Settlers of New Catan (fan expansion for Catan) Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Setup
• Rules
  • Alien Benefits
  • Frontiers
  • The Lake
  • Trade
  • Infiltrator (and Robber)
  • Development Cards
  • Gaps
  • Victory Condition
• Appendix 1: Glossary
• Appendix 2: General Rules for Alien Benefits
• Appendix 3: Alien Benefits
  • The Green Folk
  • The Merchants
  • The Scientists
  • The Diplomats

Setup

Use all components for Settlers of Catan except for any sea and port hexes. You shall also remove three development cards: two Victory Point cards and one soldier card. Additional components:

• Double-hexes (6) (four alien outposts and two frontier areas)
• Benefit tokens (20 tokens in four sets - five for each alien outpost)
• Infiltrator (1)
• Special Victory Point cards for The Diplomats (4)
• Optional: Alien Figurines Die Fürsten Der Völker (not included)

Note: The additional components are included in a separate document for print (for the infiltrator, however, it is recommended that a three-dimensional black playing piece is used instead).

The alien outposts have the following colours: The Green Folk – Green; The Merchants – Orange; The Scientists – Red; The Diplomats – Blue.

The game is set up in a rather similar way as an original game of Settlers of Catan, but with some differences. Turn one sheep hex upside down and place it in the centre (alternatively, remove the sheep hex from the game and place a plain water hex, if available, face up in the centre). This is the lake. Then distribute the remaining 18 land hexes and the number markers like in the normal game. The last number marker (numbered '11'), however, is not placed in the centre but is removed from the game.

The six double-hexes replace the sea and port hexes that normally surround the settlers' area. Place the double-hexes symmetrically and at random around the area, with the corners that are marked with semi-circles (the so called alien/ frontier intersections) turned towards it (i.e. inwards). The two special frontier areas, however, must be placed directly opposite to each other. The six remaining gaps between the new double-hexes are left unoccupied. See also Figure 1.

[Figure 1: Game board setup. L = The lake in the middle of the settlers' area. A = Alien outpost. F = Frontier area. Diagram not reproduced.]

Randomly select one benefit token at a time until all tokens have been selected. Each selected token is placed on the outpost with a matching colour, on top of the left-most unoccupied rectangle, with its text facing the Settlers' area. The infiltrator and robber are placed next to each other outside the board. The special Victory Point cards of The Diplomats are placed next to The Diplomats' (the blue) alien outpost near the location of the benefit token named Points for Sale. Each alien figurine (optional) is placed on the alien image on the respective outpost, facing the Settlers' area (the aliens carefully observe human activities).

Rules

The official rules for Settlers of Catan apply except for as stated in these rules. A player may, during his turn, trade and build in any order. This is done after the production roll and is referred to as the trading-and-building phase.

A Glossary is provided in Appendix 1. The game is for 3 or 4 players.

Alien Benefits

Each alien outpost has five alien intersections. Each of these intersections is not only adjacent to one or two normal hexes, but is also related to a specific alien benefit, as indicated by the benefit token that is located on the outpost and above the intersection. When a player builds a settlement on one of these intersections, he also gains access to the related alien benefit (apart from producing resources as normal). A new settlement cannot be built at an alien intersection that is occupied by the infiltrator (see Infiltrator, below). Appendix 2 lists the General Rules for Alien Benefits and Appendix 3 includes a complete description of all alien benefits.

Frontiers

The two frontiers have no special functions. They are thus similar to sea hexes in Settlers of Catan.

The Lake

The lake in the middle of the settlers' area produces no resources. It is thus similar to the desert.

Trade

A player may conduct generic trade with resources according to the formula "(3+1):1" (including 4:1). This means that three resources of one (and any) type plus one resource of any type may be traded for one resource of any type.

Infiltrator (and Robber)

The space pirates have cursed the planet by sending one robber and one infiltrator to it. The robber functions like the robber in Settlers of Catan. The infiltrator infiltrates alien outposts and can occupy any alien intersection. It then blocks all players' access to the related alien benefit and prevents the building of new settlements at the intersection.

In the event of a production roll of '7' or the use of a soldier card, the player who is in turn must move either the robber or the infiltrator to a new location on the board. If, however, both the robber and infiltrator were located on the board before the event, the one of the two that is not moved to a new location must be removed from the board (this is called the Double Movement Rule).

When a player moves the infiltrator to an alien intersection that is occupied by a building, he may take a resource at random from the owner of the building.

Development Cards

The development cards are used normally.

Gaps

A gap between two double-hexes is considered to have the width of two hex borders although it appears to be only one border. Hence a building on one side of the gap does not prevent the building of a settlement on the other side. Two roads can be built at the same gap, each extending from an intersection towards the middle of the gap (the two road units may partly overlap if space is insufficient). In order to link the two intersections at the gap by roads, two roads must be built by the same player.

Victory Condition

The Victory Condition remains unchanged (i.e. is 10 Victory Points).

