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This is propably one of the better board games I've played. For those who might wonder if it has any similaritys with the PC game Settlers. The age and epicness is the same  but the game is totally different. I started out playing it, when my brother got it as a christmas present. There is alot of tactic and gosuness in this game. Recently I visited my brother, and we played online on http://games.asobrain.com. Really fun and interesting I've noticed. That site has ranking and all. The expansion of the game, Cities & Knights, which is an advanced version of Settlers of Catan is especally interesting. If you havent played it yet, you should test it out!
![[image loading]](http://kylelibra.com/hambyblog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/10273.png)
Here is a small introduction how the Settlers of Catan works out.
First off, this game is turned based, roll dice, do your stuff, end turn.
You have 5 different resources: Bricks, Lumber, Wheat, Sheep and Ore. You create a map from these recources, and place numbers from 1-12 on each resource. You use two dices each turn to determine where rescources are produced. Each players starts out with 2 towns and 2 roads to place on the map. They gain rescources depending on what they have placed on that rescource: town(1) or a city(2). You can also trade rescources with the bank, 4:1 or 3:1 / 2:1 if you have a town or a city at a harbour card. Or with another player. With these rescources you build roads(1 lumber, 1 brick), towns(1 lumber, 1 brick, 1 wheat, 1 sheep) and cities are uppgraded from towns(3 ore, 2 wheat). Towns and Citys should be placed at numbers that are most likly to appear on the dices. (6,8) The 7, which will appear the most (statisticly) will bring another piece into the game: The Robber. He who gets 7, can then move the robber on a number and make this rescource invalid for the time the robber stays there. As well, pick a card from whoever has a town or city connected to this rescource. Also, every time 7 appears on the dices, anyone with more than 7 cards, will have to throw away half. The game consist of development cards aswell (1 wheat, 1 ore, 1 sheep). These can contain Knights (works as robber) and different special cards. (like monopoly card that gives you all of one rescource of your choseing from other players) The goal in this game, is to get the points decided during the start of each game (usually 13) You gain points from towns (1) cities (2), development cards with points (1), longest road card (2) and most knights card (2).
BEFORE YOU MOVE ON. Play Settlers of Catan first.
Cities and Knights is a more advanced version. Here you start out with 1 town and 1 castle. Knights are used differently, not as cards, but rather as units within your roads. You can build and uppgrade these knights with the cost of 1 sheep and 1 ore. And activate them with 1 wheat (like in Settlers 2 ^^ brewery ftw) You need these Knights to defend against barbarians that appear. Aswell as chase away robbers from closeby robbed rescouces. In order for the barbarians to appear, you have an additional dice with colors. Black(Barbarian), Yellow(Trade), Blue(Politics) and Green(Science). Whenever this dice hits black, it will be one step closer to barbarians arrival. Citys also supply you with community cards depending on your rescource fields. (1xtrade = city at sheep) (1xpolitics = city at ore) (1xscience = city at lumber) These community cards are used to uppgrade citys. 1 card for 1st uppgrade, 2 for 2nd etc. This brings us back to the new dice. Every time you uppgrade your citys, you gain dice numbers. (1st uppgrade 1 & 2 on normal dice, are activated) (2nd uppgrade, 3 etc) Each time your dice is thrown, and shows for instance [green 2 and 4] whoever who has their lumber community city card uppgraded gains a development card. These contain all kinds of crazy shit. In Cities and Knights you can also build ships (1 lumber 1 sheep, roads on water) as well as city walls(2 bricks, increase robber card limit by 2 each city wall)
GOGO gl hf
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My friends and I just recently got into Catan and it a hell of a lot of fun to play. We recently got the Cities and Knights expansion and my friends are soon to acquire Seafarers. I'm terrible at it, I typically just get screwed over by my friends for the sake for screwing me over. Still a great game.
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On May 26 2009 08:49 Athos wrote:
My friends and I just recently got into Catan and it a hell of a lot of fun to play. We recently got the Cities and Knights expansion and my friends are soon to acquire Seafarers. I'm terrible at it, I typically just get screwed over by my friends for the sake for screwing me over. Still a great game.
go play online, practice and own them
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I'm a big fan of Catan. I've played the board version quite a few times, and have it on XBLA. Sadly, I haven't played in 6+ months, but it's a great game.
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We have the board game here at our house. 
I usually play online because IRL games take FOREVER especially with non-experienced people.
Asobrain games I finish in like 5-10 mins max... both regular and cities and knights. Fast play FTW.
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On May 27 2009 02:03 Telemako wrote:I used to play online here: http://games.asobrain.com/Great game, haven't tried cities and knights yet Awesome, thanks Playing bots right now, as soon as I get the hang of this, anyone wanna play me?
