So, if, when mountain tiles clear we replace with one-that's always going to be 1 to 1...but the rules specifically state that there is a way for there to be more mountain tiles than the game starts with-can someone explain that to me?

You always add a new mountain strip every round regardless.

You always add a new mountain strip every round regardless.

I don't get that from reading my rules (English, Z-Man) and Uwe typically makes things ABUNDANTLY clear. My rules (Page 11, "Phase 11") says "IF" all spaces (but last) are empty to remove the board from the game "THEN" turn a new mountain strip face-up.

Nothing states that a new strip is placed 'regardless.'

I really think a lot of the confusion comes from the layout on the page and the bullet points. In the English rules, for example:


There's a bullet point for removing the leftmost building resource. This is thing 1.

Then, there's a NON-bullet-point sentence which says what happens in one particular case in the first bullet.


Moving on, there's a bullet point that you do next. This bullet point says to turn a new mountain strip face up.


Finally, there's a bullet point about the 4-player game. This just clarifies round 7.

I'm not sure about this interpretation-and again, being Uwe's "biggest fan" I know that he usually goes overboard on explaining things and clarity.

If I have time today I will look at other sections of the rulebook and see if the 'bullet point only' theory holds throughout.

In any event-if what you are saying is correct-then we can have situations where we have FEWER mountain tiles than the beginning of the game (for example both of the originals get exhausted in Round 1 and then just the single 'Round 2' replacement)-and that case is not mentioned either.....

I'll message Frank anyway so we can put this to bed, but I'm 99% certain the consensus is correct. A couple more points:

1. There can be fewer mountain tiles than the beginning of the game, but this case is not mentioned -- true, but I don't see why that matters. It's just something that can happen which doesn't hurt anything.

2. The final part of Phase 11 states "In the 4-player long game, there are not enough mountain strips for all 7 rounds." It does NOT say, "You may run out in the 4-player game". It says there are not enough. This could only be the case if you flipped one every round.

It's just one no matter what.

If it were really that simple-why didn't they just say it?

If I am understanding all of the correct(ed) input from this thread-the entirety of Phase 11 should simply read:

-If there are any Mountain Tiles with 2 resources (or fewer) remove them from the game.

-Flip and populate a new Mountain Tile.

If I am understanding all of the correct(ed) input from this thread-the entirety of Phase 11 should simply read:

-If there are any Mountain Tiles with 2 resources (or fewer) remove them from the game.

We've been playing it as:

1) Remove the leftmost item from each mountain strip. If this leaves a strip empty, discard it.

2) Add a new mountain strip and fill it with the items pictured on it.

This should get published as errata.

Some of the rules are quite verbose, probably with good intent. In this case, verbosity lead to several misconceptions during or after translation.

I am 99.9% sure you add a new mountain strip each round (except for round 7 in a 4-player game because there are none left)

The first point has already been published in the "Clarifications and Errata" document available in the files section.

The second point, about always adding exactly one new strip regardless of the number that may or may not have been depleted, is already perfectly clear in the rules.