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The Carcassonne List
Patrick Reynolds
United States
Vermontville
Michigan
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Carcassonne is fast becoming not just a game, but a sub-genre within tile placement games. Other game designers are publishing their own versions of Carcassonne, and to date we have no fewer than 6 separate Carcassonne games either currently released or due out within the year. That's not even mentioning the multitude of expansions to the original game. Here's a list of all of the Carcassonne games currently represented on BGG with some comments.
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Posted Sat Dec 31, 2005 2:11 am
1. Board Game: Carcassonne [Average Rating:7.49 Overall Rank:66]
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Patrick Reynolds
United States
Vermontville
Michigan
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The original. A pleasant, simple to learn, fun game for 2-5 players.
2. Board Game: Carcassonne: Hunters and Gatherers [Average Rating:7.24 Overall Rank:143]
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Patrick Reynolds
United States
Vermontville
Michigan
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The early man version of Carcassonne, the second standalone game in the series. Many argue that the streamlined rules make this preferable over the original game, although I prefer the theme and artwork of the original over H&G. Both are excellent games, though.
Dwayne Hendrickson
United States
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma
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what are the differences between the two?
Patrick Reynolds
United States
Vermontville
Michigan
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In a nutshell, the endgame scoring for the "farmers," in this case called hunters, is made a bit easier.
Will M. Baker
United States
Oakland
California
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The bonus tiles and bonus turns also give incentive to finish off another player's area. I think this both creates more scoring, which is fun, and encourages players to watch each other's actions a bit closer, rather than just each working on their own corner of the board, and only cross-pollinating when there's a juicy area to horn in on .
3. Board Game: The Ark of the Covenant [Average Rating:7.16 Overall Rank:275]
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Patrick Reynolds
United States
Vermontville
Michigan
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While it doesn't share the Carcassonne name, this Christian religion-themed take on the series is definitely a Carcassonne game. Ark adds, well, the Ark of the Covenant, the holy vessel that contains the remnants of the 10 commandments, as a game piece that players move around the map to score points.
Jon
United States
Vancouver
WA
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How is the Ark of the Covenant a Christian theme?
Robert Taylor
United States
Eaton Rapids
Michigan
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Judeo-Christian; set in historical/Biblical Israel.
Scapegoat
United States
Houston
Texas
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Christians use jewish scripture too :D
mike majorowski
United States
Quincy
Massachusetts
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ALL scripture is Jewish the tanakh (old covenant) and the Brit Ha'desha (new covenant)
Edited Wed Jul 9, 2008 3:18 pm
4. Board Game: Carcassonne: The Castle [Average Rating:7.24 Overall Rank:148]
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Patrick Reynolds
United States
Vermontville
Michigan
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Reiner Knizia's entry into the Carcassonne category of games. The Castle is a 2-player version of Carcassonne that adds a new element in a static, pre-placed wall that acts as a frame for the tile placement (as well as a scoring track). Not my favorite version of Carcassonne, as I feel that any of the othr versions works perfectly fine with 2 players already, but a good game nonetheless, and an interesting twist to the Carcassonne formula.
Kevin Cachia
United States
Springfield
Pennsylvania
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I happen to quite like this version, myself. I really like the race along the scoring track to try to nab the bonus tiles. I am terrible at farming in the original Carc, so anything that de-emphasises that is a plus for me.

