1
Complete preparation phase
Draw the top viking attack card, place that many vikings on the battlefield, then discard the card; reveal the top marriage card and place it above the marriage track
2
Note final round trigger
When the Danish Princess is revealed, this becomes the last round of the game
3
Receive cards
Shuffle all action cards and deal 8 cards each (3 players), 6 cards each (4 players), or 5 cards each (5 players)
4
Set aside extras
With 3-4 players, place remaining cards face-down without looking at them
5
Select two cards
Choose 2 cards from your hand and place them face-down in front of you
6
Pass remaining cards
Give all remaining hand cards to the player on your left
7
Repeat selection
Choose 2 more cards from newly received cards and add to your face-down pile
8
Continue until complete
Keep passing and selecting until all dealt cards are in players' face-down piles
9
Pick up your deck
Take your selected cards into your hand for the action phase
10
Designate active town
The player with the "Active Town" marker places it on any town without a disc
11
Lead the trick
That player must play a card matching the town's color (red, blue, yellow) or a white royal card
12
Follow in order
Other players clockwise each play one card; any card may be played regardless of color or value
13
Determine trick winner
The player with the highest value card matching the active town's color wins; white royal cards count as the active town's color
14
Resolve actions by card value
Starting with the lowest value card played, each player performs their card's action
15
Discard played cards
After resolving, place cards in a discard pile that cannot be examined
16
Continue tricks
Repeat until all players have exactly 1 card remaining
17
End action phase
Discard final cards and proceed to maintenance phase
18
Claim active town
Place your disc on the active town and take the "Active Town" marker (primary actions only)
19
Gain coins
Take 1 coin from the supply; coin supply is unlimited
20
Pay coins
Return 1 coin to supply; if unable, lose 2 points instead (only time points substitute for coins)
21
Gain renown
Take 1 renown marker from supply; renown supply is unlimited
22
Place temple discs
Put 1 disc on the temple, then optionally spend 2 coins per additional disc
23
Remove vikings
Take 1 viking from the battlefield, then optionally spend 2 coins per additional viking removed
24
Advance on marriage track
Move your disc up 1 space, then optionally spend 2 coins per additional space
25
Expand territory
Spend 5 coins to place a disc on any town connected by road to a town you control with no intervening towns
26
Remove viking control
Take a viking control marker off the board to reveal the disc underneath; that player regains control
27
Award marriage card
The player furthest ahead on the marriage track takes the marriage card and receives its benefits
28
Return to start
That player moves their disc back to the marriage track's starting space
29
Collect track bonuses
All other players receive bonuses shown on their current position
30
Handle ties at start
If all players are on the starting space, discard the marriage card
31
Choose Danish Princess option
If claiming the Danish Princess, select one:
32
Check battlefield
If no vikings remain, the attack was repelled successfully
33
Determine casualties
If vikings remain, the player with fewest viking markers loses one town
34
Clear battlefield
Return all vikings from the battlefield to the supply
35
Award first place spoils
Player with most viking markers gains 1 renown, then gains 1 point per renown owned, then returns all their viking markers to supply
36
Award remaining spoils
Player(s) with most viking markers after first place gain 1 point each and return 1 marker each
37
Note requirement
Players with no viking markers receive no battle rewards
38
Award monastery for majority
Player with most discs on temple places a monastery on any town they control without one
39
Award points for new majority
Player(s) with most discs after first resolution gain 1 point and retrieve 1 disc each
40
Award monasteries for threshold
In clockwise order from "Active Town" holder, each player with 4+ discs on temple places a monastery and retrieves all their temple discs
41
Check claim thresholds
For each face-down claim tile, count controlled towns in that region (including viking-controlled towns)
42
Flip eligible tiles
If town count meets or exceeds the region's border value, flip the tile face-up
43
Award claim tiles
For each face-up tile, the player controlling the most towns in that region takes the tile
44
Apply monastery bonus
Towns with monasteries count as 2 towns for both threshold and majority
45
Apply Danish Princess
If you have Military Support, viking-controlled towns count as yours for claims
