Wheel/Catapult question

[Talisinbear]

Are there alternate rules which allow use/scoring of tiles in catapult and wheel of fortune sets without using the silly catapult and wheel?

[Whaleyland]

Not officially, but you can make up your own rules. I believe if you search around the rules forum enough, you may find some alternatives to the Catapult. I know BGG has alternate rules up for it. Not sure about the Wheel, though. Most people seem to like or are indifferent to the Wheel of Fortune.

[Talisinbear]

I can't see the wheel being worth while, unless it's to double the base tiles

[Whaleyland]

Well, it does serve that purpose, but honestly I have played more games with the Wheel of Fortune than with the Catapult, Cult Places, King & Robber Baron, Siege/Cathars, Tunnel, Count of Carcassonne, or *gasp* the Tower. It isn't a great expansion, but its rules are easy and obvious and it provides a very nice start tile as opposed to the usual single tile. I don't even use the extra tiles. They sit in the tile tower in my Big Box with all the other expansion boxes. Was the expansion worth it? Sure. I got it for like $15. $15 for replacement/extra meeples (too bad it didn't include gray ones), 72 tiles (all plain-backed), a pink pig animeeple, and a 4x4 start tile. Definitely was worth it.

[Talisinbear]

So do people just mix the tiles in with past sets?

I like the river as a start, with fish huts added, so I'd likely put the wheel off to the side at best

[Whaleyland]

Yeah, you can just mix the tiles in. If you don't want to use the expansion elements, ignore them. Many people do that. Regarding using the River with Wheel of Fortune or Count of Carcassonne, I usually set the sources of the river at opposing sides of the large start tile, so it acts as a sort of base from which everything else leaves. The Wheel and Count share an edge in common so the two can be attached. Then I just put a River source on each side so players can choose where to put their River tiles.

I very rarely have time to play with custom expansions, but the fish huts are a nice one if I remember correctly. Anything to give more worth to the river tiles is a good thing.

[Talisinbear]

The problem with the wheel is it makes no sense on the map.

The City from Counts is at least a 'map element'

The Wheel mechanic is 'OK" although like the catapult it has little to do with the idea of world building

[CKorfmann]

I like to use the Wheel.  I don't have a long explaination for it, I just like using it.  Most often, I take out the 19 wheel tiles and ad them to the base set I already have and any other expansions I happen to be playing that round. 

Joff (and I think Scott) made an expansion to use the Catapult tiles called The Jester and Minstrel.  It is available on the fan-made customs page.  I've made the expansion, but haven't  had a chance to play it, so I can't tell you how it plays.  I have played the Catapult a few times and I don't have strong feelings about it.  I can take it or leave it. 

As for the issue of starting tiles, I do appreciate having more options to begin with and often use both river starters with the wheel.  Haven't played any mega games since I got the wheel, so I'm looking forward to adding the count to the mix too. 

[Talisinbear]

Jester and Minstrel are interesting although why a farmer would be exempt escapes me

also, in reality the times the influence actually affects scoring is likely very small for the game time/mechanics involved

I think using tiles with Fortunteller much more interesting