RUNEQUEST II - "VIKINGS" a review

This book is very useful for anyone who wants to game in the Viking world, especially at the smaller, plot-driven skirmish level.  Even large-battle game scenarios will benefit from the background of Norse life, both historical and mythical, all of which provide motivations for battles and skirmishes.

It was suggested by several people as the best resource for the Viking era for gaming at TMP, and I have to agree with them.  It gives broad information in well-organized sections and is easy to understand and work with, but is even an interesting read straight through.  It admits that as it covers a large era of Norse culture and life, some parts are anachronistic in certain times and places.  But it is certainly a great place to start out.

It also has a great section on Norse mythology and magic, which is helpful to understand their motivations, and would help with a "fantastic campaign" where the gods intervene in the lives of mortals.  The author puts clear limits on historical and archaeological information and is very credible compared to other sources I've read like Page's "RUNES: Reading the Past".  Great stuff with lots of applications.

Whether for "SAGA", "Battletroll", "Warrior Heroes - Armies and Adventures", or "Song of Blades and Heroes", or the venerable "Pig Wars", this will prove and interesting and valuable resource for more authentic scenarios and campaigns, as well as great background information brought together for the more serious scholar of the period.  The cost  is - I'm not kidding - $1 at RPG.now as a download, so the price can't be beat either!

http://www.rpgnow.com/product/85110/Vikings?filters=0_0_1500_0_0