Settlers of Catan is a famous board game that has won many awards. The standard version can be played by 3-4 people, but if you want to play with 5-6 players you can use the expansion version. In the game Catan, the game board is always different in each game. You have to use a variety of strategies to win the game, and there are also many variations of the rules. Let's learn how to play Settlers of Catan and invite friends to play together.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Setting Up the Game Board
Step 1. Check if all game components are complete
Before starting to play, check that all components are complete. That way, you can also get to know the components in the game more.
- Nineteen hexagon-shaped plots of territory (four fields, four fields, four forests, three hills, three mountains, and one desert).
- Six outer frames of marine markers.
- Eighteen number marker circles.
- A black/grey robber pawn.
- Four sets of wooden markers with different colors each consist of five villages, four cities, and 15 roads.
- Twenty-five development cards containing 14 Knight/soldier cards, 6 Progress cards, and 5 Victory Points cards.
- Resource cards for each region, except for deserts; sheep for the fields, wheat for the fields, wood for the forests, bricks for the hills, and iron ore for the mountains.
- Four cards list development costs, one each for each player.
- "Longest Road" and "Largest Army" award cards.
- Two dice, one red, one yellow.
- Additional port markers for games with random port locations (optional).
Step 2. Understand the purpose of the game
The goal of the Settlers of Catan game is to be the fastest to get 10 winning points. Figures are obtained from villages, development cards, and reward cards such as "Longest Road" and "Largest Army".
- Each village is worth one victory point and each city is worth two victory points.
- Each "Victory Point" card is worth one winning number.
- Each special card is worth two winning numbers. The "Longest Road" card is awarded to the first player to successfully build five roads without breaking. This card can be transferred to another player who managed to connect the longest path beyond the player holding the previous card. The "Largest Army" card is awarded to the first player to play three "Knight" cards. This card can be transferred to another player who has played more "Knight" cards than the previous cardholder.
Step 3. Install the outer frame
Before you install the hexagon square as a game board, first install the outer frame. Each frame has a small joint that can be attached to another frame. Install the frame following the same number on the hook.
Step 4. Install the game tile
Place a random hexagon square in the frame so that the sides touch the sea marker frame. Place the tiles randomly clockwise until they reach the center and fill the entire inside of the frame.
- You can put a desert patch on the outside, away from any ports, to make the game easier.
- Another variation of the game is to lay all the tiles face down. These plots are only opened if someone builds roads or villages on them.
Step 5. Place the marker numbers
Each marker has a small number in it. Place the marker with the letter "A" on one of the corners of the outer edge and place the marker with the letter "B" on the right of the first marker, and so on in alphabetical order clockwise until it reaches the center. Now all tiles have marker numbers on them. These numbers determine on what dice the player gets the resource.
- Don't put marker numbers on desert squares.
- You can also place marker numbers randomly without paying attention to the alphabet, but this will make the game more challenging.
Step 6. Place the robber's pawn
Put the robbers on the desert square. The Robber is a gray piece that resembles a bowling pin. Raiders are placed on the desert square at the start of the game, but can later be moved anywhere when the dice shows seven or when a player plays a Knight card.
Step 7. Place the cards
Resource cards and development cards should be placed close to the game board so that they are easily accessible to all players. Arrange resource cards by type (sheep, wood, brick, iron ore, and wheat) and place development cards separate from resource cards. Place the resource cards in five separate piles face up and place the development cards in the other piles face down.
Shuffle all development cards, but don't shuffle resource cards
Part 2 of 3: Starting the Game
Step 1. Determine the order of players
Each player starts by rolling both dice. The player who gets the largest number of dice can choose a color and get the first turn. There are four colors in the standard game of Catan for 3-4 players: red, blue, white, and orange.
- After the player with the highest number chooses a color, the other players can choose a color and continue the game.
- The turn is determined clockwise.
Step 2. Place the first village
The first player places a village at the intersection of the tile, where the three hexagon tiles meet. These tiles will give players resources if the number of dice that comes out is the same as the number on the tile (so choose wisely!). Next, the player puts a road on one of the three paths that are directly connected to his first village. The next player does the same, but he has to put his village in a different place.
- The road should always be placed at the junction of two hexagons and attached to the village.
- A village cannot be placed at an intersection adjacent to another intersection that already has a village. There must be a minimum distance of two roads between two villages.
Step 3. Place the second village
The player on the last turn can lay down two villages and two roads (one for each village). The next turn is taken counterclockwise, until the first player lays down the second village and the second road. Each player thus has two villages and two roads on the board.
Step 4. Get the first resource card
After each player lays down a village and a road, all players get resources to start the game. Take one resource card for each hexagon square next to your two villages.
