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Carc Central Community => General => Topic started by: SamoolSamosa on November 04, 2017, 07:46:57 AM

Title: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: SamoolSamosa on November 04, 2017, 07:46:57 AM
Recently I have started playing Carcassonne with my mum and we like it a lot! My birthday is coming up and I cannot think of anything I want and my Grandma wants me to tell her something and I can't think of anything better than a Carcassonne expansion!

I have read many reviews about which expansion to get and have nailed it down to expansions 1,2 and 3.

At the moment I only have two expansions; Carcassonne Minis 2 and 6 (randomly found them in a shop like 5 years ago and bought them)

Can someone please make the decision for me?
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: Willem on November 04, 2017, 08:04:35 AM
They are all nice of course.
If i would have to pick one, it would be Expansion 1 Inss&Cathedrals i think. Many agree that his has som elements that should be in the base game, and i've read that in the first demo KJW made for the game, some of these elements were there from the start.
Either way, you can't really go wrong.

Enjoy!
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: SamoolSamosa on November 04, 2017, 10:14:55 AM
They are all nice of course.
If i would have to pick one, it would be Expansion 1 Inss&Cathedrals

Thanks for the advice, I will probably go with that one as it has many great reviews and as you said includes things that were in the demo
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: Mr Meeple on November 04, 2017, 05:04:29 PM
I agree with Willem, the first expansion contains the big meeple which will be lots of fun for you and your mum too play with  :) Really appreciate your wish for Carcassonne as birthday present  :(y)

As you've mentioned that you have two minis I think that your base game is also a little bit older and in the old design, right? I'm not sure if you've noticed it, but since a few years there is a new design of Carcassonne which is slightly different to the old one. So if your grandmother wants to pick expansion 1 for you in most shops it will be in the new design. But on eBay you'll find lots of the old expansions.

If you want to switch to the new design there is a new Big Box which contains the base game, 1+2 expansion and all minis, but it costs around 40€ - maybe to much for your Grandma  ;)

Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: SamoolSamosa on November 05, 2017, 05:02:24 AM
Thanks so much for the explanations. She would most likely get it from Amazon as she asks my mum to send her a link for the item.
Would this be compatible with my old game version : https://www.amazon.co.uk/Carcassonne-Expansion-1-Inns-Cathedrals/dp/B015GF1C1Y
If you manage to find out if it's compatible, can you tell me how to check for myself in the future?
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: Willem on November 05, 2017, 05:06:52 AM
That is for the new edition.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Carcassonne-Expansion-1-Inns-Cathedrals/dp/B00BJLUGNK/ref=sr_1_43?s=kids&ie=UTF8&qid=1509887064&sr=1-43&keywords=carcassonne
This is the old edition.
You can tell by the box art, or if you look on the back (or pictures from the back) you can usually see some of the art.
For the game itself it doesnt matter which one you have, but the art of the tiles is different
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: Squiffything on November 05, 2017, 05:14:37 AM
Hi Samool

How crafty are you (in the nicest arts and crafts way :) )

You could have a look through the workshop on here, ask for some blank tiles from Cundco and some A4 label sheets for your birthday and make up some of the fan expansions. It's not too hard and the rewards open up a world of extras for you.

Where in the world are you based? (No addresses just the country)
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: SamoolSamosa on November 05, 2017, 08:26:00 AM
I am not very crafty (at all) and would be too worried that I would accidentally unbalance the game. For those reasons I wouldn't try and make a fan piece at the moment but mabye in the future.

I live in England :)
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: Decar on November 05, 2017, 08:50:42 AM
What type of games do you like to play and how many players?

Traders and Builders is very strategic and the Builder can be used to get more turns and the Tokens can be used to justify completing an opponent's city.

Princess and Dragon does add quite a lot to the game, and usually results in more conflicts between players.

No doubt they'll be part of your collection soon enough!

Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: SamoolSamosa on November 05, 2017, 09:03:42 AM
We have many games such as Ticket to ride, Catan, Dominion, 7 wonders, zooleretto, Niagra...

We bought those for the family and sometimes play with parents friends. However my sibling has left (uni) and my dads work is very demanding so mostly it's me and my mum and then on weekends my dad (or friends) join if there is time.

My (amazing) grandma wanted me to tell her 2 things for birthday and Christmas as they're close (but not too close) so I suggested Inns and cathedrals and Traders and Builders as I have no other ideas.

I am excited for both as many say that they are not 'expansions' but 'completetions' of the based game!

Thank you everyone for their advice and for voting!

