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Carc Central Community => Official Rules => Topic started by: rfielder on April 10, 2014, 09:58:23 AM

Title: The Ferries - Question
Post by: rfielder on April 10, 2014, 09:58:23 AM
Things I am not clear about the Ferries mini.

If I place a tile with a lake, and place a follower on one of the roads, I must place a ferry.  That is clear.

#1 - if I place a tile with a lake and choose not to place a follower, can I still place a ferry?

#2 - If I place a follower on another tile with a road that connects to the tile with a lake, can I then place a ferry on the tile with a lake?  Or is that tile forever ferryless (ferrieless?  ferrybaren?) and all roads end at the lake?

Thanks!
Title: Re: The Ferries - Question
Post by: Marcellus on April 10, 2014, 12:14:42 PM
You MUST always place a ferry when you draw a tile with a lake, even if you don't place a follower on it.
Title: Re: The Ferries - Question
Post by: Whaleyland on April 10, 2014, 12:17:35 PM
#1 - if I place a tile with a lake and choose not to place a follower, can I still place a ferry?
I believe placing the Ferry is obligatory, even though placing a Robber is not. Otherwise there would be other complications, such as the one you mention afterwards:

Quote
#2 - If I place a follower on another tile with a road that connects to the tile with a lake, can I then place a ferry on the tile with a lake?  Or is that tile forever ferryless (ferrieless?  ferrybaren?) and all roads end at the lake?
This is one of the main reasons why the Ferry has to be placed initially. But I'd say even if it wasn't placed, it should be placed at the first opportunity.

As a fun aside, when I played this for the first time last year, the 4-road lake tile was one of the first on the board. I'm pretty sure that every combination of roads was scored using that Ferry. The thing just kept moving. We'd score side A to B, then B to D, then D to A, then C to B. It was quite crazy and I definitely like the mechanics of the Ferry.
Title: Re: The Ferries - Question
Post by: Carcking on April 10, 2014, 06:17:09 PM
...It was quite crazy and I definitely like the mechanics of the Ferry.

We very much enjoy the Ferries because of this kind of game play. It draws welcome attention to roads.  :red-meeple:
Title: Re: The Ferries - Question
Post by: rfielder on April 11, 2014, 08:10:36 AM
You MUST always place a ferry when you draw a tile with a lake, even if you don't place a follower on it.
The rules (copies from CAR 6.4) state:
"If he chooses to place a follower on a road, he or she must place the follower on one of the three or four road segments. Then, the active player must take a ferry from the stock and link two of the road segments on the tile."
To me, this is somewhat misleading.  The structure of the paragraph could lead to the interpretation that the "must take a ferry" is dependent on the "If he chooses to place a follower".

In other words, no follower, no ferry.  When we first read the rules, we interpreted it as only placing a ferry when a follower was placed.

I agree, always placing a ferry regardless of placing a follower makes sense, and makes sense to the game play. 

I would suggest that a footnote to clarify this be added to the next edition of the CAR.
Title: Re: The Ferries - Question
Post by: Carcking on April 11, 2014, 11:03:17 AM
It's two sentences which provide separate instructions. First comes the choice. Then comes the obligation.

If it read something like:

"If he chooses to place a follower on a road, he or she must place the follower on one of the three or four road segments, then must take a ferry from the stock and link two of the road segments on the tile."

I would agree that would make it clear that the ferry is only required with the placing of a follower. But as written I believe it is clear that it's an obligation. And it's the only way players can move the ferry in the future. It's understood that it's in place already.
Title: Re: The Ferries - Question
Post by: rfielder on April 11, 2014, 11:28:25 AM
Quote from: Carcking
Who's your favorite? Knight, Thief, Farmer or Monk?
Personally, I prefer the Warrior.
Quote from: Carcking
If it read something like:
I would agree with you, if it were not for the fact that both my partner and I misinterpreted this, in the same way, reading the rules separately.  English is my first language, and has been my partner's language since she was very young.

Which may or may not say more about us than about the rules, but....  :)  I figure if we can misinterpret, than so could others.

