Questions tagged [catan]

Three or four players (up to 6 with the extension) play against each other to create the most prestigious settlement on the island of Catan, rolling dice to collect resources to build roads, towns, cities and other advancements. (90-120 minute playtime)

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19 votes
2 answers
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Catan starting strategies -- actual data?

I'm new to Settlers of Catan, and I quickly learned the importance of having a source of Brick and Lumber at the start of the game. And some googling showed that others agree ... and others disagree. ...
Eric Wilson's user avatar
16 votes
4 answers
2k views

When are good times/circumstances to build harbor settlements in Settlers of Catan?

According to this question, the opening phase is not the best time to do so, because you get too few resources. Harbors are good for trade, so I would imagine that a good time would be when one has "...
Tom Au's user avatar
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7 votes
3 answers
33k views

How should we setup Settlers of Catan for three players?

Settlers of Catan for three players suffers slightly from too much space. I find the four player game much more enjoyable because of the tense competetion for places to settle. It seems that this ...
Eric Wilson's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
2k views

Does declaring victory end your turn?

A scenario that played out in our game of Settlers of Catan: What happens if a player falsly declares he won when he was at 9 points instead of 10? Does declaring he won end his turn? (and this is ...
Minjun's user avatar
  • 81
6 votes
1 answer
4k views

Seafarers: The Fog Island -- discovering hexes with the Road Building Development Card

Scenario 3 of the Seafarers expansion to The Settlers of Catan is The Fog Island, in which players "discover" the hexes in the middle of the game board by building a road or ship that connects to the ...
Null's user avatar
  • 478
7 votes
3 answers
2k views

Forgetting to steal in Settlers of Catan

A Knight card is unique because it can be played on your turn before the dice is rolled. We ran into an interesting scenario last night where one player played the Knight and then rolled the dice, ...
Chris's user avatar
  • 71
2 votes
1 answer
4k views

Building settlements over the sea

I know that in basic version of SoC each settlement must be at least two roads away from any other settlement. In Seafarers expansions you can build ships, so my question is - does this 'roads rule' ...
bartektartanus's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
31k views

How many actions can you take per turn?

In Settlers of Catan can you conduct multiple transactions on your turn? You roll, collect your resource cards, and then: Can you build a road and a settlement? Can you build a road and do a trade ...
Derek Miller's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
2k views

Use exactly 36 combinations instead of two dice

I like playing Settlers of Catan with one extension: "Catan: Event Cards" The deck consists of 36 dice cards to represent the 36 different combinations that can be rolled with 2 dice. This means that ...
rubo77's user avatar
  • 187
10 votes
5 answers
28k views

In Settlers of Catan, if you have unrevealed victory point cards that would make you win, are you forced to declare victory?

If you have enough points to win on your turn, but only by including your unrevealed VP development cards, are you forced to win? E.g. I have three cities (6 VP), three settlements (3 VP), and I buy ...
Fodder's user avatar
  • 261
8 votes
3 answers
5k views

Settlers of Catan cities and knights mighty knights maximum numbers

Playing Settlers of Catan there have been a few instances where one runs out of Settlements or Cities (the pieces). How I have been playing it is that if you don't have it you can't build it. However ...
darren's user avatar
  • 367
8 votes
1 answer
38k views

Can I place settlements on harbors in set-up?

In Settlers of Catan, when you place your initial settlements, are you allowed to place them on harbors, or can you only place them on interior spots that have 3 land hexes adjacent?
Trygve's user avatar
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21 votes
1 answer
10k views

Settlers Of Catan - discarding cards when rolling 7

If 2 or more players have 8+ cards, do they discard their cards in some "player order" (starting from the one who threw the dice) or is it simultaneous ... is there any specific rule to that situation?...
guest123456's user avatar
13 votes
3 answers
4k views

Is it always better to play a knight immediately?

I'm fairly new to Settlers. I was playing online last night and drew a Knight card. The robber was already on a tile that had two of the game leader's cities attached. I had few resource cards at ...
Kevin's user avatar
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4 votes
4 answers
21k views

settlers of catan expansion: Can I trade with the bank during the special building phase?

Can I trade four of a kind to the bank on my special building phase?
Guybrush Threepwood's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
14k views

Can I buy a development card in the special building phase?

Can I buy a development card in the special building phase that occurs between player turns?
Guybrush Threepwood's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
432 views

What are the primary enhancements Cities and Knights and Seafarer's add on to the original Settler's of Catan?

