Carcassonne Maps - Basic Rules

General info and comments

Carcassonne Maps was originally released by Hans im Glück in 2019 starting with the map of Germany. Later the same year, additional maps were released: Benelux, France, Great Britain and the Iberian Peninsula (titled Península Ibérica).

Carcassonne Maps provide a variant for the new edition that offers players a new possibility to play Carcassonne by placing tiles on a map. HiG suggest some rules variations, but encourage players to design their own too.

Contents

Carcassonne Maps

• 1 Carcassonne Map

In addition, you need:

• Tiles: It is recommended to play with the basic game tiles and the first and second expansions, that is, Exp. 1 - Inns and Cathedrals and Exp. 2 - Traders and Builders. Players can combine everything they want to try. For each map there is a recommendation of a number of tiles to be used. It is better to play without the additional rules and meeples of the expansions and to use only the tiles.

• Meeples: If possible, each player should play with 9 instead of 7 meeples (+ 1 meeple on the scoring board)

Rules

Preparation

There are several start-squares on each map. On each square there is a small town and they are with a red edging. You should start with at least 2 start-squares. Take the starting tile (with the darker backside) and one or 2 random tiles and place all of them on 2 to 3 start-squares. You start your game by placing your first tile next to these tiles.

Example: Some start-squares from different maps

If you play after the base game rules and without the Maps-Chips expansion rules, you simply ignore the additional prints on the maps (for example, the wine bottles on the France Map, the colored lines on the Iberian Peninsula Map, islands on the Benelux Map, and so on.) The general rules stay the same, and some new rules are added when using the Map-Chips.

(Note: to make it easier to read we will be using the words large city and town even if those words do not always represent reality.)

1. Placing a tile

You’re only allowed to place a tile on a pre-printed square. As usual, you have to place a tile next to an already placed one.

Example 1: You place a compatible tile next to the starting tile (in Rostock , for instance.)

Large cities

On squares with printed large city tiles (for example Berlin, London, Paris, Amsterdam or Barcelona) you cannot place tiles. As soon as you place a tile next to a city tile, it is connected. From now on, everybody can place a tile next to the city tile.

Example 2: You have connected Berlin in the West with a compatible tile. From now on, everybody is allowed to place a tile on the adjacent squares.

Towns

Squares with towns (with a small house, for example Bremen, Bordeaux, Oxford, Strasbourg, Utrecht, Salamanca,...) count as normal squares. You are allowed to place tiles according to the general rules. On some Maps the rules for these tiles differ. You find some variants in section Variants below.

Example 3: On this square you are allowed to place tiles according to the general rules.

Border squares with adjacent city or road

Wherever there are cities or roads printed on the "border" of the map you have to place a compatible tile.

Example 4: Here a city on the border was connected with a compatible tile.

Example 5: Here a road on the border was connected with a compatible tile.

Border squares without connection

The "border" of the map is neutral which means that you are allowed to place your tile the way you want if there are no pre-printed cities or roads.

Example 6: In this case, it doesn’t matter how you place your tiles (with regard to the border.)

Ferry routes

If you have connected a ferry route with a road, everybody is allowed to continue this connection on the other end of the road.

Example 7: The ferry has been connected and now each player is allowed to place a compatible tile on the other end of the road.

2. Placing a meeple

After having placed a tile you are allowed to place a meeple according to the general rules.

3. Scoring a feature

A coat of arms gives you 2 additional points in each scoring no matter if it is part of a road or a city.

1) Large cities

If you complete a large city you score according to the general rules. Pre-printed large city tiles are scored in the same way as a normal city tile. Coats of arms give additional points.

Example 1: Berlin is completed. As the owner, you get 20 points (6 tiles + 4 coats of arms [2 points per coat of arms.])

2a) Border squares with adjacent city or road

Roads which end on the border are automatically completed there. Pre-printed roads or cities are scored as normal tiles. Coats of arms give additional points.

Example 2: Your road is completed (it ends in Denmark. ) You get 8 points. (4 points for 4 road segments and 4 points for the coats of arms.)

Example 3: Your city is completed. You get 10 points. (3 city tiles + 2 coats of arms [2 points per coat of arms.])

2b) Border squares without a connection

A city, road or field placed on the border (next to clouds or the sea) is seen as completed. You score them according to the normal rules.

Example 4: Your (half) city is completed because of the border. You get 2 points.

3) Ferry Routes

A ferry route gives you 1 point for the road plus the additional points for the coats of arms on this connection. They are scored when the road is completed.

Example 5: The road with the ferry route is completed. You get 7 points (3 points for the road and 4 points for 2 coats of arms.)

4) Monastery on the border

To complete and score a monastery on the border it isn't necessary to place 8 adjacent. Only the surrounding squares (also the diagonal ones) have to be filled with tiles. However, only "real" tiles as well as pre-printed large cities are scored.

Example 6: You score your monastery on the border. You get 6 points (1 point for the monastery and 1 point each for the adjacent tiles .)

Final scoring

As usual, city tiles and coats of arms of cities or roads which haven't been completed score only 1 point each. Coats of arms of uncompleted roads which end in neighboring countries also score 1 point.

Example 7: You get 4 points for the uncompleted road (3 for the tiles and 1 for the coat of arms.)

Variants

Towns

You can try using the following additional rules for the town squares:

1. Placing a tile on top of a town grants you one instant extra turn. This can only be done once within one draw.
2. Placing a tile on top of a town costs 2 points.
3. When scoring a road, you get 2 bonus points for each town which is still visible and touches your road (horizontally or vertically.)

Tile distribution

Carcassonne Maps - Benelux

Total Maps: 1

x1

Carcassonne Maps - France

Total Maps: 1

x1

Carcassonne Maps - Great Britain

Total Maps: 1

x1

Carcassonne Maps - Germany

Total Maps: 1

x1

Carcassonne Maps - Iberian Peninsula (Península Ibérica)

Total Maps: 1

x1

Footnotes

For Icons explanation and licensing please visit Icons page.