Hnefatafl forum

What precisely do you want to know? I have both. Murray's full description is nine pages long, but I can give you his introductory paragraph that contains the gameplay. Scandinavia and Iceland: Tafl, hnefatafl (HC. 445); Pre-conquest England: Tafl; Wales: Tawlbwrdd (F. R. Lewis); Ireland: name unre...

Does someone know about the precise hnefatafl descriptions of Murray and Bell?

The shieldwall rule. Does somebody know the origin of the hnefatafl shieldwall rule? The rule is explained in this German page: http://www.hnefatafl.net/englisch/ehnefatafl.html#Schildwall The Shieldwallrule Shieldwallrule means the application of the double trap and the capture of the king on the ...

Summary on the Sea Battle Tafl:
http://aagenielsen.dk/seabattle_summary.php

Summary on the Copenhagen Hnefatafl:
http://aagenielsen.dk/copenhagen_summary.php

Summary on the Saami Tablut:
http://aagenielsen.dk/tablut_summary.php

Yet some general reflections. Balance. It's often been claimed that game balance is not that crucial, because any size of unbalance can be overcome by always playing two games, one of each color. Reductio ad absurdum, this argument would be equally valid for a perfectly unbalanced game: white always...

Adam wrote:I've taught 11x11 hnefatafl to classes of six and seven year olds in five minutes

Then perhaps Welsh tafl is the simplest pedagogical variant, and simpler not needed.

As a beginners' first tafl, I wonder if there is a tafl to be found with all pieces unarmed and king wins on edge?

Did they enjoy the games? Do you think they'll play again? They did enjoy the games, and so did I. They were immediately ready to play the game and without having to think much about the rules. Not like earlier times when I with other beginners tried Skalk 11x11, Fetlar 11x11, Tablut 11x11 (Fetlar ...