I have gathered that the third expansion isn't as great as the other 2 and opinions are divided.
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: Decar on November 05, 2017, 09:17:23 AM
Sounds like you're off to a good start!  You should take a few minutes to introduce yourself properly on the 'Meet the Members thread'  :(y) :(y) :(y)
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: SamoolSamosa on November 05, 2017, 09:20:35 AM
I have gathered that the third expansion isn't as great as the other 2 and opinions are divided.

(Obviously though I will still get it in the future  ;D)

Sounds like you're off to a good start!  You should take a few minutes to introduce yourself properly on the 'Meet the Members thread'  :(y) :(y) :(y)

Will do!
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: Mr Meeple on November 08, 2017, 12:27:12 PM
If you manage to find out if it's compatible, can you tell me how to check for myself in the future?

On Bgg there is a rider for every expansion which gives you an overview about the different versions that have been released over the time. Just click on an expansion and you will find the rider "Versions". Hope that helps  :)

https://boardgamegeek.com/geeksearch.php?action=search&objecttype=boardgame&q=carcassonne&B1=Go
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: Ratz65 on November 09, 2017, 04:28:02 AM
Tell your grandma, you need all 3 and the expansions 4 - 10  8)  ;D
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: danisthirty on November 09, 2017, 05:10:29 AM
I think that since the first 3 expansions together include the same number of tiles as the base game that they should all be considered mandatory and no game should be played without them!

Seriously though, regardless of what you ask for you're definitely looking in the right place to start. Of the first 2 expansions, I think the first (Inns & Cathedrals) feels most like a natural extension of the basic game, but for me, the second (Traders & Builders) is more fun and brings more to the game (builder, pig, trade tokens, and a more interesting selection of tiles). I'm sure you won't be disappointed with either though!

It's still worth getting Princess & Dragon of course, but as the responses to your poll suggest, this probably isn't the best place to start. Once you've had a chance to gather a few different expansions and have grown more familiar with the game, it is definitely worth looking at this again though! :) :(y)
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: SamoolSamosa on November 09, 2017, 08:01:52 AM
Thanks for the advice Dan!

Do you think that the tower is good or bad with two players?
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: danisthirty on November 09, 2017, 08:23:56 AM
It depends if I'll be expecting to remain on talking terms with my opponent after the game! :-X >:(

I like The Tower a lot more than I used to now that I'm a bit more familiar with it (we played a Tower League last year). It's not as random as I first thought and there are some very good strategies and defences which become relevant when playing with it.

If it's going to be a friendly/ family game and not too competitive then I think it's a good addition. Not necessarily a good place to start, but certainly something you can consider adding once you're familiar with the first two or three expansions.
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: Sinscerly on November 09, 2017, 08:31:09 AM
The Tower works quite good with 2, with 3 it's getting harder because multiple people are gonna steal your  :green-meeple: :green-meeple: :green-meeple:'s. I had some games where I had to much points and everyone is gonna turn against you.

I like the tower a lot, but we never use the ransome payment. No one wants to lose points  :'(.
But I also recommend to try first the first two expansions(Inns&Cathedrals and Traders & Builders), before getting in the tower. But that's my opinion :)
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: SamoolSamosa on November 09, 2017, 08:40:47 AM
Of course! I am probably going to follow the expansions in the order.

I was just asking as I saw a post about the tower and most of the comments were negative (not on this website)
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: jungleboy on November 09, 2017, 08:44:52 AM
The Tower and Princess and Dragon are the so-called aggressive expansions, where you kidnap and 'eat' the other player's meeples. This obviously makes the game more cut-throat and mean. If you and your Mum are happy to play like this, then go for it (I think the Tower is great, personally). But if you'd rather a less confrontational experience - which I'd imagine might be the case with your Mum! - then I'd skip those two expansions. You can't go wrong with I&C and T&B, and Abbey and Mayor is another one that's generally well received and doesn't have aggressive elements.
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: danisthirty on November 09, 2017, 08:45:39 AM
I like the tower a lot, but we never use the ransome payment. No one wants to lose points  :'(.

I suppose it all depends where you are in the game, but personally I would rather be on 40 points and have a meeple in hand than on 43 and have nothing to earn any more points with. You never know when the next cloister is going to come along!

I was just asking as I saw a post about the tower and most of the comments were negative (not on this website)

It's fine to dislike stuff. I don't think there's anyone here who likes every expansion; not even me. I would liken The Tower to a fine wine or a nice bottle of Whisky (not that I have much experience of either): you need to develop a taste for it! ;)
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: Sinscerly on November 09, 2017, 09:32:12 AM
I like the tower a lot, but we never use the ransome payment. No one wants to lose points  :'(.

