Red North Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Overview
• Components
• Game Setup
  • 1 - Select Outposts
  • 2 - Remove Unused Components
  • 3 - Distribute Starting Stuff
  • 4 - Create Spring Muster Groups
• Game Structure
  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Ragnarok
  • Game End
• Game Play
• Deployment
  • Deploy Raiding Parties
  • Activate Outpost Powers
• Player Actions
  • Withdraw
  • Reinforce
  • Inspire
  • Promote
  • Invoke
  • Pass
• Resolution
  • A - Calculate Raid Points
  • B - Award Outposts
  • C - Award Glory Compensation
  • Resolution Example
  • D - Collect Outpost Tokens
  • E - Prepare the Next Round
• Game End
• Outposts
  • Green / Vinland
  • Purple / Frankenland
  • Red / Angleland
  • Yellow / Sax
  • Blue / Rus
• Gods
• Most Helpful Summary
  • Setup
  • Each Round

Game Overview

The game is played over three rounds: Spring, Summer, and Ragnarok. Victory Points (VP) are awarded to players who control Outposts at the end of each round. The player with the most VP at the end of the final round is declared the winner.

In each round, players secretly deploy forces to form a Raiding Party, aiming to capture or defend Outposts. During the round, players may take actions to reinforce their Party, inspire their troops, or invoke special powers. Once all players have passed, any remaining hidden cards are revealed, and the player with the most points in each colour gains control of that Outpost.

Components

• 5 Outpost tiles (1 per colour)
• 55 Raider cards (11 per colour)
• 5 Hero cards (1 per colour)
• 8 God cards
• 10 Jarl cards
• 4 Setup/Play guide cards
• 20 Glory tokens (Glory knows no bounds - if you run out of Glory tokens, use any suitable stand-in.)
• 16 VP tokens
• 3 special tokens: First Player token, Tie Breaker token, Champion token

Game Setup

1 - Select Outposts

Always include the green Outpost. Then, randomly select a number of additional Outposts equal to the number of players plus one. For example, with 4 players, you would use all 5 Outposts. Finally, place the selected Outposts near the centre of the play area, so that they are visible to all players.

2 - Remove Unused Components

The Outposts you selected in the first step determine the faction colours that are in play for this game. Remove all Outposts, Raider cards, and Hero cards of colours that are not in play from the game.

When playing with less than 4, remove Jarl cards based on player count:

• 3 players - remove 2 Jarl cards
• 2 players - remove 4 Jarl cards

3 - Distribute Starting Stuff

Give each player 1 Jarl card and 1 Glory token. Then, shuffle the remaining Jarl cards together with the Raider cards to form the draw deck. From this deck, deal 6 cards face-down to each player. These 6 cards and the Jarl form the starting hand. Give the First Player token to the player with the largest feet.

4 - Create Spring Muster Groups

At the start of Spring and Summer, you prepare the Muster Groups. Always create one more Muster Group than the number of players.

Create the Spring Muster Groups now: You have 1 Hero card per colour in play. Place them face-up in the centre of the play area. For each Hero card, draw 2 random cards from the draw deck and place them face-up under the Hero card - place them partially overlapping in a way that keeps colour and value of each card fully visible. Note that in Summer the number of cards in the Muster Groups is different.

Game Structure

The game is played over three rounds (Spring, Summer, and Ragnarok), with different setups and increasing rewards:

Spring

Outposts are worth 1 VP each. Each Muster Group contains:

• One Hero card per colour in play
• Two face-up cards from the draw deck

Summer

Outposts are worth 2 VP each. Each Muster Group contains:

• One random God card
• Three face-up cards from the draw deck

Ragnarok

Outposts are worth 3 VP each. No Muster Groups are created for this final round.

Game End

The game ends at the end of the third round (Ragnarok). Everybody (but Líf and Lífþrasir) dies. The player with the most VP is declared the winner all the same.

Game Play

Each round consists of three phases: Deployment, Player Actions and Resolution, in that order.

Deployment

Deploy Raiding Parties

Each player simultaneously chooses 3 cards from their hand and places them face-down in a row in front of them to form their Raiding Party.

After placement, the cards in your Raiding Party as well as their position generally do not change. You may only change them through specific actions during the Player Actions phase.

Activate Outpost Powers

If you control the red or the yellow Outpost, you may now use their special power. In the first round, since no player controls any Outposts, you can safely skip this step.

• If you control the red Outpost, Angleland, you may now give the First Player token to a player of your choice, or decide to keep it for yourself.
• If you control the yellow Outpost, Sax, you may now select a single Raider card from the discard pile and place it face-up to either the left or right end of your Raiding Party.