Title: Re: The Ferries - Question
Post by: Fritz_Spinne on April 11, 2014, 12:47:13 PM
In the German rules it is:

Draw and place a seatile.
The player may place a follower, if he places him on a street, he has to choose one of the three or four street sections.
Afterwards the active player has to take a ferry and connect two street sections.

There's an "afterwards" in german too ("danach"), but I think, most of german readers will take a ferry even if they don't place a follower.

I looked over the english rules, too:

The old RGG-rule says: draw and place ... Then the player may place a follower ... Then he must place a ferry.
action order: 3. place ferry (on lake tile) if he placed a follower on the road
4. modify ferries (if he placed a follower on a road with placed ferry)

New ZMG-rule: player can place a follower ... Then, this player takes a ferry ...
turn sequence: 3. Set a ferry (if the placed tile has a lake)
4. Move the ferry (if the placed tile continued a road with a ferry)

I think the correct rules are the combination of the description of RGG and the turn sequenze of ZMG.
 
Title: Re: The Ferries - Question
Post by: Scott on April 12, 2014, 10:33:40 AM
There seems to be an agreement in the rules that you only place a ferry when you place a thief on the road. If no thief is placed initially, placing one later obligates placement of the ferry, so there should be no problem. Doesn't hurt to place a ferry immediately though.
Title: Re: The Ferries - Question
Post by: Fritz_Spinne on April 12, 2014, 11:04:54 AM
There seems to be an agreement in the rules that you only place a ferry when you place a thief on the road. If no thief is placed initially, placing one later obligates placement of the ferry, so there should be no problem. Doesn't hurt to place a ferry immediately though.

I don't think so, I think you always must place a ferry.
Title: Re: The Ferries - Question
Post by: Scott on April 12, 2014, 11:08:46 AM
Ok, then we a question for HiG. I will send a message to Kettlefish on the German forums.
Title: Re: The Ferries - Question
Post by: Paul on April 12, 2014, 05:35:47 PM
I've notioned for always placing a ferry, until I reread the Swedish rules. Here follows a pretty accurate translation:

The order when a ferries tile is placed is as follows:
1. Place the ferries tile.
2. Place a follower (if the player chooses to).
3. Place a ferry (on the ferries tile) if a follower was placed on the road.
4. Move ferries (if he placed a follower on a road with an already placed ferry).
5. Score points (if possible).

 :meeple:
Title: Re: The Ferries - Question
Post by: Carcking on April 12, 2014, 08:07:06 PM
A Ferry must be placed when the Lake tile is placed. Otherwise, no player can earn the right to move the Ferry by extending the road that it is on - there is no road that the Ferry is on.

Further, if the Ferry is not placed immediately then all the roads are terminated at the tile - perhaps causing some to score and followers to be removed.

Any translation that makes the placement of the Ferry optional when the Lake tile is placed must be in error.
Title: Re: The Ferries - Question
Post by: Fritz_Spinne on April 13, 2014, 12:10:54 AM
A Ferry must be placed when the Lake tile is placed. Otherwise, no player can earn the right to move the Ferry by extending the road that it is on - there is no road that the Ferry is on.

Further, if the Ferry is not placed immediately then all the roads are terminated at the tile - perhaps causing some to score and followers to be removed.

Any translation that makes the placement of the Ferry optional when the Lake tile is placed must be in error.

 :(y) , but without a statement of HiG other players will not be convinced.
Title: Re: The Ferries - Question
Post by: Paul on April 13, 2014, 12:35:50 AM
A Ferry must be placed when the Lake tile is placed. Otherwise, no player can earn the right to move the Ferry by extending the road that it is on - there is no road that the Ferry is on.

Further, if the Ferry is not placed immediately then all the roads are terminated at the tile - perhaps causing some to score and followers to be removed.

Any translation that makes the placement of the Ferry optional when the Lake tile is placed must be in error.

Well then. I did also read the CAR 6.4 and albeit it can be confusing to some, to me it also states there that the ferry is only placed if a follower is placed on a road segment of that tile.
  What makes it confusing is that the entire text is followed by one another and the error CAR 6.4 has in the numbered list of the turn order. (I.e. the first long description text says a ferry is placed only if a follower is placed but then in the numbered list it says another thing.)
Title: Re: The Ferries - Question
Post by: Carcking on April 13, 2014, 07:13:45 AM
I did also read the CAR 6.4 and albeit it can be confusing to some, to me it also states there that the ferry is only placed if a follower is placed on a road segment of that tile.
  What makes it confusing is that the entire text is followed by one another and the error CAR 6.4 has in the numbered list of the turn order. (I.e. the first long description text says a ferry is placed only if a follower is placed but then in the numbered list it says another thing.)

