How do farmers score in Carcassonne?
Farmers score only at the end of the game. Each field scores 3 points for every completed city it touches. The player with the most farmers on that field takes the points, and tied players all score.
The rule:
In Carcassonne, farmers score only at the end of the game: each field earns 3 points for every completed city it touches, going to the player with the most farmers there, and tied players all score.
Farmers are part of the supplemental rules. The rulebook suggests adding them after your first 2 or 3 games.
- Placing: lay the meeple down on a field on the tile you just placed. The field can’t already have a farmer.
- Field borders: roads, cities, the river and other features split fields apart.
- Scoring: only at the end. Each completed city touching the field is worth 3 points.
- Shared fields: the player with the most farmers on a field scores it. Ties all score.
Farmers never come back to your supply during the game, so each one is a long-term commitment.
Example:
Your farmer's field touches 3 completed cities and 1 unfinished city. At the end you score 9 points. The unfinished city adds nothing.
Why players argue about it:
Fields are the hardest part to read on the table, and the rules changed between editions. Some older editions scored fields differently. This follows the current rules.