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!

MODELING NOTES

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 

PRINTING NOTES

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%.

CHAMFERED CHANNELS = DEAD FLAT LARGE AREA PRINT!

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