Board Game Northgard - Uncharted Lands

A deck-building strategy with territory control mechanics inspired by the famous video game «Northgard». In this game based on Scandinavian mythology, players control Viking clans that set out to explore a mysterious continent.

Viking Deck-Building Battles

Rumor has it that there are rich lands beyond the seas that await a new ruler. Craving fame and power, clan leaders send their bravest warriors to explore these distant shores... Who will become the ruler of the uncharted lands of Northgard?

In this game, you become the leaders of clans from the «Northgard» universe. Using your own deck of cards, you will try to improve the fate of your people. Your decisions will determine whether you can win this fierce battle for new territories, fame, and wealth.

Gameplay

The game lasts a certain number of years (rounds). Each year consists of 5 phases. 

1. Start of the Year

At the beginning of each year, a player draws 4 cards from his deck. If the deck is empty, he shuffles his discard pile and forms a new deck from it.

2. Actions

Starting with the first player and continuing clockwise, each player performs 1 action on his turn. This continues until everyone passes. During this phase, players can perform several actions. On their turn, the player chooses which action to perform.

• Play a card. The player chooses 1 card from their hand, places it face-up in the active zone, and applies the effect of the played card.
• Wait. The player chooses a card from their hand and places it in the active zone without applying its effect.
• Replace a card. The player chooses a card from their hand and places it in the active zone without applying its effect. They spend 1 knowledge to take the top card from their deck.
• Remove a card. The player chooses a card from their hand and spends 2 knowledge to return it to the box. The player then draws two cards from their deck.
• Improve. The player chooses a card from their hand and places it in the active zone without applying its effect, OR removes it from play. They then spend 3 knowledge to gain an upgrade. Having chosen one of their clan`s upgrade cards, the player takes it into their hand. They can now play this card.
• Save. The player discards the remaining cards from their hand (if any) and all cards from their active zone. They then choose one of the displayed development cards (or an achievement card if it is the seventh year) and put it on top of their deck.  

The player who passed first gets the first player token.

3. Harvesting

Starting with the first player and continuing clockwise, players gain fame points and harvest resources from territories they control.

• Gaining fame points for closed territories

A player gains fame points for each territory they control. Territories on two tiles are worth 1 point each. Territories on more tiles (3 or more) are worth 2 points each.

• Gathering Resources and Glory

The player scores 3 points for each controlled Altar of Kings;
The player receives one resource for each corresponding symbol on controlled territories and/or buildings. 

• Resource Exchange

Players can exchange their resources for resources from the general supply. For 3 resources of the same type discarded, the player receives 1 desired resource.

4. Wintering

Starting with the first player and continuing clockwise, each player spends resources to hibernate. The number of resources needed depends on the number of his warriors on the playing field. If a player cannot spend the required amount of resources for his warriors, he must pay the maximum amount of resources possible and then take the top card from the chaos deck and place it on top of his deck. Chaos cards have no effect. They cannot be removed from the deck.

5. End of the Year

Players check the end of the game condition (if any player controls at least 3 closed territories with at least 1 large structure (altar of kings, forge, fortress) in each of them). If no one fulfills this condition, a new year (round) begins.

Effects

The players` starting cards contain 4 possible effects: recruitment, research, movement and construction. The "Banquet" card is a joker that allows you to apply any of the 4 effects. The development and clan cards indicate various effects that allow you to take cards or apply special effects.

• Recruitment. The player places the number of new soldiers indicated on the card in the controlled territories.
• Construction. The player spends wood and places a new structure token in the controlled territory. Small structures are built on small cells, and large structures are built on large ones. The built structures provide various bonuses.
• Movement. The player performs the number of movements indicated on the map. When performing a single movement, the player selects any number of soldiers in his territory and moves them to an adjacent territory, crossing the border between these territories. To cross a difficult border, an additional movement must be spent. When soldiers move to enemy territory, they stop, and then the battle begins.
• Exploration. The player takes a new terrain tile and places it on the playing field. Research can only be performed from an open (not closed) controlled territory. The player attaches a new terrain tile to any of his open territories, laying it out orthogonally. Borders cannot be interrupted. Territories with soldiers from different players cannot be combined. If a player completes one or more territories, he gains glory points for each newly closed controlled territory.

Battle

When warriors from different players find themselves in the same territory (usually as a result of movement), a battle immediately begins. The participants in the battle count their warriors: 1 warrior = 1 battle point. The attacker also adds battle points from the movement effects of played cards and/or clan skills. The defender adds battle points for buildings and/or clan skills. Then, opponents can spend food to gain additional battle points. By rolling the dice, players receive dropped bonuses - battle points and/or skulls to destroy enemy warriors.

The players sum up and compare the total number of battle points. For each skull of the opponent, the player loses 1 warrior. If a player loses all of his warriors, he loses the battle. Otherwise, the player with the most battle points wins. If the player who lost the battle has any warriors left, he must retreat to adjacent territories. He cannot retreat to territories controlled by his opponent.

End of the game and determining the winner

The game ends if one of the following conditions is met:

• Any player controls at least 3 closed territories with at least 1 large structure (altar of kings, forge, fortress) in each of them. That player becomes the winner.
• The seventh year ends. Players add up the points on the tokens in their supply, add the points for sets of three resources, and the points on development and achievement cards. Players lose 5 points for each of their chaos cards. The player with the most glory points wins.

The Creatures Module

There are many strange creatures in the uncharted lands of Northgard. Exploring new lands, players will encounter packs of creatures and their lairs. Creatures will pose a threat and hinder the development of clans. Their actions are determined by the game algorithm and priority system.

Some creatures have permanent abilities. Some can peacefully coexist with the player`s warriors, while others immediately attack strangers. And although these creatures pose a serious threat to the clans, players gain glory points by defeating them, and therefore get closer to victory even faster.

The Creatures Module makes the game more varied and complex. It contains figures of wolves, brown bears, draugr, and cursed valkyries with corresponding cards. The creatures have special effects described on these cards.