Appendix 1: Glossary

• alien benefit. See rule section Alien Benefits.
• alien outpost. Area where an alien race is located on New Catan. On the game board it has the form of a double-hex that includes a picture of the alien race in question.
• alien intersection. See rule section Alien Benefits.
• benefit. See alien benefit.
• benefit token. A token that is placed on the alien outpost. It lists an alien benefit that applies to the alien intersection beneath it.
• border. A hex has six borders. A road must be located at a border.
• boundary. The Settlers' area of the game has six boundaries. Each of these boundaries is occupied by an alien outpost or a frontier area.
• building. A settlement or city.
• distance rule. A rule stating that a settlement can only be built at an intersection if neither the same intersection nor any of the adjacent intersections are occupied by buildings.
• double movement rule. See rule section Infiltrator (and Robber).
• double-hex. A component comprising two hexes, such as an alien outpost or a frontier area. Double-hexes are located at the boundaries of the settlers' area.
• frontier area. An area that is largely unknown and unexplored. In the game it has the form of a double-hex.

Appendix 2: General Rules for Alien Benefits

The following rules apply when an alien benefit is used unless otherwise stated:

1. All normal rules and requirements apply (e.g. the distance rule).
2. A benefit can only be used if and when all conditions are met (e.g. payment of resources).
3. The rules and limitations for a benefit apply to each player using it.
4. A player may retain, through the end of the game, any permanent advantages that he has gained from previous uses of a benefit (e.g. a free road) regardless whether or not he has access to the benefit.
5. Different benefits may be used in combination.
6. A benefit is used by a player on his own turn in the trading-and-building phase.
7. A benefit can be used for an unlimited number of times.
8. A reference to any resource (or the like) implies any resource of the player's own choice.
9. When a player gains/ regains access to a benefit he cannot use it until the present turn has expired.
10. When a player loses access to a benefit (e.g. if it is blocked) his ability to use it ceases immediately.
11. If the condition for a player's access to an alien benefit (e.g. a settlement at an intersection) ceases to exist, the player loses access to the benefit.

Appendix 3: Alien Benefits

Round-based benefit (marked r below): its use is not limited to your own turn.

The Green Folk

• Wood +1 (r). Each time that you produce one or more wood resources you may take one additional wood resource.
• Sheep +1 (r). Each time that you produce one or more sheep resources you may take one additional sheep resource.
• Grain +1 (r). Each time that you produce one or more grain resources you may take one additional grain resource.
• Brick +1 (r). Each time that you produce one or more brick resources you may take one additional brick resource.
• Ore +1 (r). Each time that you produce one or more ore resources you may take one additional ore resource.

The Merchants

• Wood 2:1. You may trade two wood resources for one resource of any type.
• Sheep 2:1. You may trade two sheep resources for one resource of any type.
• Grain 2:1. You may trade two grain resources for one resource of any type.
• Brick 2:1. You may trade two brick resources for one resource of any type.
• Ore 2:1. You may trade two ore resources for one resource of any type.

The Scientists

• Free Roads. You may build every second road for one brick (= administration fee).
  • Note: Before building a new road, count your roads on the board. If the amount is odd, Free roads applies to the new road.
• Free Development. You may buy every second development card for one ore (administration fee).
  • Note: Before buying a new card, count your cards, used and unused. If the amount is odd, Free Development applies to the new card.
• Free Settlements. You may build free settlements for one grain each (administration fee). A free settlement has no Victory Point and can give no alien benefit. It can't upgrade to a city.
  • Notes: You must use a normal settlement unit from your supply (place it on its side). It cannot be built with Short Distance. You may convert it to a normal settlement for the cost of a settlement, unless the infiltrator is blocking the same intersection. A free settlement on the board retains all of its functions/effects also when this alien benefit is inaccessible to you. Unless otherwise stated, no reference in the rules to a settlement or building applies to a free settlement and it functions as a settlement only in these respects: (1) Production (2) Conditions for placement anywhere on the board (3) Enforcing the distance rule for other buildings (4) Preventing opponents from building through it (5) Breaking up an opponent's Longest Road (6) Making an alien intersection occupied.
• Short Distance. Once per turn you may build a settlement only one intersection away from one or more other buildings if paying any one additional resource.
  • Notes: You cannot use Short Distance to build a settlement at a hex or alien outpost that is already occupied by three (or more) buildings. No player may build a city at short distance from any other of his own cities.

The Diplomats

• Immunity (r). On any production roll of '7', you are only required to pay tribute if you have more than eleven resources on your hand. Also, when the robber is moved (for any reason), no resource can be taken from you as a result.
  • Notes: After movement, you may not take a resource from a player as a result. The Double Movement Rule (see section Infiltrator in the rules) does not apply when this benefit is used.
• A Helping Hand. Once per turn you may take one resource at random from up to two opponents that have more Victory Points than you.
• Relief Fund (r). Each time (except for on a roll of '7') that you do not produce any resources, you may take any one resource if paying any one resource.
• Points for Sale. You may buy special Victory Points for four sheep each. You may also (once) buy two Victory Points for six sheep.
  • Notes: After each purchase you must take one of the four Victory Point cards of The Diplomats and place it face up before you. If the four cards have already been taken, you cannot buy any additional points. The special Victory Points are included in your total amount also when this alien benefit is inaccessible to you.
• Persuasion. Once per turn you may force any one opponent that was not forced on your previous turn, to trade resources with you 1:1 once with resource types that you specify. If he can't comply, you may ask the same opponent one more time for another trade.