A Feast for Odin
MASSIVE WORKER-PLACEMENT + TILE-LAYING EURO by UWE ROSENBERG (2016, Feuerland). 1-4 players play VIKING chieftains raiding, exploring, farming, hunting, whaling. Features 60+ ACTION SPACES + PATCHWORK-STYLE puzzle-filling of resource board (fills orange grid with tiles to score). Considered ROSENBERG'S MAGNUM OPUS — most complex + interconnected of his designs. HELD BGG TOP-15 since release; considered one of the GREATEST HEAVY EUROS EVER. ~40 min per player.
What is A Feast for Odin?
A FEAST FOR ODIN is a MASSIVE WORKER-PLACEMENT + TILE-LAYING EURO designed by UWE ROSENBERG (Germany), published by FEUERLAND SPIELE (2016) — the game that established Feuerland as a top-tier heavy euro publisher. 1-4 PLAYERS play VIKING CHIEFTAINS raiding coasts, exploring distant lands, farming, hunting animals, whaling, mining, trading, crafting. Features 60+ UNIQUE ACTION SPACES on the shared main board + PATCHWORK-STYLE PUZZLE-FILLING mechanic (players fill orange resource grid on personal board with irregularly-shaped tiles — echoing Rosenberg's PATCHWORK game). Considered UWE ROSENBERG'S MAGNUM OPUS — the most complex + interconnected of all his designs (surpassing Agricola, Caverna, Le Havre, Ora et Labora). HELD BGG TOP-15 since release (2016-2026), often top-10; considered ONE OF THE GREATEST HEAVY EUROS EVER MADE. Won multiple 'Game of the Year' awards + International Gamers Award 2017. ~40 MIN PER PLAYER (2-3 hours at 3-4 players). GAMEPLAY: 7 ROUNDS. Each round: (a) Income phase (silver + resources); (b) Feast phase (round 3+7 = feed all Vikings); (c) Actions phase (place workers on 60+ action spaces); (d) Home + Winter phase. ACTIONS: hunt animals, whale, raid coastal villages, explore islands (unlock new home territories), plunder, trade at markets, mine, harvest crops, breed animals, sail expeditions, build ships, craft cloth/silver items. Products from actions come as IRREGULAR TILES that fill your personal board's orange grid — MAXIMIZING TILE COVERAGE = high VP. Explore + settle new territories (Shetland, Faroes, Iceland, Greenland) for bonus points. END GAME AT ROUND 7: score for tiles placed + coverage bonuses + exploration territories + Viking-related achievements. UNIQUE FEATURE: PATCHWORK PUZZLE — no single 'best strategy'; each game is a fresh puzzle of which resources to gather + how to arrange them. RECEPTION: International Gamers Award 2017; Deutscher Spiele Preis 2017 nominee; BGG top-15 for 10+ years; considered the DEFINITIVE 'heavy Rosenberg' experience.
Quick facts
Category
Board Games
Type
Individual
Players
1–4
Duration
~150 min
Where played
indoor
Field / court
Central action board + personal player boards
Country of origin
🇩🇪 Germany
Estimated origin
Designed 2015-2016 Uwe Rosenberg; released Oct 2016 Feuerland Spiele; expansion 2018
Olympic
No
Popularity
major
How it works
Objective
Score most VP after 7 rounds via TILES placed (maximize orange grid coverage) + explored territories + Viking achievements + goods sold + minus negative -1 penalties for empty orange spaces.
Rules
Basic rules
7 rounds; each has income + feast + actions + home phases
Structured round with worker-placement core.
Place workers on 60+ action spaces
Diverse actions: hunt, raid, farm, mine, trade, explore, craft.
Products come as tiles; fill personal orange grid
Patchwork-style puzzle-filling for VP.
Feasts (rounds 3+7): feed all Vikings
Feed via meat + fish + grain tiles; starvation = penalty.
Explore new territories (Shetland, Faroes, Iceland, Greenland)
Unlock bonus VP + new personal boards.
End scoring: tiles placed + coverage + territories + achievements
Highest VP wins.
Scoring
End-game VP from filled orange grid tiles + coverage bonuses + explored territories + goods sold + Viking achievements + negative -1 per empty orange grid space.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Tile placed (fills orange grid) | Cover -1 penalty spaces; more coverage = more VP |
| Explored territory (Shetland/Faroes/Iceland/Greenland) | Bonus board + additional VP |
| Goods sold at market | Silver income = VP end-game |
| Viking achievement (craft, breed, etc) | 1-3 VP per achievement |
| Empty orange grid space | -1 VP per space |
Win condition · Highest VP after 7 rounds wins.
