Game Profile: Carcassonne the Castle

An exciting tile-laying completion between 2 players.


Classification 2-Player Strategy Game
Mechanics Tile Placement, Area Control, Area Enclosure
Publication Rio Grande Games, 2003
Ages 8+
Time 30-45
Players 2
Description

Carcassonne the Castle uses the same draw a tile – play a tile system that
is used in
Carcassonne.  Like Carcassonne players can choose to place one of their
followers on one of the scoring elements of the castle tile at the time it is
placed.  Score completed elements and
retrieve your follower for future use.  The
scoring elements on the castle tiles are paths, houses, towers, and markets.  There is a scoring track (the castle wall) that
encompasses the playing area.  The
scoring track serves two additional functions in addition to keeping score.  First it provides 7 different starting
locations for castle tiles to be played. 
Second, there are 12 corner spots for special wall tiles which can be gained
when a player’s score lands exactly on one of these spots.  Wall tiles provide significant advantages
when claimed.  They can double the score
of a completed house or tower.  They can
yield victory points, an extra turn, or the ability to score an unfinished element
at game end.  This brings up some interesting
tactical decisions.  If I am within easy
reach on the scoring track of a special wall tile do I used my drawn castle
tile to complete a low scoring element and take the special wall tile?  Or, if I have the opportunity to use this
castle tile to complete a higher scoring element do I take the higher score and
miss out on the special wall tile leaving it behind for my opponent to shoot
for.  There is only one special wall tile
per location and any left behind can be claimed by your opponent if they can
manage their score to land on them.
Another interesting scoring
twist is the award of points at the end of the game to the player with the
largest completed house.  This bonus value
is based on the largest unoccupied area inside the castle.  This puts a premium on the one point per
castle house tile over the two points per castle tower tile.  Castle paths score one point per tile unless
at least one of the castle paths is connected with a fountain which then
doubles the score.  Castle markets claimed
with a player’s follower scores 3 points per tile.  However, a special wall tile for markets will
increase the value to 4 points per tile. 
During the game a player claims a market tile by laying his follower down
on it.  This follower remains on there
through the end of the game and cannot be reclaimed and played again like followers
positioned on other scored elements.

We have an open copy of Carcassonne the Castle available in our Store Demo Library for you come in and try out.

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