For example, if one of your villages is adjacent to fields, forests, and fields, then you can take one wheat card, one wood card, and one sheep card. Do the same for the second village
Part 3 of 3: Taking a turn
Step 1. Roll the dice
Each player's village is adjacent to three hexagon tiles with three marker numbers. If the number of dice that comes out is the same as the number on the tile next to the player's village, that player is entitled to a resource card according to that tile. The same is true if a player owns a city (not a village), but this time he can get two resource cards.
- You can also get more than one card if you have more than one neighboring village on the same tile. For example, if you have two villages on the side of a tile and the number on that tile comes out on the roll of the dice, then you get two resource cards from that tile.
- Each player can get a resource card even if it is not their turn to roll the dice. If the dice is thrown by another player and you have a village adjacent to the tile whose number is out, you get a resource card. The exception is if there are robbers in the plot. In that case, you can't get any resources from the tile until the raider is shifted elsewhere.
Step 2. Run a turn
After rolling the dice, players can build villages or roads, or change villages into cities, play development cards, or trade. Players can perform all of the above actions or none at all. After completing his turn, the player then passes the dice to the player to his right.
Players may only play one development card per turn
Step 3. Build
When it's their turn, players can use the resources at their disposal to build roads, villages, or cities. Check the building prices on the building price list card to see if you have enough resources to build. Remember that each village is worth 1 and each city is worth 2, but cities can only be built from existing villages. You can't directly build a city without making a village first.
- To build a road you will need: One wood and one brick
- To build a village you will need: One wood, one brick, one sheep and one wheat
- To build a city you need: Three iron ore and two wheat. A city can only be built in a place that already has a village.
- To buy development cards you need: One sheep, one wheat and one iron ore.
Step 4. Play development cards
Players can play development cards at the beginning or end of their turn. Development cards can be used for various functions and the effects of these cards are clearly written on the cards. Development cards are of several types:
- The "Knight" card can be used to move the robber to another place on the game board, then that player can take a card from another player who has a village or town adjacent to where the robber is located.
- The " Road Building " card can be used to build two roads on the game board.
- The "Years of Plenty" card can be used to take any two resource cards.
- After the player plays the " Monopoly " card, the player names one type of resource. Each other player must give all those resource cards in their hand to that player.
- The "Victory Point" card automatically gives one winning number.
Step 5. Pay attention to the instructions on the development card because each card has a different function
For example, after playing the Knight card, the player must lay it open and move the raiders. You can move the raider to any tile and take a resource card (randomly) from the player next to that tile. If there are two players next to the tile, you have to choose one to rob.
Keep your Victory Point cards hidden so they can't be seen by other players
Step 6. Barter with other players if necessary
Players can also barter resource cards, either with other players or with the bank. Players can exchange the same four resource cards for any one resource card with the bank. If the player has a special port, he can exchange two cards according to the type of port for any one resource card. In public ports, players can exchange the same three resource cards for any one resource card.
Step 7. Be careful with the dice number seven
If any player gets a seven on the dice, each player must ensure that there are no more than seven cards in his hand. If any player has more than seven cards, he must discard half of them. Then the player who gets the number seven moves the robber to any tile he wants, then he can take one card from the player who has a village or city adjacent to the tile where the robber is located.
Always keep in mind that the tiles occupied by raiders cannot give players resources. In other words, if the number on the tile occupied by the robber comes out on the roll of the dice, the player who owns the village or town in that tile cannot get the resource card
Step 8. Use strategy to increase your chances of winning
There are several strategies that you can use to increase your chances of winning. The most basic strategy is to place the village in the area that gives access to the resource that appears most frequently on the roll of the dice (resources marked in red or printed with a larger number). Some other strategies include:
- Prepare to build roads and villages by placing yourself on hill and forest patches at the start of the game.
- Monopolize the port. Try to get a port and at least two cities on different tiles with the same resources, so you can trade for whatever resources you need.
- Target the player who gets the highest score with raiders and Knight cards. Raid opposing players to stymie their progress while increasing resources on your side.
- Build cities (and villages) as quickly as possible. If you have a lot of resources, you can trade and build easily.
Step 9. Announce when you have reached 10 winning numbers
To win the game, you must be the first to collect 10 winning numbers. Once you reach 10, announce it to other players. Keep in mind that Victory Point cards and other special cards, such as "Longest Road" and "Largest Army" also count towards reaching 10. Pay attention to your total score throughout the game so you don't go over 10 without realizing it.
You can extend the game by setting a higher winning number, such as 12 or 14
Tips
- Pay attention to the probability of getting a dice number by looking at the number of dots under the marker number. The more the number of dots, the more likely the number will come out.
- Always count the number of cards in your hand so that there are no more than seven cards.
- Avoid monopolizing a single tile. If you do, you will become an easy target for players playing robbers.
- Make sure you place the first two villages on different numbers. Make sure you also get different resources.
- The 3:1 port is more useful than other ports, because it is not affected by the raider's position for the most or certain resources.
- Don't buy development cards unless you want to get the most out of the number of soldiers. It is better for you to invest in roads and villages/cities, because the winning numbers are more certain.
