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I haven't found this addressed anywhere. Looking for a concensus, short of an official answer.

We know from The Coast rule book that Blocked Roads stop Minion (and Hero) movement. What I'd like to know though is does it alter the short path to Town Hall?

Let's say there is a Blocked Road between the Olde Woods and the Covered Bridge. Because it is being diplaced, a Minion at the Olde Woods must move toward Town Hall. Which direction must it go?

If it ignores the Blocked Road in determining shortest path then it must move toward the Blocked Road. It can't however as it is stopped by it, which would mean it can't be displaced, which means the displacing Minion cannot be placed - so the Shadow Track would move 1 Step toward Darkness. If the original Mininon was simply moving though then it would just not move.

Another scenario - A Blocked Road is adjacent the Fields. Do you even need to roll to determine the route a displaced (or moving) Minion must take?

What are everyone's thoughts?

Haven't encountered this prob yet but personally I think I would treat it that the minion would have to move via the closest CLEAR path, so in your scenario of the fields you wouldn't need to roll as there is only one clear path.

(12-17-2014 06:07 AM)zombie67 Wrote: [ -> ]Haven't encountered this prob yet but personally I think I would treat it that the minion would have to move via the closest CLEAR path, so in your scenario of the fields you wouldn't need to roll as there is only one clear path.

Agreed. This is the consensus we came to on BGG as well. You have to determine the shortest path possible, or that is clear as you say. Many other mechanics break if you do otherwise. Thanks for the post!

I would determine it without the blocked road. Otherwise, the minions might move "away" from the town hall and things would get weird. I'm all in favor of the shadow track moving.

I wholeheartedly agree with the Shadow Track movement. I also don't have a problem with it moving right along. But there are many other mechanics that become muddled or ineffective if blocked roads are ignored in determining shortest path.

A few off the top of my head: The Spectral Horseman's ride, Solomon's movement, Trail of Slime, Rats, the Siren's call, and there are more. I was concerned that these might break but the more I'm thinking about it now the more I'm not sure.

I just thought of an example. If there is a Blocked Road between the Bog and the Crossroads where do Minions on the Echo Lake board move when they have to more toward Town Hall? I mean, would they have any direction at all if they don't consider a path through the Blocked Road? They don't consider secret passages so they would be stymied - as well as all of these other mechanics that I listed.

Now I might be back on the side of having to ignore blocked roads in determining shortest path.