruit Hild. I put 2 cards (1x Odin + 1x Halldora) on the table. The total number of gold nuggets is 3 (2+1=3). It is enough to recruit Hild. I place the 3 cards in my discard pile. And I reveal a new card from the Assembly deck.

Complete One Stage of the Saga

Completing the 5 stages which constitute the saga is the only way to become the King. To do this, choose your cards carefully to have the necessary resources at the right time.

From your hand, place on the table face up, the card or cards you wish to put into play. Add up the values of the resources present on them: gold nuggets, wood and bones. You pass the stage, if the result obtained is greater than or equal to the resources required on the stage card. Then move your pawn to the stage on the map.

Cards once used will be placed in your discard pile.

Trick, Dodge or Cause an Event

Cards sometimes have blue, red or green symbols. These symbols are used to trick (red), dodge (blue) or cause an event (green). Tricks and events are played during your play phase. Dodges are usually played in reaction during your opponent's play phase (except Untroll which can also be played during your phase).

From your hand, place the card you wish to play face up on the table and apply only one symbol effect from it. Then put it in your discard pile. You will discover all the symbols step by step in campaign mode (they are described as a reminder on the main page).

You can trick a player, even if they are on a different stage.

Develop Your Strategy

Your playing phase ends when you decide it or when you have no more cards in your hand. End your playing phase by discarding, if you wish, all or part of your hand. Then draw the cards from your personal deck, to have 4 in hand (you can have 5 cards after completing the Dragvendil or Drakkar stage). A hand can never have 6 cards.

Now it's your opponent's turn.

If your personal deck is empty: immediately shuffle your discard pile and place it face down on the table to build your new personal deck. You can always know the number of cards remaining in your deck.

End of Game

The game ends when one of the players has completed the last stage and the following players have completed their phase for that turn. If he is the only one on the Thing or Althing card, he is recognized as the King of the Vikings, and then a new saga can begin. If he or she is not the only one to finish in the same round, it's a tie and can lead to an alliance or a fight, but that's another story.

The Setup

The rules are explained for 2 players. They are identical for 3 players.

To constitute the track of the saga, start by placing in the center of the table, the Kattegat card (A) face up (there are 2 Kattegat - (A) front and (B) back). Then place, still on their sides (A), 4 randomly chosen step cards. If the "veteran" symbol does not appear on these steps, finish with the Thing or with the Althing if the symbol is present at least once.

• Each player places their pawn on Kattegat (A).

  Sacred Ground: A player on Kattegat (A) cannot be the target of tricks from his opponent. However, he can trick other players who are not on this card.

• Each player takes their personal 9 card deck. Take the 2 Troll cards and the Storm Troll card and place them face up in your play area. Shuffle the 6 remaining cards and place them face down to build your deck. Draw the first 4 cards from your personal deck to build your hand.

• Designate the first player (the first to summon a Viking god).

• The 1st player shuffles and places the Assembly deck face down on top of the Saga Track, then reveals and places the first 5 cards of that deck next to each other. Start the game.

Discovery Campaign

This 3-part campaign allows you to gradually discover all the elements of Althing. We advise you to better understand the concept of "hand rolling" backed by the "deckbuilding" of the game. For a campaign with 2 players, plan 45min to finish the 3 parts.

First Game / Setup

Place the Kattegat card (A) in the center of the table face up to form the track of the saga. Then place the 3 Eldaskali, Kernelyd, Knorrer step cards on their (A) side and finish with the Thing. Place your player pawn on Kattegat (A).

Your starting hand will be the same, each take 3 Odin cards and 1 Freyr card.

Trick, dodge or cause an event. For the 1st part, play only with the following 2 symbols:

• Troll: a Troll card has no icons and handicaps the receiving deck. During your play phase, you can add one of your Troll cards on top of your opponent's personal deck. If both Troll cards of your color are in play, you must wait for one to be returned to you before you can replay it.
• Untroll: to be played in reaction during your opponent's phase; blocks the cunning Troll. Or, during your play phase, search into your draw pile for a Troll card and return it to its owner.

Second Game / Setup

For the Saga Deck, place the Kattegat card (A) in the center of the table face up to form the Saga Track. Then place the 4 stage cards Eldaskali, Knorrer, Drakkar, Kernelyd, each on their side (A) and finish with the Althing card. Place your player pawn on Kattegat (A).

Your starting hand will be the same, each player takes 3 Odin cards and 1 Freyr card.

Veteran: as soon as a player wins the Dragvendil stage, until the end of the game he now plays with 5 cards in hand instead of 4. His opponents do the same at the end of their next playing phase (even if they do not pass the stage). Therefore all the players will continue to 5 cards as soon as a player wins the Dragvendil stage.

Trick, dodge or cause an event. For the 2nd part, play in addition with the following 2 symbols:

• Great Weather: To be played in reaction during your opponent's phase, allowing you to avoid the Storm.
• Storm: Place your Storm Troll card in front of your opponent, facing STORMUR. During their next play phase, he will not be able to Recruit, nor Complete a stage. At the end of the phase, turn the card over to the OVEDUR side. In the next phase, your opponent will not be able to recruit. At the end of this new phase, your card comes back to you. If your card is already with an opponent, you cannot cause a storm.

Third Game / Setup

For the Saga Deck, place the Kattegat card (A) in the center of the table face up to form the Saga Track. After having shuffled the 7 remaining step cards face down, pick 4 that you will place randomly after Kattegat. If your track has the Drakkar or / and Dragvendil card, you will play the Althing, otherwise, it will be the Thing. Place your player pawn on Kattegat (A).

