Table edge rules

[PapaGeek]

What are the general rules when a tile map reaches the edge of the table?

Do you somehow gently move the entire map, tile by tile, away from the edge? If so what happens when the opposite side of the map is also close to the table edge?

What if you have a large city and another player adds a city tile that would require you to then add a city edge tile that does not fit on the table, is that city now impossible to complete?


Linkback: https://www.carcassonnecentral.com/community/index.php?topic=6398.0

[BBG]

What are the general rules when a tile map reaches the edge of the table?

For me, table is the limit of the playing world.

Do you somehow gently move the entire map, tile by tile, away from the edge?

Only if playing on the plastic grids so I'm able to shift the whole map without messing up anything, of course if there's space

What if you have a large city and another player adds a city tile that would require you to then add a city edge tile that does not fit on the table, is that city now impossible to complete?

If there's no more place on the table and the map is not shiftable, the tile can't be placed.

[kothmann]

You might find this thread useful:

https://www.carcassonnecentral.com/community/index.php?topic=5590.0

[PapaGeek]

You might find this thread useful:

https://www.carcassonnecentral.com/community/index.php?topic=5590.0

Thanks for the link.  The poll at the top of that link was very helpful, 71% of the replies agreed that the unfinished feature at the edge of the table “Should be considered as open by default”.  That is exactly the situation that we are attempting to avoid in our gaming group.

Wolnic introduced 30 “The Coast” tiles in April of 2020, download https://www.carcassonnecentral.com/community/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=309

We are still working on our house rules for how to use The Coast tiles to avoid unclosed features. Basically, The Coast tiles would not be in the random tiles for playing the game, but they would be stacked in 3 piles on the far side of the table, City, Road, Field.  Then, when you place a tile that is 3 tiles from the edge of the table, draw a Coast tile from the appropriate stack to terminate your feature at The Coast line.

[Scott]

Since this is the Official Rules forum, officially you're not allowed to move the tiles. The starting tile is supposed to go in the middle of the table and that's that. When you reach the edge, you may add another table of similar height, or disallow expansion in that direction. I think also officially the edges of the table do not complete features, though if I recall correctly the situation is different with maps. There are several inconsistencies like this in the official rules.

Unofficially, at my house I allow the tiles to be moved once after the river is finished, before we switch to the non-river tiles. I like to center the entire river on the table so that everyone has roughly equal opportunity to build towards their edge of the table.

[Decar]

Except at the World Championships where the tables are extended.

Also Devir produced this a few weeks ago, which I think clears it up

[Paloi Sciurala]

Considering the edge of the table the edge of the playing area is simply sad. As I have previously said, Carcassonne is not in the physical world. In the world of Carcassonne, the space is infinite and empty for the sake of placing tiles. As such, Carcassonne cannot be limited by such issues like table edges and walls – in fact, there are no tables and no walls in Carcassonne.

In other worlds:
If you reached the edge of the table, add another table. If this is not possible or you have already used the all available tables and you reached again the edge of the table, then play on the floor. If you reached the wall, then you can either move the tiles and the rest of the game somewhere else or remove the wall.

[kothmann]

Carcassonne is not in the physical world….

The Coast tiles would not be in the random tiles for playing the game, but they would be stacked in 3 piles on the far side of the table, City, Road, Field.  Then, when you place a tile that is 3 tiles from the edge of the table, draw a Coast tile from the appropriate stack to terminate your feature at The Coast line.

This is very similar to simply declaring features at the edge to be closed, like on a map.  It is certainly aesthetically better, but also the city Coast tiles contain a patch of field between the city cap and the water, so it seems like fields could connect around the city, which doesn’t happen in a map.  You could imagine a road separating two fields and then someone plays a RFCF tile near the edge of the table and then plays the Coast tile to join the fields.  Also this rule seems to give a player an extra turn just because they reached the edge?!

My point is that while I agree that table edges can produce unpleasant tactics (e.g. your example if running an opponent’s city to the edge to make it permanently incomplete) any alternative will also inevitably have tactical implications that savvy players will exploit.  These discussions seem to reveal intense personal preferences, but there are no right answers.  My rule is always: play with the rules that your group enjoys the most!

[DIN0]

I think also officially the edges of the table do not complete features, though if I recall correctly the situation is different with maps. There are several inconsistencies like this in the official rules.

Those aren't really inconsistencies, the maps simply have a special property where the edge of the legal placement area completes the features. Normal play does not have this and instead the features remain unfinished by default.

[Decar]

Until I see a definition of a table I'm only going to play on 45mm square tables.

[ny1050220]

Until I see a definition of a table I'm only going to play on 45mm square tables.

You never fail to make me chuckle. 

[kothmann]

you're always welcome to a game of Carcassonne at my table:

[Paloi Sciurala]

If your table is not large enough, why would you limit to the table? – you can play on the floor, if the floor is clean.

There is no rule that forbids you to play on a 45 x 45 mm table. But there is also no rule that forbids you to play in the grass, on the floor or on the roof. Or at least I have not seen such rule.