Trebuchet expansion

[Trebuchet]

I was surprised to find so many ideas and efforts made by fans to create expansions. I would like your opinions / suggestions regarding an idea of my own concerning the Tower expansion.

You can build the tower, but can't break it down after that during the game. (well maybe you can, but i certainly wouldn’t know about it..)  So I came up with this Tower demolish-feature. Before starting creating tiles i wanted to post the idea to have the expansion perfected for the game - as i have seen in multiple threads, many rules and tiles developed in discussion and new ideas.

So, here's what i thought so far for the

Trebuchet Carcassonne fan expansion

To be played with The Tower expansion. The rules of the tower stay unchanged.

With the Trebuchet expansion the players earn points by taking down towerparts or destroy complete towers by playing trebuchet tiles. The tiles can be played in a tactic way to defend meeples that are being threatened by towers.

There are 12 Trebuchet tiles.
c.o.
3ea a single trebuchet (a)
3ea line up of 2 trebuchets (b)
3ea line up of 3 trebuchets (c)
3ea line up of 4 trebuchets (d)

The tiles come with roads, citycaps and farms and can therefore be played as landscape tiles when a player chooses to do so. Special powers apply throughout the game however (rule 6). When the tower expansion is not used the tiles can be used as normal landscape cards earning you special points (rule 5).

How to use Trebuchet tiles
The single trebuchet tile (a) can be used to completely demolish a tower consisting of 1 part. (9 points), or take down 1 part of a higher tower (1 point).
Note: When there are no towers built yet, the tile in this case should be played as a landscape tile (see rule 6).

The double trebuchet tile (b) can only be used to completely demolish a tower consisting of 2 parts (9 points), or take down 2 parts of a tower of 3 parts or higher. (1 point per part)
Note: This tile can not be used to tower down a single part tower. The tile in this case should be played as a landscape tile (rule 6) when no demolishion is possible.

The triple trebuchet tile (c) can only be used to completely demolish a tower consisting of 3 parts (9 points), or take down 3 parts of a tower of 4 parts or higher. (1 point per part)
Note: This tile can not be used to tower down a single part or double part tower. The tile in this case should be played as a landscape tile (rule 6) when no demolishion is possible.

The trebuchet tiles containing four trebuchets (d) can only be used to completely demolish a tower consisting of 4 parts (9 points), or take down 4 parts of a tower of 5 parts or higher. (1 point per part).
Note: This tile can not be used to tower down a single, double or triple part tower. The tile in this case should be played as a landscape tile (rule 6) when no demolishion is possible.


Note: Once a tower is destroyed and the parts are removed from the tower tile, the trebuchet tile becomes a landscape tile with its special power still (rule 6).


Rules:

1) Tower parts can be taken down only when no meeple is on top. Once the tower is fixed, the trebuchet tile will not effect the tower.

2) Each one tower part taken down is good for 1 point. The tower part taken by the player playing the trebuchet tile receives the taken tower part(s) in his stock to use again.

3) To (partly) demolish a tower, the trebuchet tiles can only be placed anywhere in the towers’ range effected by the towers hight. (ref. tower rules). Once the tower range is fixed during the game by tiles surrounding the area, the tower cannot be demolished anymore.

4) The player who completely demolishes a tower, receives 9 points. Even if the tower height is consistent of just 1 tower part. When a tower is destroyed, a new tower can be built on the same spot. But mind rule number 6; the new towers’ height can be restricted.

5) When the trebuchet tile is played as a landscape card, a meeple can be place on the trebuchets on the tile, representing 1 to 4 extra (!) points when a normal road or city is completed lining up with the tile. Extra (!) double points (2-8) rules apply when there is an inn at a lake. So when a road is finished, the trebuchet tile showing 4 trebuchets and a road is worth 5 points (4 + 1), 10 points when an inn is used in that road (4+1x2).
After the game single points (1-4) for uncompleted road or city. Eventhough all the trebuchets are situated in farms, this does not effect the number of meeples in farms nor do any points apply after the game other than 1-4 as described above.

Exception: when a trebuchet tile has been used for demolition, the tile cannot be occupied by meeples in any way. When then used in a road or a city, normal points apply.

6) When a trebuchet tile is played as (or has become) a landscape tile it remains powerful throughout the game. When the tile lines up with a later formed tower, this tower cannot be built higher then the number of tiles in between this tower and the already placed (or used before) trebuchet tile in its path. They can join however as normal landscape tiles.

Let me know what you thinkl

[Talisinbear]

do you have tile art?

[Trebuchet]

Not yet i'm affraid. Just written the idea down as i got quite inspired by this fan expansion section.  I was just curious what responses this one would generate in plain text

Do know already what tiles should be like though.

