Bretwalda: Danelag (2023)

865 AD. The Great Heathen Army crosses the North Sea to invade England. Rules of Northumbria, Mercia, Wessex, and East Anglia prepare their kingdoms for the inevitable conflict.

Take control of the Viking raiders, establish a new mighty Dane kingdom, and spread Danelaw across the Anglo-Saxon lands. Use diplomacy, coercion, and, if necessary brute, military strength to overcome your rivals.

Claim England for the Danes. Become the Bretwalda.

Danelag is an expansion for the base game, taking it to 5 players. The fifth player takes charge of the Viking raiders and a new Danish kingdom established on the shores of England. His goal: to spread Danelaw across the Anglo-Saxon lands and claim the crown of Bretwalda, the Britain-ruler.

Danes function in a similar way as other factions in the game, though there are some key differences. First, they begin the game in any coastal area not adjacent to an Anglo-Saxon Capital area. Second, with their ships – drakkars – already on the board, they’re much more mobile than the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. Third, they have a different set of Kingdom Tiles as well as Chronicle and Lordship cards.

The expansion adds a fifth Kingdom Board, Dane rulers, and a new set of miniatures for the Danes, with Ceorls replaced by Settlers, Thegns with Vikings, and an Ealdorman with a Jarl. However, other than their names, they function similarly to Anglo-Saxon miniatures. Since Danes weren’t Christians at that time, they build Longhouses instead of Abbeys.

Danelag also enhances the core game with additional Seasons to make the gameplay even more entertaining and replayable.