Viking (game)

Viking is a two-player board wargame published in 1975 by Simulations Publications, Inc., subtitled Tactical Warfare in the Dark Ages, 700 to 1300, simulating medieval battles fought across Europe and the Middle East. It began life as Dark Ages, released in 1971, and was revised and rebranded as Viking when it was incorporated into SPI's PRESTAGS system of tactical games in 1975. The game uses a tactical, I Go You Go turn structure in which each player commands historical forces such as Byzantines, Vikings, or Normans through phases of missile fire, movement, and combat. Nineteen scenarios are included, recreating famous medieval engagements such as the Battle of Tours, the Battle of Stamford Bridge, and the Battle of Hattin, and period-specific rules model details like francisca throwing axes, berserkers, and longboats. On release, Viking debuted at number seven on SPI's own bestseller list and was ranked fifty-fourth among 202 wargames in a 1976 popularity poll conducted among SPI's readers. Reviewers generally praised the game's accessibility and flexible scenario design, while some criticized its generic map and inaccuracies in the historical detail of certain scenarios.