Midgard 1986

This is a Japanese fantasy wargame based on Norse mythology. It traces the journeys of heroes guided by creators from parallel worlds—each aiming to conquer the other's realm—through a three-part structure: the quest for a key to access the other world, the invasion of that parallel world, and the imposition of divine judgment by the Knights of the Absolute God.

In Part 1, players use heroes from their own worlds to search for the key while simultaneously commanding tribes and monsters native to the opposing world. This phase unfolds on a single game board using two sets of pieces—distinguished by small markers—that move concurrently. Heroes traverse the worlds, engaging in combat or diplomacy with tribes and acquiring items such as keys, magic swords, and other artifacts. Combat is resolved through tactical mini-games played on a dedicated melee board.

Once the key is discovered, the game immediately transitions to Part 2. The heroes who found the key lead the tribes they have subjugated or befriended to invade the opposing world. The opposing player similarly leads their own world's tribes to resist the invasion. This phase is a wargame between tribes; the individual prowess of the heroes plays no role here.

Upon a successful conquest, Part 3 begins. The victor recruits the opposing hero to form a team of up to six members, while the loser takes on the role of the "Four Horsemen"—servants of the Absolute God—to mete out divine judgment. Defeating the Four Horsemen is the ultimate victory condition; however, as this represents *Ragnarök* (Twilight of the Gods), defeating them is nearly impossible without extraordinary circumstances.