Fjords (2005)

About this game

Between the 8th and 11th centuries, the Vikings had the world holding their breath. Always on the lookout for new land, they aren't above fighting their own countrymen. In this game, two clan leaders fight each other, using the right tactics, for a fruitful plot of land along Norway's coast. They quickly build up villages at strategic locations and fight with anything they can to ensure the larger portion of the region for their clan. Fjords: the tactical battle for the best land! The above is the description of the game from Hans im Glück. The game is played in two phases: the first phase, placing tiles and farms, mixes luck and skill; the second phase, claiming fields, has a Go-like enclosure dynamic that is all skill.

Does it fit your group?

• Group size. Works with 1 to 2. It has a designed solo mode.
• Rules load. At 1.7/5 this is a light game — explain it in a few minutes, good for a table that has not played much.
• Age. The publisher suggests 8 and up. That rates the rules rather than the artwork, so judge the box yourself for younger players.