CATAN

1995

Experience the thrill of exploration and strategy in CATAN! Build settlements, collect resources, and outsmart your opponents to conquer the island.

120
minutes

3 - 4
player(s)

10+

Medium

About the game

Catan, also known as The Settlers of Catan, is an immersive and highly strategic board game that transports players to a time of explorers and pioneers. Designed by Klaus Teuber, this multi-player game takes you to an uninhabited island rich in natural resources and opportunities for growth.

The premise of the game is based on the idea that you are a settler on the bountiful island of Catan, where you and other players will endeavor to build and develop holdings while trading and acquiring resources. With a mix of strategy and a little bit of luck, you aim to dominate the island by building the greatest civilization.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

CATAN is a popular board game that includes the following components:

1. Game Board: The game board in CATAN is made up of 19 hexagonal tiles. Each tile represents a different type of land (fields, forest, hills, mountains, pastures, or desert) that produces a specific type of resource (grain, lumber, brick, ore, or wool). The placement of the tiles is random and changes every game, adding to CATAN’s replayability. The desert hex does not produce any resources.

2. Number Tokens: These are placed on each land hex (excluding the desert). Each token has a number (2-12, excluding 7) which corresponds to the roll of the two dice. When the number is rolled, the hex produces resources for adjacent settlements and cities.

3. Resource Cards: There are five types of resource cards in CATAN, each corresponding to one of the five types of land hexes. Players collect these cards when the dice roll matches the numbers on adjacent hexes. Resource cards are used to build roads, settlements, and cities.

4. Development Cards: These can be purchased with certain resource combinations. Development cards provide different advantages, from earning victory points, to being able to move the Robber, to providing resources or other special abilities.

5. The Robber: The Robber is a figurine that starts the game on the desert hex. When a player rolls a 7, they move the Robber to a new hex, which blocks that hex’s resource production until the Robber is moved again. The player who moved the Robber also gets to steal a resource card from another player who has a settlement or city adjacent to the Robber’s new location.

6. Roads, Settlements, and Cities: Each player has a set of these components in their color. Players use resource cards to build roads, which allow them to reach new locations and potentially cut off other players. Settlements can be built at intersections of three hexes and cities can replace settlements once built. Settlements and cities grant players victory points and increase resource production.

7. Dice: The game includes two six-sided dice. These are rolled at the start of each player’s turn to determine which hexes produce resources.

8. Player Pieces: Each player has a set of colored pieces including 15 roads, 5 settlements, and 4 cities. These are used to mark a player’s progress and claim on the game board.

9. Longest Road and Largest Army Cards: These special cards each provide 2 victory points. The Longest Road card is awarded to the player with the longest continuous road of their pieces, and the Largest Army to the player who has played the most knight cards from the development cards.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

CATAN is a popular board game where players build settlements, cities, and roads to collect resources and earn points. Here’s a detailed guide on how to set up the game.

Step 1: Board Placement

CATAN is played on a board made up of hexagonal tiles. The game comes with 19 tiles which you will arrange randomly to form the game board.
Place the desert tile in the center and arrange the remaining 18 tiles around it in a hexagonal shape.
Each tile represents a different type of resource: Brick, Wood, Sheep, Wheat, and Ore. The desert tile does not produce any resources.
Once the tiles are arranged, place the number tokens on each tile (excluding the desert) according to the instructions in the game manual. This will determine the dice roll needed to collect resources from each tile.

Step 2: Player Roles

Each player chooses a color and takes the matching game pieces. These pieces include settlements, cities, and roads.
Players will take turns placing their initial settlements and roads on the board.
The role of each player is to strategically place their settlements, cities, and roads to collect resources and earn victory points.

Step 3: Initial Setup

Players take turns placing one settlement and one road on the board. The settlement must be placed on a corner where three tiles meet, and the road must be connected to one of the settlements.
Once every player has placed one settlement and road, repeat the process but in reverse turn order.
During this second round of placement, players also collect initial resources. These are the resources corresponding to the tiles adjacent to their second settlement.

Step 4: Random Elements

The random element in CATAN is the dice roll which determines which tiles produce resources each turn.
The robber is another random element. When a 7 is rolled, the player who rolled it moves the robber to a new tile. This blocks resource production from that tile and allows the player to steal a resource card from another player with a settlement or city adjacent to that tile.

That’s it! Now you’re ready to start playing CATAN. Remember, the goal of the game is to be the first player to reach 10 victory points.