Yellow, I don't see where you are finding the references I emphasized in your text.

I don't find the CAR to be in error - in either place you reference. In no case does it make the Ferry placement requirement contingent on the placement of a follower. It is indicated in the paragraph on page 135 and listed in the turn sequence on page 136 as a separate independent requirement.

Footnote 405 even points out that some RGG English rules were incorrect when they made the placement of the Ferry dependent on the placement of a follwer.
???
Title: Re: The Ferries - Question
Post by: Paul on April 13, 2014, 07:32:01 AM
I did also read the CAR 6.4 and albeit it can be confusing to some, to me it also states there that the ferry is only placed if a follower is placed on a road segment of that tile.
  What makes it confusing is that the entire text is followed by one another and the error CAR 6.4 has in the numbered list of the turn order. (I.e. the first long description text says a ferry is placed only if a follower is placed but then in the numbered list it says another thing.)

Yellow, I don't see where you are finding the references I emphasized in your text.

I don't find the CAR to be in error - in either place you reference. In no case does it make the Ferry placement requirement contingent on the placement of a follower. It is indicated in the paragraph on page 135 and listed in the turn sequence on page 136 as a separate independent requirement.

Footnote 405 even points out that some RGG English rules were incorrect when they made the placement of the Ferry dependent on the placement of a follwer.
???

I just read footnote 405. I missed that one completely! My bad. This literally explains everything, even why the Swedish rules differ.

 :red-meeple: (blushing yellow follower)
Title: Re: The Ferries - Question
Post by: obervet on April 14, 2014, 10:41:54 AM
I think the confusion stems from the statement, "If he chooses to place a follower on a road, he or she must place the follower on one of the three or four road segments." As intended, this is an enclosed if...then statement, with the implied "then" coming after the comma. The word "then" beginning the next sentence simply indicates the next thing to come in the sequence of gameplay. 

However, I understand how the "Then" at the beginning of the next sentence looks like it could belong with the "If". I will tweak the wording for the next version of the CAR.
Title: Re: The Ferries - Question
Post by: rfielder on April 14, 2014, 11:26:39 AM
However, I understand how the "Then" at the beginning of the next sentence looks like it could belong with the "If". I will tweak the wording for the next version of the CAR.
Thank you!

Also, excellent way of describing it.  Would you have some programming backgroup?
Title: Re: The Ferries - Question
Post by: obervet on April 14, 2014, 11:32:47 AM
However, I understand how the "Then" at the beginning of the next sentence looks like it could belong with the "If". I will tweak the wording for the next version of the CAR.
Thank you!

Also, excellent way of describing it.  Would you have some programming backgroup?

Nope, no programming background. That's just the way my mind works. Of course, for all anyone knows, my mind works that way because I'm just a software algorithm that is currently passing the Turing Test...
Title: Re: The Ferries - Question
Post by: rfielder on April 14, 2014, 12:06:45 PM
Nope, no programming background. That's just the way my mind works. Of course, for all anyone knows, my mind works that way because I'm just a software algorithm that is currently passing the Turing Test...
Who told you that you passed?

:)
Title: Re: The Ferries - Question
Post by: obervet on April 14, 2014, 01:07:26 PM
Nope, no programming background. That's just the way my mind works. Of course, for all anyone knows, my mind works that way because I'm just a software algorithm that is currently passing the Turing Test...
Who told you that you passed?

:)

Touche.   :D
Title: Re: The Ferries - Question
Post by: kettlefish on May 05, 2014, 01:01:08 PM
Clarification of rules - Email with HiG - 05 05 2014 - Reply #2 (http://www.carcassonnecentral.com/community/index.php?topic=751.msg8192#msg8192)

The player, who places the tile, also puts a ferry on the lake. It doesn't matter if a follower is placed on a road, or as a farmer or if no follower is placed on that tile.