Catan: Starfarers – 5-6 Player Extension
Catan: Starfarers – 5-6 Player Extension Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Game Components
- 2 Die-cut Cardboard Sheets
- 3 Sectors: 2 Planetary System sectors and 1 Outpost sector (each with a front and a back)
- 10 Number Discs (printed front and back; the 4 discs with the Greek letters α, β, γ, δ are among them)
- 4 Special Tokens: 2 Artifacts and 2 Reserve Number Discs
- 1 Friendship Marker (with 1 stand)
- 2 Cockpit Markers (each with 1 stand)
- 20 Fame Medal Pieces
- 59 Cards:
- 40 Resource Cards: Ore, Fuel, Carbon, Food and Goods, 8 of each
- 14 Overview Cards
- 5 Friendship Cards (detailed in the Friendship Card Descriptions section)
- 46 Player Pieces (in 2 colors), per color: 9 Colonies, 7 Trade Stations, 3 Transport Ships, 3 Shipyards, 1 Victory Point Marker
- Mothership and Upgrades: 2 Mothership pieces; Balls (5 + 3 + 3 + 3, one extra per color); 8 Freight Pods; 8 Cannons; 8 Boosters
- More Material: 1 Sheet of Player Stickers (1 extra per color for replacements; affix a different color to the bottom of each mothership); 1 Rules Booklet; 5 Storage Bags
Preparation
Game Board Preparation
Assemble the 6 game board sections as described in the base game. The board is the same size as the base game – what changes is the mix of number discs on the Catanian Colonies and the mix of sectors used.
Catanian Colonies
The 4 new number discs with the Greek letters α, β, γ, δ on their back each replace 1 number disc per Catanian Colonies planetary system. Exchange the number discs as shown in the following chart. Put the replaced number discs back into the box.
| Disc | α | β | γ | δ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5-6 Player Extension | 10/11 | 9/12 | 3/4 | 2/5 |
| 3-4 Player Base Game | 11 | 3/12 | 3 | 2/11 |
To familiarize yourself with the game more quickly, we recommend the following distribution of number discs on the Catanian Colonies for your first game. (The recommended layout is a printed map of the discs on the board, not reproduced as text here.)
You can also follow the variable set-up rules and place the number discs randomly on the starting colonies. Shuffle the number discs face down and randomly assign them to the planets with the matching Greek letters, then reveal the discs.
Variable Set-up of the Sectors
You can use all of the variable set-ups described in the Starfarers Almanac with this extension.
To use the Strategic Variant and the Explorer Variant: First replace the 4 empty sectors from the base game with the 3 new sectors from the extension. Next, shuffle these new sectors into the base game sectors using the stars as described in the base game. Last, sort the new number discs by the icons on their back and shuffle them together with the base game number discs as described in the base game.
Setting Up the Game
Game Pieces
Take all of the player pieces in a color of your choice and place your victory point marker on space "4" of the victory point track. In addition, take 1 mothership and equip it with 5 balls, as described in the base game.
Overview Cards
You only need the 4 Building Costs cards from the CATAN–Starfarers base game. All remaining base game overview cards stay in the box.
Each player takes one set of the 3 overview cards (Turn Overview, Building Costs, and Victory Points). Place the cards in front of you as shown.
Important: The Overview Pilot 1 side of your Turn Overview starts face up. When you are Pilot 2, flip it over to the Overview Pilot 2 side.
(The printed Overview Pilot 1 and Pilot 2 sides repeat the turn summary in "Game Play at a Glance" below. The Building Costs card is from the base game and is not part of this extension.)
Victory Points card (printed on the Victory Points overview card):
| Item | Victory Points |
|---|---|
| Friendship Marker | 2 |
| Colony | 1 |
| Spaceport | 2 |
| Ice Planet Token | 1 |
| Pirate Base Token | 1 |
| Artifact Planet Token | 1 |
| 2 Fame Medal Pieces | 1 |
Resource Cards
The Supply: Sort the additional resource cards by type and place them into the matching compartments of the card tray.
The Reserve Pile: Take 12 cards from each of the 5 resource card stacks. Shuffle them and place them face down into the "?" compartment.
Upgrades & Fame Medal Pieces
Upgrades: Put the additional ship upgrade pieces into their compartments in the upgrades tray.
