Carcassonne Expansion Review – Dragon and Fairy
With the re-launch of the Carcassonne expansions into numbered boxes, we are looking at each game individually in short articles. This time around we are checking out the Dragon and the Fairy, one of the more decisive expansions, at least of the first few released.
What’s in the Box?
The Dragon and Fairy expansion comes with 26 new land tiles marked with a fair icon, 1 double source tile and a double lake tile with dragon hoards on each side. There is also a little wooden red dragon included in the box, as well as a little white fairy figure that matches the fairy icon on the new land tiles.
Review
Right off the top, I love that this expansion includes a tile for the Rivers expansion. The Rivers Expansion is now included in the base game of all new Carcassonne releases, so to see there being a little added tile in this box specifically for that is a nice.
In this Dragon and Fairy expansion, the game is all about moving the dragon around the board. Anytime you pull a tile with the dragon head symbol, the dragon begins to move in the direction he is facing. The Dragon wants to make two movements, so he will move as far as he can, eating meeples as he goes, and then turn and move again. Meeples eaten are removed from the board and returned to their supply piles to be used again. There is a bit of bad luck that can happen in this expansion, and you can also be a bit mean whenever you replace the dragon when a dragon hoard tile is drawn. It’s a fun way to mix things up, though, and although the dragon isn’t my favourite, I don’t hate playing with it!
Whenever you finish a feature with a tile you place, but when you do no score any points for that feature – even if others do – you can move the fairy from it’s location next to any one of your Meeples on the board. When you score your meeple later in the game, you’ll get an additional three points for the fairy! The fairy can also ward off the dragon, so if you are in a space with the fairy and the dragon comes into your space, the dragon is removed from the board! I like what the fairy adds as it gives out a few bonus points throughout the game. It’s also a strategic element as you work to complete roads and cities that have a fairy on them before someone else steals the fairy from you!
Conclusion
Of the expansion we are reviewing, Dragon and Fairy might be my least favourite, but that doesn’t make it not enjoyable! It will come out from time-to-time, it likely just won’t be a regular addition to your Carcassonne games!
Article By Adam
