The Messages

General info and comments

File:Messages C2 Expansion Watermark.png

Expansion symbol

The Messengers (Mini #2), formerly known as The Messages or Dispatches in the 1st. edition, was released by Hans im Glück for the new edition in 2017, bundled as part of Big Box 6.

Rules

Preparation

Shuffle the message tiles and stack them facedown within easy reach of all players. Each player places the messenger of their color on the 0 space on the scoreboard. Each player should now have one meeple and one messenger on the scoreboard.

1. Placing a tile

There are no land tiles specific to this expansion.

2. Placing a meeple

The figures in this expansion are not placed on the standard land tiles as part of the game.

3. Scoring a feature

Whenever you score points, you must choose to move either your scoring meeple or your messenger forward along the scoreboard. If, during your turn (and only during your turn), your scoring meeple or your messenger moves to and stops on one of the dark spaces (0, 5, 10, 15, etc.), immediately draw and resolve one message. To resolve a message, you must either:

Perform the action shown on the message.
Score 2 points (as shown in the bottom-right of the message tile.)

In both cases, the message tile is then placed facedown at the bottom of the stack.

The Messages Tiles

	(1) Shortest Road: Choose a road on which you have a highwayman (you do not need to control the road). If you have a highwayman on more than one road, you must choose the road that would be worth the fewest points. Determine the chosen road's score as you would during final scoring, and you score that many points. Your highwayman remains on the road.

	(2) Smallest City: The same as Message 1, but for cities, instead of roads.

	(3) Smallest Monastery: The same as Message 1, but for monasteries, instead of roads.

	(4) Add a Landscape Tile: Draw one tile and place it, using normal rules. You may also place a meeple (or other special figure) on it, also using normal rules.

	(5) 2 Points per Coat of Arms: For each coat of arms in cities where you have at least one knight (you do not need to control the city), you score 2 points.

	(6) 2 Points per Knight: You score 2 points for each of your knights. Your knights remain on their cities.

	(7) 2 Points per Farm: You score 2 points for each of your farmers. Your farmers remain on their fields.

	(8) Score a Meeple and Return it to your Supply: Choose a feature with one of your meeples on it, and score it as you would during final scoring. However, even if other players have control of the feature, only you score points, though you may choose not to. Then, return your meeple that was on that feature to your supply. ^[1] ^[2]

Other rules

When you score points, you must move either your scoring meeple or your messenger accordingly. ^[3] ^[4] ^[5]
You can only draw one message when scoring features. Even if both your meeple and your messenger land on dark spaces during one turn (by scoring two features), you will still only draw one message tile.
Whenever tracking the points scored from a message tile earlier this turn, if either your scoring meeple or your messenger lands on a dark space, you may draw and resolve a second message. ^[6]

CAUTION: You can only draw message tiles when your meeple and messenger are alone. If another player's meeple or messenger is on a dark space when you land there, you do not draw a message tile. ^[7]

Final Scoring

At the end of the game but before starting final scoring, total the score of both your scoring meeple and your messenger, then place your scoring meeple on the space corresponding to that total. Then, return your messenger to your supply and proceed with final scoring as normal. No message tiles are drawn during final scoring.

If playing with other expansions, please take the following notes into consideration:

Inns and Cathedrals:
- Message 1: A road with an inn on it is worth 0 points if it is incomplete.
- Message 2: A city with a cathedral in it is worth 0 points if it is incomplete.
- Messages 5 and 6: The large meeple is counted as only 1 knight or farmer.

Traders and Builders:
- Getting a double turn with the builder: You can draw a message tile during each 3. Scoring a Feature action, so long as either your meeple or messenger is moving to and stopping on a dark space each time. ^[8] ^[9]

Rounds of Scoring

Conventional turn

Beginning of turn :

Fairy point ^[10]

After drawing tile, before placing tile :

Wheel of Fortune actions

After drawing and placing tile :

Wind rose 3 points ^[11]

End of “move wood” phase :

Shepherd after “herd flock into stable” action

Scoring phase :

City
Road
Cloister
Castle
etc.