Fame Medal Pieces: Add the 20 additional fame medal pieces to the supply in the upgrades tray.
Friendship Cards & Markers
Insert the Travelers friendship marker into a base. Arrange the Traveler friendship cards into a stack and place it beside the other 4 alien civilization card stacks. Place the friendship marker on the top card of the stack.
Special Tokens & Cockpit Markers
Artifacts: Place these 2 tokens face up beside the ice planet and pirate base tokens.
Reserve Number Discs: Shuffle the 2 additional reserve number discs with the 5 matching discs from the base game and place them face down beside the game board.
Cockpit Markers: Insert the 2 markers into a base and place them beside the game board. You assign them in the Starting Set-Up phase.
Starting Set-Up
The 5-6 player set-up phase differs slightly from a 3-4 player set-up phase. The complete set-up phase is described below.
Each player, in turn, rolls the dice to determine the starting player. If you roll highest, you are the starting player. Take the "Pilot 1" cockpit marker and place it in front of you so that the cockpit faces you.
Give the "Pilot 2" cockpit marker to the 3rd player to your left (in clockwise direction). They place it in front of themself so that the cockpit faces them.
- 5 players: Third player to the left of the starting player = Pilot 2.
- 6 players: Third player to the left of the starting player = Pilot 2.
Starting Player = Pilot 1.
The starting player begins the set-up phase and then the game. The other players follow in clockwise order.
Placement of Starting Pieces
This set-up phase has 4 rounds:
Round 1: The starting player begins and places their first colony on any of the colony sites in the Catanian Colonies. Then the other players follow in clockwise order.
Round 2: Once all players have placed their first colony, the player who went last in round 1 starts round 2. That player is now the first to place their second colony. The other players follow in counterclockwise order.
Round 3: Once all players have placed their second colony, the player who went last in round 2 places a shipyard around one of their colonies, creating a spaceport. After placing your spaceport, place 1 colony ship or trade ship (your choice) on one of your spaceport sites. Then the other players follow in clockwise order.
Round 4: Once all players have placed their ship, you choose upgrades. Place 2 boosters, 2 freight pods, and 2 cannons on the game board. The player who went last in round 3 takes 1 of these upgrades and adds it to their mothership. Then, in counterclockwise order, the other players each take 1 of the remaining upgrades and add it to their own mothership.
Each player draws 3 resource cards from the face-down reserve pile. Keep the cards hidden in your hand. Then each player takes 3 fame medal pieces from the upgrades tray and places them in front of themself.
Note 1: Before the turn begins, Pilot 2 must flip their Turn Overview card so "Pilot 2" faces up.
Note 2: Pilot 1 takes their turn following the actions described on the "Pilot 1" Turn Overview card. When Pilot 1 is finished, Pilot 2 follows the actions described on the "Pilot 2" Turn Overview card.
Note 3: For 5-player games, place colonies of the 6th player color on the unoccupied colony sites. They have no other function in the game besides blocking those colony sites.
Game Play at a Glance
There are always 2 players who participate in a turn (Pilot 1 and Pilot 2), which is a substantial change to the CATAN–Starfarers 3-4 player rules. Unlike other 5-6 player extensions in the CATAN range, there is no "special build phase."
Pilot 1 and Pilot 2 take the following actions in the order listed below. The actions are summarized on the Pilot 1 and Pilot 2 Turn Overview cards.
- Production Phase
- a. Pilot 1 rolls both dice to determine the resource production for all players.
- b. All players receive resources produced by the production roll.
- c. Pilot 1 draws any resource cards from the reserve pile that they are entitled to.
- d. Pilot 2 draws any resource cards from the reserve pile that they are entitled to.
- Trade & Build Phase
- a. Pilot 1 can trade and build (in any order) as usual.
- b. Pilot 2 can trade with the supply (but not with other players) and build (in any order).
- Flight Phase
- a. Pilot 1 shakes their mothership to determine the base speed of both pilots' ships.
- b. Pilot 1 moves all their ships (if they wish).
- c. Pilot 2 moves all their ships (if they wish).
After all actions are completed, Pilot 1 passes the "Pilot 1" marker and the dice to the player on their left. Pilot 2 passes the "Pilot 2" marker to the player on their left. The new Pilot 1 continues the game with the Production Phase.
