Welcome to the Barbarian Islands Game!
Hey there! I’m super excited to tell you all about the game rules for the Barbarian Islands. Get ready for an amazing adventure!
What You’ll Need
Before we start playing, there are a few things you’ll need:
- Settlers of Catan board game
- The Barbarian Islands expansion pack
Make sure you have these items ready so we can dive right into the action!
Objective of the Game
The goal is simple: you and your fellow players need to drive off the hordes of barbarians and settle the valuable islands. It’s up to you to save the day!
Setting Up the Game
Let’s set up the game board! Follow these steps:
- Attach the Barbarian Islands expansion pack to your Settlers of Catan board.
- Place the hexagonal tiles on the board, making sure to follow the setup diagram provided.
- Distribute the resource cards and development cards to each player.
- Choose who will go first.
Now you’re all set up and ready to go!
Gameplay
During your turn, you can perform the following actions:
- Roll the dice to gather resources. Depending on the roll, you might receive resource cards.
- Trade resources with other players or the bank to get the cards you need.
- Build settlements, cities, and roads using your resources.
- Play development cards to give yourself an advantage.
- Pick a number token on the Barbarian Islands expansion pack that matches your roll and place a barbarian horde on that number on the board.
- Move the barbarian horde towards the island on the board. If the horde reaches the island, it will pillage resources from the players.
- Work together with the other players to defeat the barbarians by building knights and placing them on the board.
Remember, the key to success is teamwork! Help each other out and strategize to overcome the barbarians.
Winning the Game
The game ends when one of the following conditions is met:
- All the barbarians have been defeated.
- All the valuable islands have been settled.
If either of these conditions is met, the player with the most victory points wins the game!
Now that you know the rules, it’s time to grab your friends and embark on a thrilling adventure in the Barbarian Islands. Good luck and have fun!
- Base Game
- Seafarers
- 12 Barbarians (preferably from Traders and Barbarians)
Getting Ready
Hey there! Let’s set up the game board like the picture on the right. The numbers and hexes on the two big islands are just suggestions – feel free to pick your own! Oh, and don’t forget to put those 12 barbarians on the paths marked.
Now, grab those 5 2:1 harbors and 3 3:1 harbors and place them where it shows in the diagram.
As for us players, we each get to put down two settlements just like usual. But remember, you can’t build settlements on the two barbarian islands. They’re off-limits!
Let’s Play
Time to roll the dice! Whenever we roll a 7, everyone who has more than 7 cards (unless you have a city wall – then you can hold 2 more) has to get rid of half of them. Round down, of course.
Instead of me moving the robber or the pirate, if I roll a 7, I get to take a card from any player I choose and I have to move a barbarian to a path next to them. But here’s the catch: no two barbarians can be on the same path, and I can’t put a barbarian on a path with a road or ship.
If there’s a barbarian on a path, nobody can build a road or ship on that path (although it’s okay to build a settlement next to a barbarian). When I play a knight card, I can move a barbarian (remember, only one development card per turn), but I can’t steal a card from anyone.
If I build a settlement on one of the barbarian islands, I get a special victory point chip. But I can only get one chip per island, so I have to choose wisely.
The Game Ends
This game is all about reaching 15 points first, or the player with the most Victory Points if both barbarian islands have two or more settlements. If there’s a tie, we call it a draw.
When you add Cities and Knights
Your basic knights won’t do much against the barbarians on the map – they only affect the barbarian fleet. If you have the Bishop progress card, take a look at the knight card rules above. In this version, play until you reach 18 points instead.
Bringing in Event Cards
No need to worry about the event where the robber flees to the desert – it doesn’t have any effect here.
Playing with Five-Six Players
What You Need
- The Base Game
- The Seafarers expansion
- The 5-6 Player expansion
- 18 Barbarians
Let me guide you through the setup. First, let’s put aside one wool 2:1 harbor. Now, take a look at the diagram and place the remaining pieces accordingly.
We’re playing with a goal of reaching 15 points or until each of the three islands has at least two settlements on them. It’s time to embark on this exciting journey!