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Scenario: Ahoy, Land Awaits!
Ahoy there, landlubber!
Avast ye, matey! Allow me to spin ye a tale of the vast ocean and the treasures it holds. Picture this: you find yourself aboard a splendid ship, sailing the open sea. The salty wind tousles your hair, and the sun kisses your skin. A sense of adventure fills the air as you search for new lands on the horizon. But wait, what’s this? Ah, land ho!
Land ho! The cry rings out, and all aboard rush to catch a glimpse of the newfound paradise. It’s a moment filled with excitement and wonder, for the unknown lies just beyond the waters. Will it be an island of lush greenery, teeming with exotic creatures and hidden treasures? Or perhaps a bustling port city, brimming with merchants and opportunity?
As you set foot ashore, you can’t help but feel a sense of reverence. The land, so different from the vastness of the sea, beckons you to explore. Every step you take is a step into the unknown, a step towards discovery. The ground beneath your feet is firm and steady, a stark contrast to the rolling waves that brought you here.
But what makes land so special? Why do we long for its embrace after spending so much time at sea? The answer lies in the very nature of humanity. Land represents stability, a place to call home. It offers resources, shelter, and a sense of belonging. The vastness of the ocean can be both exhilarating and terrifying, but land provides a sense of security.
And yet, there is also something bittersweet about reaching land. The vastness of the sea is now behind you, and with it, the endless possibilities it holds. Land offers a different kind of adventure, one of exploration and settlement. But the sea, with its mystery and allure, will always call to those who seek the unknown.
So, my friend, as you set sail on your own adventure, remember that the cry of “land ho!” is not just a call to reach solid ground. It represents the joy of discovery, the thrill of the unknown, and the unquenchable thirst for adventure that lies within us all. So set your course, and may you always find new lands on the horizon!
So, here’s what you need to get started playing Catan with the Explorers & Pirates expansion. First, make sure you have all the game components from the base Catan – that’s the original version. You’ll need the pieces from the bag that has the “PIECES FROM BASE CATAN” sorting tile. Also, gather all the frame pieces, roads, settlements, two dice, and all the resource cards (but don’t worry about the development cards).
Now, let’s move on to the Explorers & Pirates expansion. You’ll need some specific components from this version. Get the frame pieces: 1 of each A1, A2, C1, C2, D1, F1, F2, and 2 of B3. You’ll also need the game pieces listed under “Preparation” on page 2 of the instructions. Don’t forget to grab the terrain hexes from the bag labeled “Standard Hexes + Number Tokens Green and Orange.” And finally, make sure you have all the gold coins.
Alright, now that you have all the necessary components, it’s time to set up the game board. This involves building the frame first, and then creating the starting island and the unexplored areas.
Putting Together the Game Board Frame
Let’s start by assembling the frame pieces for the game board. You’ll need the frame pieces from both the base Catan game and Explorers & Pirates expansion. Take a look at the example provided to guide you. The unmarked frame pieces in the example are from the base Catan game. Lay them with the face down.
When it comes to building the game board, I want to ensure that it is divided into three distinct areas. This way, we can have different zones for players to explore and interact with.
Starting with the western section, we have the starting island. This is where our adventure begins, with a pasture hex and all the excitement that awaits.
On the other side, across the vast seas to the east, we have two unexplored areas. These are filled with mysteries and treasures yet to be discovered.
Now, let’s create the starting island!
To set up this island, we’ll need some terrain hexes from the base Catan game. Arrange them exactly as shown in the example below. Once that’s done, grab the number tokens from the base Catan game and place them exactly as shown as well. This will ensure a fair and exciting start to our game.
Discovering the Unknown Territories
First things first! Let’s organize the hexes for the unexplored areas. To make things easier, we’ll divide them into two stacks based on the icons on their backs – one stack for green moons and another for orange suns. Make sure to shuffle each stack for an element of surprise!
Now, let’s follow the example in step 2. Take the hexes and place them with the icon side facing up. Place the hexes with green moons in the northern area, and the hexes with orange suns in the southern area.
Next up, it’s time to deal with the number tokens. Separate the green moon and orange sun tokens and give them a good shuffle. Place the two stacks, with the icons facing up, on the frame near the corresponding region. This will help us keep everything organized and easily accessible.
Getting Ready
First, pick your color and gather your game pieces. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 5 settlements from the regular Catan game
- 15 roads from the regular Catan game
- 4 harbor settlements from Explorers & Pirates
- 3 ships from Explorers & Pirates
- 2 settlers from Explorers & Pirates
- 2 gold coins from Explorers & Pirates
- 1 Explorers & Pirates building costs card
Put your pieces in front of you. You won’t need any of the other wooden game pieces from Explorers & Pirates for this game.
Set up the game by placing the resource cards and dice from the regular Catan game next to the game board. This will be your supply area.
