Nordic Kingdoms

A Nordic Kingdoms Strategy Overview

I have to admit its a struggle to come up with what feels like a solid Nordic Kingdoms strategy guide. The “blue boat gnomes” really feel like a jack of all trades and master of none. They aren’t particularly efficient, they don’t play a very good rush game, and it just kind of feels like you have to take the long way around to everything in their starting zone. However, by examining what is unique about them, some strength can be found. Let’s take a look!

In case you don’t want to squint at what all that says above on the Nordic Kingdoms player mat, here is what is says.

Faction Ability

Swim: Your workers may move across rivers.

Mech Abilities

Riverwalk: Move across rivers to forests and mountains.

Seaworthy: Move to/from lakes and retreat to adjacent lakes.

Artillery: Before combat, if you pay 1 power, the opponent gets -2 power.

Speed: +1 Hex per movement.

Starting Zone and Swim

So their starting zone isn’t great in my opinion because you have to move outside of it to produce more workers. You have villages on either side, however, one is occupied by Albion at times making it at the very least contentious. The other village has basically no competition but only food adjacent to it, and if you are trying to bring a large number of workers back on the oil territory it’ll take your mech at least 2 turns. Nonetheless, during my testing, I opted to go in this direction every time because I wanted a route that was always available.

Now that all sounds very bad and not at all helpful. The saving grace is that with proper worker management it can be functional due to “Swim”. For at least one player mat I consistently found myself playing with no mechs because of Swim! In my testing, I used a variety of 3, 5, and 8 workers depending on the player mat. Specific guides for each coming soon!

The nice thing about the Nordic Kingdoms starting zone is that it does provide a relatively safe area to spread out with your workers for end game territory control. If Albion isn’t in the game you can spread even farther, safely controlling the top section of the board with your workers. This is the first strength.

Seaworthy Mech Ability

I feel that this is one of the more underrated mech abilities in the game. Gain the ability to move to/from lakes, and retreat to lakes. What this doesn’t say, but is true, is that you control those lakes as territories. On the surface, it seems kind of meh, but in play, it can translate to more territory control. Specifically, it allows you to camp on the factory and control the lakes around it. Your only competition for the lakes is Polania and Togowa. If they aren’t in the game you should plan to control it all. Combine this with your territories from worker placement and you are looking at a pretty easy 10 territories. Your starting peninsula, the 3 territories you moved your workers toward, and the factory are 9 territories alone.

Lose combat on the factory? No worries, retreat to the lake and take it back at your leisure. It also gives you the option to intentionally lose once, and regain it the very next turn before your opponent can recuperate. Assuming your opponent overspends that is. This is the Nordic Kingdoms’ 2nd strength, which is really the same as the first…in a different spot. So yea, basically the only thing you could say they are “good” at is territory control. If you can make it to the late game you have a good chance.

Push For Late Game

For the most part, you can’t sit in your corner and be left to your own devices playing the Nordic Kingdom. Other factions do this better, and faster. You need to get out to the factory, get that extra movement and hope for a factory card that gives your economy a boost. Giving priority to completing an objective is very helpful as well. Also controlling the factory early gives you a territory boost and will at least give pause to a rush strategy.

You also want to bully some peeps early if possible as this is basically the only time “Artillery” is of any use. Spending 1 to make your opponent lose 2 is great if it’s 4 combat power vs 5. It’s entirely useless if its 10 vs 12. And again, getting some stars out earlier will help stave off a loss to rush strategies.

You’re also going to want to gain coins and popularity as much as possible. If you are doing enlistments, it’s probably a good idea to take that 2 popularity early. Pay those 2 coins for 3 extra pop on that encounter. Maybe even take a turn that does nothing but pays for 1 pop if necessary. Anything you can do to get out of the bottom tier!

Final Thoughts

It’s a tough balance to do this and maintain an economy, but don’t worry baby birds, step by step guides are coming soon. Also, don’t worry too much about your economy as “economy” really just means star count generator. Which is my last point, you don’t have to be the one to end every game. You just want to be in a position to win when the game does end. Aim for 10 territories, get into the 2nd tier of popularity at least, save up some coinage and you’ll be fine.

This is a tough one, especially coming fresh off writing about Crimea, who are efficiency studs. I hope to find some killer step by step guides for each player mat to make the Nordic Kingdoms more competitive. Thanks for checking out my Nordic Kingdoms strategy guide!

If you don’t own Scythe, you should, it’s 10/10 in my book. Check it and other Stonemaier Games products out when you get a chance. I don’t get paid for this I just love the game and think you will too!