
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,957
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Pax Viking
- 1–6 players
- 60–90 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2021

2024
Rules assistance for Vendel to Viking
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Vendel to Viking is a board game released in 2024 for 1–6 players, 60–120 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Jon Manker and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Area Majority / Influence, and Modular Board.
Vendel to Viking is a standalone prequel to Pax Viking for 1 to 6 players. While inspired by the clever mechanisms of Pax Viking, Vendel to Viking includes some significant differences in the game system as well as taking players back to the centuries prior to the Viking era. In Vendel to Viking, you are immersed in Nordic culture between 550 to 800 CE as you build your family’s legacy with every turn. You represent a family in one of the Nordic cultures that evolves into one of the prominent families of the Viking era. Each turn represents a generation and you seek to include the best formidable persons in your family as you evolve from generation to generation. You place family members on the map and use them for accessing different effects in various locations, such as worker actions or for even elevating them into a formidable person. When elevated to status, the family member is linked to a character card taken from a market and moved to an achievement tree. The Character goes to your family board and both their presence in the achievement tree and on the family board affects your family’s opportunities for the rest of the game. You must plan well before the centuries run out! The first to hold two Future-level achievements in the achievement tree wins. If no player manages to do so before a set number of turns, the one with the most points wins. In addition to having a robust Solo Mode, the end state of Vendel to Viking will interface with the starting state of a game of Pax Viking making it possible to play the two games as a Campaign.
Vendel to Viking supports 1–6 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 Vendel to Viking is 60–120 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 Vendel to Viking for ages 14 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.
Vendel to Viking has a complexity rating of 3.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a heavy 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.
Vendel to Viking belongs to these categories: Exploration, Medieval, and Nautical. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Area Majority / Influence, and Modular Board. 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 Vendel to Viking are: Jon Manker. 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 Vendel to 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.