Poll

How do you primarily use The Ferries?

To extend my road.
1 (12.5%)
To end another player's road
1 (12.5%)
To connect my road to another player's road
1 (12.5%)
I use it in some other creatively strategic manner (describe below).
2 (25%)
I don't ever play with or don't own The Ferries.
3 (37.5%)

Total Members Voted: 8

Voting closed: July 03, 2015, 05:16:54 PM

Author Topic: The Ferries – Element of the Week #42  (Read 4149 times)

Offline Whaleyland

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The Ferries – Element of the Week #42
« on: June 26, 2015, 05:16:54 PM »
ELEMENT OF THE WEEK: THE FERRIES

Each week, a specific element from an expansion is chosen for deeper discussion. This is an opportunity for you, Carcassonne's biggest English-language fans, to discuss strategies and problems you have encountered through the years regarding specific expansion elements. All forms of critique – from the most joyous to the most scathing – are encouraged.

This week's element is THE FERRIES (Carcassonne Mini #3). The Carcassonne Minis series introduced a number of strange innovations to the game, but none were as popular and desired as that introduced in The Ferries. This ingenious 8-tile expansion adds lakes to the landscape of Carcassonne (not to be confused with Inns). Three or four roads dead-end into these lakes, or they would except for the introduction of the ferry. The ferry connects any two of the roads together, but only to roads can be connected at at time. Whenever a player places or extends a road that has a lake on it, they may move the ferry in whichever way they like. By so doing, lakes can end roads, extend roads, or connect a road with another player's. It also can end another player's road! The hijinks are many.

This expansion is a great little treat that doesn't take away anything and adds much. The variety of creative ways of using the ferries is amazing and can make for some fun reversals. Furthermore, it emphasises roads, which are often neglected in the game. While there are some confusing situations, such as when a road with multiple ferries is extended or how a Builder works with ferries, overall the expansion is fairly straightforward. Discuss your relationship with The Ferries and how you optimise your use of this strategic element.

Next Week: The Little Buildings  C:-) :) ???

Linkback: https://www.carcassonnecentral.com/community/index.php?topic=1906.0

Offline B1nder

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Re: The Ferries – Element of the Week #42
« Reply #1 on: June 26, 2015, 11:19:34 PM »
I don't use the ferries very often. But when I do, I try to build a road as long as possible, add a lake for the ferries and try to score the long road twice.
« Last Edit: June 27, 2015, 09:43:16 AM by B1nder »

Offline franks

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Re: The Ferries – Element of the Week #42
« Reply #2 on: June 26, 2015, 11:29:13 PM »
I was quite excited to try this when the new series came out but found it fiddly for the two time we tried it.

We might have just been overwhelmed as we tried to incorporate too many of the new expansion at once.

Will have to give it another go!
Franks

Wanna play Carc? Can we add just one more expansion?

Offline Whaleyland

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Re: The Ferries – Element of the Week #42
« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2015, 06:10:39 PM »
This week's Element of the Week will be delayed until next week due to an acute lack of Internet access. Sorry! The Little Buildings will have to wait.

Offline Christopher

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Re: The Ferries – Element of the Week #42
« Reply #4 on: February 25, 2016, 12:03:20 PM »
Where is all of the discussion on ferries?!

The Ferries are my other favourite mini, along with goldmines. Roads become much more dynamic, with so many more options. As was said, roads are so easy to neglect, but a big road can be easily built and score fairly reasonably. With clever ferry placement, you can score a decent road two or even three times! Couple lakes with inns and bridges and you can do some wonderful things.

Add to this the pinching of a road from someone else by moving their ferry, and it makes for a tremendous few tiles. I like adding this expansion to a few early ones, Inns and Cathedrals, Traders and Builders and the like. Keeps the rules fairly straightforward but with clever roads. Lovely.
Look to the north. Keep looking. There's nothing coming from the south.


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