Hnefatafl: Viking board game

Modern interpretation of the ancient board game.

Archaeological finds in Viking burial sites at Birka, Sweden, inspired the pieces.

The board is a 2-sided design that allows 7X7 or 9X9 board sizes.

Printed at Penn State Abington MakerSpace , proudly featuring Prusa printers!

All models are original to me, modeled in Fusion 360 here:

• attacker https://a360.co/3H6ZQ8g
• defender https://a360.co/4kfG0q3
• defender (hollowed) https://a360.co/45jWOr9
• king https://a360.co/44KkVPL
• king (hollowed) https://a360.co/4jd8eQQ
• 9 X 9 board (XL only) https://a360.co/4mpkkcn

Generally, print settings can be as you wish, but these were some of my settings:

• 0.4 extruder
• 0.1 DETAIL
• PETG
• No support
• Pieces printed with a brim; board without
• Fill pattern: see notes below
• Fill density: see notes below
• Top and bottom fill pattern: Concentric
• Filaments: Extrusion multiplier 1.05

Attackers : printed on a Prusa MK4 using black PETG. Fill pattern Gyroid with density 10%.

Defenders and king : printed on a Prusa MK4 with MMU using transparent blue and white PETG. I experimented with several settings to play with translucency:

• One set at 100% infill
• One set at 10% concentric infill
• One set was hollowed out and printed at 100% infill

I preferred the weight of the solid infill pieces, but the hollowed models were the most translucent (though not glass-like).

Board : printed on a Prusa XL 5T using shiny gold and matte-finished red PLA in varying patterns to generate different board size configurations. Fill pattern Grid with density 10%.

An interesting feature of this design is the chamfered channels on both sides. When printed, the channels on the build plate side function as a set of expansion joints, as seen in sidewalks for controlling cracks. I've never had a more successful large-area print than with this. It prints DEAD FLAT, covering the whole XL plate, with no brims or helper disks needed.

If anyone expresses interest in a board that does not require the XL, let me know, and I'll create and publish one in snap-together pieces.

HISTORY AND RULES

Hnefatafl is a great “lost” board game with a long history:

• http://tafl.cyningstan.com/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tafl_games

I wanted to create one inspired by historical ornamental glass sets:

• http://tafl.cyningstan.com/page/92/archaeological-finds

There are many variations on the rules, all of which can be played using the 2-sided board:

• https://aagenielsen.dk/tafl_rules.php