
The expansion Bridges, Castles and Bazaars allow players to trade resources as they do in Catan.Ĭatan shouldn’t be discounted in the expansion category, however, several creative options include pirates, space travel, and even one with a Game of Thrones theme. Traders & Builders, for example, is the expansion that includes resources like wheat and cloth so you can raise the stakes with cities for more experienced players. Some of these expansions for Carcassonne are required to play with features that already exist in Catan, such as the ability to trade and collect resources. There are more than 30 expansions available for Carcassonne, putting it well-ahead of Catan when it comes to official customization options. Set up a game for a mixed group in a party setting and put players in teams. Make a challenge for older or more experienced players, like who can build the biggest city. Simplify the game to accommodate younger learners by lowering the point cap. These points are acquired by building cities and trading resources.Ĭarcassonne board game Customization OptionsĮach game is expandable in various ways, allowing you to customize the gameplay depending on your group. This typically takes an hour with four people playing. The first player to score ten “victory points” wins. Towns that are developed into cities are one way to score points.
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Instead, the focus is on how to use the tiles as they’ve already been placed. The game area is set from the beginning, so players can’t score points by laying tiles like they do in Carcassonne.


The gameplay of Catan is considerably different. A possible variation could be a point cap if you’re pressed for time, but that’s not in the official rules. A Carcassonne game ends when the tiles run out. It’s possible to play a quick game with three people and 72 tiles, but two players using several expansions can play for hours and rack up hundreds of points. There’s no limit to the points a player can have, and most Carcassonne box sets include a cyclical scoreboard. Farmers are used to claiming pastures with cities, and these points are saved from being counted at the end.

Players can score points using cities or roads throughout the game. Most boxed sets of Carcassonne currently include an alternative way to start building the landscape along with the regular starting tile. Number of Tiles and ScoringĬlassic Carcassonne has 72 tiles, and there are various expansions available that can introduce many more. A set of dice determines which hexagon players use that turn and players draw cards to determine their next action. Players then have to place their settlements and roads strategically to take advantage of those resources. To begin, the hexagonal tiles are shuffled and placed within a set area, creating a unique landscape for every game. This initial setup doesn’t really change depending on the expansion, as the rest of the game depends on the predetermined board. Catan, or Settlers of Catan, has a different set-up that can accomodate two players, but much more commonly includes three or four.
