'The School' mini expansion planned for Spiel 2011

[Carcatronn]

HiG finally has a photo of this expansion on their site.  It is more than one tile.  Could it be the first official double-tile?  I'm not sure how it would work otherwise.  Check it out and share your thoughts.  

The School looks like it may need to be put together, wonder what it's going to to!

[Whaleyland]

It definitely appears to be the first double-tile. In addition, it looks like the Rainbow Over Ghana logo is actually stamped on the back, which is fine since the title appears to be a new start-tile as well. Luckily it just has roads coming out of it so it should be easy enough to fit in with the Wheel, City, and River source tiles.

I have a feeling that the rules will be something very simple, such as all roads coming out of the school are worth 2- or 3-points per segment (a là Inns & Cathedrals) with no value for incomplete. Sure it could be more complex, but since the premise is rewarding people for helping build the school, extra-point roads could easily accomplish that goal.

[Icestorm]

I don't know I just went and looked at the photo http://www.hans-im-glueck.de/typo3temp/pics/959f9d2ee8.jpg and it appears to be 2 tiles side by side to me, not a single tile if that is what you were referring to by double-tile.  If you look at the picture you can see a line and the rounded corners in the above url.

Either way it will be an expansion that I will be wanting to get my hands on.  I wonder if its going to be something easily obtainable in the states.

[Carcking]

My need for this expansion just doubled! 

[Sekim]

Looks like a 2 tile expansion indeed.
Can't wait to see the rules for them 

[Scott]

I ran the text through Google translate and it sort of sounds like they will be making this generally available after the convention.

[meepleater]

I ran the text through Google translate and it sort of sounds like they will be making this generally available after the convention.

That's good to know. I like the look of this one. But I still haven't got WoF (too expensive), celebration (ditto), phantom (meh), crop circles, plague or tunnels (hoping the last three will be released in english/ down under), so the school will probably just go onto the list...

[CKorfmann]

Finally a good description with rules.  It is NOT a double tile, thought that might have been cool.  Rules posted on the Geek by someone who got it at Essen.  I'm really looking forward to this one.

Here is the rules text:
1. It's a two-tile expansion. At the start of the game both tiles are placed next to starting tile (to the left or to the right).
2. The tiles depict school (surprise, surpise) with 6 roads leading to it.
3. The special meeple (comes with expansion, in fact, the usual transparent meeple from the 10-years edition) is placed to the school. He is the teacher.
4. When a player finishes a road leading to school, he takes the teacher.
5. After that, when a feature is scored next time (by anyone), the player with the teacher gains the same amount of points and sends the theacher back to school. He gains these bonus points even if it was he who scored (i.e., in this case he gains double points).
6. When all 6 roades leading to school are completed, the players cannot take the teacher any more.
7. The art is nice. I'm sorry I forgot to take my camera with me so I can't share.

I find it interesting that the tile pictured here is not the real thing.  I guess they needed something to show off and the tiles weren't finished yet.  I wonder if the meeple is accurate?

Carcatronn, did you say your store would have this?  I don't remember.

[Carcatronn]

oh that sounds like an awesome mini expansion!  I hope the transulcent meeple is a different color. But if not, there are extra meeple stickers on the sticker sheet could totally use one for the teacher!  Can't wait to get this....

Carcatronn, did you say your store would have this?  I don't remember.

Unfortunately HiG has prohibited me from selling this item due to conflicts with RGG, sorry CK.  Lets hope RGG will get this on board so I an start selling it. I think HiG said they will sell after Essen through their site though

[Talisinbear]

ebay I bet soon

[Carcking]

Sounds interesting - but I wonder about it relying on just the six roads. Seems like those would get completed pretty quick. Also, seems like it would be fairly easy to defend by completing say a two point road anywhere just so the guy only gets two points out of the teacher, for example.

To be clear, do you think if someone is holding the teacher and another player completes a school road that he steals the teacher after the player scores his teacher points? Or does the teacher have to go back to the school after being scored.

[CKorfmann]

I just assumed the road would be lost if it was completed while the teacher was out, but it's possible it could count as a completed feature and the person holding the teacher could get the score, move it back to the school, and then have it move immediately to the next person.  I hadn't considered stealing it.  I would think that unlikely. 

[Fritz_Spinne]

Hi,
there are two examples in the rules:

Yellow has the teacher. Green completes a city with 12 points. Yellow gets 12 points too and the teacher goes back to school.

Red has the teacher. Blue completes a "school-street" with 5 points. Both Red and Blue get 5 Points, the teacher goes back to school, but Blue gets him immediately.

[CKorfmann]

Red has the teacher. Blue completes a "school-street" with 5 points. Both Red and Blue get 5 Points, the teacher goes back to school, but Blue gets him immediately.

That's what I expected.  Glad I called that right. 

[Joff]

I think a friend of mine has picked this up for me at Essen... hope so anyway...