A question about "Road Sweeper" card (The Gifts)

[ac1982]

The rules say this: "Score any unfinished road right away. The road should be scored as an incomplete feature at the end of the game, taking into consideration the majority in the chosen feature."
But also this: "It is not necessary for you to have a meeple on the road."

If I don't have a meeple on a road, I don't have the majority on that road. So according to the first rule I wouldn't be able to pick that road?

Linkback: https://www.carcassonnecentral.com/community/index.php?topic=5900.0

[corinthiens13]

You may score the road even if you have no meeples on it, but you won't get any points, only the player(s) with majority will score points. This may be a good move to steal the road, if you place your tile on that specific road, you can then place a meeple on it and become its new owner 

[Meepledrone]

The Road Sweeper allows to trigger the scoring of any road. It is scored as if at the end of the game, taking into account the majority and all the possible bonuses affecting the road itself (inns, Mage/Witch...) or any meeples on it (fairy, ringmaster...), and after the scoring you remove all the meeples on it. So this is scoring a full scoring of one incomplete road (therefore no castle scorings triggered), not a partial scoring as the ones in Mini #2 - Messages. Finally, you can extend and occupy the just-scored road if possible and you are interested.

This way, the Road Sweeper can be used with one or several objectives in mind, for example:
* Sabotaging a road project worth many points for other players
* Taking over a road worth many points but controled by other players
* You name it...

Imagine a scenario with an incomplete road with an inn and a German cathedral but occupied by an opponent. Each tile would be worth 3 points if completed. The Road Sweeper would allow you to trigger the scoring of the road and the current owners would receive 0 points due to the inn, but you could take control of the road afterwads and complete it. Lovely, huh? 

[ac1982]

Imagine a scenario with an incomplete road with an inn and a German cathedral but occupied by an opponent. Each tile would be worth 3 points if completed. The Road Sweeper would allow you to trigger the scoring of the road and the current owners would receive 0 points due to the inn, but you could take control of the road afterwads and complete it. Lovely, huh? 

That's evil! And wrong! And I love it! 

[Meepledrone]

A new addition to the cutthroat toolbox!

But remember you can become an executioner as well as a victim