User talk:MajFrost

General info and comments

Originally released by Hans im Glück in 2018.

Tropical heats over Africa... We are traveling to savanna where everybody is looking for well known, magnificent animals. Apes swing on branches, lions rests in shades of trees, heavy thumps of elephants shake the ground. Many animals roams next to the waterholes, so it is worthwhile to lie in wait there.

Components and setup

Following part will explain initial setup and introduce components of the game.

• The 72 LANDSCAPE TILES show paths, bush and baobab in the Savana with the animals resting among them.

Land tile showing a path and one lion.

Land tile showing elephant in the bushes and a baobab in the savanna.

Land tile showing bushes with birds, as well as a zebra and a lions on a paths.

Safari land tile backs. This is the same on tiles.

• 50 animal tiles.

Animal/watering hole tiles

Example of complete watering hole

Shuffle all 72 tiles and set them as few facedown stacks that are easily accessible to all players.

Land tile stacks

Place the triple sized start tile in the middle of the table. White Ranger cars (short Rangers) do not belong to any player. Place them next to the start tile as shown belog.

Start tile with rangers.

Shuffle all 50 animal tiles and distribute two to each player. Every player puts them face up in front of them. Shuffle rest of them and put them aside face down.

Animal/watering holes facing down

Points tiles should be put next to the scoring track.

Points tile with 50 points on its front

Points tile with 100 points on its back

There are 30 meeples, six of them in each of colors: yellow, red, green, blue and black. Each player gets set on one chosen color.

Meeples

There is also set of five elephants,

Elephant figures

Put them on the starting place of the score track. Set scorebard to the side of your playing surface (table, floor, etc.).

Elephant figures on the scoreboard

Put all unused meeples and elephants back o the box, those will not be used in the course of the game.

Overview and goal of the game

In Carcassonne, players take turns placing tiles and expanding the landscape of savana, paths and bush one tile at a time. Players may place their meeples on the individual features of tiles as well (paths, bush, baobabs and waterholes). When particular feature is finished player gain points for animal present there. Use tokens to boost score or create waterholes. Points are earned throughout the game, and the player with the highest score at the end is the winner!

Gameplay

A game of Carcassonne is played in clockwise order. Active player does the following actions in the order listed below, after which it is the next player’s turn, and so on and so forth. First, we’ll give you a brief description of the actions you have to do during one of your turns. These actions will be detailed as we present the paths, bush, baobabs, patrol cars and waterholes.

1 Placing a tile

Placing a tile: The player must draw exactly 1 Land tile from a stack and place it face-up to continue the landscape.

2 Action

One of three possible actions:
•	The player may place a meeple from his/her supply onto the tile just placed.
•	Move one of the two rangers.
•	Begin or expand watering hole.

3 Scoring

The player must score any feature completed by the tile placement. The resulting points have to reflected on the scoreboard.

The paths

Placing a tile

You draw the depicted tile with path segment. You must place it in such a way that it continues the existing landscape (the tiles already in play). In the rare case that a tile cannot legally be placed anywhere, it is removed from the game, and the player draws another.

(Example: placing a land tile)

Placing a meeple on a path

After placing the tile, you may place a meeple as a on one of that tile’s path segments, but only if the road is unoccupied by another meeple.

In our example, since the road is not yet completed, no scoring occurs (see action 3) and play moves on to the next player.

Red has drawed tile with red border. Path fits to the one already on the table.

Scoring a path

When both ends of a path are closed, that road is completed and scored. The end of a road is closed when it meets a bush or it loops onto itself by meeting the other end.

Even though it is your opponent that placed the tile, this still completes your path. How many points do you score? Scoring a path depend on number of animal types. Number of points can be found in table below and on scoring track

Number of animal types	1	2	3	4	5
Points	1	3	6	10	15

Complete number od animals on the path does not matter, only number of different species. After scoring return player meeple to his resources.

Blue player finished your path. There are three types of animals. Red player reveives six points.

Additional points

To get additional points during path scoring you can use one animal token to increase number of species on the path. Naturally this has to be different spieces than one of those already o the path.

In the example above, there are three animals, elephant, zebra and giraphe. If you add lion from your resources, you get four species and gain 10 points.

It is now time to note your score. You keep track of your score with the elephants you placed on the scoreboard before starting the game. Each time after scoring points, player returns his meeples from scored area (if it is completed). If player score exceed 50 points, he receives 50 points token, which is flipped when player receives over 100 points. After each scoring, return to your supply the meeple that was just scored.

We’ve already seen the most important parts of the game. Now, we will further expand on those actions by showing you how they apply to the other features.

The Bush

Placing a tile

As usual, you draw a tile that you use to continue the landscape. Of course, the illustration must be continued as well. For example, a bush segment must be connected to an open bush.

Placing a meeple

Then, player can put his meeple if there are already no meeples in the bush.