I definitely agree, though, that any Carcassonne plays great with 2-players. If you're going to own just one, the fact that the Castle can only be played with 2 should probably steer you to other Carcs instead.
Jason Robinette
United States
Glendale
New York
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My girlfriend likes this one (as well as all the other Carcassonne-type games) and we do enjoy this one on occasion, if only to mix it up.
5. Board Game: Carcassonne: The City [Average Rating:7.39 Overall Rank:119]
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Patrick Reynolds
United States
Vermontville
Michigan
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Packed in a solid wooden box, and including dozens of wooden wall pieces, this is definitely the most extravagant (and expensive) version of Carcassonne. I also feel that it has the most streamlined scoring system. The big addition to this version of Carcassonne is that players begin building a wall that will eventually surround the entire city. The wall limits tile placement option and opens some interesting new scoring opportunities.
Kevin Cachia
United States
Springfield
Pennsylvania
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The walls also offer a new way to tie up your meeples till the end of the game. And you thought limited resources were a problem before! Nice version, though I have only played this one as a 2-player.
6. Board Game: Carcassonne - The River [Average Rating:6.90 Unranked] [Average Rating:6.90 Unranked]
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Patrick Reynolds
United States
Vermontville
Michigan
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The first expansion to the original Carcassonne changed the way the game started. Instead of players working from a single starting tile, they took turns building a river made of 12 tiles and then built off of these tiles.
7. Board Game: Carcassonne - Inns & Cathedrals [Average Rating:7.61 Unranked] [Average Rating:7.61 Unranked]
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Patrick Reynolds
United States
Vermontville
Michigan
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An expansion for the original game. Added the ability to include up to 6 players, and the Inn and Cathedral tiles, which boosted the scores for completed roads and cities which included these new features.
8. Board Game: Carcassonne - Traders & Builders [Average Rating:7.58 Unranked] [Average Rating:7.58 Unranked]
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Patrick Reynolds
United States
Vermontville
Michigan
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The second big expansion to the original Carcassonne, this one gives each player two new pieces - the builder and the pig, and it introduced tiles with goods on them. Players with the most of each type of good at the end of the game score extra points. The builder lets players take another turn after building onto the road or city occupied by the builder, while the pig boosts scoring of farms at the end of the game. This expansion also includes a nice cloth bag for holding all of the Carcassonne tiles.
9. Board Game: Carcassonne - King & Scout [Average Rating:6.66 Unranked] [Average Rating:6.66 Unranked]
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Patrick Reynolds
United States
Vermontville
Michigan
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The first 'tiny' expansion to Carcassonne, King & Scout adds 7 new tiles to original Carcassonnne and 5 to Hunters & Gatherers. It's interesting to note that this seems to be the only Carcassonne expansion that adds to any game other than the original version. The original game gets the King tile and the Thief tile. These are given to the player who has completed the largest city and road, respectively, and add new scoring options at the end of the game. The expansion to the Hunters & Gatherers I've only player once; it adds some special tiles that have different effects on the game.
Mike Banks
United States
Camp Hill
Pennsylvania
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We've been using this expansion, along with all the others, and think it does a wonderful job of making the roads more valuable in and of themselves -- instead of simply being an afterthought when one fails to pull a desirable city tile..

Along those lines, we have been using the extra H&G caveman (?) tile as a "monk" -- meaning, like the king and scout, it offers a bonus at the end of the game to the one who closed the most cloisters (we've varied in whether the bonus is 2 or 3 points for every closed cloister, owned or not..)

This doesn't have quite the impact that the scout does, but is still enough to sometimes swing a game, and offers yet another strategy beyond city building -- especially attractive when one is unable to ever(!) pull the right city tiles from the bag :)

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Gerald McDaniel
United States
Lakewood
Colorado
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On a contrary note, our group played several games of both Carcassonne and Hunters & Gatherers with this expansion and we were unhappy with the results. We felt the points of the longest road and largest city completely unbalanced Carcassonne in the final scoring. We also felt the H&G tiles added virtually nothing useful to that game. So, this expansion is one that gets no play in our games.
10. Board Game: Carcassonne - The Count of Carcassonne [Average Rating:6.07 Unranked] [Average Rating:6.07 Unranked]
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Patrick Reynolds
United States
Vermontville
Michigan
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Another 'tiny' expansion, this adds 12 tiles that form a new starting area (the city of Carcassonne), and a single new game piece - the Count of Carcassonne. During the game, the city of Carcassonne acts as a sort of bank for players to place followers after they place a tile that scores points for someone else. Later in the game, players can "cash in" these followers to share points when another player scores. The Count moves around the city, blocking players from scoring with their followers.
Paul Boos
United States
Falls Church
Virginia
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She is an integration expansion between Busen Memo and Carcassone to clarify...
Paul Boos
United States
Falls Church
Virginia
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Oops that comment was supposed to be for the Princess exapsnion below, I hit the wrong comment button...
11. Board Game: Carcassonne - The Princess & the Dragon [Average Rating:6.61 Unranked] [Average Rating:6.61 Unranked]
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Patrick Reynolds
United States
Vermontville
Michigan
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Carcassonne gone fantasy themed? This expansion is pretty hefty, adding 24 new tiles as well as a wooden dragon piece and a new piece for all players - the princess. I haven't got a clue how all of this will work with the base game, it's due out in Germany in February 2005 and the U.S. roughly a month later.
Brian Schlichting
United States
Minneapolis
Minnesota
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Hmmm . . . I'm betting you get to heroically save the princess. Or does somebody already know what the princess is for.

As for me, I've thought that every expansion was worth it, so I'll be getting this one as soon as it's available.
Jorgen
United States
Ferndale
California
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Quote:
Or does somebody already know what the princess is for.

