The Raven’s Road | Viking Raid Play-by-Post Kriegsspiel

Creating your character

Players will choose from six pre-generated historical-style characters: three Viking raiders and three Anglo-Saxon defenders. Each character will have their own background, equipment, experience, responsibilities, relationships and information about the situation. Each characters will command groups of warriors and have authority over other NPCs. There are no ability scores, classes, levels or character builds. Your capabilities are described in plain language and the umpire handles all hidden mechanics. You are encouraged to develop your character's personality and manner of speaking during play, while keeping them broadly appropriate to 10th-century England. Character death is possible. If your character is killed in the campaign, you will be given control of another appropriate character so you can continue playing.

Preparing for the session

Players do not need to learn a rules system or create a character before the campaign begins. You will need: A Discord account. Reliable access to Discord several times each week. The ability to read short situation reports and submit clear written orders. Enough availability to respond within the agreed turn deadlines. A willingness to work with incomplete information and make decisions without knowing everything happening on the battlefield. Pre-generated characters, maps, historical background and all rules guidance will be provided. No microphone, webcam, virtual tabletop, miniatures or rulebook are required. No previous knowledge of Kriegsspiel, Viking history or Anglo-Saxon history is necessary. Expect to spend roughly 10–20 minutes reading, discussing and submitting orders for most turns, although important situations may invite more involvement.

What Pete the Elder brings to the table

I provide everything needed to play the campaign: A pre-generated Viking or Anglo-Saxon character with a private briefing. Historical background relevant to your character and faction. Period-style maps and battlefield/location information. Private Discord channels for orders, observations and confidential communication. A clear guide explaining how Kriegsspiel and play-by-post work. Individual situation reports showing only what your character can reasonably see, hear or know. Approximately 20 fully adjudicated turns over the four-week campaign. Hidden enemy movement, NPC actions, morale, combat and fog-of-war resolution. Messenger and communication systems between separated commanders. Maps, images and other visual aids as the situation develops. Direct access to the umpire for questions and clarification throughout the campaign. An end-of-game after-action report, revealing what was really happening, including enemy movements, missed opportunities, casualties and the consequences of both sides’ decisions. Players do not need to buy any books, software or game materials. Everything required for the Kriegsspiel is provided.

Homebrew rules

This game uses a homebrew Kriegsspiel system adapted specifically for Viking Age raids, skirmishes and small-unit combat. The system is designed around the principles of traditional Kriegsspiel: players describe their intentions and issue orders, while the umpire resolves movement, combat, morale, communication and uncertainty behind the scenes. The rules have been modified to better represent 10th-century warfare, including: Shield walls and small-group fighting. Spears, axes, swords, bows and shields. Armour and equipment appropriate to the period. Fatigue, wounds and morale. Leadership and the quality of individual warbands. Terrain, visibility and weather. Surprise, ambushes and reconnaissance. Messengers, signals and delayed communication. Civilian reactions and local alarms. Raiding, pursuit and withdrawal. The difficulty of maintaining control once fighting begins. There are no hit points, character levels or ability lists for players to manage. Instead, players tell the umpire what they want to achieve and how they intend to do it. The umpire considers the circumstances, historical plausibility, character ability and an element of chance before determining the result. Most mechanics remain hidden so that players make decisions from the perspective of their characters rather than from knowledge of game statistics. The objective is not to recreate every detail of Viking Age warfare mechanically, but to produce believable consequences, difficult decisions and the uncertainty of commanding people in a dangerous historical situation. No previous knowledge of Kriegsspiel or the homebrew rules is required. Everything players need to know will be explained during onboarding and throughout play.

How Pete the Elder creates a safe table

Player comfort comes first. Before the campaign begins, I will establish Lines and Veils so everyone knows which subjects should be excluded entirely and which can remain off-screen. Because this is a historical Viking raid, the game may include warfare, injury, death, raiding, threats to civilians and attacks on settlements or religious sites. These themes will be clearly signposted in advance. Players can contact me privately at any time if something becomes uncomfortable. No explanation is required. I will pause, edit or redirect the scene as needed. An Open Door policy applies throughout the campaign: players may step away from the game at any time and return when they are comfortable doing so. Sexual violence or violence involving children and animals will not be depicted or used as part of the game. The aim is to create a tense, historically grounded experience without using disturbing material simply for shock value. After the campaign, players will also have an opportunity to debrief and discuss the game together.