
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Viking Raiders: The Fortified Medieval Harbor
- 1–4 players
- 2 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 2009

1987
Rules assistance for Viking Raiders
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Viking Raiders is a board game released in 1987 for 2–6 players, 240 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Duccio Vitale, David Levell, Jean-Michel Clément, and Yves Fagherazzi and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Modular Board.
Viking Raiders or Vikings Knights of the Sea is both a self-standing game in it's own right and a companion game for Siege and Cry Havoc. On it's own Viking Raiders has four different scenarios. There are also two further scenarios which combine "Viking Raiders" with "Siege" and "Cry Havoc". Viking Raiders is a game of historical simulation during the era of Vikings in the 8th and 11th centuries. Viking Raiders leads you to the age of the great Viking raids on European coasts (8th to 11th century). It comes with 1 sea and 1 coast map in the Standard Games edition (2 sea and 2 coast maps plus 2 small cape maps, which equals the "Island Fortress" map set, in the Eurogames edition) and also ship counters and the corresponding rules and 7 different scenarios. The game is designed for two players but can be played with up to 4 players. Part of the Cry Havoc series.
Viking Raiders supports 2–6 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 Viking Raiders is 240 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 Viking Raiders 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.
Viking Raiders has a complexity rating of 2.4 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.
Viking Raiders belongs to these categories: Wargame and Medieval. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, 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 Viking Raiders are: Duccio Vitale, David Levell, Jean-Michel Clément, and Yves Fagherazzi. 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 Viking Raiders 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.