The Roads of Europe (fan expansion for Carcassonne)

Description

--- **TLDR** Carcassonne "Roads of Europe" tile disrupts roads with Covid-themed mechanics: removes meeples for isolation, relocates to cities, bonus turns in 2-player games, point losses for others in 3+ players. (24 words) Key mechanics include: - *Road meeple removal* When tile extends roads, all occupying meeples are immediately removed to simulate virus contact and self-isolation. - *Meeple relocation* Active player places each removed meeple into separate incomplete, unoccupied cities; excess return to owners if insufficient cities. - *Bonus turn (2-player)* After handling removed meeples, active player draws and places a new tile. - *Unclaimable roads* Extended roads cannot be claimed until completed; completion allows claiming if meeple available. No claim or bonus if unclaimed initially. - *Multi-player penalty (3+ players)* Upon road closure, non-closing players lose points equal to road tiles. - *Special restrictions* No thieves on road segments; fields claimable by farmers; immediate closure returns meeples without claim/penalty. Expansion effects on road tiles nullified before closure, tokens usable. The "Roads of Europe" mini-expansion for Carcassonne, created by Carcassonne.cat to celebrate the first European Online Team Championship, incorporates Covid-19 themes like mask-wearing and self-isolation via a special tile featuring a meeple with stars between two roads, symbolizing Europe's pandemic context. Mixed into the tile stack during setup, it follows standard placement rules but triggers unique effects when extending roads. In 2-player games, emphasizing competition, placed meeples on extended roads are removed without scoring and relocated by the active player into distinct incomplete, unoccupied cities; shortages lead to selective placement with others returned to owners, followed by a bonus turn and new tile draw. Unclaimed extended roads bar immediate claiming and bonuses, remaining unclaimable until completion, when the completer may claim with an available meeple. For 3+ players, promoting fun, rules mirror 2-player but add closure penalties: non-completing players lose points matching road tile count. Special cases prohibit thieves on road segments while allowing farmer claims on fields; immediate closures return meeples sans claiming or penalties; expansion tiles' special effects (e.g., princess/dragon, inns) vanish upon road integration pre-closure, though tokens persist for normal use, with neutral examples like mini-tunnel counting solely for length. ---