Carcassonne Central
Carc Central Community => Official Rules => Topic started by: MeisterAbababa on November 09, 2020, 01:29:39 AM
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Hi,
I have this doubt about how paying the ransom works with towers: does the player holding the prisoner have to accept it?
On one hand, if you have captured, it makes sense to retain for as long as you want (or until the other player captures one of your followers), and reducing the follower's available amount can give an advantage that is more noticeable than a 6-point difference.
But what confuses me is the rules' phrasing (I have also checked clarifiations on WikiCarpedia): it is clear that the follower exchange is mandatory, and clarifications say that there cannot be negotiation. I understand that, what I dont get is if accepting the ransom is mandatory. While the exchange is stated to be immediate, the ransom is not, so it suggests (at least what I first thought) that you can reject it. However, the rules dont really tell that you can do that, in either case, it would be indicated by omission, which I find confusing: either accepting is not mandatory, because they did not say that is mandatory; or you do have to accept it, because there is no "legal framework" that allows for rejection.
In any case, if you want to tell your house ruling and interpretations, Id like to hear those too (I think we all come to the Carcassonne forum for hearing about Carcassonne, after all ;)).
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Well. Buy back of your meeple captured by Tower is not possible to reject by other player.
BUYING BACK PRISONERS
In addition, during your turn you may buy back one of your captured meeples. Pay the player who captured it 3 points (you reduce your score and increase theirs).
If you do not have at least 3 points, you may not buy back a meeple (this would drop your score below 0, which is not allowed). You may use a meeple in the same turn you buy it back.
https://wikicarpedia.com/index.php/The_Tower (https://wikicarpedia.com/index.php/The_Tower)
Only think is, if you don't have at least 3 points, you can't buy back any of your captured meeple.
Even, if you have captured different kinds of Meeples, you may choose which want you want back. It is not mentioned in WikiCarpedia, but you are paying, so other player get's 6 point advantage about you after rebuy.
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The wording of the rules indicates that the player buying back one of his/her meeples is the only one that has a say. If there may be an option for denying the action, it would have been noted in the rules.
Here you are a translation of the C2 German rules for the meeple buy-back:
In addition, when it's your turn, you may buy back a captured meeple from a opponent. To do this, you have to lose 3 points on the scoring board, and your opponent gets these points. You cannot have less than zero points after the buy-back. You can use the recovered meeple immediately this turn.
As you can see, there is no mention of a possible objection by the opponent. You just decide to buy back you meeple and go with it. No questions asked. ;)
Nevertheless, you may house rule that players may decide not to exchange prisoners or to deny a prisoner buy-back.
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Ah, thank you both for answering! ;D It kind of makes sense, because hoarding prisoners would be OP. I still find weird that they enphatize so much that there is no negotiation for meeple exchange, and leave this like that, like, why phrase the same idea differently... ???