[Trebuchet]

here's a first low res:

[Dave]

Hello and welcome:)

I like the idea of a way of combating towers


questions

does a single trebuchet tile apply to all towers in range as far as capping goes?
so could I play a 4 trebuchet tile in the range of 3 towers and stop all of them from climbing higher than 4 layers? and reduce just one of them by 4 layers when I play the tile?

should the trebuchet be manned by a meeple to maintain its effect

can I counter the trebuchet effect in any way?

how would this expansion interact with the black tower expansion?

do the trebuchets have an effect over holes in the map the same as towers?

[Trebuchet]

does a single trebuchet tile apply to all towers in range as far as capping goes?

Not sure what you mean. If you mean playing a 1 single trebuchet tile in a way it would effect 2 towers (or more) in range : yes.

so could I play a 4 trebuchet tile in the range of 3 towers and stop all of them from climbing higher than 4 layers? and reduce just one of them by 4 layers when I play the tile?

Good point. That would be a master move! You would earn 9 points for destroying the 4 layered tower. When the right tile played it can effect more than 1 tower in range, in just one turn. eg when two (or more) 4-layer towers (not meepled) are in range of the 4 trebuchet tile they both (all) can be tore down. 9 points each. Any tower higher than that: 1 point per layer, thus 4 points. However, is there is one meepled tower in range, or a low layered tower (than 4 in this example) the tile cannot be played in that way. After your demolishion move the new towers emerging on the same spots will be restricted in height.
[will adjust rules]

should the trebuchet be manned by a meeple to maintain its effect

Haven't thought of that yet, i was thinking not.. however, it might be interesting to give that 'tile-upgrading' a thought, i'll have it sink in. Maybe special meeples can be added for it or ownership tiles smt like that. Good suggestion!
It would certainly ask for adjusting rule 5 and 6.

can I counter the trebuchet effect in any way?

as above, this would certainly enhance the playing of trebuchet tiles. I like this idea. Will think about that. Any thoughts on that welcome.

how would this expansion interact with the black tower expansion?

Don't know. I'm not familiar with tha black tower expansion (yet)

do the trebuchets have an effect over holes in the map the same as towers?

Yes, that was the idea.

[Dave]

if it was that the trebuchet powers only worked when they the tile is first layed or continually if manned then a manned trbuchet tile could be de-meepled allowing other towers to grow again?

just as a tower can steal the guard off another tower to allow that tower to grow again.


to avoid complication you could just award a point for each tower layer you demolish.
9 points for a lot of work completing a cloister as opposed to laying a trebuchet tile in the right place, seems a lot

but a reward of 1-4 points doesn't seem all that high.

[Trebuchet]

I see what you mean, but im not sure yet if you would be able to demolish a lot of complete towers easily, as there can be lower towers in its path blocking the tiles plus the tile must be matching city, road and farm tiles as well. Per tower basically 1 trebuchet tile can be joined to 4 ends of the towers' path corresponding with the towers' height. A 9 point reward seems fair. (opposed to cloisters that can fill gaps in the map easily rewarding you a same 9 points). Having said that, i havent tried out yet as i would want a first version of tiles complete and test it out. I imagine players would want to keep the towers low (or not for that matter) when there's some tiles still left in the deck. There could (ought to) be a lot of tactics involved.

As for your manned tribuchet tile suggestion i'm now flirting with the idea of adding an extra meeple called 'warlord'. Just 1 meeple i reckon switching ownership to anyone playing the last tribuchet tile until the next tribuchet tile is played, giving that player certain extra advantages as the temporary warlord. Haven't thought it over in rule-terms yet, but there would be a possibility with capturing meeples or de-meepling towers. A nice new angle to the expansion i suppose. Thanks for your thoughts on this!

[Talisinbear]

An alternate thought

Each tile has a trebouchet with a number from one to 4

when played you may place a trebouchet master on tile

Each following turn it may demolish (take one later off any tower within its range (the number)

The player controlling the master gets a point and the tower piece.

If at any time no tower in range, the Master returns to your suppy.

[Trebuchet]

Nice one  If I understand you correctly no height restriction will apply to any tower. All tiles -t.i. 1 to 4 trebuchet on them- can be played at any possible joint in the towers' path whichever height, not corresponding with the layers but with the number of turns a layer can be taken off by the warlord? I think i like this.

[Talisinbear]

Yes a tower could be one or 10

but if I place a trebouchet with a four on it and the one or 10 level tower is within 4 tiles, I can start taking it down.

[Trebuchet]

Great! i'll go along with that. Will come up with a 2nd rule version later.

[Trebuchet]

 Here's the first version for tile art (needs some work still in BG colouring or soft toning the trebuchets):



Let me know, it’s a first.

[Talisinbear]

I'd go with a single trebuchet and a small number in circle which would indicate its range.

I'd suggest 2 -2s, 2 - 3s, 2- 4's, one 5 and one 6, a total of eight tiles

[Lavendel]

I really like the idea. I played the tower with the kids yesterday and thought of the fact that it is a little bit too destructive.