CATAN (1995)
Catan (The Settlers of Catan)
Catan, previously known as The Settlers of Catan or simply Settlers, is a multiplayer board game designed by Klaus Teuber. It was first published in Germany in 1995 as Die Siedler von Catan. The game involves players representing settlers establishing settlements on the fictional island of Catan. Players build settlements, cities, and roads to connect them as they settle the island. The game board, which represents the island, is composed of hexagonal tiles (hexes) of different land types, which are laid out randomly at the beginning of each game.
Why is Catan (The Settlers of Catan) Popular?
Catan has become one of the world’s most popular board games, winning awards and becoming the first German board game to sell outside of Europe. It has sold over 32 million units worldwide. The game has transformed from an activity enjoyed by a small niche of gamers into a mainstream hit, with sales nearing 25 million copies worldwide. Catan is significant because it opened the door for consumers to reconsider board games as a social play experience.
Game Components of Catan (The Settlers of Catan)
Game board composed of hexagonal tiles of different land typesResource cards (brick, lumber, wheat, ore, and sheep)Development cardsSettlements, cities, and roadsRobber pawnDice
Game Setup of Catan (The Settlers of Catan)
The game board is set up with hexagonal tiles of different land types, which are laid out randomly at the beginning of each game.Each player starts with two settlements and two roads.The robber pawn is placed on the desert tile.Resource cards are shuffled and placed face down.Development cards are shuffled and placed face down.
Gameplay Mechanics of Catan (The Settlers of Catan)
Players take turns rolling the dice and collecting resources based on the number rolled and the placement of their settlements and cities.Players can trade resources with each other.Players can use resources to build settlements, cities, and roads, and to buy development cards.Development cards can provide various benefits, such as extra resources or victory points.The robber pawn can be moved to block resource production for a particular hexagonal tile and to steal a resource card from a player with a settlement or city adjacent to that tile.
Game Objective of Catan (The Settlers of Catan)
The objective of the game is to be the first player to reach 10 victory points. Victory points can be earned by building settlements and cities, buying development cards, and achieving certain objectives on development cards.
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