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GrandInquisitor
New York City13113 Posts
If you play and enjoy Settlers of Catan, I recommend trying out the following two (also German-style) board games:
Ra
Dominion
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I downloaded settlers of catan a year ago or so and played against computer opponents for a few hours, and felt like the best strategies were simple and reasonably obvious after a few games, and it really just came down to luck. Since the best places to put your starting towns are really easy to see, it's luck as to what options are available to you when it's your turn to pick, and to a lesser degree luck in the random variation of the dice. Over a long game the impact of dice tends to minimize itself, but I couldn't get over the fact that sometimes I was just forced into picking relatively crappy starting positions because the best two or three got picked before it was my turn. Then if I get to pick first, I get one good spot and one absolutely terrible spot.
Do you guys who have more playing experience with it have a different experience? I hate playing games like this and risk that look like strategy games, but once everyone understands the absolute basics, it's all down to the dice.
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Russian Federation1401 Posts
I play this game quite often, expansion included. I seriously reccomend this game to anyone. It might seem a little random at first, but the better players will win many more times in general.
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Played this back in 99 when I lived in Germany. A friend of mine made a pirate version with cardboard base pieces. He made the buildings by baking silly putty. It was pretty awesome.
Fun game, but frustrating. We were scrubs I guess (hi Sirlin) because we got rid of the rule that you could lose half of your resource cards if you had more than 7 (IIRC) and someone moved the bandit next to you.* It made it impossible to save up enough resources for a couple roads and a town so you could surprise expand. If you had to spend constantly to keep from losing resources people would see where you were going and get there first. It seemed a lot more dynamic to be able to expand long distances all at once.
*I think we changed it to losing a limited number, maybe one or two, cards.
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Wow, talk about timing! My friends and I just got into this game - we're playing a lot online. It can get really frustrating at times but it's also a very well-designed and balanced game. WHat I mean is that games are frequently close! There's so much depth, it's great to see in a board game. WE're playing a lot at the above site - my username is the same as this
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Well, a LOT of games are about luck... actually, pretty much every single board game. IMO that's what makes it fun. There are other games that require skill (ahem starcraft) but I think the target audience for these board games are casuals lol.
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Germany / USA16648 Posts
Haven't played it much since I moved here ~3 years ago, because the majority of the people I know here aren't much into board games, but I used to play it a lot in high school and after. Absolutely fantastic game. There's also another expansion (Seefarers of Catan), though Cities & Knights is more fun imho. I'd love to play it again.
A friend of mine from high school owns many other Catan games (Starfarers of Catan, the Catan Card Game), though I never really got into any of those myself.
Settlers of Catan is one of my favourite board games for sure. <3
(the PC adaptation is terrible btw)
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On May 26 2009 08:45 ThePhan2m wrote: similaritys with the PC game Settlers.
I'll take 10
but the game is totally different
Cancel that order
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I love settlers, but to be honest I feel like it's a bit imbalanced. Rock is by FAR the most important resource, you pretty much need to settle one of your initial villages by a good rock source if you want to win. The entire game depends on how well you place your initial two villages- nothing else really matters.
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On May 27 2009 03:32 GrandInquisitor wrote:If you play and enjoy Settlers of Catan, I recommend trying out the following two (also German-style) board games: RaDominion
I just recently got Dominion and from the few times I've played it so far it's fun. It also seems pretty replayable because you can switch out the supply decks to vary gameplay.
Setters of Catan is good too. I think I remember playing it with some sort of pirate expansion. I preferred to play it without it because it slowed down turns.
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3 Lions
United States3705 Posts
lol what a coincidence
i was just introduced to this game 3 days ago at a party
I play online at asobrain
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Netherlands6142 Posts
Does anyone play WanCatan (or I think nowadays it's Pioneers of Peru or something because of copyright issues)? It the board game but you can play vs each other online. I bet I still have the files somewhere. I'd love to have some matches online again (my friends nowadays only wanna play poker T_T ). Been a fair while since I last played.
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GrandInquisitor
New York City13113 Posts
On May 27 2009 04:32 stenole wrote:Show nested quote +On May 27 2009 03:32 GrandInquisitor wrote:If you play and enjoy Settlers of Catan, I recommend trying out the following two (also German-style) board games: RaDominion I just recently got Dominion and from the few times I've played it so far it's fun. It also seems pretty replayable because you can switch out the supply decks to vary gameplay.
For a while I was ranked #1 on the BSW Elo ladder for Dominion. If you play on BSW I'd be happy to play against you =)
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EPT
