Favourite Variants? (for the CAR)

[mjharper]

I'd be grateful if people could suggest their favourite variants for inclusion in the CAR. Bear in mind that variants which require new tiles and/or tiles may not be appropriate for full inclusion, although we may be able to add a list.

Also, which of the 'official' variants (the ones included in the old CAR) should be added? All? Some? None?

I'd be tempted to suggest my own Extortionist variant…

Sorry if this thread duplicates old discussions—but I think it's useful to have everything in one place. That will also be useful for future revisions…

[Joff]

As you know, I am quite fond of Kevin Grahams variants, in particular, Trading Posts and Tax Collector. All the rules have been 'rewritten' to take into account the new expansions and approved by the originator. Easy-peasy implementing and understanding

As to the 'official' variants... they have never appealled to me in the same way as those above, but having a quick look through them, here are some observations:

1. 'The battle for completed cloisters' seems too similar to 'Heretics and Shrines'.

2. 'Cloisters for everyone!' seems similar to the 'Abbey' tile.

3. 'Rebuilding' has possibilities.

4. I have never, ever, played with the Count (It's still in its little box ) so can't comment on the official variants.

[Scott]

I think official variants that have been covered by expansions can be excluded, but the others can remain.

• Cloisters for everyone! - covered by Abbey & Mayor
• Prisoners - sounds rather similar to The Tower
• The battle for completed cloisters - not exactly the same as Shrines, but close enough IMHO
• A new lease of life - covered by the wagon from Abbey & Mayor
• The dash - same as above and slightly unbalanced

IMHO, the official Count variations are probably the best in the whole list.

I would also like to see the simplification variants from the official Carc web site:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/article/572373#572373

Here's some other variants that I think are worthy of inclusion:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/article/1291123#1291123
http://www.naturelich.com/games/archives/2005/09/laborer_and_men.html
http://www.carcassonnecentral.com/forum/index.php?topic=195.0

I would be ok with Kevin Graham's variants being included because I feel they are good quality, just not of interest to me personally. I have excluded variants with extensive tilesets from my list, because I have reservations about including anything that requires a lot of work to assemble.

EDIT: Hmm... having now seen the "favorite house rules" thread, I'm confused about the distinction. If anything in this post is deemed a house rule rather than a variant, I hope it is still considered.

I think I'll additionally suggest my two tower variants:
- feed a prisoner to the dragon to save your tower meeple
- rescue a prisoner by deploying a meeple through a magic portal to the base of a tower (tower must be occupied by a meeple of the player who captured yours)

[Novelty]

I like the use the back of the tile as a mountain variant.  I have no idea where that is found though.

[Scott]

That's one of the "official" variants already in the CAR.

[Tobias]

Evil C!

Play with the P&D, Count, Tower and The Cathars only. (You can add in the original if you want more tiles).

Lots of options to make your opponents miserable. 

[Noofy]

Hi Guys and Girls,
I would like to include my variant using the 'fairground' tiles from the catapult expansion.
Since I don't like flinging mass destruction over the board, I came up with a variant that uses the fairground in a more 'conventional' way.
1. When placed,the fairground attracts all meeples within one square (orthangonally and diagonally) to the fair. This includes tower guards, the fairy, pigs and farmers, builders and mayors (but not barns or the dragon).
2. What happens to the meeples depends on the expansions being played.
a)If the Count's City is in use, then the meeples move to a quadrant of the players choice who played the Fair. The meeples can be distributed throughout the quadrants in any combination. (this can be both a positive and a negative tile!) Note that this stops the fairground being a 'scoring tile'.
b)The Fairy stays on the Fairground and keeps moving via the normal course of play
c)If the count is in play: Pigs, builders and mayors  all move back to their players respective supplies
d)If the count is not in play, Meeples (including Pigs, builders and mayors) stay on the fairground tile until it is 'completed' - sorounded on all sides like a cloister / shrine. The meeples are then given back their players supply.
3. The Fairground scores 1pt per meeple, pig, mayor or builder at the fair. Points go to the player who 'completed' the fairground.

Hope you enjoy, Please tell me what you think of the rules!
I've found in play that it really balances out the count, and opens up some possibilities for defensive play.

Cheers!
Noofy

[edmil]

Maddie and I have been playing regularly with the 'Gold mines' mini expansion, thoroughly enjoy it.

[Cianopanza]

Hi!

We usually play in 2 o 3 persons
- playng with 2 tiles instead of only one
- we start with a "single road cloister" tile to each
- and ... spam mode on... we love "Alternative Start Tiles" variant

anyway we often play "Treading Post" variant.