Carcassonne: Castles in Germany
Carcassonne: Castles in Germany Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Materials
- 6 new double-sized Landscape Tiles (marked with a castle symbol), showing images of German castles:
- Bentheim Castle
- Eltz Castle
- Königstein Fortress
- Rieneck Castle
- Konradsheim Castle
- Wartburg Castle
Preparation
Each player takes 1 Castle of their choice. (With 2 or 3 players, each player may take 2 Castles.) Alternatively, mix the Castle tiles and distribute them randomly. Players then place their Castle(s) in their play area in front of them.
This expansion is designed for the basic Carcassonne game, and with the exception of the new rules shown below, all basic Carcassonne rules remain unchanged.
Rules
1. Placing Landscape Tiles
On a player's turn, he may place one of his Castle tiles instead of drawing a normal tile. A Castle tile may not touch any other previously placed Castle tiles, neither orthogonally nor diagonally. Other than that, the usual rules for placement of landscape tiles are all still valid.
2. Deploying a Follower
After placing a Castle tile, a player may deploy one of his followers to the tile (as usual). The follower may be placed on a road, city or field, following the usual deployment rules. If the follower is deployed to the Castle itself, it becomes a Lord or Lady of the Castle.
3. Scoring Completed Features with a Castle Tile
Scoring a completed Castle
A Castle is considered to be completed when the tile is completely surrounded by tiles, as with a Cloister, and is scored in the same way. Once a Castle is completed, the player with a Lord/Lady on the Castle receives 12 points, and then takes their follower back to their supply.
At the end of the game, each tile surrounding an incomplete Castle is worth 1 point, and the Castle tile itself is worth 2 points.
Example (diagram): At game end, Black receives 8 points for his Castle (2 for the Castle tile and 6 for the surrounding tiles).
Scoring completed roads and cities around a Castle tile
If a road or a city is completed which ends (and/or starts) on a Castle tile, those players (who participate in scoring for the completed feature) receive a bonus of 3 points (per participating Castle) in addition to their usual points. It does not matter whether the Castles themselves are occupied or not.
Examples (diagram):
- Black places the Castle tile at the lower left and deploys a follower to the Castle. Placing this tile completes 2 roads and 1 city.
- Red and Blue each receive 16 points for the completed city (10 points for the city itself, and 2x3 points for the 2 Castles).
- Black receives 5 points for his completed road (2 points for the road itself, and 3 points for the Castle).
- Blue receives 10 points for his completed road (4 points for the road itself, and 2x3 points for the 2 Castles).
The Castles in Detail
Königstein Fortress (Saxony)
...is one of the largest mountain fortresses in Europe. It lies in the Saxon area of Switzerland amid the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, near Dresden. It was built on a plateau rising 240 meters above the Elbe. Spanning over 750 years of history, these fortifications are comprised of an impressive ensemble of buildings from the late Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and 19th century. Since 2008, an annual Carcassonne fan meeting has been held at the Fortress each February.
Konradsheim Castle (NRW)
This moated castle is located between Cologne and Bonn and is one of the few surviving late medieval castles in the Rhineland. It was first mentioned in documents dating back to 1337. Knight Arnold of Bushveld is widely regarded as its builder. Today the castle is privately owned and can be rented for events. Since 2012, an annual Carcassonne fan meeting has been held here each November.
Rieneck Castle (Bayern)
Built around 1150, Rieneck Castle is located in the Lower Franconian Sinntal in Bavaria. Today, it is the Youth Castle of the Association of Christian Scouts and Guides. A particularly well-known part of the structure, and regarded as the heart of the castle, is the "Thick Tower". This tower, built in the 12th century and containing a historically unique Romanesque chapel wall, is completely enclosed by the wall of the keep.
Eltz Castle (Eifel/Rheinland-Pfalz)
...is considered to be the epitome of German knights castles. It is located in Elz Valley on the edge of the Eifel mountain range. Built in the early 12th century, it has withstood the test of time. Its history is rich with myths and events, important personalities, and great art.
Wartburg Castle (Thuringia)
Wartburg Castle overlooks the town of Eisenach in Thuringia. It was founded in 1067 by Louis Springer, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999. From May 1521 to March 1522, the controversial reformer Martin Luther, sought refuge in Wartburg, and it was there that he translated the New Testament of the Bible into German.
Bentheim Castle (Lower Saxony)
...is an early medieval castle surrounded by the city of Bad Bentheim in Lower Saxony. It is regarded as one of the largest and most beautiful castles in north-west Germany. The earliest records date back to the 11th century. Today, the castle houses a museum and can be visited all year round.