Part of the Busen Memo expansion? :laugh:
12. Board Game: Carcassonne - Die Katharer [Average Rating:7.04 Unranked] [Average Rating:7.04 Unranked]
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Patrick Reynolds
United States
Vermontville
Michigan
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This super tiny expansion was included in the German magazine 'Spielbox' last year. It adds 4 new tiles to the game. These tiles show destroyed sections of city walls, and are used to halve the point value of the city. They also increase the points scored by adjacent farmers at the end of the game, and players are allowed to take followers out of a 'ruined' city if there's a monastary adjacent.
Rob Kouba
United States
Roseville
Minnesota
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do you know where I can get this Spielbox issue? I would like the tiles.
♪ Isaac Bickerstaff ♫
United States
Taylors
South Carolina
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There's a link to a retailer in Germany with copies available. It'll cost about $17, if you're in the US, so depending on how determined you are to get a copy, it might be worth it.

http://www.boardgamegeek.com/article/76651
Alexander Farber
Germany
Bochum
Unspecified
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A new Katharer-print is coming - in the June 2005 issue of Spielbox'
"Carcassonne - Der Almanach" (24 pages, price: 5 Euro):

http://www.milan-spiele.de/product_info.php/products_id/4691
Rick Hendricks
United States
Augusta
Georgia
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For those still looking for this expansion, it is being released in the US in the Summer 2007 Games Quarterly Magazine (#13).
Sutton Kinter IV
United States
Greendale
Wisconsin
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UD: Games Quarterly #13 never made it to print, company folded.
13. Board Game: Carcassonne: The Discovery [Average Rating:6.63 Overall Rank:642]
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Patrick Reynolds
United States
Vermontville
Michigan
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This new standalone game is Leo Colovini's take on the Carcassonne formula. It looks to shake up the game much like Knizia's The Castle did - by loosely following the gameplay while adding unexpected new elements. This time, players are creating mountains, meadows and oceans, and they're limited to just 4 followers. However, players can choose to remove their followers from tiles at any time and score for them, even if they're incomplete. This game is due for release in the Fall of 2005.
Paul Kidd
Australia
Brisbane
Queensland
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Haven't heard of this. Is Rio Grande going to do an English version?
Jason Spears
United States
Saint Joseph
Michigan
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There is some info about this new standalone here: www.gamefest.com/news/gonecardboard_detail/2060_0_7_0_C/
A L D A R O N
United States
Boston
Massachusetts
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14. Board Game: Carcassonne - The River II [Average Rating:7.11 Unranked] [Average Rating:7.11 Unranked]
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Patrick Reynolds
United States
Vermontville
Michigan
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This small expansion can be used to replace the first River set. It adds tiles with elements from the various expansions after the original River, as well as a branching path for the river to take, making for a more interesting starting layout. This is an inexpensive add-on to the base Carcassone game that's well worth the purchase.
15. Board Game: Carcassonne: Die Steinmauer [Average Rating:6.59 Unranked] [Average Rating:6.59 Unranked]
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Patrick Reynolds
United States
Vermontville
Michigan
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This is an unofficial expansion to Carcassonne: Hunters and Gatherers that functions in the same manner as the River expansions for the original Carcassone. It gives players a wider range of options at the start of the game, adds tiles with game elements, extending the game and adding more scoring opportunities.
16. Board Game: Carcassonne - The Tower [Average Rating:6.58 Unranked] [Average Rating:6.58 Unranked]
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Patrick Reynolds
United States
Vermontville
Michigan
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I haven't a clue about this one, but the title sounds promising. A Carcassonne game that builds vertically? That's probably too much to hope for, but it sounds interesting. I'll update this entry when more information on this Q1 2006 release.
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Rob Rob
United States
La Mesa
California
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Carcassone, fast becoming the ASL of German games.
Ray
United States
Carpentersville
Illinois
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June King
United States
Unspecified
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Ray, you need a Geek badge that says GeekList Librarian. :)
Ali Hassan
United States
Fairfield
California
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All of the Carcassonne expansions, River, Inns and Cathedrals, Traders and Builders, King, The Count, and finally, Princess and the Dragon have a total of 103 tiles (including king and robber baron tiles). Thats 31 more tiles than the base game! People can now play carcassonne with just the expansions and still have an hour long game, and i find that remarkable. I think i'm going to change my stance on the expansions and say enough is enough to expansions.
Nicholas Jost
United States
Fresno
California
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So can we have a relative rating by Carsconne players? I want to get in but the choices are now...well...scary. I always feel like I'm poking at the wrong game. Suggestions?
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