Trick, dodge or cause an event. For the 3rd part, play Althing in its entirety with all the symbols.

• Plot: During your play phase, remove 2 cards from the Assembly and place them face down under the Assembly deck. The empty Assembly slots are immediately replaced by the two new cards.
• Shield: to be played in reaction during your opponent's play phase; blocks the Axe trick.
• Axe: During your play phase, randomly draw 1 card from your opponent's hand. After looking at it, choose whether to play it immediately as one of your own or not, then place it in your opponent's discard pile. You can use this card for a new trick. If you pick this card again on a new turn, you can play the trick again on the same opponent or another.

New Games

Setup

For the Saga deck, place the Kattegat card, side (A) or (B) (on the Kattegat (B), it is possible to trick from the beginning) in the center of the table face up to form the saga track. After having shuffled the 7 remaining step cards, choose 4 that you place randomly after Kattegat. You can mix the saga cards sides (A) and (B) together at your convenience. If your track has the Drakkar or Dragvendil card or both, you will play the Althing, otherwise it will be the Thing.

Saga Alternative

After you have played several games, we invite you to write new stories. Your saga will be punctuated with choices that may not be the same as those of your opponents.

Place the Kattegat card in the center of the table face up to form this saga track. After having shuffled the remaining 7 step cards, choose 6 that you will randomly place face (A) or (B) in front of Kattegat and end with the Thing or the Althing as usual.

As soon as a player chooses a stage, to the right or to the left, he will necessarily have to complete the next one above, before being able to return to the original path (we are still moving towards the Althing). The other players can follow the same path or take the other.

Reserve Option / For Veteran Players

If you wish, before "building your strategy" you may place in reserve face down horizontally in front of you, any of the remaining cards from your hand. To return this card to your hand during the game, simply place one card from your hand into the discard pile.

You can also replace it at the end of the turn. The replaced card then goes to the discard pile. It is better to play with sides (B) of the saga.

Solo Mode / Can You Beat Thorfinn?

Thorfinn is a young boy with a bright future. The gods watch over him. Can you beat him by getting to the Althing before him?

Setup

Normal rules with Kattegat (B).

• Take your personal 9 card deck. Remove the 2 Troll cards, and the Storm Troll card. Use the 2 green Troll cards to represent Thorfinn's cards.
• Shuffle your 6 remaining cards and place them face down to build your deck. Draw the first 4 cards from your personal deck to build your hand.
• Thorfinn is always the first player and he starts a stage in front of you, which is therefore on Kattegat.
• Shuffle and place the Assembly deck face down on top of the Saga Track, then reveal and place the first 4 cards from that deck next to each other.
• Shuffle Thorfinn's 6-card deck (5 on hard difficulty). Reveal the first card and then start the game.

How to Play

Thorfinn always goes first in the following order:

• he recruits at the Assembly 1 or 2 cards which are placed next to his deck face down to constitute his "hand";
• he uses a targeted Trick, Troll, axe or Shortage, preventing you from using the resource in question;
• he can also go up a stage or do nothing except recruiting.

Then comes your turn, which you play normally with the following details:

• you cannot play Troll or Storm Troll against Thorfinn;
• when Thorfinn uses an Axe against you, randomly discard a card from your hand. Thorfinn doesn't play it;
• you can use the Axe by drawing randomly from his "hand" if Thorfinn doesn't have a Shield on his card;
• play "Great Weather" against shortages targeted on gold nuggets, wood and bones;
• if the shortage is on the gold nugget, you cannot recruit and maybe cannot complete the stage.

If Thorfinn's deck is empty at the end of a turn, shuffle it, and then start a new turn.

Normal or Difficult Mode

When you play Thorfinn in normal mode, you have 6 cards, so the game will be played between 19 and 24 turns. In hard mode, you remove Thorfinn's card (d) which does not include any actions. The game will be played this time in 16 to 20 turns.

Reminder of Symbols

On your turn, as long as you have cards or choose to do so, perform in any order, all or some of the actions below: Recruit new Vikings; Cross a stage; Trick your opponent; Develop your strategy.

• Troll: a Troll card has no icons and handicaps the receiving deck. During your play phase, you can add one of your Troll cards on top of your opponent's personal deck. If both Troll cards of your color are in play, you must wait for one to be returned to you before you can replay it.
• Untroll: to be played in reaction during your opponent's phase; blocks the cunning Troll. Or, during your play phase, search into your draw pile for a Troll card and return it to its owner.
• Storm: Place your Storm Troll card in front of your opponent, facing STORMUR. During their next play phase, he will not be able to Recruit, nor Complete a stage. At the end of the phase, turn the card over to the OVEDUR side. In the next phase, your opponent will not be able to recruit. At the end of this new phase, your card comes back to you.
• Great Weather: To be played in reaction during your opponent's phase, allowing you to avoid the Storm.
• Axe: During your play phase, randomly draw 1 card from your opponent's hand. After looking at it, choose whether to play it immediately as one of your own or not, then place it in your opponent's discard pile.
• Shield: to be played in reaction during your opponent's play phase; blocks the Axe trick.
• Plot: During your play phase, remove 2 cards from the Assembly and place them face down under the Assembly deck. The empty Assembly slots are immediately replaced by the two new cards.
• Veteran: as soon as a player wins the Dragvendil stage, until the end of the game he now plays with 5 cards in hand instead of 4. His opponents do the same at the end of their next playing phase (even if they do not pass the stage). Therefore all the players will continue to 5 cards as soon as a player wins the Dragvendil stage.