Red player placed tile so the bush is extended. It was not occupied so he can put his meeple there.

Scoring a bush

If later in the game player places tile so that the bush is closed, you can score the points for it. Bush is considered closed if there are no empty holes inside it (missing tiles). If there is at least one meeple in closed bush you can score points for it. Scoring a path depend on number of animal types. Number of points can be found in table below and on scoring track

Number of animal types	1	2	3	4	5
Points	1	3	6	10	15

Additional points

Also when scoring points for bush player can use animal tokens to boost score (for animal diversity).

Additionally, every bird flying over the bush grants 1 additional point. After scoring return meeple to player's resources.

In Red player's bush there is giraffe and ape. Red adds zebra token. Now there are three species, so he gets 6 points. Additionally there are three birds, so that adds up to 9 points in total.

Baobab

Placing a tile

Once more, you draw a tile to continue the landscape. Baobabs are always depicted in the center of a tile. When placing such a tile, you must, as usual, make sure that it continues the illustration.

(Example: Placing a baobab)

Placing a meeple

Player can place a meeple on a baobab. If so, player draws two animal tokens and put them face up in front of him.

Player can put his meeple on the baobab and gain two points.

Getting tokens

A baobab is completed when it is surrounded by tiles (surrounded by 8 tiles). Player can draw two animal tokens and get his meeple back.

Red player's baobab is surrounded from all sides. Red gets his meeple back and receives two animal tokens.

Ranger car

There are two ways to move Ranger. One of them provides points(b), other do not(a).

1a. Placing a tile

Place tile in a place, where there is no Ranger.

2a. Not placing a meeple

If player decides not to put meeple this turn, he can move one of two Rangers to different field adjacent to any tile.

3a. Scoring

By placing this tile, you complete your monastery. It earns you 9 points and allows you to take your meeple back.

1b. Placing a tile

Player put tile according to standard rules. If he decides to put it on one of the places where Ranger car is, he can take ranger car to his resoures.

(Example: Pushing away a ranger by placing a tile)

2b. Placing a meeple

Player can place his meeple to any unoccupied feature on placed tile.

(Example: Placing a meeple)

3b. Scoring

Player scores points for any completed features. For removing Ranger from he table player receives 3 points. Player then places the ranger next to one of any tile.

By placing this tile, you complete your monastery. It earns you 9 points and allows you to take your meeple back.

(Example: Scoring)

Note: In one turn you can move only one Ranger. If you removed Ranger from board (1b) by placing tile on its place, you can only move it, even if you do not place a meeple on it. Two Rangers cannot be placed on the same spot.

Waterhole

Animal tokens can be used not only to boost score but also to create waterholes in the savanna.

Placing a tile

Place tile according to standard rules.

Begin or develop waterhole

Start building waterhole

Instead of placing a meeple player can start developing waterhole. To do this, player places animal token in empty corner of any tile (not necessarily the one just placed). Empty corner is considered the one with just savanna (small patches of grass or shrubs are not an obstruction). Corner of animal tile must always fit corner of the tile. Next, player must put his meeple on this waterhole.

Player immediately receives 3 points.

Red player puts tile to expand path. Because he do not places a meeple, he can start developing waterhole to get 3 points.

Expanding waterhole

Instead of placing meeple, player can expand existing waterhole. Place your waterhole tile (animal tile) in corner of one of the tiles so it is adjacent to previously placed token. Player gets point depending on which animal tile it is for given waterhole.

• 2nd token: 4 points
• 3rd token: 5 points
• 4th token: 6 points

Note: Player must put a meeple on a waterhole after starting it, so he cannot start waterhole without available meeple.

Red places tile to expand path. Because he do not place a meeple, he can expand existing zebra and giraffe waterhole with ape animal tokeb. This is third species so he gets 5 points.

Special case

Player can create new waterhole facing (diagonally) already existing one. Because animal tokens are not touching each other, player can put his meeple there. When waterhole is finished, there will be two meeples on it. Both getting points. In that case there can be two of the same species in one waterhole.

Red places tile and starts new waterhole. Because it does not connects with existing water started by blue, it can also contain giraffe token.

Completing waterhole

After placing fourth (last) animal tile, it is finished. It's owner gains 3 points and returns his meeple to resources.

If two players owns meeples on this waterhole, both gets 3 points.

If both meeples belong to the same player, he gets only 3 points.

Red places tile and does no put a meeple, instead he completes the waterhole. He gets 6 points. Blue gets 3 points and gets his meeple back.

Summary

Placing a tile

• You must place your drawn tile in such a way that it continues the landscape and the illustration.
• In some very rare cases, it may be impossible to place the tile. In those cases, simply return the tile to the box and draw a new one.
• If player places tile, where Ranger is located, player takes takes Ranger to his resources.