What unique features do Cities and Knights and Seafarer's expansions add to the original game? How do they make the game more playable/interesting?
user2600959's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
962 views

Catan - Mixing German base game with English extensions and expansions

Has anyone tried to use the German edition of the Settlers of Catan base game (published by Kosmos) with the English editions of expansions and extensions (published by Mayfair)? Is it possible? (How ...
stojadin's user avatar
  • 753
22 votes
6 answers
29k views

In Catan, can you continue a "circular" road?

If I have 6 roads that go all around a single hex tile, they are a continuous uninterrupted road (assuming none of my opponents interrupts it with their settlements/cities). But, can I continue this 6-...
stojadin's user avatar
  • 753
10 votes
2 answers
5k views

In Catan, can players negotiate a trade when it's not their turn?

For example, it's my turn, I'm trading and I agree to make a trade with player B where I give them my only wood and they give me one brick. But then, before we exchange cards, player C interrupts and ...
stojadin's user avatar
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23 votes
7 answers
6k views

In Catan, how to ensure nobody lies when monopoly card is played?

I don't like that the rules assume players are honest. One time, we had a player that lied about not having the requested resource, but was caught in the next turn when he tried to buy a road with ...
stojadin's user avatar
  • 753
3 votes
6 answers
3k views

How to speed up reaction time in Settlers of Catan? [duplicate]

I'm looking for ideas on how to make Settlers of Catan quicker to play between friends. Whenever I play with friends they complain that you have to stop all the time to decide what are you going to do:...
xocasdashdash's user avatar
22 votes
7 answers
5k views

Unsporting trades in the end-game of settlers of Catan

Oftentimes in a big game of Settlers of Catan (4 or more players) it comes down to two or three players battling for the winning point and one or two players who have too few points to offer any ...
HNJSlater's user avatar
  • 323
4 votes
1 answer
2k views

How do you set up ports when you don't use the new "frames"

I received a new Catan Board and we attempted to setup the 5-6 player game. I realized that I had forgotten how to setup the ports, but since I had also got a new copy of the game, it didn't say how ...
Lance Roberts's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
1k views

Can I special build after rolling the dice?

This is during a 6 person game of catan with the fish. I am somewhat new to the game and when I was handed the dice I rolled them. At this point, one of the other players said this player wanted to ...
Catanewbie's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
1k views

In Settlers of Catan: Explorers and Pirates, who gets the gold when the pirate is paid?

In SoC: E&P, one can pay the pirate gold in order to move one's ships. Who receives that gold? The pirate owner or the bank?
Noel Yap's user avatar
  • 235
14 votes
1 answer
5k views

Does a gold field draw a resource and commodity, when combining Seafarers and C&K?

Played Seafarers/Cities and Knights recently with someone new and they insisted that a gold field would allow a city to draw a resource and a commodity. I may have missed something, but I checked my ...
YLearn's user avatar
  • 386
1 vote
1 answer
476 views

Using "Rivals for Catan" extensions with "Catan Card Game"

I have the Catan Card Game and I was wondering if anybody has had any success playing extensions designed for The Rivals for Catan game with it (perhaps with modifications to the rules/cards used). I ...
Neil Coffey's user avatar
13 votes
4 answers
2k views

How to teach strategic thinking to non-gamer players?

I have some players in my gaming group that seem to have a bit of a problem with devising their strategy. How can I help them improve? First of all, I want to clarify - I don't need gateway games ...
K.L.'s user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
476 views

For a given development strategy, how do you ensure enough secondary resources?

This question could be asked for just about any strategy, but to make it "not broad," I'll specify my strategy. Suppose I was planning to follow a development strategy. After placing my initial two ...
Tom Au's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
3k views

Best game for two couples, median age 20? [closed]

I'm looking for some nonstandard board games that don't take more than two hours to complete and don't take less than thirty minutes. By nonstandard I mean other than monopoly, risk and cluedo. I've ...
NLuburić's user avatar
  • 571
8 votes
1 answer
3k views

In Settlers of Catan, is it possible to avoid "losing a won game?"

Here's the kind of sequence I'm talking about. You finished your last turn with eight victory points (VP)s. Between then and your current turn, one opponent interrupted another opponent's longest road,...
Tom Au's user avatar
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3 votes
6 answers
715 views

In Settlers of Catan, is there a transition/evolution between "building" and "development" phases of the game?

By "building," I refer to those activities such as roads and settlements that are heavy on wood and brick requirements. By "development," I refer to those activities that require the other three ...
Tom Au's user avatar
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13 votes
2 answers
10k views

Cities and Knights: Lose to a barbarian attack, but no settlements.