Playing area
Called
Central action board + personal player boards
Dimensions
~120×90cm total; main board 60×90cm; personal boards 40×30cm
Central action board with 60+ worker-placement spaces. Each player has personal PATCHWORK-STYLE board with orange resource grid to fill with tiles.
Equipment
A Feast for Odin base box
$100 USD; includes all core content
A Feast for Odin: Norwegians expansion (2018)
$30; new territories + tiles + long ship
A Feast for Odin: The Norwegians (2018)
$50; adds long-boat exploration + Norwegian setting
Central action board (60+ spaces)
Main game engine
Personal player boards (orange resource grid)
Patchwork-style puzzle-filling
150+ irregular resource tiles
Fill personal board for VP
Viking meeples + resource tokens
Silver, gold, ore, wood, stone, animals, cloth
Long ships + short ships
Enable exploration + raiding
Strategies
Puzzle-fill priorities
Cover -1 penalty spaces FIRST; then optimize tile coverage for bonuses.
Explore for bonus boards
Each new territory = fresh puzzle + VP.
Raiding + trading engine
Raid = high-reward risky; trade = safe conversion.
Viking family expansion
More Vikings = more actions; balance with feeding.
Silver economy
Silver end-game = VP; also enables key actions.
Terminology
- Viking / Worker
- Chieftain's people; place on action spaces.
- Orange grid
- Personal board's resource area to fill with tiles.
- Feast
- Round 3+7 forced feeding; starvation = penalty.
- Territory
- Shetland/Faroes/Iceland/Greenland; explored for bonus boards + VP.
- Silver
- Currency; also VP end-game.
- Achievement
- In-game goals like crafting cloth + breeding animals + more.
Major competitions
International Gamers Award 2017 WINNER
annual · worldwide · since 2017
Deutscher Spiele Preis 2017 nominee
annual · Germany · since 2017
BGG top-15 consistently 2016-2026
ongoing · worldwide · since 2016
Golden Geek Best Strategy Game 2016 nominee
annual · worldwide · since 2016
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Feuerland Spiele (publisher)
Founded 2010 · Germany
Z-Man Games (US publisher)
Founded 1999 · USA
Uwe Rosenberg (designer)
Founded 1970 · Germany
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Uwe Rosenberg (Germany) — Designer; also Agricola, Caverna, Le Havre, Fields of Arle, Patchwork
- Dennis Lohausen (Germany) — Illustrator; Feuerland signature artist
Learn this sport
beginner
- 1
Buy A Feast for Odin base ($100)
Complete package.
- 2
Solo game first (~90 min)
Learn 60+ action spaces before multiplayer.
intermediate
- 1
2-3 player games
Sweet spot; less downtime than 4p.
advanced
- 1
Norwegians expansion
Adds long-boat + Norway setting.
Frequently asked
What is A Feast for Odin?+
MASSIVE WORKER-PLACEMENT + TILE-LAYING EURO by Uwe Rosenberg (2016, Feuerland). 1-4 players play VIKING chieftains raiding, exploring, farming, hunting, whaling. Features 60+ ACTION SPACES + PATCHWORK-STYLE puzzle-filling of resource board. Considered Rosenberg's MAGNUM OPUS — most complex + interconnected of his designs. HELD BGG TOP-15 since release. Won International Gamers Award 2017. ~40 min per player.
A Feast for Odin vs Agricola vs Caverna — which best?+
ALL EXCELLENT UWE ROSENBERG EUROS. AGRICOLA (2007) — card-driven variability, harder + punishing. CAVERNA (2013) — no cards, more forgiving strategic control, cave-mining theme. A FEAST FOR ODIN (2016) — PATCHWORK-style tile puzzle-filling, MOST COMPLEX + INTERCONNECTED, considered the pinnacle. Most experts consider FEAST FOR ODIN the deepest of the three, but CAVERNA more accessible + more replayable. All hold BGG top-50 for 10+ years.
Sources & provenance
- Feuerland Spiele — Feast for Odin— Feuerland
- BoardGameGeek — A Feast for Odin— BGG
- Wikipedia — A Feast for Odin— Wikipedia