Make sure to also put the remaining gold coins in the supply area.
Setting Up
In this situation, we already know where we’re supposed to start. We each put down a harbor settlement and a settler ship (which is like a ship with a settler inside) and also a settlement and a road, just like it shows in example 2. Oh, and if we’re playing with only 3 people, we don’t need to put down any game pieces for the fourth color – just leave them out.
Now, about resources. For every terrain hex that’s next to our settlement, we get to take the resource cards that go with it. Cool, right?
But wait, if we’re playing with only 2 people, we have some special rules. Each person picks a color. And the other colors? Well, their game pieces are just obstacles on the island – nothing else. We can get rid of the settler ships for those extra colors, though.
Now, all the other rules from the Catan game still count here, except for one thing: no development cards.
- There are no special victory point cards like “Longest Road” or “Largest Army”.
- You can’t upgrade settlements to cities.
- There is no robber piece to block resource hexes. However, whenever a “7” is rolled, any player with more than 7 resources loses half of their resources. Starting from scenario 2, a pirate ship rule is introduced. It has similar functions to the classic robber rules.
The Different Phases of a Turn
I. Production Phase
When it’s your turn, you roll the production dice like usual. The result applies to everyone.
Gold Compensation
If the production dice roll results in you not receiving any resources (except for a “7”), you will receive 1 gold from the supply instead.
II. Trade and Build Phase
Once I’ve finished producing, I can decide to trade or build, or do both in any order I want. For example, I can start by building, then trade, and then build again, or mix it up however I like.
Trading at a 3:1 Rate
In Explorers & Pirates, we don’t have harbors like we do in the base Catan game. But don’t worry, you still have the option to trade! On my turn, I can trade resources at a 3:1 ratio. This means I can exchange 3 resources of the same type for any 1 different resource from the supply. If I want, I can also trade 3 resources of the same type to get 1 gold.
Spending Gold to Get Resources (2:1)
Twice during my turn, I have the opportunity to spend 2 gold in exchange for any 1 resource of my choice from the supply. Just like with resource cards, I can also trade gold with my opponents.
III. Moving My Pieces
After I’m done with my trading and building, it’s time for the movement phase of my turn. This is where the real action happens!
When it comes to playing the game, there are a few important rules to keep in mind. First, you have the ability to move all of your ships and take actions with them. This allows you to strategically navigate the seas and make moves that benefit your gameplay.
During the movement phase, you have the freedom to maneuver your ships as you see fit. This gives you the opportunity to explore new areas and establish your presence on the board. However, it’s important to note that you cannot trade or build during or after the movement phase, with the exception of one specific circumstance. If you are “Building a Settlement with the Aid of a Settler Ship”, you are permitted to trade and build.
After the movement phase, your turn comes to an end. It’s important to use your time wisely and make the most of each turn in order to optimize your gameplay.
Sea Routes
Sea routes play a crucial role in this game. These routes are the pathways along which ships move. They act as the boundaries between different sea hexes and also separate terrain hexes from sea hexes. Even the edges of the frame pieces that border the sea or terrain hexes are considered sea routes.
Ships: The Transporters of the Game World
Ships are the robust vessels that enable the movement of game pieces across different locations. Acting as floating storages, ships have holds which can accommodate either one large game piece, such as a settler or fish haul, or two small game pieces, like crews or spice sacks.
Constructing Ships: An Art of Craftsmanship
Building a ship requires the utilization of 1 lumber and 1 wool. Once you gather the necessary resources, you can embark on the creation of a ship. However, there are a few vital conditions that must be met:
- It’s crucial to note that ships cannot be placed on a sea route that is adjacent to an undiscovered hex. Doing so would immediately lead to the discovery of that hex.
If you want to create a new ship while all your ships are already on the game board, you can take out one of your ships from the game board and build the new ship next to one of your harbor settlements. It will cost you 1 lumber and 1 wool to build the new ship. Keep in mind that any pieces on the ship you remove will be lost and returned to your supply.
You can only move your ships during your movement phase. Each of your ships has 4 movement points. It costs 1 movement point to move a ship from one sea route to an adjacent sea route.
You have the freedom to move a ship in any direction and even change directions during its movement. For example, you can move it forward and then bring it back to the same space if you want.
Remember that you need to finish the movement of one ship before you can move your next ship.
Hey there! Let me explain how ship movement works in this game. Here’s what you can do during your turn: you have the option to buy 2 extra movement points for one of your ships by spending 1 wool card. You can do this once for each ship you have, but only during your turn.
In a sea route, up to 2 ships can be placed. These ships can be owned by the same player or different players. So there can be some friendly competition or cooperation happening!
Now, here’s the fun part: you can move your ship past another ship, or even two ships that are side by side. It’s like a navigational challenge! But keep in mind, you can’t end your ship’s movement on a sea route that already has 2 ships occupying it. Gotta keep the path clear for other players!
