"Players control Viking clans that raid settlements on the Mainland. The player with the most loot at the end of 20 turns is the winner."

In this simple game of exploration and conquest, the players may build, recruit or buy six types of units: Long Ship, Dragon Ship, Chieftain, Vikings, Berserkers, and Scout. The mainland forces consist of three types of units: Peasant Militia, Men at Arms, and Knights. The number of mainland units encountered depends on the type of settlement discovered. Settlement types include Farm, Village, Church, Town, City, and Castle.

At the start of the game, the land masses on the mapsheet are blank. The terrain and settlements are filled in as the players explore the map.