In March 2020, the popular board game Catan was searched around 60,500 times, according to Google Keyword Planner. It’s no secret that...
In March 2020, the popular board game Catan
was searched around 60,500 times, according to Google Keyword Planner. It’s no
secret that more people are playing games while
they’re staying home. If you’ve never played Settlers of Catan before, the
basic game is a great starting point. But what if you’re already an expert and
are looking for something more? That’s where the expansions come in.
Before Getting Another Catan Game
The base game that continues to be widely
searched, according to a recentstudy by Betway, is only for three to four players, although you can
successfully play it with two people with some rule modifications. If you want
to add more, you’ll need to get the expansion. Each of the expansions is also
for three to four people, so you’ll need to purchase extra if you want to add a
fifth or sixth player. There are many editions of Catan. While you can mix and
match them, remember the final setup might look odd. If you can, look for the
most recent version of each one. That way, you’ll be more likely to find
compatible versions.
Ocean-Themed Expansions
If you’ve never gotten a Catan expansion
before, you’ll likely want to start with either Explorers and Pirates or
Seafarers. Explorers and Pirates doesn’t work with other expansions like
Seafarers does, but it offers a lot of value for the money. It adds extra rules and
allows you to build multiple islands. Although it is not compatible with
Seafarers, it is not as complicated as Cities and Knights. The expansion also
reduces the number of unproductive turns while improving the variety and
balance of the game. For a simpler version, you might want to go with
Seafarers. It still adds islands, but the rules aren't quite as complicated. It
is also compatible with a few other expansions, broadening your potential
options.
Traders and Barbarians
This version adds additional resources,
including marble and glass. The goal is to rebuild the island of Catan after an
invasion. When you get gold in the castle, you’ll get points and gold. It
offers four potential scenarios so you can keep the game interesting. They
include:
- The Fishermen of Catan
- The Rivers of Catan
- Barbarian Invasion
- The Great Caravan
There are a few variationsfrom the original game too. For example, for two players, you can force
your opponent to trade with you. The dice are replaced with a deck of cards,
which reduces the randomness. You can also get points for having the most
harbors. Plus, if you have fewer than three points, the robber won’t affect
you.
Cities and Knights
The two major changes in this version are
knights that protect the island of Catan from barbarians and new city benefits.
It makes the game longer while adding a layer of complexity. Besides your
standard resources, it also has commodities, which include cloth, coins, and
paper. Instead of getting two resources from a city, you’ll get one resource
and one commodity.
