Ever dreamed of being a Viking?
I’m thinking most gamers have.
In my little gaming circle one of the gang actually dresses up in chain mail and spends days swinging a sword in Viking re-enactments, his wife a trusty archer.
It does’nt hurt the era of the Viking has always been one Hollywood and TV have liked to take to film.
That probably started in 1958 with the star-studded ‘The Vikings’.
“Viking Prince Einar (Kirk Douglas) doesn’t know it, but his most fearsome enemy, the slave Eric (Tony Curtis), is actually his half-brother. Their feud only intensifies when Einar kidnaps Princess Morgana (Janet Leigh), the intended bride of the brutal King Aella (Frank Thring). Einar intends to make the beautiful girl his own. Unfortunately for him, Morgana has eyes only for Eric -- leading to much bloodshed and the capture of their father, King Ragnar (Ernest Borgnine),” details Wikipedia.
It is a classic film still very much worth a viewing.
More recently there is ‘Vikings’, a Canadian Irish drama series launched in 2013, and just about to return with its third outstanding series.
“Viking Ragnar Lothbrok is a young farmer and family man who is frustrated by the policies of Earl Haraldson, his local chieftain who sends his Viking raiders east to the Baltic states and Russia, whose residents are as poor as the Norsemen. Ragnar wants to head west, across the ocean, to discover new civilizations. With assistance from his friend Floki, Ragnar builds a faster, sleeker fleet of boats to help him make it to the Western world. Through the years Ragnar, who claims to be a direct descendant of the god Odin, continues to struggle with Earl until the two face each other in a final battle for supremacy. Following that, Ragnar goes on a search for new lands to conquer,” details Wikipedia.
This is a series that is about as realistic as you can get in terms of the harshness of the era, and the bloodiness of the battles. A History Channel offering it is as good as television gets.
And that brings me back to the gaming table where you can ‘get your Viking on’ with the 2015 release Blood Rage.
“Odin All-Father, in his wisdom, always knew Ragnarök would come. He never found a way to prevent the destruction of Midgard. Lesser creatures can only cower and wait for the end.
“But not you. You are a Viking, leader of a proud and ancient clan. Even in the face of final doom for all the world, you will command your warriors on the field of battle, conquering and pillaging as you were born to do. The gods are generous in their twilight hours, bestowing gifts and boons upon you. Even the most monstrous creatures of Midgard seek to find glory in the little time they have left, and so they too may join you in your assault. You will use everything you have left to earn your place in Valhalla by besting all other clans, achieving the last victory the world will ever know.
“Life is fleeting, but glory is eternal. Now is the time for rage,” reads the fluff in the Blood Rage ruleset.
That grabs my attention as a Vikings fan, and a gamer.
In Blood Rage, each player controls their own Viking clan’s warriors, leader, and ship. Ragnarök has come, and it’s the end of the world!
It’s the Vikings’ last chance to go down in a blaze of glory and secure their place in Valhalla at Odin’s side!
“The goal of the game is to achieve the greatest amount of glory before the world finally comes to its fiery end. You gain glory through victory in battle, through pillaging, accomplishing quests for the gods, and dying valiantly in battle. The game progresses through three Ages, as Ragnarök slowly consumes the world. The player with the most g the most glory at the end is the winner,” details the rules.
The Blood Rage game board is a map of the mythical terrain around Yggdrasil, the great tree that binds the nine worlds together. The land is divided into nine provinces. The center province is Yggdrasil. There are eight outer provinces around it, divided into three regions: Manheim, Alfheim and Jotunheim.
The components of Blood Rage are top notch. The boards are thick and will last.
The miniatures have lots of detail for a board game. For the painter they could be made quite striking with some customization.
Game play is easy enough to pick up, and while not overly deep, it is highly entertaining.
The game moves forward, with each phase creating greater confrontation, and tougher choices. It is a plus when a game design ensures a ramping up of the key themes.
The end game might come off a bit too much in favour of players, rather than the ‘game’, but play a few times and like most gamers you’ll be able to find a way to tweak the game if you feel the need.
While the game is higher-priced, all the plastic miniatures, but it’s worth it if a gang gets together for a few gaming sessions. It’s then the same sort of entertainment cost as a movie night, or Junior hockey game for the group.
So, check out the game at www.bloodrage.com
