GjallarhornAll of your pieces that are under attack cannot be captured during your opponent’s next move.
The NorthHeimdall
The North · Style Protection
HeimdallThe watchman of the gods
Heimdall shields pieces under attack, sends them across the rainbow bridge to any free square and seals the border. The god for safe, solid players.
Shields, teleports and seals the border. Made for solid players.
- Free to download
- No ads
- No account
- Plays offline
Who is Heimdall?
The watchman of the gods warns his pieces, sends them anywhere across the rainbow bridge and seals the border.
Heimdall guards the rainbow bridge Bifrost, and he takes this job very seriously. He needs less sleep than a bird, sees a hundred miles and can hear grass grow. Anyone trying to sneak up on him is out of luck. For emergencies he carries the horn Gjallarhorn, which can be heard in every world. He has never used it, but he polishes it every day.
Before the first move, Heimdall hides the Watch trap on the board. If your opponent moves onto the square, Heimdall stops it: the piece is pushed back one square and paralyzed for 1 move.
Powers
Heimdall's three powers
Every move earns 1 favor, every captured piece adds its value on top. Instead of moving, you use a power. After that it needs a few moves before it is ready again.
- Gjallarhorn
All of your pieces that are under attack cannot be captured during your opponent’s next move.
- Bifrost
One of your pieces (not king or pawn) travels across the rainbow bridge to any empty square.
- Watch of the Sky
Ultimate power: The empty squares of your fourth rank are blocked for your opponent for 3 moves.
In mythology
Who was Heimdall really?
Heimdall is the watchman of the gods. He lives in Himinbjorg at the end of Bifrost, the rainbow bridge that links Asgard with the world of humans, and keeps watch there against the giants. He needs less sleep than a bird, sees a hundred leagues by day and by night, and can hear grass growing in the earth and wool growing on sheep. The Edda calls him the son of nine mothers. When Ragnarok begins, he blows the Gjallarhorn so that all the gods will hear it. In the final battle Heimdall and Loki kill each other. In the game he becomes a protector who warns, moves pieces to safety and seals borders.
Tactics
How to win with Heimdall
The horn against forks
Gjallarhorn makes every piece currently under attack immune for your opponent's next move. Perfect against forks and double attacks.
Bifrost for surprise attacks
Bifrost moves a rook, bishop, knight or your queen to any free square. Drop it right next to the enemy king or rescue it from a tight spot.
Watch of the Sky buys time
Watch of the Sky locks the free squares of your fourth rank for 3 moves, once per game. Use the calm to castle or build up your attack.
Watch trap at the gate
The Watch trap pushes the piece back and paralyzes it for 1 move. Set it in front of your castled king, right where invaders want to break in.
Quips
Heimdall has something to say about everything
Listening. The grass is growing.
while thinkingCheck, reported and confirmed.
when giving checkI blinked. Once.
after a defeatEmbarrassing. For a watchman.
caught in a trap
Every mythology has a god of the Protection style: Athena and Isis play a similar game with very different powers.
Good to know
Questions about Heimdall
The download is free. Heimdall can be bought on their own in the game, or together with every other god in the Key of the Gods.
The ultimate power Watch of the Sky. It costs 25 favor, works only once per game and does this: The empty squares of your fourth rank are blocked for your opponent for 3 moves.
Every mythology has one god for the Protection style. Besides Heimdall, these are Athena (Greece) and Isis (Egypt).
24: eight each from Greece, Egypt and the North, each with a play style of their own. Zeus is playable right away, Gaia and Hermes join you after three wins.