Moat Rules

[Myles4506]

So, I think I understand the moats. You score based on the fixed amount + 1 per room of the indicated type. But in the beginning, you can adjust your foyer. I don't understand why you would ever have an entrance leading into the barbican (across the drawbridge). As far as I can tell, all that does is make it impossible to complete the foyer... you can't build off your drawbridge. Am I missing something?

Also, do moats complete rooms? If it runs directly across an entrance?

And is there any point (bonus) for having the walls of your room line up with your moat? I don't think so, but wanted to get all my questions out because Chat/Copilot is terrible at explaining the BGA adaption.

Thanks!

[Lankin the Mad Mage]

You CAN actually build stuff across the drawbridge. I believe you can put "outdoors" (green) rooms there, if you follow a few extra rules. It's called the "Castle Gardens" in the rulebook. So that's one reason for having the foyer like that: It lets you build more rooms than you can normally fit inside the limits of the moat.

Page 11 of the expansion rulebook:
"You Moat MAY block entrances on new or already placed Rooms. Blocking a Room entrance with your Moat does NOT count towards completing that Room. If 1 or more of a Room's entrances are blocked by a Moat, it CAN'T be completed."

I don't see anything about getting points for walls lining up with the edge of the Moat. Though if they do, it means you aren't wasting any of the space inside the Moat, which is its own sort of reward I guess.

[Myles4506]

Cool, thanks! I have tried building by connecting onto the drawbridge. It didn't allow it, but I don't recall if it was an outdoor area. And then once you have that outdoor area, are you restricted to outdoor areas, or can you build anything after that initial one? My guess is that BGA does not allow you to build onto the drawbridge, period... if anybody knows different, please let me know!

So it seems like moats are something to be played towards the end of the game (more rooms, more points). I wonder if there is a bonus for containing your entire castle within the block of moats?

[G00G0LPLX]

You can build Outdoor rooms on the drawbridge, and only Outdoor rooms can be built from the moat.

ETA: Also, to complete your moat, you must have the entrance open across the drawbridge.

[Myles4506]

Thanks! What if you build around the starting moat? are you then allowed to connect to your outdoor rooms?

[G00G0LPLX]

No, per the rules, "Outdoor Rooms in your garden may not be connect to Rooms that are 'inside' your Moat, except by your drawbridge."

[Myles4506]

That's too bad. I was thinking "there's a trap door in the pumpkin patch that leads to stairs going down to the Fungus Room. Turn right and head back up the stairs and you come out in mom's closet".