- BGG rank
- BGG #15,833
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Grav Armor
- 2–3 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 1982
- BGG rank
- BGG #15,040
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Star Viking
1981
Rules assistance for Star Viking
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2 players
- 60 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.8/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Star Viking
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Star Viking is a board game released in 1981 for 2 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Arnold Hendrick and its main mechanics are Trading and Tile Placement.
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About the game
Box back description: "Raiding vessels sweep across the star systems to loot glittering worlds. In system after system, dark cruisers materialize from hyperspace, launching a cloud of fighters to vaporize the local in-system patrol boats -- then comes the savage plunder of whole planets by powersuited raiding parties and grav-armor detachments." "Scattered thinly across the Outrim sector, the frigates of the Federate squadron desperately deploy, attempting to weld the undermanned planetary defenses and low-tech local militias into a cohesive force capable of resisting the star-born horror from beyond the rim -- the coming of the STAR VIKINGS." "STAR VIKING is a game of interstellar raiding and plunder for two players. Using a unique system of 12 mapboard tiles to represent the various star systems in the Outrim sector, it captures the tense uncertainty and the sudden, flashing battles of an interstellar war. Units represented include Viking cruisers, sloops, and fighters. Federate and local frigates, battle-cruisers, and patrol boats, as well as raiding detachments, security forces, grav-armor units, specialized warfare pods, and conventional low-tech armed forces ranging from atmospheric aircraft to stone-age hordes." A print-and-play version of this game is available for free, authorized download from http://dwarfstar.brainiac.com/ds_starviking.html
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- (Web published)
- Heritage USA
- Dwarfstar Games
Questions and answers
Star Viking supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Star Viking is 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 Star Viking for ages 10 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.
Star Viking has a complexity rating of 2.8 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.
Star Viking belongs to these categories: Economic, Wargame, and Print & Play. Its main mechanics are Trading and Tile Placement. 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 Star Viking are: Arnold Hendrick. 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 Star Viking 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.