The barbarians come, and the player with the least amount of active knights has a city and 5 settlements on the board. What happens? The city would normally get knocked down to a settlement, but all ...
Pete B.'s user avatar
  • 345
4 votes
1 answer
3k views

If the longest road is interrupted and therefore reduced, does the player have to surrender the longest road card? [duplicate]

I am going to split this into players A and B to simplify my question;(placement rules applied) Player A has a road which is 7 in length and has the Longest Road tile, Player B has a road which is 5 ...
Mikey's user avatar
  • 103
5 votes
1 answer
45k views

Can you build a settlement anywhere if you have the resources for a settlement and a road?

In Settlers of Catan, it says you need a road to build a new settlement (placement rules apply). If you have the resources available to build both at the same time, can this settlement be played ...
Mikey's user avatar
  • 103
7 votes
1 answer
549 views

Has anyone made regular-themed version of the Star Trek Catan role cards?

I see that "Star Trek" catan has some extra role cards, which add a new element to the game (and are the only things that do). I'd like to try these, but I don't really like the "Star Trek" theme, ...
xorsyst's user avatar
  • 2,032
13 votes
3 answers
2k views

Too few resource cards to distribute, but only one player receiving that resource type. Do they get the cards?

Let's set up a simple example to illustrate what I'm getting at: A player has a city bordering an ore tile, and they are the only player with a settlement bordering an ore tile. There is only 1 ore ...
Dylan Nissley's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
628 views

Cities and Knights: Played to virtual deadlock

Recently I have been playing cities and knights with fish and harbor master. Victory points needed to win is 15. The last two times we have played we have basically played to a deadlock. No one ...
Pete B.'s user avatar
  • 345
1 vote
1 answer
546 views

Settlers Cities and Knights + Fish: Cost of a commodity

When using fish, the card states that 4 fish are used to buy a resource. What is the cost, in fish, of a commodity?
Pete B.'s user avatar
  • 345
2 votes
1 answer
364 views

How do fish and road building cards apply to bridges?

How many fish does it take to build a bridge? If you get a road building development/progress card how does that apply to bridges?
Pete B.'s user avatar
  • 345
7 votes
2 answers
3k views

Is the Road Building Development card applicable for ships in Catan Seafarers?

In the Seafarer's Expansion for Settlers of Catan, is the Road Building Development card applicable for ships?
user5418's user avatar
  • 145
7 votes
1 answer
5k views

When a 7 is rolled, are the cards discarded randomly?

When a 7 is rolled, and a person has more than 7 cards, do the cards get discarded randomly or does the card holder get to pick which one(s) to discard?
user5418's user avatar
  • 145
11 votes
4 answers
2k views

Is a robber laid a robber played?

My wife and I were playing Settlers of Catan and she moved the robber onto one of the numbers where only my settlement was. She took her hand off of the robber and told me to spread my cards. I was ...
Texadian's user avatar
  • 127
17 votes
4 answers
11k views

Can you collect a resource of your choice if you have no production due to the robber?

In "Cities and Knights" there is a city improvement which allows you to "collect a resource of your choice" if "you don't receive production on a turn." Does this privilege apply when the following ...
Nelu's user avatar
  • 273
19 votes
3 answers
46k views

Can somebody continue a road after it has been cut off/separated from its nearest city?

I have - - - - - o (a settlement at the end of my road). Now an opponent builds -- x ---o (a settlement along my road). Can I do o - - x - - - - o (build a second settlement at the other end), or do I ...
P K's user avatar
  • 191
9 votes
1 answer
20k views

How big is the Settlers of Catan board?

I'm considering buying a small table, and I want to be sure it'll support all the games I might want to play on it. Sadly, however, I don't have access to Settlers and all its expansion right now. An ...
Jason Owen's user avatar
13 votes
4 answers
3k views

Playing Settlers of Catan with a D12 instead of 2D6

Has anyone tried this? Does it break the game? Does it make it easier/quicker? Assuming a 1 gave no resources to anyone and a 7 still invoked the robber how different a game would this make Settlers?
Omar Kooheji's user avatar
  • 1,313
6 votes
3 answers
576 views

When should you not place the robber to do the most damage in Settlers of Catan?

If you have the robber and are playing against the field, you might want to place it where it can do the most damage. But my understanding is that sometimes the better use is to "sic" the robber on ...
Tom Au's user avatar
  • 21.9k
12 votes
2 answers
3k views

Can the extra players extension work with Seafearers or Cities and Knights?

If I have the Settlers of Catan 5-6 player extension (for the base game), does that mean I can use the Seafarers or Cities and Knights expansions with 5-6 players?
user4853's user avatar
  • 121