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Game Review - Carcassonne by Klaus-Jürgen Wrede Game Review - Carcassonne by Klaus-Jürgen WredeCarcassonne, Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, Hans im Glück/ Rio Grande Games, 2000.Game review by Dan Becker, 2001/03/10.Players: 2-5Duration: 45 - 60 minutesAges: 10+ yearsCategories: family, abstract, tile placementMore Information:       Courtesy ofFunagain GamesWorn, dented, scratched.That's how I would describe my Carcassonne box.Wrinkled, folded, spindled.That's my Carcassonne rules sheet.Scuffed, rounded, frayed.That's my Carcassonne tiles.It's all well worth it though, for Carcassonneis my most played game since purchasing it 5 months ago.In fact, the same is true for my games group, as Carcassonnewas the most-played board game in 2000(see my article on Games Played in 2000)and is on its way to be the most-played gameof 2001 as well.In this review, first I will go over the rules briefly,then I will discuss some positive and negative aspects about the game,and finally I will discuss some game strategies.Assuming you are somewhat familiar with the game, I will go over the rules briefly.Carcassonne is a tile-laying game for 2 to 5 players.The theme surrounds the French mediaeval walled city of Carcassonne,but in game play it is similar to pipe laying or track laying games.On a turn, each player selects a tile randomly and places it abutted tothe previously played tiles.After placing a tile, the player may place an optional follower on thetile in one of the tile regions: field, road, city, or cloister.As each player has only 7 followers, or "meeples" or "dudes" as theyhave affectionately been named, the scoringopportunities are extremely limited.Once a region is complete, it will score points for the playerwith most numerous followers in the region.The player with the most points wins the game.The points scoring system is the heart of the game and the play balance.A road scores 1 point per tile.A cloister scores 1 point per tile for itself and all adjoining tilesfor a maximum of 9 points.An incomplete town scores 1 point per tile or shield symbol,but completing it doubles this value.Farms do not score points per-say.However, completed towns score 4 points for the player withthe most adjoining farmers.This has been a point of confusion among many beginning players,so it is best to look at each completed town and count adjoiningfarmers to figure these scores.Aside from farms which are not scored until the end of the game,completing a region returns your follower toyour stock pile for further play and scoring.My opinion of the game is that it is a bargain and has very highreplay value.It plays well with either 2 players or up to its stated maximum of5 players.It is short enough that it can be played 2 or 3 times in the courseof an evening.There are multiple paths to victories, andgames can be won through farms, cities, or cloisters.There are both offensive and defensive plays.It is liked by both beginners and experienced players.As you can see,I highly recommend it and mince no words about liking it.Carcassonne Expansion Tile Distribution 1 2 1 4 2 1 3 1 1 1 1 2 3 2 1 3 2  1 2 1 3 1 2 5 1 3 3 3 3+1 1 4 8 9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1Game by Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, Artwork by Doris Matthaus, Layout by Dan BeckerUpdate 2002/05/25: This table shows the Carcassonne Expansion tiles.Update 2002/05/25: See the easy-to-print chart.What are its flaws?Some say the element of chance is too high.Some say a draw of a single tile is too luckdependent, and that a player who draws well will win.I say the counter-argument to this is that one must notdevelop regions so linearly in the game.For instance, do not just concentrate on one farm or town.Rather, use every follower you have on the board as an avenuefor development.If you have 5 followers on the board, developing 5 scoringsituations, you are more likely to draw a tile you need.Another simple remedy would be to use a variantof having a 2 or 3 tile hand.Players begin their turn by drawing to a hand of 3,then any tile may be played to the board.This simple rule change is an enjoyable and easy fixto a perceived problem.Other detractors say the cloisters or the farms are too highly valued.However, the counter argument to this complaint is that every potentialscoring play has its counter-move.For instance, let's say someone with a lot of farmersis completing many small cities for a score of 4 points each.In this case a player should play tiles such thatcities cannot be completed so easily.An alternative strategy would be to place more farmersto directly challenge the farmer majority.A third strategy would be to use roads to dissectand limit the developing farm.In many plays of the game, I have seen almost an equal numberof wins to the master of cloisters, farms, and cities.No simple pursuit of one of these regions is a guaranteed win.A player must usually balance these scoringsor somehow shut the other scoring avenues down.Which brings us to the third part of this review, basicgame strategy.The first basic rule is to be aware of the remaining tiles.The table at right, suitable for printing and placing in your wallet,shows how many of each tile are available.