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Quantity of each expansion

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chris6507:
While I purchased all the major C1 expansions back in the day (aside from Hills & Sheep which I am still very annoyed about), it has been many years since i've cracked everything out to play. I'm really excited to get back into playing once we've moved house, but one question has been bugging me...
Does everyone feel that one copy of each expansion is enough to implement the new features/rules or do you think multiple copies are required for them to not feel too diluted? I always treated expansions like a video game expansion that one copy is enough, but what have most of you done in relation to gathering expansions? One of each or multiple?
Thanks.

Linkback: https://www.carcassonnecentral.com/community/index.php?topic=5564.0

Allograft:
I had never considered multiple copies of the same expansion in a single game, I suppose except for a couple of variants of the river. These days, I use the 20th river and River 3, speaking of Hills and Sheep. We sometimes use the BB6 base river too, for megacarc. -  :pink-meeple:

kothmann:

--- Quote from: chris6507 on November 28, 2021, 07:01:32 PM ---do you think multiple copies are required for them to not feel too diluted?

--- End quote ---
I think that if you use a lot of different expansions in a single game, each individual expansion will inevitably be watered down:

* With base game + Exp1 (I&C), there are 6 inns with 90 tiles (15 tiles/inn).  If you add Exp2 (T&B) + Exp3 (P&D) + Exp5 (M&A), you will have 156 tiles (26 tiles/inn).  The "balancing" of road scoring is greatly reduced.  To me, this is the most important dilution effect and it is why we add 6 inns from a second copy of the I&C in larger games.
* With base game + M&A, there are 10 + 6 = 16 total pennants in a game with 84 tiles (5.3 tiles/pennant).  But if you add I&C + T&B + P&D, there will be 22 pennants in a game with 156 tiles (7.1 tiles/pennant), so the mayor will be less influential.  You have to add 2 more copies of M&A to get back down to the 5.3 ratio. But then your Inns have been diluted, so you have to add more of those, and so on... So I think you are just stuck with the dilution.
* I don't play P&D, but I could imagine that in a large game, the average number of turns between a volcano being placed and a dragon tile being drawn could be enough to allow features near the volcano to be completed?  But the Dragon seems to be far too powerful with just base game + P&D, so maybe this is good?
I really enjoyed this blog about the evolution of the game and how the various expansions changed the overall feel.  I agree with his argument that "Classic Carcassonne" (base game + I&C + T&B) is the best combination.  It is also available in a single box without watermarks as the "Limited Edition".

Thanks for sharing an interesting question.

unclewill:
Hi chris6507,

I would agree that in larger games the effect of individual expansions/ mechanisms gets reduced. Now, we typically identify our gaming mood in advance and choose accordingly: base and usually a river with only a couple of extra expansions so our interaction focuses on how they play.

We want to fight and do mean things to each other? P&D or Tower of course! Maybe even Fliers too for extra carnage.

Feeling more civilised and constructive? I&C, T&B, Goldmines, Fruit Trees etc.

Feel like some serious road interaction? I&C, Ferries, King & Robber Baron...

I haven't played MegaCarc and it has its attractions, but personally going bigger to feel the impact is just making the problem bigger rather than better.

I agree about Hills and Sheep, it is one of our favourites and Shepherds make an excellent alternative to Farmers if you don't feel like the tension of a farming game...

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