Placing a meeple

• You may place a meeple on the tile you’ve just placed.
• If meeple is placed on baobab, player receives two animal tokens.
• If player does not place meeple, he can start building waterhole.

• If player does not place meeple, he can move Ranger.

Scoring a feature

• Scoring always occurs at the end of a player’s turn. At that moment, each player with a meeple in a scored feature earns points. After each scoring, return to your supply the scored meeples.
• Completed paths are counted, according to number of species on it.
• Completed bush is counted, according to number of species on it plus 1 point for every bird symbol.
• Completed baobab grants 2 animal tokens.
• If there are multiple meeples in a single scored feature, the player with the most meeples is awarded full points and all other players receive nothing. When more than one player have the most meeples in a scored feature, the tied players all score full points.

Game end and final scoring

The game ends immediately after the turn of the player who placed the last tile. Then, players proceed to a final scoring, after which the winner will be known.

Once the game is over, all meeples still in play are scored:

• Each incomplete road is worth 1 point per tile, just like during the game.
• Each incomplete city is worth 1 point per tile and 1 point per coat of arms, which is only half the points.
• Each incomplete monastery is worth 1 point plus 1 point per adjacent tile, just like during the game.

(Example: Final scoring
A: ...
B : ...
C: ...
D: ...
E: ... )

Once the final score is known, the winner is the player with the most points.

Special cases

Multiple meeples on the same feature

It is forbidden to put meeple on already occupied feature. It may happen that after joining two features, there will be more than one meeple on it. If one of the players gains majority (has more meeples than opponents), he gets all the points and opponents gets nothing. If two or more players owns the same number of meeples, they all get full number of points.

Before putting tile blue and red have their meeples on two separate paths. After placing tile those features join, creating one completed feature with four animal species (ape, lion, giraffe and elephant). Red decides to add zebra token and receives 15 points. Blues does not add token and receives 10 points.

Before placing tile, three meeples are located on three separate bush features. After placing tile all features joins creating one completed bush. Red does not animal token so he gets 11 points (6 points for 3 species and 5 points for birds). Blue does not get any points.

Use of a Table

A number of questions have been asked about rules related to the play area itself, including what happens when the edge of the area is reached, or if a table has to be used for play. The following clarifications are from Georg Wild from HiG (5/2013):

• The edge of the table is the limit for the game if, as stated in the rules, a table is used.
• The rules state that the starting tile is placed in the middle of the table. If all of the tiles are shifted to allow more room, the starting tile would no longer be in the middle. So in principle, total shifting of the tiles is not allowed. Additionally, with a manual shift of all of the tiles, the tiles and figures on the field can slip, which could lead to incorrect positioning of tiles or figures.
• Addition of a second table is possible if one of an appropriate height is added to the first table. If a table is extended (as with an additional panel), make sure that the tiles and figures on the playing field do not slip.
• Playing on the floor: The rules technically do not allow this, because the rules state that the first tile is placed in the middle of the table. Playing on the floor is not forbidden, however, if use of a table is not feasible. If the floor is used, tiles must be placed so all tiles are visible to all players. Tiles cannot be placed under the sofa, cabinet/shelf, etc.
• It is important generally, that all the players in the round agree how to play:
  • Table - Standard
  • Table - with "total shifting" of tiles
  • Table - with extension
  • Floor
• Continue to play fairly and not intentionally unfair to other players.

Tile reference

Total Land Tiles: 72 Tiles + 1 Start Tile

  x2
- | -

  x1
E

  x4
E | G | G | Z

  x3
A | E | L

  x1
L

  x4
A | A | E | L

  x5
E | G | G | L | Z

  x1
AA

  x1
AA

  x2
LL | ZZ

  x3
GG | ZZ | ZZ

  x1
Z

  x2
G | Z

  x3
A | AE | ZZ

  x1
AE

  x1
Z

  x1
G

  x1
EL

  x1
EGG

  x5
A | A | G | L | Z

  x4
E | L | Z | -

  x1
L

  x1
AEE

  x1
EEL

  x3
AL | AL | L

  x5
EE | EG | EZ | LL | LZ

  x2
AG | AL

  x2
G | Z

  x1
E

  x4
G | G | L | Z

  x1
LZ

  x1
GG

  x3
A | A | G

  x1 (Start Tile)
AEG

If several tiles of one type are present, it is listed which and how many animals are on each one.

The individual tiles are separated by a pipe symbol. Birds are not listed.

A = ape | E = elephant | G = giraffe | L = lion | Z = zebra | "-" = no animal

Total Animal/Watering Hole Tiles: 50

  x10 A

  x10 E

  x10 G

  x10 L

  x10 Z

Letters indicate the animal included on each tile:

A = ape | E = elephant | G = giraffe | L = lion | Z = zebra

Total 50/100 Point tiles: 5

  x5

Footnotes

For Icons explanation and licensing please visit Icons page.