Explorers of Catan: Rules for the Game

Get ready to embark on a thrilling adventure in the world of Catan! In this game, you will face exciting challenges and make strategic decisions to secure victory. I am here to guide you through the rules and help you become a skilled explorer. Are you ready? Let’s dive in!

Objective

The objective of the Explorers of Catan game is to be the first player to collect a total of ten victory points. You can earn victory points by exploring new territories, establishing outposts, developing your trading network, and completing secret objectives. Keep your eyes on the prize and aim for victory!

Set Up

Before we begin, let’s set up the game board. Lay out the hexagonal terrain tiles to create a diverse landscape. Each tile represents a different type of resource, such as wood, brick, ore, grain, or wool. Connect the tiles using the water border pieces to form the island of Catan.

Next, place the numbered tokens on the terrain tiles to indicate the production numbers. These tokens determine which resources will be produced when the corresponding number is rolled on the dice. Make sure to distribute the tokens randomly for an unpredictable game!

Now, let’s distribute resources and building costs. Each player starts with two settlements and two roads. Choose your starting locations wisely, as they will determine your initial resources. You should aim for a strategic placement to gather the resources you need to expand your empire.

Gameplay

As an explorer, your turn consists of three phases: dice roll, resource production, and trading/building.

In the dice roll phase, roll two six-sided dice to determine the production numbers. All players receive resources equal to the production numbers rolled for their settlements adjacent to the corresponding terrain tiles. It’s time to reap the rewards of your settlements!

The resource production phase is where you collect your resources. You will receive resources for each settlement adjacent to the terrain tiles with the rolled production numbers. Strategically collect resources to build your empire and gain victory points.

Now comes the trading and building phase. Use your resources wisely to build roads, settlements, and outposts. Trading with other players can also be beneficial to gain the necessary resources. Establish new settlements and outposts to expand your empire. Remember, strategic choices will give you an edge against your opponents!

Development Cards

Development cards are powerful tools that can aid you in your conquest of Catan. They can range from knights that protect your settlements to secret objectives that grant you victory points. You can buy development cards using resources, but remember, their true potential is revealed when played at the right moment. Be strategic and use your development cards wisely!

Victory!

The game continues until a player reaches ten victory points. Keep an eye on your opponents’ progress and adapt your strategies accordingly. The first player to reach ten victory points is crowned the ruler of Catan!

Now that you understand the rules, it’s time to embark on your journey and claim victory. Gather your resources, build your settlements, and make strategic choices. Explore the vast world of Catan and become the ultimate explorer!

I love playing the Settlers of Catan games, but I have a special appreciation for games where you can uncover new things as you play. So, I came up with my own version of Settlers that allows for exploration during the game. This version, however, relies more on luck than the original.

The great thing about this version is that it doesn’t require anything beyond the basic Settlers of Catan game. The setup and gameplay, though, have some differences.

What sets this version apart is that it’s more about luck than strategy. Since most of the island starts blank, you can’t really plan ahead and build in ideal areas. Instead, you have to rely on luck to give you the right resource tiles and number tokens that will allow you to progress.

This version is perfect for two players, but if you have three or more, you might encounter some competition when it comes to claiming road routes.

If there are more than three players, we can add terrain hexes along two coasts at the beginning, which brings the total to ten hexes.

To set up the game, follow these steps:

1. Start by placing the basic frame of the island on the table empty.

2. Take the terrain hexes and harbor tokens and place them face down next to the island frame, making sure nobody knows which is which.

3. Decide which edge of the island you want to start with, and place your initial tiles there.

4. Roll two dice to determine who goes first. The player with the highest roll gets to start. From there, play will proceed to the left.

5. The player who rolled the highest number randomly selects one terrain hex and places it in the left corner of the chosen starting side. If they choose the desert terrain hex, they must put it back face down and mix it with the others.

I start by rolling a pair of dice, which determines the number I’ll place a token on. If that number is no longer available, I roll again until I get a number token that is. The next player does the same, until we have two rows of terrain hexes with numbers.

Once we’ve placed seven terrain hexes, it’s the next player’s turn to choose where they want to put their settlement and road. The settlement has to be on the coast, and the road must connect to it.

If a player places their settlement by a harbor, they get to randomly choose the harbor token for that spot.

If my settlement is next to an intersection where there is no terrain hex, or my road connects to such an intersection, I have the opportunity to add a new hex and number. I can choose any terrain hex, except for the desert hex, which gets placed there alongside the robber (if chosen). Each player starts the game with only one settlement and road.

During gameplay, we follow the usual game rules. However, if I build a road that connects to an intersection without a terrain hex, I can place the missing hex and number. Once the desert hex is placed, the robber is activated. Until that point, a roll of seven (7) doesn’t result in any resource distribution.