
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Blood of the Northmen: Test of Faith
- 1–4 players
- 2022

2021
Rules assistance for Blood of the Northmen
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Blood of the Northmen is a board game released in 2021 for 1–4 players, 15–60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Carl Chudyk and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Point to Point Movement.
In the time of Vikings, gather and manoeuvre warbands to form the nation of Bjarmia under your banner, or defeat other players to prove your battle prowess. Build the map as you play, with untamed forests, pristine lakes, harsh mountains, and a sprawling network of roads connecting fledgling towns. Earn actions with your map placements depending on the features of each tile you choose to add. Blood of the Northmen a game by Carl Chudyk (Glory To Rome, Innovation, Impulse) taking players north of Europe into the wild Nordic lands of the 9th century. Each player controls his own Viking clan with a unique ability. Players playing tiles from hand together build a board on which they place their warriors. Each tile in the game is both a board element, an action card, and strength in a fight. During the game, players gain victory points by fighting other clans, as well as by taking strategic settlements. The game is filled with negative interaction and a huge amount of strategy and tactics. The game has an unusual and unique mechanics of using tiles, not yet seen in other games. 120 unique tiles, 48 high detailed figures and 12 Strongholds are just some of the items in the box. —description from the designer
Blood of the Northmen supports 1–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Blood of the Northmen is 15–60 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Blood of the Northmen for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Blood of the Northmen has a complexity rating of 2.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Blood of the Northmen belongs to these categories: Fighting, Territory Building, and Puzzle. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Point to Point Movement. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Blood of the Northmen are: Carl Chudyk. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Blood of the Northmen as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.