A board game cover titled "New World: A Carcassonne Game" by Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, featuring an illustrated scene of a large sailing ship with several smaller rowboats and a sunset in the background. The Rio Grande Games logo is visible at the bottom right.
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New World: A Carcassonne Game (2008)

ByMichail

New World: A Carcassonne Game”New World: A Carcassonne Game” is a German-style board game that allows players to explore and settle the New World, aka America. It is part of the Carcassonne series, created by Klaus-Jürgen Wrede, and was published in 2008. The game is popular and significant due to its connection to the Carcassonne series, which has sold over 12 million copies and has been officially translated into 22 languages.

Game Components of New World: A Carcassonne Game

  • 95 Land tiles** with town, trail, plains, and farm segments
  • 30 Settlers** in 5 different colors (6 each, with one used as a scoreboard marker)
  • 2 Surveyors** in white
  • Game Board** combining the Scoring Track and Start Spaces
  • Rule Booklet and Summary Sheet**

    How To Setup New World: A Carcassonne Game

    To set up the game, place the game board on the table so that the starting spaces face towards the middle. Shuffle the land tiles face down and stack them in several face-down stacks for easy access. Each player selects 6 settlers in their color, placing one as their scoring marker on the “0” space of the scoring track and the remaining 5 in front of them. The two surveyors are placed on the starting spaces at opposite ends of the game board. The youngest player determines who starts the game.

    Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

  • Tile Placement: Players take turns drawing and placing land tiles to build towns, trails, farms, and plains.
  • Settler Deployment: Players can deploy one settler from their supply to the newly placed tile.
  • Scoring: Completed towns, trails, and farms are scored immediately. Towns score 2 points per tile plus 2 points for each flag; trails score 1 point per tile plus 2 points for each trading post; farms score 9 points for the tile and surrounding areas.
  • Surveyors: Surveyors move westward after each feature is scored. Players earn bonus points if their settlers are in the same column as a surveyor.
  • Objective: The game ends when all tiles are placed. Remaining incomplete features are scored, and the player with the most points wins.

    Player Experience

    **New World: A Carcassonne Game** offers a engaging and strategic experience, blending the classic tile-laying mechanics of Carcassonne with the thematic exploration of the New World. Players must balance the need to build and complete features with the pressure of keeping up with the surveyors as they move westward. This adds a dynamic layer of strategy and time management, making the game appealing to fans of the series and newcomers alike.

    Pros

  • Unique Theme: Explores the early settlement of the North American east coast, offering a fresh historical context.
  • Engaging Mechanics: The surveyor system adds a compelling element of urgency and strategy.
  • High Replayability: With 95 land tiles, each game can unfold differently.

    Cons

  • Complexity: While the core mechanics are similar to Carcassonne, the surveyor system can add a layer of complexity for new players.
  • Length: Games can last around 45 minutes, which may be too long for some players.

    Personal Thoughts on New World: A Carcassonne Game

    **New World: A Carcassonne Game** is an excellent choice for fans of the Carcassonne series looking for a new twist or for anyone interested in a strategic and thematic board game experience. It is particularly suited for players who enjoy tile-laying games and are looking for a bit more complexity and depth. However, it may not be the best introduction for complete beginners to the series due to the additional mechanics introduced by the surveyors.

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    • Michail, a seasoned tabletop enthusiast, dives headfirst into worlds of fantasy and strategy. Whether commanding a party of adventurers through perilous dungeons or engaging in tactical showdowns on the board, Michail is the maestro of the tabletop realm. Michail's gaming table is a realm where the clatter of dice and the shuffle of cards create a symphony of strategic chaos.

    Hobby: Miniature painting guru, turning pewter into masterpieces
    Preferred Game: Dungeons & Dragons, but always up for a board game brawl