Hello, future sovereigns of Midgard! Welcome to the complete guide to Kardnarök, the game that will test your strategies and leadership skills amidst the chaos of Ragnarök. Prepare to form powerful armies, invoke divine blessings, and fight for supremacy!

Game Objective

In Kardnarök, you take on the roles of Norse kings and queens who must battle other kingdoms during the events of Ragnarök, facing increasing restrictions. The main objective is to form the strongest armies, both in attack and defense, combining strengths, strategies, and divine blessings to win. At the end of rounds of intense combat, negotiations, and challenges, the kingdom that accumulates the most wealth (silver and bronze coins) will be the sovereign of Midgard, under the protection of the resurrected god Balder.

Setup

To begin your journey in Kardnarök, follow these steps to organize the game:

• Arrange the components on the table in a way that resembles Mjölnir, Thor's hammer.
• Determine the First Kingdom (FK). This player receives the FK meeple.
• Place the Strength Counter Card in the center of the table, with the red (attacker) and blue (defender) meeples in their starting positions.
• Separate the 20 Ragnarök Cards into two piles: 10 level 1 and 10 level 2. Keep them face down.
• The FK takes the level 1 Ragnarök Cards pile, shuffles it, and draws one to place face down beneath the Strength Counter Card.
• Shuffle the Warrior Cards and Norn Cards piles and place them on either side of the Ragnarök Cards.
• Shuffle the Hero Cards and place them on the table, above the Strength Counter Card.
• Each player chooses their Kingdom Card and takes a defense marker cube, placing it at the value 0.
• Each player takes 3 ritual tokens: one for Odin, one for Thor, and one for Frey.
• Place the 21 Silver Coins inside the bag.
• In games for 3 or 4 players, each player receives 5 Bronze Coins. For 2 players, consult the Duel mode.

Game Flow

Kardnarök is played in rounds, and the general flow is as follows:

Round Start (Basic Mode - 3 to 4 Players)

1. Hero Swap: Once per round, a player may swap one of their 2 Heroes for a new one from the deck.
2. Silver Coins in Kingdoms: Each kingdom takes one Silver Coin from the bag and places it on their Kingdom Card.
3. Warrior and Norn Levy: Players draw cards (between Warriors and Norns) according to the Levy value indicated on the round's Ragnarök Card. Hero Cards do not count towards the Levy.
4. Army Assembly: Each player assembles their army by choosing 2 Warrior Cards (face down) and 1 Hero Card (face up) to place on their Kingdom Card.
5. Modification of Assembled Armies: Armies can only be altered after combat (after Levy replenishment) or by the attacking kingdom before announcing an attack.

Combat Turns (Basic Mode)

1. Start of Round 1: Starting with the FK, each kingdom takes an attack turn in clockwise order. The attacker announces which kingdom they will fight.
2. Combat Rituals: Before revealing armies, the attacker and defender secretly choose a ritual token (Odin, Thor, or Frey) and reveal them simultaneously. Each god grants a unique tactical advantage. A god cannot be used in two consecutive combats.
3. Pre-Combat with Specific Norns: Certain Norn Cards (like Assassin, Terrible Disease, etc.) can be played before armies are revealed, first by the attacker, then by the defender.
4. Army Strength Calculation: Warrior Cards are revealed. The base Strengths of the Warriors and the Hero are summed, along with any card bonuses or met conditions. The values are recorded on the Strength Counter Card.
5. Order of Actions During Combat: The kingdom that is losing on the Strength Counter Card has the initiative to try and reverse the score. Possible actions include using reinforcements, Norn Cards, Thor's ritual reinforcements, and finally, negotiation with mercenaries. Initiative passes to the other kingdom as soon as it becomes the winner.
6. Using Norns in Combat: Norn Cards can be used to alter the result on the Strength Counter Card. Initiative always belongs to the kingdom that is losing.
7. Using Villager and Special Warrior Reinforcements: Remaining Warrior Cards in hand can be used as reinforcements, adding +1 Strength each. Their runes and bonuses are not valid.
8. Using Thor's Combat Ritual Reinforcements: If losing, a kingdom can use up to 2 human Warrior Cards from their hand as reinforcement through Thor's ritual. Their Strengths are added, but runes and bonuses do not count.
9. Mercenary Action: The kingdom that is losing, after exhausting other actions, can hire another kingdom (outside the combat) as a mercenary, using Bronze Coins. The mercenary can use up to 2 combat Norn Cards. The hirer only pays if they win.
10. Victorious Kingdom and Defeated Kingdom: After all actions, the kingdom with more Strength on the counter (or favored by tiebreaker) wins. The winner takes the defeated kingdom's Silver Coin, pays mercenaries, and replenishes their Levy. The defeated kingdom hands over their Silver Coin, takes a new one (if the round is not over), and replenishes their Levy.
11. Levy Replenishment: After combat, all kingdoms (including mercenaries) draw cards to replenish the Levy indicated on the Ragnarök Card.
12. Defense Marking: The kingdom that defended (winner or loser) marks a defense on their Kingdom Card, which grants Strength bonuses in future defenses.