Player Actions

Starting with the player with the First Player token and proceeding clockwise, players take turns performing one action at a time. Continue until all players have passed. The available actions are:

Withdraw

Return a face-down card from your Raiding Party to your hand. Face-up cards may not be withdrawn. If this creates a gap in the middle of your Party, slide the remaining cards together to close the gap.

Reinforce

Turn one face-down card in your Raiding Party face-up, then add one card from your hand face-up to either end of your Party. You may not add cards to the middle of your Party, and you may not take this action if you have no face-down cards remaining.

Inspire

Place 1 Glory token on a face-up Raider or Hero in your Party. Each Glory token adds +1 to the Raid Points for that colour. Glory tokens may not be placed on Jarls.

Promote

Place the Champion token on a face-up Jarl in your Party. That Jarl now adds +2 Raid Points to each adjacent Raider or Hero in your Party (rather than +1). This action is only available if you control the blue Outpost and have the Champion token.

Invoke

Use the special ability of a God card you control. You may only do this once per game. Discard the God card after use. This action is only available in the third round: Ragnarok. See "Gods" for further details on each God card.

Pass

Take one of the remaining Muster Groups into your hand. Once you pass, you may not take any further actions this round. You skip your future turns.

Apart from the special abilities of Outposts and Gods, this is the only way you gain new cards to your hand. Your hand size is not limited.

Resolution

Once all players have passed, resolve the round in the following order:

A - Calculate Raid Points

First, turn all face-down cards in each player's Raiding Party face-up.

Then, for each colour, each player totals the Raid Points of all cards of that colour in their Raiding Party.

• Jarls add +1 Raid Point to each adjacent Raider or Hero in the Raiding Party. They do not affect other Jarls.
• Glory tokens add +1 Raid Point to the colour of the card they're placed on.
• Outposts controlled by a player add their printed Raid Points to that player's strength in the corresponding colour.

Values: Raider 2 Raid Points; Hero 4 Raid Points; Jarl +1 to adjacent cards; Glory +1 to colour placed on; Outpost: printed value.

B - Award Outposts

The player with the most Raid Points in each colour wins or retains control of that colour's Outpost and scores VP, based on the current round:

Round	1 - Spring	2 - Summer	3 - Ragnarok
Score per Outpost	1 VP	2 VP	3 VP

If two or more players are tied for highest, the player with the Tie Breaker token takes it. If none holds the Tie Breaker token, the Outpost is returned to the centre. No player controls it.

Note that the Tie Breaker token does not change hands yet. So, even if you take the green Outpost from another player in this round, this will not allow you to break ties for control of other Outposts in this round.

Place any Outposts you control in front of you.

C - Award Glory Compensation

Take 1 Glory token for each colour you did not win, in which you had at least one Raider or Hero of a matching colour in your Party.

Outposts lost without a battle - meaning you had no Raider or Hero of that colour in your Raiding Party - do not grant you any Glory, even if the Outpost itself has Raid Points.

Resolution Example

Håkkå gains 1 Glory, for green. Rikki gains 3 Glory, for red, blue, and purple. Gorðon gains 2 Glory, for blue and red. (In the example, green goes to Gorðon; red becomes uncontrolled, as neither Rikki nor Gorðon has the Tie Breaker; purple and blue go to Håkkå, as he has the Tie Breaker.)

D - Collect Outpost Tokens

If you control an Outpost that grants a token or lets you draw cards, do so now. The Outpost indicates when and how to use those tokens.

• Red / Angleland: Take the First Player token.
• Green / Vinland: Take the Tie Breaker token.
• Blue / Rus: Take the Champion token.
• Purple / Frankenland: Draw 2 cards from the deck.

If the red Outpost, Angleland, is not in play, give the First Player token to the player with the most VP. In the event of a tie, if none of the tied players controls the green Outpost, the player that currently has the First Player token keeps it.

E - Prepare the Next Round

Return all Glory tokens from all Raiding Parties to the supply. Discard all cards from all Raiding Parties. The first time this happens, create the discard pile and place it next to the draw deck.

Finally, discard the unclaimed Muster Group, but set aside the unclaimed Hero card - it may still come into play during Ragnarok.

At the end of Spring, create the Summer Muster Groups: Randomly select God cards, one more than the number of players. Place them face-up in the centre of the play area. Then, under each God card, place 3 random cards from the draw deck face-up. Remove unused God cards from the game.

