Holmgang: Duel at Eider is a fast paced two player game where you play a duel from the sagas. The print-and-play edition is now available and released under a Creative Commons licence.
Uffe, son of King Vermund of the Angles, defends his father’s honour and kingdom against the Saxon prince and their best fighter. Odds against him, can you recreate a win worthy for the history books?
The core of the game is rock-paper-scissors. Players simultaneously choose one or two cards that move, attack, or defend. They control one or two fighters in the confined space of the island. The game is quick if players are offensive but every card has a counter. Players draw a hand of cards from the same deck of 20 cards. Knowing the cards on your hand and the cards played, you can take a good guess at what the other player have on their hand. Do you play defensively and draw more cards or is now the time to spring your attack? The Saxon player controls two fighters and can deliver a crushing attack from two sides, but if Uffe can take out one opponent quick, the tide of the battle turns.
To shine up the game I purchased minis of historical Anglo-Saxons and Anglo-Danes from Gripping Beast. While I couldn’t find a perfect match for aging King Vermund on his throne, I’m quite happy with the bald and bearded warlord gazing the battlefield with a great axe at his side. Maybe Gripping Beast will expand their collection so you can buy a perfect set of four figures to play Holmgang: Duel at Eider?
Download the files for the print-and-play edition here.