End of Round 1

1. The Silver Coins revealed on the Kingdom Cards are returned to the bag.
2. All cards used in armies return to hand.
3. The defense marking on kingdoms resets to zero.
4. Ritual tokens become available again.

Round 2 Start

1. The First Kingdom (FK) becomes the last player who attacked in the previous round.
2. The new FK draws a new Ragnarök Card, this time from the level 2 pile, and places it on top of the previous one. The fixed rules of both cards apply.
3. A new Levy is determined.
4. Attack turns proceed in counter-clockwise order.
5. All kingdoms take a new Silver Coin.
6. New armies are assembled.

Actions and How to Play

In Kardnarök, the main actions and mechanics are:

Game Cards

• Warrior Card: Represents troops. Each human warrior has a rune that can be used to gain bonuses with Heroes. They have a Strength value and may have specific bonuses.
• Norn Card: Goddesses who weave fate. They can grant more Strength, divine protection, reduce opponent's Strength, cancel cards, grant more cards, and other actions. Some offer two action options. They can be played before armies are revealed, during combat, in Mercenary actions, or "at any time" for administrative actions.
• Hero Card: Army leaders. Each player receives 2 Hero Cards and chooses one for their army. Some Heroes require specific rune combinations from Warriors to generate Strength bonuses. The Hero's Strength always adds to the army, even if the bonus condition is not met. Heroes do not die and are not counted towards the Levy.

Game Cards

• Kingdom Card: Each player's operations center. It allows army formation (2 Warriors and 1 Hero), placement of Silver Coins, defense marking, and placement of ritual tokens.
• Ragnarök Card: Guides each round with an event, defining the round's Levy and a fixed rule that must be followed by everyone.
• Strength Counter Card: Used to record army Strengths in combat. The red and blue meeples represent the attacker and defender, respectively.

Coins (Wealth)

• Silver Coins: Represent wealth and victory points. The kingdom with the most wealth at the end of the game wins. They are gained in combat. Used to resolve ties.
• Bronze Coins: Represent wealth and victory points. Their main function is to negotiate with mercenary kingdoms.

Specific Actions

• Combat Ritual: Choice of a god (Odin, Thor, or Frey) to gain a unique tactical advantage in combat.
• Mercenary Action: Hiring another kingdom to assist in combat, using Bronze Coins.

End of Game and Scoring

The game Kardnarök ends when the last kingdom completes its combat and the remaining Silver Coins on the Kingdom Cards are collected back into the bag.

Wealth Calculation

Each kingdom counts its accumulated wealth:

• Silver Coins earned from victories.
• Bronze Coins kept in the kingdom and obtained as a victorious mercenary.

Victory Conditions

The Kingdom with the most wealth points (sum of silver and bronze coins) will be the new sovereign of Midgard.

Tiebreaker Conditions

In case of a tie in total wealth:

1. The sum of only the values of the Silver Coins.
2. If the tie persists, each kingdom draws 3 new Warriors from the deck and sums only their Strength values to determine the winner.

Tips for Winning

• Manage Your Hand Wisely: Carefully evaluate which Warrior Cards and Norn Cards to keep in your hand to optimize combinations with your Heroes and to have tactical options during combat.
• Use Rituals Strategically: The choice of ritual (Odin, Thor, or Frey) can be decisive. Think about the right moment to use each one, considering the combat situation and the opponent's possible actions.
• Don't Underestimate Mercenary Action: In tight situations, hiring a mercenary can be the key to victory. Plan the use of your Bronze Coins to secure this crucial help.