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Carcassonne, one of the original modern board games in this exciting board gaming era. Plus, it delivered the meeple to us all and we are very thankful for that gaming piece.
I love Carcassonne, but as a standalone game, there are better games out there, for me. It is the expansions that really add to Carcassonne and add so much more depth, detail and strategy to the game. I would recommend you learn Carcassonne before throwing in the expansions, however after a few plays you will be there with your knowledge and in a great place to throw in expansions. Inns and Cathedrals is one such expansion, the first expansion that started this development and enhancement to the game.
Additional components
The basic game just includes your classic meeple. The expansion here also includes one big meeple as an additional playing component.
Additional new tiles. These add to the core set of tiles and come in new shapes and styles to what is already existing. This allows for more dynamic map creations and greater opportunity. Not to forget the tiles with inns and cathedrals printed on them.
The Rules
Carcassonne, the classic tile placement game to build an ever expanding game map, as you use your limited pool of meeples to score points, with the winning player at the end of the game and after final count up having the most points. Methods of scoring in the game include cities, roads, and monasteries. Additional points at the end of the game for uncompleted items as well as the farmers in the fields. These are highlights of the rules but that is the basic premise, the expansions keep all these rules in play and add more to the game.
The BIG Meeple. The big meeple plays exactly like any other meeple in your pool. Play it in exactly the same way. However, it is muscle and acts with the power of 2 ordinary meeples when used.
Inns. You will see these printed on tiles next to roads. Inns are classically on the roadside. If you score a road with an inn located next to it, instead of 1 point for each road piece in the completed route, each piece is worth 2 points, effectively double! However, if you don’t complete the road, it will be worth 0 in the final count instead of 1.
Cathedrals. There are 2 special city tiles with a cathedral printed in the centre. You cannot miss it. If you complete your city with a cathedral mixed into it, instead of the usual 2 points per city tile, you pick up 3 points per city tile. Like the inns on the road above, fail to complete the city and the pieces score 0 at the end of the game in the final count.
Greater strategy and depth
The first expansion of many many Carcassonne expansions and the creators delivered a great set. The Big Meeple, wow! Hugely significant and influential playing piece that ramps up the contesting over roads, cities and fields. With the impact of 2 standard meeples in one playing piece. Players can quickly steal away their opponents scores by looking to merge this big meeple into the opposition's developments. It causes immense elation and satisfaction to steal a score, or huge frustration if you are a player to lose out. My experiences here have also led to significantly larger roads and cities as players throw more and more meeples into single scoring locations to be the top winner.
The jeopardy added in from the inns and cathedrals also creates a fun new dynamic. When these pieces come out and into play everyone sits up to take note. You cannot let one player get away with scoring this much bigger points hauls, not without a contest. You need to get involved with their development. As a player who draws this tile though, you will want to do all you can to keep the others out, and ensure you complete the score to not avoid a 0 score at the end.
Then there is a suite of new tiles of shapes and fits to enhance the game that bit more. Not more of what you have from the base game but different. This only creates more scoring opportunities and greater excitement in the map development.
The set overall integrates so seamlessly with the base game and this is testament to the designers that they have developed the game in such a way, adding the new dynamics into the already quality base product.
Final Thoughts
My favourite expansion for sure. I love the big meeple and the battling for scores that this meeple brings. Taking nothing away from other expansions, but this is a must include expansion within your Carcassonne board game. Definitely worth including as the contest is taken up a notch.