End of turn :

Catapult points

Double turn from builder

As in conventional turn, except Fairy point is omitted

Variable

Points from the action of a message

Tile Distribution

Total Tiles: 8

x1

Footnotes

For Icons explanation and licensing please visit Icons page.

↑ Note that this could be 0 points if the chosen feature is a road with an inn or a city with a cathedral. Of course, choosing to do that rather than take the 2 points in the seal would be an odd tactical decision....
↑ Any meeples from other players remain on the feature, as it is still incomplete.
↑ In other words, both counting followers are considered equally, with no differences between the two.
↑ If, for example, a city and a road are completed and scored by the active player, a different scoring figure (the scoring meeple or the messenger) could be moved for each feature. However, all points scored by that city must be moved by one scoring figure, and all points scored by that road must be moved by one scoring figure.
↑ Depending on the number of expansions used, there are a number of different rounds of scoring that could occur over the course of a turn. See section Rounds of Scoring for more information. Payment of points, as with bidding in a bazaar or in ransoming of a follower captured by a tower, does not count as a round of scoring. (10/2014)
↑ The 1st edition also indicated that if you get points from a Message, it is possible that you could move a counting figure and receive another Message, playing it in the same turn. Chains of scoring in this way can continue indefinitely.
↑ This constraint didn't exist in the 1st edition rules by HiG and RGG. It was later introduced by ZMG and has stayed in the new edition.
↑ If there is a double turn because of a builder, the placement of the second tile would create another round of scoring, and thus another opportunity to get a Message. (1/2013)
↑ If a tile is added to a feature with a builder and triggers the drawing of Message #4, The Message extra tile comes before the builder extra turn. If the extra tile from the Message is put on the builder’s feature, this will create another builder extra turn. Thus, the events would be: initial turn => Message #4 turn => Message #4 builder turn => original tile’s builder turn. (11/2013)
↑ Scoring 1 point for possession of the fairy is a separate scoring event, so it can trigger an opportunity to receive a Message by itself. (5/2014)
↑ Scoring 3 points for placement of a Windrose is a separate event and can also can trigger an opportunity to receive a Message by itself. (5/2014)

[1] Note that this could be 0 points if the chosen feature is a road with an inn or a city with a cathedral. Of course, choosing to do that rather than take the 2 points in the seal would be an odd tactical decision....

[2] Any meeples from other players remain on the feature, as it is still incomplete.

[3] In other words, both counting followers are considered equally, with no differences between the two.

[4] If, for example, a city and a road are completed and scored by the active player, a different scoring figure (the scoring meeple or the messenger) could be moved for each feature. However, all points scored by that city must be moved by one scoring figure, and all points scored by that road must be moved by one scoring figure.

[5] Depending on the number of expansions used, there are a number of different rounds of scoring that could occur over the course of a turn. See section Rounds of Scoring for more information. Payment of points, as with bidding in a bazaar or in ransoming of a follower captured by a tower, does not count as a round of scoring. (10/2014)

[6] The 1st edition also indicated that if you get points from a Message, it is possible that you could move a counting figure and receive another Message, playing it in the same turn. Chains of scoring in this way can continue indefinitely.

[7] This constraint didn't exist in the 1st edition rules by HiG and RGG. It was later introduced by ZMG and has stayed in the new edition.

[8] If there is a double turn because of a builder, the placement of the second tile would create another round of scoring, and thus another opportunity to get a Message. (1/2013)

[9] If a tile is added to a feature with a builder and triggers the drawing of Message #4, The Message extra tile comes before the builder extra turn. If the extra tile from the Message is put on the builder’s feature, this will create another builder extra turn. Thus, the events would be: initial turn => Message #4 turn => Message #4 builder turn => original tile’s builder turn. (11/2013)

[10] Scoring 1 point for possession of the fairy is a separate scoring event, so it can trigger an opportunity to receive a Message by itself. (5/2014)

[11] Scoring 3 points for placement of a Windrose is a separate event and can also can trigger an opportunity to receive a Message by itself. (5/2014)

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