How to Play Carcassonne: Die Windrosen

Game Objective

The objective of the game is to acquire points by placing compass rose tiles in their corresponding areas on the map. Players also score points for other actions, following the normal Carcassonne rules. The player with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.

Preparation (Setup)

• Instead of the standard starting tile, the orange compass rose tile is used as the game's starting tile.
• The 5 remaining compass rose tiles are shuffled with the game tiles.
• All normal Carcassonne rules remain.

Game Flow

Refer to the manual for details on this section.

Actions and How to Play

The starting tile divides the playing area into four areas: Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, and Northwest. For each of these areas, there is an associated tile.

• Acquiring and Placing ¼ Compass Rose Tiles: If a player acquires one of the 4 ¼ compass rose tiles and places it in its corresponding area (using normal rules), they immediately acquire 3 points. These points are independent of any other scoring.
• Fields on the Starting Tile's Lines: The fields on the horizontal and vertical lines of the starting tile are part of two areas. The compass roses do not affect resources in any way (e.g., they do not interrupt any roads).
• The Blue Compass Rose: If the tile with the blue compass rose is acquired, it will be placed in play according to normal rules. The blue compass rose now, and until the end of the game, assumes the function of the orange compass rose. That is, the playing area will now be divided into four sections according to the blue compass rose. As a result, new cardinal directions emerge. Therefore, players now score when they place compass rose tiles that follow the blue compass rose.

End of Game and Scoring

Refer to the manual for details on this section.

Tips for Winning

• Keep an eye out for the ¼ compass rose tiles and try to place them in their corresponding areas to secure 3 immediate points, regardless of other scores.
• Consider the placement of the tile with the blue compass rose, as it can change the scoring areas for the rest of the game, creating new opportunities for you and your opponents.