Game flow Round and round we go

The game of CATAN is a strategic board game that involves trading, building, and settling on an uninhabited island. The game is based on the principle of resources accumulation, trading, and building. It is played in a series of rounds with each round consisting of different phases.

1. Beginning of the Game

The game begins with a setup phase where each player places two small houses and two roads on the board. The placement of these initial structures is critical as they determine the resources you’ll earn and your strategy for the rest of the game.

2. Dice Roll Phase

Once the game setup is complete, the rounds commence. Each round begins with the active player rolling two six-sided dice. The numbers rolled correspond to the numbers on the resource tiles on the board. Every player who has a settlement bordering a tile with the number rolled receives one of that tile’s resource.

3. Trading Phase

After the resources have been distributed based on the dice roll, the active player enters the trading phase. In this phase, the player can trade resources with other players. They can negotiate and barter to get the resources they need for building roads, settlements, or cities.

4. Building Phase

After trading, the active player enters the building phase. In this phase, they can use their resources to build roads, settlements, or cities, or buy development cards. Each of these actions helps the player accumulate points, with the ultimate goal of reaching 10 victory points to win the game.

5. End of Turn

Once the active player has finished building, their turn ends, and the next player clockwise becomes the active player, beginning their turn with the dice roll phase. This sequence continues until a player reaches 10 victory points and wins the game.

There are several other rules and strategies involved in CATAN, but the basic sequence of play remains the same: roll dice, collect resources, trade, build, and end turn.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

Playing CATAN involves a turn-based system where each player partakes in a series of actions during their turn. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown:

1. Roll the Dice:

Begin your turn by rolling the two six-sided dice. The number rolled will determine which hexes produce resources. Any player with a settlement or city adjacent to a hex with the number rolled will receive the corresponding resources.

2. Trading:

Player-to-Player: After the dice are rolled, you may trade resource cards with other players. You can propose a trade and negotiate terms with other players, or accept other players’ proposed trades. Trading is a strategic choice that can help you acquire needed resources or get rid of excess ones.

Four-to-One: If you can’t or don’t want to trade with other players, you can trade with the bank. The standard rate is four identical resource cards for one of your choice. This can be strategically used when no players want to trade or you have an abundance of a particular resource.

Maritime Trade: If you have a settlement or city adjacent to a harbor, you can trade at a better ratio. Depending on the harbor’s symbol, you can trade either 3:1 for any resource or 2:1 for a specific resource. This offers a strategic advantage, so consider building near harbors when possible.

3. Building:

You can use your resources to build roads, settlements, or cities, or to buy development cards. Each of these choices has strategic implications.

Roads: Building roads (costing one brick and one lumber) allows you to expand your reach on the board and is necessary for building new settlements. Roads can also help you achieve the “Longest Road” card, which gives you two additional victory points.
Settlements: Settlements (costing one brick, one lumber, one wool, and one grain) provide you with more resources when the dice roll matches the numbers adjacent to your settlement. They also count towards your victory points.
Cities: Upgrading a settlement to a city (costing two wheat and three ore) doubles the resources you get from adjacent hexes. It also increases your victory points by one (as it replaces a settlement, which is worth one point).
Development Cards: You can buy development cards (costing one wool, one grain, and one ore) to gain various benefits. These cards can be knights (allowing you to move the robber and gain victory points), progress cards (giving you a one-time special ability), or victory point cards (bringing you closer to winning).

4. End of Turn:

Once you have finished trading and building, your turn ends. It’s now the next player’s turn, going clockwise. Remember, you can’t trade or build during another player’s turn.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

The game of CATAN ends when a player has achieved 10 victory points during his or her turn. Victory points are accumulated through various actions and achievements within the game. It is important to note that players cannot win during another player’s turn.

Victory Points can be obtained in the following ways:

Settlements: At the start of the game, each player places two settlements on the board. Each settlement is worth 1 victory point.
Cities: Players can upgrade their settlements to cities with the appropriate resources. Each city is worth 2 victory points.
Longest Road: The player who has the longest continuous road of at least 5 segments receives a special card worth 2 victory points. However, this card can be taken away if another player builds a longer road.
Largest Army: The player who plays the most knight cards receives a special card worth 2 victory points. This card can also be taken away if another player plays more knight cards. A player must play at least 3 knight cards to claim this card.
Victory Point Cards: Some development cards are victory point cards. These are kept hidden until the player decides to reveal them, which is typically done when they achieve the 10 points needed to win.