When it comes to loading and unloading your ships, each ship has a hold that can hold either 2 small game pieces (like crews or spice sacks) or one big game piece (like settlers or fish hauls). But don’t worry, we won’t be using crews, spice sacks, or fish hauls in this particular game. If you want to create space for a more valuable game piece, you can remove the pieces from your ship and return them to the supply. It’s all about strategic decision-making!
Enjoy the game and have a blast setting sail on your epic adventures!
When it comes to moving ships, it’s important to keep in mind that loading and unloading a ship doesn’t require any movement points. This means that you can freely load or unload a ship without using up any of its movement points.
Once a ship has been loaded or unloaded, you still have the option to continue moving it, as long as it has movement points remaining.
Discovering New Land with Ships
If you want to discover new land, you need to move one of your ships towards the unexplored areas of the board. For example, let’s say you have an unexplored hex (example A) and you want to explore it.
In order to do this, all you need to do is move your ship so that one of its ends (either the bow or the stern) is pointing towards the corner (intersection) of the undiscovered hex. This will trigger the discovery of that hex (example B).
Once the hex is discovered, you need to turn it over. If it’s a terrain hex, you will also need to take a number token from the stack. Make sure that the color/icon on the back of the terrain hex matches the color/icon on the number token. Then, place the number token, with the number side facing up, onto the hex (example C).
A Prize for Uncovering
When I stumble upon an unexplored patch of land, I am rewarded with a valuable resource that can be found there (like the wood or ore it produces). It’s as if the land is acknowledging my curiosity and granting me a gift. Discovering a different kind of territory, whether on land or at sea, is just as worthwhile, though in a different way. Instead of a specific resource, I am given two gold coins. It’s a reminder that sometimes the greatest treasures are not always physical objects.
The End of the Journey
Once I uncover a secret location, my ship has reached its limit. I am not allowed to sail any further, even if I have leftover movement points. It’s a moment of finality, but also a chance to reflect on the adventure I have just experienced. The ship stays put, and I begin to process all that I have seen and gathered.
Harboring New Possibilities
If you pay 2 grain and 2 ore, you can upgrade any of your coastal settlements (it borders a sea hex or the frame) to build a harbor settlement. You’ll pay the costs, return the settlement, and replace it with a harbor settlement.
A harbor settlement is worth 2 victory points.
A harbor settlement has a basin that can hold different game pieces. The basin can hold 1 large piece (settler, fish haul) or 2 small pieces (crews, spice sacks).
Remember: When the number of an adjacent terrain hex is rolled, you only get 1 resource for a harbor settlement. They don’t produce 2 resources like cities in base Catan.
Settlements and Settlers
You can build settlements in 2 ways: either along a road, just like in base Catan; OR, by landing a settler ship (see below). You follow the distance rule in both cases.
How to Create a Settler
Creating a settler requires the same amount of resources as building a settlement.
When you want to create a settler, you have two options. You can either place it in the empty area of one of your harbor settlements or directly into the empty space of one of your ships. However, the ship must be on a sea route that is next to one of your harbor settlements. Remember, you can never put a newly built settler on land.
When a ship contains a settler in its space, it is referred to as a settler ship.
Keep in mind that if the harbor basin or the adjacent ship’s hold is already occupied by another game piece, you will have to remove that piece before you can build the settler. Once removed, you can return that piece to your supply.
Lastly, it’s important to note that you cannot move a settler over land. Your settlers can only be transported by your ships.
Loading a Settler: Moving Phase
If one of your harbor settlements has a settler and your empty ship is pointing towards it, you can load the settler onto the ship. Just like a regular ship, you can move your settler ship.
Remember: Loading a settler onto a ship doesn’t mean that the ship’s movement is over.
Building a Settlement with a Settler Ship
If one end of your settler ship is pointing towards the corner of a terrain hex (example A), you can build a settlement there (with some exceptions explained in the corresponding missions).
To build the settlement, you need to return both the ship and the settler in its hold back to your supply (example B).
Place your new settlement on the intersection of the terrain hex without any additional cost (example C).
Hey there!
So, here’s the deal: when you want to build a settlement using a settler ship, there’s one important rule to follow – you always need to keep a distance of 2 paths between settlements.
Now, here’s another thing to keep in mind: in those two unexplored areas on the game board, you can only build your first settlement by using a settler ship. Once you’ve got that first settlement set up, you’re free to build roads and more settlements like normal. But here’s the cool part – you can also choose to skip the road building and go straight for more settlements using settler ships.
Oh, and one more thing: make sure you don’t build any roads next to undiscovered hexes, and don’t place settlements next to intersections next to undiscovered hexes either. If you build a road that points towards an undiscovered hex, you won’t be able to uncover that hex. The only way to discover new hexes is by using ships.