Game Play in Detail
The phases of the base game remain the same. Keep in mind, however, that in certain phases both Pilot 1 and Pilot 2 take actions. Pilot 1 must always complete their actions before Pilot 2 takes the same actions.
Production Phase
Production From the Reserve Pile
Number: As in the base game, on your turn you must take 0-2 resource cards from the reserve pile, depending on your current number of victory points. Pilot 1 draws first, then Pilot 2.
Reserve pile depleted: When the reserve pile is depleted, immediately form a new reserve pile with 10 cards of each resource type.
Trade & Build Phase
Pilot 1 can trade with all players and with the supply and can build as usual. After Pilot 1 completes their trade & build phase, Pilot 2 can also trade and build in any order. Pilot 2 can only trade with the supply (3:1 or 2:1 goods) but not with the other players. However, Pilot 2 can build as much as desired and in any order.
Printed sidebar, Exchange Rate 2:1 Food: During your trade & build phase you may trade food with the supply at a rate of 2:1 (2 food for 1 other resource of your choice).
Flight Phase
If neither of the pilots have ships on the game board, they skip the flight phase and pass the pilot markers to the players on their left.
Determine Your Speed
Pilot 1 shakes their mothership. The result determines the base speed of both pilot's ships. If Pilot 1 doesn't have any ships on the game board, Pilot 1 still shakes their mothership to determine the speed of Pilot 2's ships.
Move Your Ships
Pilot 1 moves their own ships. After Pilot 1 is done, Pilot 2 can move their own ships.
Artifacts
Exploring planetary systems can now reveal artifacts. When you reveal an artifact, replace it with the corresponding special token.
Just like the rules for pirate bases and ice planets, you cannot build colonies on colony sites if an artifact special token is on one of the adjacent planets.
To find the artifact and remove it from the planet, you must satisfy two requirements:
- Have friendship cards from any 2 or 3 different alien civilizations (the number required is depicted on each artifact marker).
- One of your ships must either stop on an intersection adjacent to the planet (circled in green in the printed example), or pass through an intersection adjacent to the planet as your ship flies by.
If you meet these requirements, take the special token, turn it over, and place it in front of you. It is worth 1 victory point. Then place one of the reserve number discs face up on the planet.
Special Cases
Resolve an Encounter Card
If a black ball is revealed when Pilot 1 determines the speed, Pilot 1 and Pilot 2 have an encounter. After both pilots have resolved the encounter, they move their ships.
Someone else reads the card aloud: The player to the left of Pilot 1 draws the topmost encounter card and reads the text in the first text box aloud.
Important: This encounter card applies to both Pilot 1 and Pilot 2! If one of the two pilots does not have a ship on the game board, that player cannot join the encounter. The pilot with at least one ship deals with the encounter alone.
Make a decision: Pilot 1 makes their choice first, followed by Pilot 2. The pilots can choose different answers. If both pilots choose the same answer, their result is the same. If both pilots' answers are different, the reader announces the result for Pilot 1 first, then the result for Pilot 2.
Resolve the result: If you need to "shake your mothership" to determine a result, Pilot 1 and Pilot 2 each shake their own mothership. To compare combat strengths, the neighbors of Pilot 1 and Pilot 2 specified on the encounter cards act as adversaries.
The printed example uses encounter card "16," read aloud to both pilots: "A space pirate attacks you! Do you flee?"
- Pilot 1 decides to flee, Pilot 2 chooses not to flee. Pilot 1 compares their number of boosters with those of the player to their right. Since that player has more boosters, both Pilot 1 and Pilot 2 must fight. Both pilots compete against their respective right neighbors, who take the role of the pirates.
- Card text: "Do your mothership's boosters equal or exceed those of the player to your right?"
- Yes: "The pirate's ship is no match for yours. You escape!"
- No: "You fight! The player to your right takes the role of the pirate. Shake your respective motherships and compare the Mothership Strength. Is your result equal to or greater than the other player's?"
- Victory: "VICTORY! You free a great leader of the Scientists! Add any 1 upgrade to your mothership. You also receive 1 fame medal piece."
- Defeat: "DEFEAT! Your ship is damaged. Remove any 1 of your mothership's upgrades."
