Boats Update - It's Viking Voyage!

Last week, I contacted Master Beorhtlic and asked him for a bit more background on the Boats game. The game’s more formal name is “Viking Voyage.” Master Beorhtlic learned the game from a friend who had been gifted with a set, and he could neither confirm nor deny whether the game has any basis in period. From that information, I did some digging and learned that Viking Voyage was invented in 1993 by Jeff Loader. Jeff and his wife, Jennie Loader, documented the game in their book, Making Board, Peg & Dice Games.

The book is unfortunately no longer in print, but I was able to locate a used copy which arrived today. I am pleased to say that the game I’ve described in these pages is essentially the same as the original. There are minor differences in the way the game board is colored. The “Weather Movement Die” is called the “Fortune Die,” and is numbered 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3. Play regarding the islands is slightly different, and no provision is made for two players sharing, or not sharing, a square. His boats look a lot more like Viking longboats.

Even with these minor differences, Viking Voyage, aka “Boats,” is a fun little game that everyone can enjoy. It has been well received everywhere I’ve taken it, and I look forward to hauling it around for many years to come. In fact, I’m working on more portable designs!