Carcassonne Central

(EDIT: This has been significantly edited on March28/08 to simplify the original and make some changes as a result of play testing.)

Rationale

This cross-expansion variant uses the Tower and Princess and Dragon tiles and pieces in a new way. It has the advantage of not requiring anything new. I have tried to keep the rules in the spirit of the various normal uses of the pieces involved, except in the optional rule at the end.

Overview

Imagine dungeons below the cities and countryside around Carcassonne connected by tunnels that have entrances in tower foundations. 

When placing a tower tile, instead of usual deployments, a player may move a follower or mayor (not a wagon) into the dungeon and, optionally, out of it again at another entrance . On any turn, instead of usual deployments, a player may move a follower out of the dungeon.

The dungeon is represented by a space set aside on the playing table to temporarily place followers, the fairy and dragon .

The dragon must enter the dungeon and end its movement when moved to a tower tile. It does not eat followers hiding in the dungeon, but prevents them from entering or leaving, except by use of the fairy.

The advantages of the dungeon are, a) followers can enter features that are occupied and create competition for a majority, b)using the dragon to “freeze” another player's pieces in the dungeon, c) moving pieces to unoccupied farms that are otherwise inaccessible.

Moving pieces INTO the dungeon

• When placing a tower tile:
  
  • A small/big meeple or mayor may be moved into the dungeon as an alternative to all other deployments as long as the dragon is not in the dungeon.
  • The mayor may only be moved in and out on a tile containing a city segment.
  • Pieces temporarily in the dungeon are placed in a space set aside on the playing table.
  • Followers may move into the dungeon and out of a different entrance in the same turn.
         
• The fairy may be moved to, and among, followers in the dungeon like the  normal fairy move. While there it does not earn the start of turn single point, but follower alongside the fairy at the start of a turn may leave in that turn even if the dragon is in the dungeon.

Moving pieces OUT of the dungeon.

• A follower may not be moved out of the dungeon if the dragon is in the dungeon, unless it is accompanied by the fairy.
• A follower may be moved out of the dungeon by a different entrance in the turn it is placed there, or in any later turn as an alternative to other deployments.
• A follower may be moved out of the dungeon through an entrance on any already placed tile that has no other follower, builder, pig or wagon on the tile, and at least one segment of an uncompleted feature on it. The follower may be placed on any uncompleted feature on the tile except that:
  
  • The mayor must be placed on a city segment.
  • If the dragon is on the tile the piece is eaten – a way to get a meeple back.
• A follower may be placed on a segment of a feature that contains other followers then the new follower adds to the player's majority in that feature. It is not necessary that the player already have a follower on the feature, so this move is a new way to create a claim and contest a feature.
• The fairy may be moved out of the dungeon by any player as in normal fairy movement.

Moving the dragon INTO the dungeon

• When the dragon is moved onto a tile with a dungeon entrance it must move into the dungeon even if it has not yet moved six tiles above ground.
• If there are followers in the dungeon it rushes into the dungeon, forgetting to eat anything on the entrance tile.
• If there are no followers in the dungeon it eats its normal food on the entrance tile, unless the players owning meeples and mayors there choose to have them flee and hide in the dungeon. Players make that choice in turn clockwise beginning with the player who moved the dragon to the entrance.
• Followers in the dungeon are not eaten (they can hide) but neither can they leave while the dragon is there - except with the help of the fairy (see above).
• When the dragon is in the dungeon it prevents any other followers moving into the dungeon.
  

Moving the dragon OUT of the dungeon

• The dragon leaves the dungeon when a new volcano or dragon symbol tile is placed.
• In the case of a volcano tile the dragon moves to it as usual.
• If a dragon symbol tile is placed and the dragon is in the dungeon the placing player must choose a dungeon entrance or volcano tile and move the dragon to that entrance or volcano. Any entrance (without the fairy), even one in a completed feature, may be chosen. This movement becomes the first of the dragon's six moves. The dragon eats any of its usual food on the exit tile on the way out.

Optional rule.

This rule conflicts with my original intention to keep the abilities of each piece within the scope of those they have in the game. But it might be necessary to keep the dragon moving.

If a player has a big follower in his hand when he plays the dungeon entrance tile and the dragon is in the dungeon, then the big follower may be deployed to flush the dragon out as an alternative to another deployment  action. The big follower is killed in the action and is returned to the player. The dragon is expelled to an entrance or volcano of the player's choice and eats any of its normal food items there.

What special tiles are required? :)

What is the definition of "anything it can"? (You know someone would have to ask!) ie the tower pieces themselves, etc.

Hehe, I like this  {Pb

I really need to test this someday - it makes C even more competitive and agressive, and I like that. One could even use these rules with Evil C as well, and that is really good!

@Novelty, If I had wanted a variant with new tiles it would have been called  . .  "Novelty's River Delta".  ;D
Hmmm, maybe that's not such a bad idea . . . . . .

@Gantry, "Anything it can" was meant to mean anything it can normally eat. So that would be anything except tower blocks and barns. And then I thought, "Unless the fairy was on the tile . . . ."  Ah! but that must mean that the player can't choose to have the dragon exit at an entrance where the fairy is present. There is always something gets missed!! Thanks for the thought.

I have significantly revised the original post above as the result of play testing several times. The stuff with the fairy was unnecessary and too complex. The other rules have been simplified.

It plays quite nicely in a game of mega carc with two players.

Please take a second look and let me know if you have a chance to play test it.