ELEMENT OF THE WEEK: THE BABA YAGA & BOGATYR
Carcassonne has definitely taken strange turns in the past ten years, so these few expansions may not be in your knowledge bank, but that doesn't make them any less official (or does it?). So as we conclude this series over the next few weeks, feel free to express any form of praise or criticism you may have for these off-beat elements.
This week, we present BABA YAGA & BOGATYR, the first official expansion printed by the Russian distributor of Carcassonne and given out officially at Russian Championship games. This tiny expansion only actually includes one new element, that of Baba Yaga (the hut). If a player decides to place a Follower on Baba Yaga, their goal is to avoid placing any other tiles adjacent to it (except the required one). Thus, it could be worth 8 points maximum (the tile itself scores 1 point). However, because of this concept, the Follower is stranded on the tile until the end of the game. The second tile in the expansion acts just as a normal 4-way road intersection.
Obviously this is more of a promotional tile than an actual strategic tile. Unless it is pulled at the end of the game, the likelihood is that it will devalue at the same speed as property prices in Montana. It's just a bad investment unless there's only a few tiles left. That, combined with the fact that the official tile is extremely difficult to obtain (although print-n-play versions are easy to make) makes this probably the least exciting expansion ever released by a Carcassonne distributor. Still, collectors will be collectors. In any case, discuss your relationship with Baba Yaga & Bogatyr and how you optimise your use of this strategic element.
Next Week: NONE! (New "Elements of the Week" will be posted as new elements and expansions become available)
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