I suppose it all depends where you are in the game, but personally I would rather be on 40 points and have a meeple in hand than on 43 and have nothing to earn any more points with. You never know when the next cloister is going to come along!


Ofcours I'll pay 3 point if it would make it worth  ::), but I prefer to capture a  :green-meeple: from my opponent >:D
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: Rosco on November 09, 2017, 02:31:04 PM
T&b is my fav expansion - it adds so much to the game.  I really like inns and cathedrals as well but it is more of an extension to the base game than adding anything.  I love princess and Dragon but tower is not too popular in my house.  I do like it but I think the rules are fundamentally flawed in that you can place a tower piece on a foundation and kidnap on the same turn thus not allowing a player to protect his meeple.  We house rule it to say that the first tower piece allows capture from itself and only when a second piece is added can you capture from surrounding tiles - it makes the game a lot less frustrating.

After that, we pick and choose elements of expansions rather than playing the whole lot.  For example, when playing with actual tiles on an actual table (instead of jcz) we never play with the barn.

All in all, my advice is T&B, then I&C, then p&d and then whatever you please.



Sent from my SM-A320FL using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: SamoolSamosa on December 27, 2017, 09:23:58 AM
Thanks for all the advice  :P.

Somehow I managed to get all three!

I&C as a birthday present from my Grandma
T&B as a Christmas present from my Grandma (got them both on the same day)
P&D as a Christmas present from my brother (I assume my mum told him what to get me.

We've played them all once so far and they are all unique and we like them all.   :D


Edit: I tried to include a photo but it says file too large
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: Sinscerly on December 27, 2017, 10:01:40 AM
That's nice from them :)
Great you liked them all. Indeed they are great in their own way.

As for a picture you need to make the file smaller if you want to upload it to CarcC or you can embed it but that is a longer story.
Smaller: You can use any fotoprogram or editer tool. Even microsoft paint works.

Room for the other awnser
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: Decar on December 27, 2017, 02:14:47 PM
Great to hear you got all 3 expansions!  + belated Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas too  :(y)

They all manage to add something very different to the base game.

Princess and Dragon gets some stick because it's 'mean', but that just adds extra complexity in my opinion.  I enjoyed the last league of it here at CarcC.

Keep up the practise :)
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: SamoolSamosa on January 07, 2018, 06:06:47 AM
In Inns and Cathedrals (new version) I also get some tiles that look like a river expansion. I looked around and I didn't see anywhere which said which one it was. Do you guys know?
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: Decar on January 07, 2018, 06:34:54 AM
I believe the River I, is included in Scandinavian editions of Inns and Cathedrals, because the base box did not include them.  Photos of the tiles and or box would help determine what they are.
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: Sinscerly on January 07, 2018, 06:35:18 AM
Indeed a did a quick google search and it is the river 1. It should be the same as in the main game
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: SamoolSamosa on January 07, 2018, 07:56:04 AM
Scandanavian?  :o

This is the link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Carcassonne-Expansion-1-Inns-Cathedrals/dp/B015GF1C1Y as I still haven't worked out how to send pictures.

Sinscerly what do you mean by the same as in the main game
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: Decar on January 07, 2018, 08:13:44 AM
Looks like a zman print. Which is odd because the river tiles are included in the base game for zman printings.

If you can resize the image dimensions to something smaller (longest edge about 700 pixels)  I think the image will attach.
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: Sinscerly on January 07, 2018, 08:41:21 AM
When I am home I will make a short guide for it, attaching with photo's so it's good to follow ;)

I found a thread at Boardgamegeeks about someone who had a river in his Inns&Cathedrals box and he compared it to the base game river, CarcII.
Well I didn't knew which river was in both compared it with the CarcI river. And found out that the river I from CarcI is the same as CarcII river. Except from the abbot.

So after all with the images I found it is quite strange they give you two rivers. But I can not guarantee I am right as I do not own anything from CarcII

Short. It's river 1
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: SamoolSamosa on January 07, 2018, 09:15:37 AM
Ok thanks :)

I didn't have a river in the base game. I don't know when I got the base game but it was a long time ago
Title: Re: Expansion 1, 2 or 3?
Post by: Sinscerly on January 07, 2018, 03:28:51 PM
Ok thanks :)


Well I have half finished I will try to do the rest tomorrow. So the tutorial is coming ^-^