Eketorp

Eketorp is a game set in Viking times. The object of the game is to build up a sturdy wall around your castle. You are in competition with up to 5 other players for the various resources to do so, but you have to defend your wall against other players attempting to raid it for materials.

The game board consists of three areas. In the middle are the 7 resource areas, designated A through G. A, B, and C are grass areas, D and E are lumber, F is clay, and G is stone. The second area is the Field Hospital, where wounded vikings go. It has four areas, depending on how wounded the viking was (3-5, 1-2, 0, and ready to return). Finally, around the outside are the six castles. Each castle has six wall segment areas, each pair of which is covered by a siege field (ship, ram, and catapult).

The game mechanics are fairly simple. Each player starts out with four battle cards, which are denominated 1 through 6, 5 amulets, and 5, 6, or 8 vikings, depending on the number of players. There is a deck of material cards, which determines which materials are available where. At the start of each turn, one of these cards is drawn and the materials indicated on it are distributed. Then, players secretly allocate their available vikings. Vikings can be allocated to a field to pick up material, a siege field to attempt to steal some material from an opponent, or to defend your own castle from attacks. On the first turn, players may not allocate vikings to a siege field. After all players have allocated their vikings, they are placed on the board, and the conflict begins. Conflict occurs in 1) any field containing more vikings than materials (unless all vikings are the same player's) and 2) in any siege field containing at least one viking. In the case of the siege fields, if more than one viking exists in the siege field, they must fight each other until only one is left before the wall can be attacked.

The combat mechanism is very simple. Each player chooses one of his battle cards, and they are revealed together. The higher card wins. The losing viking goes to the field hospital in the space that matches the difference between the cards. If the cards were the same, then both vikings go to the field hospital in the 0 space. Then, each player gives the card they played to the opponent. These cards are set aside and will become your new hand when you have used all of your existing cards. At any time, you may use one or more of your amulets to get an entirely new hand – one amulet per card, but you have to exchange your whole hand. Battles are resolved one at a time with the starting player determining selecting one battle, then the next player selects one until all battles are resolved.

In the case of sieges, if the defender loses, he goes to the field hospital space one better than the difference. Thus, if the difference between the cards was 4, the defender goes to the 1-2 space. If the difference was 0, then he comes right back to the castle. If the attacker wins a siege, he may break down the difference between the cards in blocks the two wall segments covered by the particular siege field. Grass is worth 1, lumber 2, clay 3, and stone 4. Of the blocks broken down, he may take one back to add to his home wall.

Once all battles are resolved, players take materials back to their castles and use it to build up their wall. Walls can be stacked up to 3 high. Then all vikings in the field hospital move one space to the better. Thus all vikings in the 3-5 space move to the 1-2 space, and so on, with the vikings ending up in the ready to return space being available for use in the next turn. The game ends when any player collects at least 18 material blocks, or after 10 turns, whichever comes first.

The winner is determined by the total number of points scored. Each material block counts for its worth, each unused amulet is worth 1 point, and if you have competed your wall, you gain 5 points.

Overall, the game is enjoyable, and suitable for pbm play. It is published by Queen Games and retails for between $30 and $40.