Question

A family of ancient Germanic and Celtic games played in northern Europe on a checkered or latticed board, involves two armies one of which is trying to capture the other one's king, possibly using dice, and was called ...?

Answer 1

Tafl
In Tafl the two armies are of uneven numbers. Although the size of the board and the number of pieces varied all games involved a 2:1 ratio of pieces, with the lesser side having a king-piece which started in the centre. The king's objective was to escape to (variously) the board's periphery or corners, while the greater force's objective was to capture him. Tafl spread everywhere the Vikings travelled, including Iceland, Britain, Ireland, and Lapland. Versions were played across much of Northern Europe from earlier than 400 CE.