How to play
Settle an island, collect resources, trade, and build. The first player to reach 10 victory points on their own turn wins.
The island
Each land tile produces one resource. Every tile has a number token from 2 to 12; when that number is rolled, the tile produces.
- Forest give lumber
- Hills give brick
- Pasture give wool
- Fields give grain
- Mountains give ore
The desert produces nothing. The dots under each number show how likely it is: 6 and 8 come up most, 2 and 12 least.
Setup
Everyone places two settlements, each with a road beside it: first in turn order, then in reverse. Settlements go on corners where tiles meet, and no settlement may be next to another one. Your second settlement gives you one card from each land it touches.
Your turn
- Roll the dice. Every settlement touching a tile with the rolled number collects one of its resource; a city collects two. Everyone collects, not just you.
- Trade. Offer cards to other players, or trade with the bank: 4 of one resource for 1 of another, or better at a harbour (3:1 for any resource, 2:1 for the one shown) once you have a settlement on it.
- Build, as much as you can afford, then end your turn.
What things cost
- Road
- Settlement · 1 point
- City · 2 points
- Development card
Roads connect to your own roads and buildings. New settlements must touch one of your roads and be at least two corners from any other settlement. A city upgrades one of your settlements and doubles what it collects.
Rolling a 7 and the robber
Nothing produces on a 7. Anyone holding more than 7 cards discards half (rounded down). Then the player who rolled moves the robber to any land tile and takes a random card from a player with a building there. The robber stops that tile producing until it moves again.
Development cards
- Raider: Move the robber and steal a card. Counts toward Largest Army.
- Surveyors: Place 2 roads for free.
- Supply Drop: Take any 2 resources from the bank.
- Market Sweep: Name a resource; everyone gives you all of theirs.
- Victory Point: Worth 1 VP. Hidden from other players.
You can play one development card per turn, but not on the turn you bought it.
Points
- Settlement: 1 · City: 2
- Longest Road: 2 points for the first unbroken road of 5 or more segments; it moves to anyone who builds a longer one.
- Largest Army: 2 points for the first to play 3 knights; it moves to anyone who plays more.
- Victory point cards: 1 each, kept hidden until the end.