Sheep & Shepherds

[CKorfmann]

I've been given the OK by Kevin Graham to adapt his Sheep & Shepherds expansion for use here.  I'm going to start that soon.  It shouldn't take very long.

[Whaleyland]

Sounds cool. The link isn't up on BGG anymore so adapt this fast. The name itself sounds fun. Does it add elements from Arc of the Covenant or Hunters & Gatherers like the pastures or the hunters?

[CKorfmann]

I'm not sure as I've never played those games, but here is the gyst of it...
A follower may be placed in a farm/field as a Shepherd (upright to differentiate from farmers).  Each player has several sheep in their supply that may be played on any other farm not occupied by your shepherd.  The object is to connect the farm with your shepherd to all the farms containing your sheep.  You score positive points for the sheep you connect to and negative points for sheep you fail to connect to your shepherd. 

It looks fun and I found sheep online.  I'm using the same ones from Novelty's Dragon Hunter expansion.  They are cute.    Sanding and painting them is tedious, but hopefully, it will be worth it.  I hope to play test my ideas on vacation next week.  The only real difference right now is I'm only using 5 sheep instead of the 6 they use.

[Novelty]

The link isn't up on BGG anymore so adapt this fast.

It's listed as Shepherds.  I like the Urland meeples on that page.

[CKorfmann]

I like the Urland meeples on that page.

They are OK, but I just can't get past the fact that they are dinosaurs and not actually sheep.  I tend to think that Kevin Graham would have preferred sheep if they had been available.  Perhaps he couldn't find them.  You can see one of the sheep I'm using in one of the Novelty's photos from from his MEGA-Carc session.  You can also look at them at the Mayfair games site where I bought them.  Sorry I don't have those links handy. 

Now that the Missionary is finished, I should be able to start working on this one.  Hopefully I'll find some time and it will be done quicker. 

[CKorfmann]

Here is the text of the original by Kevin Graham and Scott Meyers (though you can also click the link in Novelty's post).  My few simple changes are...

I plan on alloting each player 5 sheep instead of 6 and am considering only one shepherd per player instead of two.  

I am also considering a change in scoring, though not a major one.  

It might be nice to have some sort of interaction with a sheep farm tile (like the pig farm).  Either that or interact somehow with the many tiles that already have sheep on them (thats probably a lot, isn't it?).  Perhaps a bonus point.

Both the sheep and the shepherd can be eaten by the dragon (only makes sense to me), but I'm not sure about removing a sheep with a tower.  

There will likely be quite a few new rules for interaction with other expansions both official and unofficial.

[Novelty]

but I'm not sure about removing a sheep with a tower.

How else are those tower guards suppose to get food?  Raid the market?

[CKorfmann]

Here is the first round of questions for the rules.  The old version states that a player can't place their shepherd into a farm that already contains another player's shepherd (seemingly a given) or farmer.  It seems to me that since farmers and shepherds have no effect on majority or scoring for each other that it shouldn't matter if there is a farmer there or not.  What do you think?

Several official tiles have two or three sheep standing in a field on them.  I'm thinking that I might award a bonus point for a sheep placed on a tile with sheep on it (something along the lines of the pig farm).  This is with the assumption that it is eventually connected to the shepherd.  Should there also be an extra point taken away if the same sheep is not connected?  Your thoughts on both/either...

[CKorfmann]

Does anyone have any comments on this expansion?  I have a significant question about naming the author.  The "Kevin & Scott" version is not the original either, so how should I list the author at the front of the document?

[CKorfmann]

OK, I've got the first draft text done.  I discussed some of the rules changes (listed above) with Kevin and he is OK with them.  Hopefully I'll be able to post it the next few days and maybe meepleater will be able to do the illustrations for me again.  This could be finished soon! 

[meepleater]

In a few hours I will have to leave for a camp that goes for about 5 days... and the day after I get back I will be going away for another week... so getting them done may take a while...

[CKorfmann]

OK, I'll ask around then.  Thanks anyway.  Have fun at camp! 

[meepleater]

I'm back now, but tomorrow I'm going away *again* for a week. If you haven't found anyone by the time I come back I'll do them...

[CKorfmann]

Well, I finally got a chance to put this up.  All changes to the original rules have been approved by Kevin Graham.  Have a look at the first draft HERE.

[Novelty]

This looks good!  Great job on the first draft.  It could do with more graphics and examples to improve the quality (did meepleater said he was helping with these?), but those are optional.  The only major thing I'd change is the phrase "eaten by the dragon" to "removed by the dragon".