How much points is a single tile worth?

[SRBO]

Hello Guys,

Last week i was wondering something and I wanted to start a new discussion here.
I don't know if its already discussed before so, sorry if it is.

My questions are.

Can you determine how much a single tile is worth? and by doing that.
What is the average points one can get by using the tile?
and what is the maximum score points one can get from a tile.

If we know these answers we can answer the next question:
What is the maximum achievable points in 1 game of carcassonne?

Let's start with the base game and take a look at the tiles:

starter tile.

The starter tile consists of a single road piece, and a small city section. CRFR

A single city section is worth 2 points ,but is also worth 3 points at the end for finishing a city. To get the maximum points out of this single piece you need 2 city section to obtain maximum points for a farmer.
so 3 points with 2 small city sections means it has a maximum of 1,5 point per tile.

A single road piece is worth 1 point

totalling that this tile is worth a maximum of 4,5 points.

Lets take a look at another tile.

The RRRR tile, a somewhat easier tile. but it has 4 roads on a single tile. if one doesn't connect the 4 roads to eachother this tile is worth 4 points.

The CCCC tile, this tile is 1 city section. meaning you need 4 small city sections to complete it. 5 tiles creating 3 points for a farmer. creates 0,6 points per tile when the whole city is surrounded by 1 farm. giving this tile a maximum worth of 2,6 points.


I will work this out later on.

What do you guys think so far?




Linkback: http://www.carcassonnecentral.com/community/index.php?topic=2008.0

[Rosco]

You have missed a few points here - for the starter tile, what if it is one of the tiles surrounding a cloister? another 1 point, or in fact all 6 cloisters? 6 further points. 

That is just of you are using only the base game - if you include expansions the opportunites are endless - a german monastery or two? or a part of the points for a castle? completed when in possession of the teacher, etc etc

[Whaleyland]

It may be best to start this out more simply by only stating the inherent value of the tile itself. This, the start tile is worth a maximum of three points by itself, plus three points if the City is completed for a Farmer. I think a determination system for this could be made as well:

C.R.M.F=T: Max Cities Value - Max Road Value - Inherent Cloister/Monastery Value - Max Field Value (based on number of Cities) = Total Potential Value

Thus, the start tile is a 2.1.0.3=6 tile. It has a maximum profit of 2 for the City (if it is completed), 1 for the Road, 0 for Cloisters, and 3 for the Farm (if completed). Thus it's total potential value is 6.

This obviously does not include multipliers such as Inns, Cathedrals, etc., but those bonuses are not inherent in the tile itself, only in other tiles.

A tile like a Cathedral would thus be 3.0.0.0=3. This expresses the fact that if it is completed, it will achieve a maximum score of 3 (without modifiers) but it does not score anything else inherently by itself. Even for it to score for a Farmer, it requires another tile depicting a Field. Thus, its inherent value is only 3.

In contrast, the RRRR tile example above would be 0.4.0.0=4 because it is only composed of four independent Roads and a bunch of Fields. Nothing else in that tile could inherently earn points without the use of another tile. It only has a potential value of 4. Stick a Cloister in the center of it, then it's value goes up to 0.4.1.0=5. Even though a Cloister is guaranteed to always have at least one adjacent tile, that does not change the value of the individual tile.

I like the idea SRBO. I think it can really show the power of some tiles, even though it can't portray all scenarios.

[Fritz_Spinne]

You forgot that one city could be at two farms ...

[SRBO]

I left out the cloister, the reason for it is that not every tile in a standard base game can be covered with a cloister.
So a tile with a cloister is worth 9 points. But i wont calculate those points in other tiles.

I want to start with the base game, because like you guys say there are endless possiblities.

The reason why i want to come up with some kind of system is because a lot of points are missed, or unused.

[Whaleyland]

You forgot that one city could be at two farms ...

Touché!

And SRBO, remember that a Cloister in the base game is always worth at least two points.

[danisthirty]

This is an interesting idea, but there's just so much to take into consideration that I don't think individual tiles can be assigned a specific points value.

Sticking with the example of the starter tile, the road might contribute to an existing road with an Inn on it in which case it could be worth 2 points or 0 points if incomplete, as well as the obvious 1 point. The road might also have the Mage or the Witch on it which would complicate things further. The city might be part of a normal city or it might include a cathedral meaning it's worth 3 or 0 points. It might be part of besieged city too, which lowers the points value, or there could be the Mage or Witch in it. Alternatively, it might also be used to create a tower though, in which case it could be worth any number of points.

If it is used to complete a besieged city or a tower, the number of farmer points generated could vary wildly AND the completed city could feature on several farms. Pig? Pig herd tile? Barns?

In my experience, hard-fought games are often decided based on who draws a specific tile. It might be to win overall control of a large farm, complete a valuable city or something else, but the tile required by one player (and hence both) becomes the most valuable tile in the game even if it's completely overlooked in the vast majority of games. This is because every game is so different, which is all part of the beauty of Carcassonne...

[ARabidMeerkat]

I agree with danisthirsty in that there are too many variables. If you add many of the expansions, not to mention those that remove followers such as The Plague, Dragon & Princess, The Tower and Crop Circles, you may get 0 for that tile. Then think about many other expansions and, as others as already stated, it's too hard to calculate what a tile could potentially be worth