- BGG rating
- 7.2
The North Sea Runesaga
- 2–4 players
- 180–240 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2016
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,258
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Explorers of the North Sea
2016
Rules assistance for Explorers of the North Sea
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 45–60 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.1/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Explorers of the North Sea
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Explorers of the North Sea is a board game released in 2016 for 1–4 players, 45–60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Shem Phillips and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Set Collection, and Area Majority / Influence.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Explorers of the North Sea: Rocks of Ruin
- 1–5 players
- 60–80 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2018
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Explorers of the North Sea: The Crew Mini-Expansion
- 1–4 players
- 45–60 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2020
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About the game
Explorers of the North Sea is set in the latter years of the Viking Age. As ambitious sea captains, players seek out new lands to settle and control. They will need to transport their crew among the newly discovered islands to capture livestock, construct outposts and fulfill various other goals. So ready the longships, there are new horizons to explore! Gameplay Overview Each player starts with 7 Vikings and a Longboat on a shared, central Island. From there players will place tiles and begin to venture out to the newly discovered Islands. Proceeding clockwise from the starting player, each player takes their turn in full. On their turn, players first place 1 of their 3 tiles, expanding the game board. They can then take up to 4 actions (any number of the following): 1. Load Longship 2. Unload Longship + Deliver Livestock 3. Move Longship + Destroy an Enemy Ship 4. Move Vikings + Raid a Settlement 5. Transport Livestock 6. Construct an Outpost (costs 2 actions) After taking their actions, players draw a new tile to their hand, ending their turn. End of the Game The game ends immediately after the turn where the player holding the Winter Token has no more Tiles in hand. This should be exactly 48 turns (there are 48 Tiles). Victory Points are gained from: 1. Delivered Livestock 2. Constructed Outposts 3. Destroyed Enemy Ships 4. Raided Settlements 5. Viking Deaths 6. Controlled Islands 7. Captain Cards The player with the highest total is the winner!
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Lavka Games
- Pixie Games
- White Goblin Games
- Renegade Game Studios
- Schwerkraft-Verlag
- Garphill Games
Questions and answers
Explorers of the North Sea 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 Explorers of the North Sea is 45–60 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 Explorers of the North Sea 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.
Explorers of the North Sea has a complexity rating of 2.1 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.
Explorers of the North Sea belongs to these categories: Animals, Exploration, and Medieval. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Set Collection, and Area Majority / Influence. 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 Explorers of the North Sea are: Shem Phillips. 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 Explorers of the North Sea 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.