- Publisher : Pixie Games
- Designer : Shem Phillips
- Artist(s) : Mihajlo Dimitrievski
- Players : 1–4
- Playing time : 60 - 80 Min
- Weight BGG : 2.56
What's this?
As Viking warriors, players seek to impress the chieftain by raiding unsuspecting settlements. To do this, players must assemble a crew, gather supplies, and travel north to plunder gold, iron, and livestock.
How do you play?
The player on his turn can:
➡️ Place a worker on a village building to perform an action and Retrieve a worker from another building to perform a second action.
The village buildings:
🔸The Great Gate
Action: Draw 2 villager cards.
🔸The Jarl’s Residence
Action: Play a card from his hand to perform an action on the card
🔸The Treasure Room
Action: Discard cards to gain resources
🔸The Training Camp
Action: Recruit a crew member.
🔸The Armory
Action: Increase his position on the armament track.
🔸The Mill
Action: Collect provisions or gold depending on the worker’s color.
🔸The Goldsmith’s Workshop
Action: Earn silver coins.
🔸The Langhùs
Exchange livestock for provisions: Pay 1 livestock to receive 2 provisions.
Make an offering to the Jarl: Pay the resources indicated on an offering tile to recover it and score VP at the end of the game.
➡️ Alternatively, the player can launch a raid.
To raid an objective (port, monastery, outpost or fortress), a player must have:
A sufficient crew.
Provisions and, sometimes, gold.
A worker of the right color.
To do so Collect loot and resolve the effects of the valkyries.
➡️ At the end of the game, additional points are awarded for:
The valkyrie track.
The armament track.
The collected offering tiles.
The special crew cards.
The remaining loot
Is it good?
Raiders of the North Sea is a strategic board game that excels in combining simple, fluid and interesting mechanics.
The original idea of worker placement and collection brings a unique strategic depth to each turn.
The card management adds an additional layer of complexity, offering interesting tactical choices between improving your crew and immediate actions.
There is also a race for offerings to the Jarl, coupled with the competition for raids, creates a palpable tension throughout the game.
The high-quality material, especially the metal pieces, as well as the neat illustrations by The Mico contribute to the immersion in the Viking universe.
In summary, Raiders of the North Sea is an excellent choice for fans of worker placement and card management games looking for a rich and varied experience. The original mechanics, high replayability and production quality make it a must-have for initiated board game players.
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Review Raiders of the North Sea
Positives
- The mechanics of placing and retrieving workers
- A game that requires optimization and planning
- A racing feeling
- Quality material
- Depth and accessibility
- A sure bet in beginner difficulty
Negatives
- A tension and a racing sensation that won't please everyone
- A bit of luck with the dice
- A bit repetitive
Breakdown
- Components and illustrations 9.5
- Mechanics 8.5
- Thematic 8.0
- Replayability 8.5
- Handling 9.5
- Interaction 8.5
- Originality 8.0