(Note: The table has been updated to show the Carcassonneand Expansion tiles. The new tiles are shown witha gray background.)There is no sense in hoping for a 4 sided city tile when theonly one of its kind has already been played.Another often wished for tile is the three sided city, with orwithout a road.This is a somewhat scarce tile, yet players often waste manyturns waiting and hoping for its arrival.Don't wait for it.Move on to other scoring opportunities.Another important rule is don't become follower-constrained.If your seven "meeples" are out on the board, and you are makingmoves without placing more followers, it is time to think aboutbringing your "dudes" home.Often the highest scores are achieved by having a good followerturn over: placing them out for future scores and completing regionsto bring them home.If too many followers are invested in farms, or you havetoo many battling for mega-cities,you run the risk of having too many eggs in one basket.A series of small continuous scores can be preferable tothat all-or-nothing giant farm battle at the end.Another area of winning strategy is to know how tobe a good weasel!For each of the major regions, know how to place tiles and"meeples" to horn in on other peoples winnings.Our group does this so much, we have many names forthis tactic: "weaseling", "prying in", "shoe-horning"and plain old "stealing."Here are a few examples. Weasling a roadThe figure at left shows how to horn in on someone's road.Assume that yellow has been building a very large road.In fact, assume yellow's road extends to the right for manymore tiles.Assuming you, the red player, draw a road tile.You want to join in on yellow's big road.However, the rules state that only one follower can be placed ona given road, although it is allowable to have multiple followersif things join.The answer is to position the road tile to increase the likelihoodthat your roads will join.Here, red has placed the tile and the follower such that manytiles may possibly join red and yellow's roads.Of course there are some junction tiles that will keep the roadsapart, but red has played in order to increase the chancesof joining in yellow's hard work. Shoe horning in on a cityFor the second example, use the second board figure at left.Assume yellow has been working hard on a large city with many shields.Assuming you as the red player draw a city/city/farm/farm tile.As in the first example, you cannot simply walk into the cityand join yellow in the wonderous bounty of 8 points.No, you must play the tile to increase your likelihood of joining.Here red plays to hopefully one-day join his fellow city-dweller.Although several tiles will still keep the cities apart,there are many that will join red's lousy slumto yellow's robust city center.Joining in this example will net yellow a mere 1 point,but will give red a bounty of 8 or possibly even more ifthe city completes and the city score doubles. Helping your fellow farmersFinally we look at the life of a helpful farmer.In the third example to the left, we see that the yellow farmerhas been hard at work supplying grain to 3 (possibly more) completedcities.This will net yellow 12 points at the end of the game.However, red has drawn a city tile that continues a very tasty city.Rather than playing in the city, red decides to place the followerin the farm in the hope of "weaseling in", err I mean, joininghis colleague and sharing in the bounty of 12 points.Arguably red's city tile might be worth more as a city,but joining the farms is a likely 12 points andgoing for the city is a definite 4, possibly 12 or more points.In this case I prefer the 12 points now, rather than a future12 which requires more tile play.So with all the examples, I hope you see why this is an enjoyable game.There are many choices to ponder and each tile yields 5 or 10possible plays on the edges of the town.The addition or placement of a follower adds more decisions and fun.Very quickly the game gets up to speed, the areas form,and it all becomes a big strategic puzzle to solve.There are thrusts and parries, and then it all ends in less than 45 minutes.If you think luck has abandoned you, it is quickenough that you can play it again,but beware, some players are still complaining about theirluck after 10 games.All in all, this is an excellent game that is well designed.Highly recommended.Update 2002/05/25: See the Lost Tiles of Carcassonne article.Update 2002/05/25: See the Carcassonne Expansion Review.Update 2002/05/25: See the easy-to-print Carcassonne Expansion tile distribution.Update 2002/11/26: See the Carcassonne: Hunter and Gatherers tile discussion. 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