- Result in the example: Pilot 1 loses to their "pirate" and must remove 1 upgrade from their mothership. Pilot 2 defeats their "pirate" and earns 1 upgrade and 1 fame medal piece.
The printed diagram labels the roles as follows: Player to the Right = Pilot 2's Adversary; Player to the Left = Event Card Reader; Player to the Right (of Pilot 1) = Pilot 1's Adversary.
Note: In a 5-player game, it can happen that Pilot 1 is the adversary of Pilot 2 or vice versa. In this case, the player shakes their mothership twice: once for their own result and once to determine the result in their role as the adversary.
No Blockade
In this extension, both Pilots 1 and 2 move their ships during the same turn. If you have occupied a colony site without building on it, you must observe the base game rule to vacate the site on the next "turn" if possible. This means you must leave it when you next move your ships as either pilot.
End of the Game
If you reach and/or have at least 15 victory points on your turn, the game ends and you are the winner. "Your turn" refers to both Pilot 1 and Pilot 2. If Pilot 1 and Pilot 2 reach 15 points during the same turn, the order of phases must be taken into account. For example, if Pilot 1 reaches 15 victory points during their own build phase or flight phase (e.g., by obtaining a fame medal piece), Pilot 1 immediately wins the game. In this case, Pilot 2 can no longer take their turn.
Friendship Card Descriptions
Both Pilot 1 and Pilot 2 can use their friendship cards during their respective turns.
The Travelers
Space Jump (2 x)
If you have this card, thanks to the abilities of the Travelers, you can use a wormhole to perform a space jump with one of your ships during your flight phase. The space jump replaces the normal movement of the ship for the turn. After a space jump, you cannot move that ship any farther on this turn.
To perform this space jump, you must have at least 3 boosters. This includes boosters on your mothership plus any boosters granted by the Scientists' friendship cards.
You cannot perform this space jump if a black ball was revealed in the mothership used to determine ship-speed this turn.
If you have both of the "Space Jump" friendship cards, 2 of your ships can perform one space jump each on your turn. You may not perform 2 space jumps with 1 ship.
Printed card text (Tro-Towar and Tro-Theran): "SPACE JUMP. If you didn't have an encounter (black ball) and your mothership has 3 or more boosters, you may perform a space jump with 1 of your ships during your flight phase."
Targeted Encounter (1 x)
If you have this card, you can choose whether or not to have an encounter in your flight phase. You must make the decision before the encounter is read aloud.
If the mothership used to determine ship speed produces a black ball, you can choose to skip the encounter and continue flying as usual. Your base speed is "3."
- Note: You are not allowed to use the "Space Jump" card (if you have one) in this case.
If the mothership used to determine ship speed produces no black ball, you can choose to have an encounter. The player to your left reads the topmost encounter card aloud. After the encounter, you move your ship(s) with the base speed determined by the mothership.
- Note: You are allowed to use the "Space Jump" card (if you have one) in this case.
In a 5-6 player game, the choice to have an encounter (or not) only applies to the pilot that has this card. The other pilot must apply the mothership result.
Printed card text (Tro-Thel): "TARGETED ENCOUNTER. If the mothership result is an encounter, you may ignore it (your base speed is still 3). If not, you may opt to have an encounter if you wish (your base speed is unchanged)."
Glorious Donation (1 x)
If you have this card, on your turn (as either pilot) you can ask any one of the other players for a specific resource (e.g., "carbon"). If you receive the resource, you and the player that gave you the resource each receive 1 fame medal piece from the supply. If that player cannot (or does not) want to give you the resource, nothing happens.
Printed card text (Tro-Therum): "GLORIOUS DONATION. Once during your turn, you may request 1 resource of your choice from another player. If that player agrees to give you the resource, both of you receive 1 fame medal piece each."
Ship Exchange (1 x)
If you have this card, on your turn (as either pilot) you can convert one of your trade ships into a colony ship or vice versa.
Remove your transport ship from the game board, exchange the colony or trade station for a game piece from your supply, and return the transport ship with the exchanged game piece to its original intersection on the game board. You are not allowed to swap the positions of 2 of your ships on the game board.
You can convert a ship at any time during your turn, including before the Trade & Build Phase.
Printed card text (Tro-Taphon): "SHIP EXCHANGE. Once during your turn, you may exchange one of your colony ships with a trade ship from your supply or vice versa."