Before final scoring, players need to ensure that they have correctly calculated their points. This includes counting points for settlements and cities, checking who has the longest road and the largest army, and revealing any hidden victory point cards. Once a player declares they have reached 10 points, the other players have a chance to verify this. If it is accurate, the game ends and that player is declared the winner.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In the board game ‘CATAN’, players accumulate points as they construct settlements, cities, and roads and achieve various other objectives. The first player to reach 10 victory points wins the game. Here’s a detailed explanation of the scoring system:

Settlements: Each settlement a player builds is worth 1 victory point. Players can build settlements at any intersection of three hexes, provided they have an existing road leading to it and no other settlements are nearby.

Cities: Upgrading a settlement to a city earns a player an additional 1 victory point (since a city is worth 2 points and a settlement is worth 1), and also increases the number of resource cards they receive from adjacent lands.

Roads: While roads themselves do not provide victory points, they are crucial in achieving the Longest Road card, which is worth 2 victory points. The player who has the longest continuous road of at least 5 segments receives this card.

Development Cards: Development cards can provide a player with 1 victory point. These cards are kept hidden until used. They can also offer other benefits like knights or progress advantages.

Largest Army: A player who plays 3 knight cards receives the Largest Army card, which is worth 2 victory points. If another player plays more knight cards than the current holder, they take the card and the points.

When it comes to tie-breaking, the rules of CATAN state that if multiple players reach 10 points during the same round, the game continues until all players have had an equal number of turns. The player with the most points at the end of this round is the winner.

If there is still a tie, the player who has the most total combined settlements and cities is the winner. If a tie persists, the player with the longest continuous road is the winner. If that does not break the tie, the players share the victory.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

CATAN is a popular strategy board game that includes several unique rules and special circumstances. Understanding these can make your gaming experience smoother and more enjoyable. Here are some of these rules:

Trading Rules:

You may only trade with the player whose turn it is. Trades between other players are not allowed.
You cannot give away cards for free. All trades must involve an exchange.

Seven Roll and the Robber:

When a player rolls a seven, they move the robber to any other tile and steal a random resource from a player with a settlement or city adjacent to that tile.
If a player has more than seven resource cards when a seven is rolled, they must discard half of their cards, rounded down.

Building Rules:

Settlements and cities must always be connected to at least one of your own roads.
There must always be at least two clear road lengths between settlements and/or cities, regardless of who owns them.

Special Cards and Scoring:

The player who has the longest road (at least 5 road segments) gets the “Longest Road” card, worth 2 victory points. If another player builds a longer road, they take the card.
The player who has the largest army (played at least 3 knight cards) gets the “Largest Army” card, also worth 2 victory points. If another player plays more knight cards, they take the card.
Development cards cannot be played on the turn they are purchased.

End of the Game:

The game ends immediately when a player reaches 10 victory points on their turn.

These are just a few of the special rules and scenarios in CATAN. For a comprehensive understanding of the game, it’s recommended to thoroughly read the rulebook and clarify any uncertainties before playing.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies:

Play the Long Game: Don’t focus only on short-term gains. Plan your strategy in such a way that it benefits you in the long run. High-yield resource areas might seem attractive initially, but remember to diversify to avoid being blocked by the robber.
Trade Wisely: Trading is a crucial part of CATAN. However, make sure to trade in a way that benefits you more than your opponents. Avoid giving away resources that your opponents need desperately.
Control the Board: Use your settlements and roads strategically to block your opponents and control important resource areas.

Beginner Tips:

Start with Balanced Resources: At the beginning of the game, try to have settlements touching all five resource hexes. This ensures a balanced income of resources.
Understand the Importance of Each Resource: Each resource has its own importance. For example, brick and lumber are critical for building roads and settlements, while wheat and ore are needed for cities.
Keep an Eye on the Robber: The robber can block resource production, so be cautious about where it’s placed. Also, remember to keep your card hand under seven to avoid losing half when a 7 is rolled.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Overlooking the Importance of Development Cards: Many beginners ignore development cards. But these cards can provide significant advantages, like gaining resources, getting victory points, or moving the robber.
Not Diversifying Resources: Putting all your eggs in one basket is a common mistake in CATAN. Diversification is key.
Not Paying Attention to Opponents’ Strategies: Ignoring your opponents’ game can cost you the match. Always be aware of their road, settlement, and city placements.

Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Use Ports: Ports can be a game-changer, especially if you have abundant resources. A 2:1 port can give you a significant advantage.
Strategically Place the Robber: Using the robber effectively can disrupt your opponents’ strategies. Block their important resource hexes.
Plan Your Settlements: Plan your settlements and cities in a way that they give you maximum resources and also block your opponents’ expansion.