Dominions

[Carcking]

I think it would also be interesting to have some sort of condition that would allow for someone's Dominion to be overtaken.  

Maybe if a player controlling a domain loses majority control of a feature when it's scored in his domain he is ousted from the domain? This could generate some intense majority control battles. Can we brainstorm this concept?

[Carcatronn]

I would say the follower should stay on the dominions tile for the duration of the game...notwithstanding the dragon or plague or tower or some such catastrophy!  

Some possible names for the follower: Baron, Monarch, Despot, Czar, Potentate, Magnate, Overlord, Earl, Duke, Dom, Queen....

My favorite is Queen. I don't believe she has been used in any other fanspansion, has she?

I am struggling with the mechanic of earning the domininion for scoring the first feature in that domain. Does it matter what feature? I can score a two point road and I win the domain? It doesn't seem challenging enough given the potential power the domain can wield. Maybe you have to score at least a three-tile city or something a little more robust than a quick road?

@Carcatronn - I really like where this is going. Nice job and merit freely given!

Thanks Carcking! I was thinking about lords for the followers.. If it hasn't been used yet. Don't think Queens has been used, but I can't picture them claiming land  

So was thinking the following for prerequisites:

• Cardinals - Complete a cloister within the Dominion (Shrines are okay)
• Market- Deployer a farmer with at least one complete city in the farm within the Dominion
• Knights- Complete a city containing at least 3 tiles within the Dominion
• Thieves- Complete a road containing at least 4 tiles within the Dominion

If two or more players tie for majority within an unclaimed Dominion, no one takes claim.

Maybe if a player controlling a domain loses majority control of a feature when it's scored in his domain he is ousted from the domain? This could generate some intense majority control battles. Can we brainstorm this concept?

I put some thought into this and agree, majority should overthrow the lord from the Dominion to make it more worth playing tiles in other player's Dominions like Whaleyland was bringing up. Having claim over the Dominion only grants you the privileges plus allowing you to "win" tie breakers of majority instead of sharing the wealth.

So this resolves cities and roads, but here is what I thought for cloisters and farms:

• Cloisters- To overthrow, another player must win a challenge between a Shrine and Cloister (and possibly allowing cloister vs. cloister but with the loser also scoring points like normal)
• Farmers- To overthrow, another player must deploy a Barn to remove the Dominion lord or merge in majority of farmers (or merge in a pig plus their farmer)

Any thoughts on the above?

[Carcatronn]

Some possible names for the follower: Baron, Monarch, Despot, Czar, Potentate, Magnate, Overlord, Earl, Duke, Dom, Queen....

I got it! What about Viceroys?

[Carcatronn]

After reviewing everyone's input and feedback, I have updated the first post with a new set of rules.

[Carcking]

Some possible names for the follower: Baron, Monarch, Despot, Czar, Potentate, Magnate, Overlord, Earl, Duke, Dom, Queen....

I got it! What about Viceroys?

I think Viceroy is perfect. It's origin is middle french and it literally translates as deputy to the king. Perfect!

[Carcking]

Maybe if a player controlling a domain loses majority control of a feature when it's scored in his domain he is ousted from the domain? This could generate some intense majority control battles. Can we brainstorm this concept?

I put some thought into this and agree, majority should overthrow the lord from the Dominion to make it more worth playing tiles in other player's Dominions like Whaleyland was bringing up. Having claim over the Dominion only grants you the privileges plus allowing you to "win" tie breakers of majority instead of sharing the wealth.

So this resolves cities and roads, but here is what I thought for cloisters and farms:

• Cloisters- To overthrow, another player must win a challenge between a Shrine and Cloister (and possibly allowing cloister vs. cloister but with the loser also scoring points like normal)
• Farmers- To overthrow, another player must deploy a Barn to remove the Dominion lord or merge in majority of farmers (or merge in a pig plus their farmer)

I would be careful to stay away from any components that are not in the basic game such as shrines and barns. I like the idea of the cloister to cloister challenge though. That can be accomplished without borrowing from an expansion. I like the idea of straight competitions for the dominions.

Have you eliminated the rule for "killing" a defeated follower from the game when the Viceroy takes a majority?

[Carcatronn]

I think Viceroy is perfect. It's origin is middle french and it literally translates as deputy to the king. Perfect!

Thought you might like that!    I agree, Viceroy fits the bill.

I would be careful to stay away from any components that are not in the basic game such as shrines and barns. I like the idea of the cloister to cloister challenge though. That can be accomplished without borrowing from an expansion. I like the idea of straight competitions for the dominions.

Have you eliminated the rule for "killing" a defeated follower from the game when the Viceroy takes a majority?

Yeah I thought about it more and updated the rules on the first post; possibly including components from expansions for variant rulings only. Updates should be italicized and the rules taken out from before have been stricken ... I think the conquests adds more balance in lieu of executing the meeple with majority. But it would be nice to still try to add it in somehow..

[Trebuchet]

Wow 

Haven't checked a couple of days and there it is: another nice expansion in the making! Things are moving fast lately! 

[Carcatronn]

Tested Dominions out today with 5 players in a couple playthroughs with much to report. Our first game took awhile for a Viceroy to get deployed, which the Knights Dominion was claimed first. After it was claimed, everyone's goal it seemed was to overthrow this Viceroy which turned out to never score another city within the Dominion before the end of the game



Our second game received two Viceroys early on, within the Cardinal and Market Dominions. No others were claimed due to cities merging and roads getting cut off. The Cardinals didn't score any points after being claimed and the Market scored at the end like normal, and seemed to be the more sought at Dominion when it combined three Dominions with farms. The Market Viceroy was overthrown near the end to claim the points.




The dilemma of the Viceroy majority winning on a tie came up in the farms. When the opponent took majority with two Meeple, the other player would have had to deploy a total of three Meeple to get any points. This rule had to change for the Market to be fair.  So to be more consistent with the other Dominions, the majority privilege has been removed for all Dominions.

Now with the overthrowing conquest, this will now become a variant ruling as half the people playing enjoyed it while the other half found it distracting from the rest of the game causing more incomplete features and too much focus on waging war. So for the normal rules, once a Dominion has been claimed, the Viceroy is in place for the remainder of the game.  The following are updated rules we have found to be necessary:

• Update to the Thieves Dominion - must be the first to complete a three tile road with majority.
• In order to claim a Dominion, your Meeple must be within the Dominion. This makes the most sense instead of allowing a feature to pass over the armistice line that included your Meeple to claim the land.
• Upon completing the feature that allowed you to claim Dominion, you receive the bonus points immediately instead of waiting until the next completed feature.
• With the Market Dominion, the player who has claim may only receive the bonus points on completed cities inside of the armistice line. All farms that connect into this Dominion is scored like normal

Now with the conquest of overthrowing a Viceroy as a variant rule, which I personally prefer playing with, a new rule has been added where the player who successfully took majority immediately swaps out the Viceroy since this is the only way the Market Dominion can be played. And to be consistent, all Dominions will follow this ruling. I also was thinking possibly allowing multiple Dominions to be claimed by the same individual regardless of players, but will have to play test this to see if it works.

[CKorfmann]

Thanks for the report and photos.  Merit for you.  Sounds like it's coming along.

[Carcatronn]

Tested out the updated rules to Dominions today with 3 players and added Inns & Cathedrals to the mix.  The game worked out perfectly, all three players claimed a Dominion.  We had a Viceroy in the Knights and Market Dominion right away, with the Thieves Dominion half way through.


(Notice the Large "Crystal" Followers on the left)

The point system worked for all three Dominion's, just about equal bonus points.  The Knights Viceroy scored 3 points extra, the Market Viceroy scored 5 points extra, and the Thieves Dominion scored 4 points extra.  

With this test game, the basic expansion rules are complete.  I will try to make an official download later this week hopefully, with optional "Conquest" variants being added later on after more testing.

[quevy]

I had not stopped to read it all, I really like the idea, congratulations.

[Carcatronn]

The first drafted rules and tiles are complete!  I added a special alternate starting tile I hope you will all enjoy  

Dominions

Variant Conquest rules will be coming later, which will include an overthrowing variant and more.

[Fritz_Spinne]

A rule question:

does the Cardinal-Dominion-player have to complete a cloister to get 3 points bonus or does he only have to score for the cloister - the same for Thieves Dominon and roads and the Knights Dominion and cities.
In other words: Do you get the Dominions Bonus even if another player completes your feature, but the player with privilege scores?

[Carcatronn]

A rule question:

does the Cardinal-Dominion-player have to complete a cloister to get 3 points bonus or does he only have to score for the cloister - the same for Thieves Dominon and roads and the Knights Dominion and cities.
In other words: Do you get the Dominions Bonus even if another player completes your feature, but the player with privilege scores?

Good question. The viceroy does not need to complete the feature to receive the privilege points. Even if another player completes a feature that scores points for a viceroy (within the respective Dominion), the viceroy still receives the privilege points.

However, I was planning on changing this ruling in one of the variant conquests