At the end of Summer, do not create Muster Groups. Only Ragnarok remains, and you will not need new Raiders after that...

Game End

At the end of the third round (Ragnarok), the game ends.

Proceed with the Resolution phase as usual, with the following exceptions:

• D - Collect Outpost Tokens: Do not collect Outpost tokens or draw any cards, except for the Tie Breaker token.
• E - Prepare the Next Round: Skip this step entirely.

Finally, add up each player's VP. The player with the highest total is declared the winner.

In the event of a tie, if one of the tied players holds the Tie Breaker token, they win the game. Surprise! If none of the tied players holds that token, resolve tiebreakers in the following order:

1. The player with the most unused Glory tokens wins.
2. The player with the most cards remaining in hand wins.
3. The tied player closest in turn order to the current First Player wins.

Note that there is no second place in Red North - only victory, or defeat.

Outposts

When you gain an Outpost at the end of a round, take the corresponding tile (from the play area, or from another player, or retain it if already held) and place it in front of you. Outposts grant you special abilities.

Green / Vinland

In the Resolution phase, after Outposts are awarded, take the Tie Breaker token. The Tie Breaker token denotes you as the player that wins all ties that you are part of, including final victory. Note that the Tie Breaker token is never "used" per se, it only marks the Tie Breaker player. (Card: While you hold the Tie Breaker token, you win all ties.)

Purple / Frankenland

In the Resolution phase, after Outposts are awarded, draw 2 additional cards from the deck to your hand.

Red / Angleland

In the Resolution phase, after Outposts are awarded, take the First Player token. After Deployment, give the First Player token to a player of your choice, or decide to keep it for yourself.

Yellow / Sax

After Deployment, you may select 1 Raider card from the discard pile and add it face-up to either side of your Raiding Party. Do this before the First Player takes their first action.

Blue / Rus

In the Resolution phase, after Outposts are awarded, take the Champion token. During the Player Actions phase of the following round, as an action, you may use this token to empower one of your Jarls (see "Promote").

Gods

Gods appear in the Summer round as part of the Muster Groups. When you pass during the Summer round, place the God you receive face-up in front of you. To use its power, you may invoke that God once, as an action during the Ragnarok round, after which you discard it.

• Thor - Retrieve the Hero card discarded as part of the leftover Muster Group at the end of the Spring round, and add it to your hand.
• Loki - Take 2 Glory tokens from the supply and immediately place them on any cards in your Party, face-up or face-down. As usual, Glory tokens may not be placed on Jarls. Not even Loki would dare to break that rule.
• Odin - Gain 2 VP: take a 2VP token.
• Freya - Draw 1 card from the deck, look at it secretly, and place it face-down at either end of your Raiding Party. This may result in your Party consisting of 4 face-down cards, which rocks.
• Nornir - Retrieve all Glory tokens from all cards in your Raiding Party. You may replay them later this round individually, as regular actions.
• Tyr - Draw 4 cards from the deck and add them to your hand.
• Saga - Turn 1 card of your choice in each opponent's Raiding Party face-up. Skip players who have no face-down cards in their Party.
• Hel - Search the discard pile for any 1 Jarl or Raider card and place it face-up anywhere in your Raiding Party - even between other cards.

Most Helpful Summary

Setup

1. Select (number of players +1) Outposts. Always include green.
2. Remove Heroes, Raiders and Outposts of unused colours. With 2 players, remove 4 Jarl cards. With 3 players remove 2 Jarl cards.
3. Give each player 1 Jarl and 1 Glory. Deal each player 6 cards.

Round	1 - Spring	2 - Summer	3 - Ragnarok
Muster Groups	Hero + 2 cards	God + 3 cards	no Muster Groups
Outpost Score	1 VP	2 VP	3 VP

Each Round

• Deployment (simultaneously): Place 3 cards face-down to form your Raiding Party.
• Player Actions: take one action in turn until all pass.
  • Reinforce: turn a card in your Party face-up and add a new card face-up
  • Withdraw: return a face-down card from your Party back to your hand
  • Inspire: add 1 Glory token to a face-up card in your Party
  • Invoke: use your God power (once only, during Ragnarok)
  • Promote: place the Champion token on a face-up Jarl in your Party (only available if you control the blue Outpost)
  • Pass: take a Muster Group into your hand. No further actions this round
• Resolution: A Calculate Raid Points; B Award Outposts (most Raid Points per colour); C Award Glory compensation (1 per battle fought and lost); D Collect Outpost tokens and cards; E Prepare next round (and determine First Player, if necessary).