Carcassonne Central
Carc Central Community => General => Topic started by: Whaleyland on September 11, 2015, 03:24:56 PM
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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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I have not yet had the opportunity to play this but I think it would take possession of the hut only if it is one of the last cards used, the use of the three-way intersection can bring many points attached to an inn.
Probably in my games I will use the rule of the house to Baba Yaga tile. Whenever another player places a tile around the hut of Baba Yaga, the owning player gets 1 point. When this is completely surrounded the player can resume his follower and receives 3 points.
I think this is a great way to disturb others and get points.
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Thus, it could be worth 8 points maximum (the tile itself scores 1 point).
Maybe I'm misunderstanding something, but I would have thought that the most it could be worth is 7 points as there must be at least one adjacent tile as well as the tile itself in order for it to be placed (unless it can be placed in the centre of a 3 x 3 gap with no single tile next to it!). In the same way as the least a cloister can be worth is 2 points.
Next Week: NONE! (New "Elements of the Week" will be posted as new elements and expansions become available)
Thanks so much for all your work on these discussions whaleyland. It has been a great series and I have enjoyed it very much! :(y)
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Thus, it could be worth 8 points maximum (the tile itself scores 1 point).
Maybe I'm misunderstanding something, but I would have thought that the most it could be worth is 7 points as there must be at least one adjacent tile as well as the tile itself in order for it to be placed (unless it can be placed in the centre of a 3 x 3 gap with no single tile next to it!). In the same way as the least a cloister can be worth is 2 points.
Yes, you are misunderstanding something :D
Imagine that there are no tiles that surround Baba Yaga tile. In this case it is worth 9 points (8 absent tiles + 1 point for the tile itself). But tile must be adjusted to some other tile, so we loose minimum 1 point. That's how we get maximum of 8 points for this tile.
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Thanks. That makes sense to me now. :)
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Now that the Element of the Week series has finished (for now), I'd like to thank Whaleyland for his great contribution. Merit for you!
I also think that we could still use these threads as catch-all threads for continued discussion about each element. If others agree, could we put them all in a sub-forum for easy access?
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Now that the Element of the Week series has finished (for now), I'd like to thank Whaleyland for his great contribution. Merit for you!
I also think that we could still use these threads as catch-all threads for continued discussion about each element. If others agree, could we put them all in a sub-forum for easy access?
I’m not convinced that a dedicated sub-forum is entirely necessary, but if it proves to be a popular idea then I will certainly set one up.
What might work better is a simple index which could be posted and stickied to provide quick access. Here’s one I made earlier: :(y)
:blue-meeple: