The catapult catch
play tested.
After drawing a first catapult tile
1) the tokens were placed as described and the barker went to black
2) an acrobat was placed on top
3) a city was scored
4) therefore the barker received 2 points
5) a token was taken from underneath the acrobat and placed aside
We wondered if this was the right sequence to do so in one turn, we thought it was. Question: Would the same apply if that city wasn't already meepled but would have had the phantom placed on it when this tile was played?
The sequence should be as follows:
1. Place the tokens.
2. Move wood, Deploy the acrobat.
3. The acrobat becomes the barker. Remember the player only becomes the barker if he deploys the acrobat.
4. Score the features - in this case the city.
5. Collect a token per scored feature - in this case one token is released.
6. The barker is awarded 2 points if the token is collected. Remember that a scoring player may elect to not collect the token - in such a case the option for collecting the token passes to the acrobat. The acrobat may also decline to collect the token in which case the barker will not score 2 points. There may be strategy in not collecting a token - you may not want to be a mark for the pickpocket by having too many tokens. The acrobat may not want to score at that time - he may perhaps try to delay scoring in order to be able to victimize a certain follower that would be worth more points than the one he would be stuck with at the time.
With two players we experienced a couple of times that eg pickpocket couldn't score due to the fact that the player who's acrobat became the pickpocket had the most tokens. Stealing a token was NA. You might want to add the rule that in these cases a 10 point reward is given to the acrobat, just like in the event no tokens are available to take from a player. Same goes for charlatan scoring as seen under.
You are to determine the
opponent with the most tokens. In a two player game that would be the other player. If the other player has none then the pickpocket simply scores 10 points.
1) situation
2) grey places a city tile + meeples it -> scores 4 points
3) barkers scores 2 points
4) token taken from underneath the acrobat, acrobat becomes charlatan. No scoring could be made (?) a) grey is closest by, but is the charlatan, we could have opted to only move forward grey the number of followers on the board, but we didn't, nothing said in the rules. Obviously the subsequental action of taking over the followers position on the board is NA. We left it there (with no score) Follower returned to stock.
Again, here your #4 should come before your #3. The token is collected then the barker scores.
Also, you are to determine the closest
opponent to resolve the charlatan. In your game it looks like either of the two black followers on the east side of the board would be within a six-tile count of the catapult tile. The acrobat/charlatan would have his choice of these two. If however there are no opponents on the board at the time then the charlatan misses the opportunity to score but comes back to his supply anyway. I think this is not directly addressed in the rules so I will add it.
then we just in time descovered another tokenstack was in the 9tile grid (see above). So barker gets another 2 points and the token is taken off and put in grey supply.
Yes, the scoring of the first catapult tile triggered the release of a token from the remaining catapult tile because the catapult tiles are located in the same nine-tile grid. The scoring of any feature can release only
one token - no matter how many catapult tiles are in the vicinity. So in this case the scoring of the city released one token - it could have been collected from either catapult tile. Since it was collected from the tile with only one token left it caused the acrobat to score - which released a token on the second catapult tile.
As we moved along we could estimate the outcome of acrobating a tokenstack. That added to the play, we took it the above mentioned sequence was the right sequence, so first place tokenstack and then decide whether to meeple it or not. Correct me if i'm wrong.
Yes, that is the correct sequence - place tokens then move wood. Remember the token on the bottom of the stack is chosen by lot - although it will be one of the two tokens that the player to the right of the current player selects.
There is a lot of actions to make, counting to do and things to remember once a feature is scored within the 9tile grid. I wonder how this would be when playing with a bigger group or inexperienced players. It's very time consuming, that might become a problem. You need to be/stay quite concentrated also to have it all done correctly. It rather complicates the game (which i like)
There are the matters of determining the closest player and then counting followers. It becomes easier as you get familiar with the mechanic. Mostly, the acrobat will already have it determined knowing what token he has on the bottom stack. He'll have a good idea what his reward will be.
It seemed that the end scores of token possession was a bit over the top with all the bonus scores.
Do you think the 2 points per token is too much or is it the bonus points? I think the bonus points are necessary - but perhaps not the 2 points per token.
Over all, we found it a great alternative for catapult expansion!
ow btw scores:
gray (forgot the metal :
) 412
black 264
This is awesome - thank you so much for the feedback. It's great to see the mechanic in play and to get another perspective.
