Settlers is probably one of the first euro games in the wave that hit North America. At it's core, it's a relatively simple game that utilizes a variable economy mechanic as a baseline for a competitive trading game. Though it can be done, anyone who tries to win the game without trading is going to have a bad time of it. Players (3-4 with the base game, 5-6 with expansions) attempt to gather a mix of five different resources as a means of constructing settlements, cities, roads and technological development cards. These are the tools the players use to gain the ten victory points needed to win the game.
Settlements and cities (the latter of which is built on top of the former) each provide players with an additional victory point. Development cards can play a number of useful roles, including facilitating road building, the gathering of resources, some instant victory points, and robber manipulation through knight cards (more on this after). A two point card is also given to the player that has built the longest continuous road of more than five sections, or played the most knight cards beyond a baseline of three (known as the longest road, and largest army cards respectively). It is important to note that these can change possession any number of times during a game.
The board is made up of a large hexagonal map broken down into a series of smaller hexagonal resource tiles. Each tile is coloured to represent one of five different resources: brick, wood, wheat, sheep and stone. During board setup, the order of these tiles is randomized, a number token is assigned to each of them, and port tokens are placed around the outside of the island (all with different trading benefits).
Players start the game by determining a play order, then placing a pair of starter settlements on the intersection points of whichever tiles they choose. This gives the player access to all the resources tiles that touch that intersection point. A pair of starter roads are also built off the settlements in any direction the players choose, and starting resources are distributed based on the players' second settlement. The game begins after this.
Each player takes it in turn to roll the two dice. The number that comes up dictates which tiles on the island of Catan produce resources that turn. Anyone with a settlement that touches a tile with the number rolled receives a resource of that number. This is doubled for cities.
- ie. The red player has a settlement on the intersection of a brick tile (6), a wood tile (11), and a sheep tile (9). A 6 is rolled. The red player receives one brick card.
Once the resources have been generated, the player that rolled then has the option to trade. They may make offers for resources to any other player. These players may respond to the player's offers, but not to each other. If the player who rolled does not find the resource they need, they may trade with the bank at a 4:1 standard (four of any one resource for one of another). If the player builds a settlement on a port, they may then use that port's trading standard as well (ie, 2:1 wheat trades, or 3:1 any trades). This, combined with development cards, will enable a player to get the resources they need.
Once the player has finished trading, they may purchase items. Roads, settlements, cities and development cards are all purchases in this phase. Any development cards that are purchased cannot be played on the turn they are bought, and a player can never play more than one in a given turn. The player is then done their turn, and it is the next player's turn to roll.
One exceptional tile exists on every Catan setup. The desert tile produces no resources, and is the starting point for the robber. When a 7 is rolled, all players with more than seven cards must discard half (rounding down). The rolling player then places the robber piece on any tile other than the one it started on. While the robber piece is on a tile, it generates no resources. The rolling player may also steal a random resource card from any player who owns a settlement/city on that tile. Play then continues as normal. The robber may only be moved by means of rolling a 7, or playing a knight card during their turn (which carries all the benefits of having rolled a 7, but without forcing players to throw out half their cards).
Development cards, as a rule, can be played at any point during a player's own turn. Knight cards may also be played prior to rolling the dice. Victory point cards may be revealed at any point, but it is in the player's interest to keep this hidden until they are in a position to win the game. Development cards may not be traded, stolen or exchanged in any way. Once a development card is used, the player should keep it face up on the table in front of them (so as to facilitate the calculation of the largest army).
While this game may take a little more explaining on the front end than most people are used to, this is a style issue that clears up quite quickly during actual play. In my experience, new players really start to hit their stride after only a few turns. Once the resources start to accumulate, they really start to become invested in the game.
In terms of strategy, initial placement of settlements dictates to a degree the way in which each player will play the game. Given standard probability on two dice, tiles numbered 6 or 8 are a good deal more likely to generate resources than tiles marked 2 or 12. This, combined with the random setup of tiles, versus a fixed number token distribution, will dictate which resources are plentiful in any given game. High amounts of brick and wood will prompt a faster early game, with a great deal of road building. High amounts of wheat and stone will prompt a slower build, with an emphasis on cities and development cards. Players will need to decide what strategy and placement to adopt based on what is more available to them. A player with an undesirable resource can still achieve success if they have access to the right port. A player with all high numbered tiles can still lose if they provoke a team response from the other players.
While there are any number of strategies, players should generally look to get a mix of several different resources and victory point sources in order to win the game. A player who does nothing but build roads is unlikely to win. A player who goes after only one resource is unlikely to win. Players must trade enough to build up their own infrastructure, but also know when it is time to block other players from winning. Individual player personalities can help other players predict their strategies. This adds another layer to the strategy of the game. The player who can juggle all these problems at the same time successfully stands a greater chance of winning the game.
This game is a fantastic jumping-off point for anybody looking to get into boardgaming. Beyond an initial rules explanation, the game is quite accessible. A high replay value also means that both beginners and veterans alike can enjoy it. Players seeking an added challenge can buy one of the many expansions for the game. Seafarers adds an element of exploration to the game, with the addition of boats and islands. Cities and Knights adds a more strategic overtone, allowing for the building of armies, and the creation of a more structured technology tree. Traders and Barbarians adds a series of optional rules than can be added to any game of Catan, like the introduction of a fish resource, or for the playing of specific scenarios, like the creation of a camel route through the desert. 5-6 player expansions exist for all of these as well. This game is already a classic, and can offer a lifetime of play options.
This is probably a sufficient first post for Catan, but I will most certainly be covering the changed game dynamics for 5-6 player games, as well as the individual expansions. I've also played a first game of Dixit, and will be doing up a post for that at some point soon too. As always, questions and comments are always welcome!
