Hnefatafl forum

I see that you've implemented the time control. Anyone interested in testing the game with Fishbreath's style of time control? More generally, I propose this mutation from a single main-time chess clock: for a given chess clock length in minutes (say, 60), divide by six to get the tafl main time (10...

Love the article and the Historical Hnefatafl rule set. Nice having a historical and playable set of rules. 10. If the king, being in his own square or castle, is encompassed on three sides by his enemies, one of them standing in each of three of the squares numbered 2, he may move away by the fourt...

namely, that each AI plays each other AI twice, once with each side. If you can win faster, you're probably better than your opponent. I've always thought this sounded like a good way to approach Fetlar tournaments. Curious to see how it plays out. Next year, if this year is successful, I may move ...

I am interested in this idea of using the main time for the opening and then having larger overtime periods for mid-end game moves. Have you played any human games this way? It sounds like an interesting variation of how byo-yomi typically works. I will have to find some skilled human players to giv...

A 9x9 board is a little too easy to conquer with tried and tested, brute-force AI techniques, whereas the 11x11 board requires some extra thought, and, perhaps, innovation. I've played a number of 9 depth AI games with your AI and it has yet to beat me in 9x9 :P However my preference is what used t...

I have some questions/criticisms about your modifications to Fetlar. 1. No draws are allowed. Draw fort formations, where the king is free to move inside an invincible formation of defenders, have no special meaning. Would this not just create an infinite game? A white player in a draw fort with inf...

I've always liked byo-yomi as a time control mechanism. Would it not be better to use something like the Historical Tablut rules if you wish to reduce game length and draws? There's far more disparity between the length of a game and the side of the player in Fetlar and other corner escape variants ...

I prefer the Saami Tablut rules given here. I love the 11x11 Tablut variant found here which is the layout typically attributed to Tawlbwrdd and was found to be more balanced than other layouts for the Saami Tablut rules through a test tournament thus I doubt it has any historicity. However the 9x9 ...

I created a Tafl Game Generator in OpenSCAD for 3D printing. It does Brandubh, Ard Ri, Tablut, Tawlbwrdd, Hneftafl, and Alea Evangelii. STLs and Source provided. So if you have a 3D printer you can create a set for yourself or a friend. Thingiverse Link Example Prints [link not working] 2X Scale [li...

I am Alex. I have been playing Tafl for about a month. I came across references to the game years ago and finally started to play.

Systems Administrator by day and an aspiring Indie game dev by night. Sporadically 3D printing things.

Yep.