Die Siedler von Catan: Die große Karawane
Die Siedler von Catan: Die große Karawane Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 1 punch-out board with an oasis hex and 22 caravan arrows.
Setup
- The oasis hex replaces the desert.
- The three caravan arrows shown determine the starting points of three caravan routes.
- The oasis hex is laid in exactly the middle of the island. The orientation of the caravan arrows on the oasis is arbitrary.
- The caravan arrows are set aside ready to use.
Gameplay
Play follows the rules of The Settlers of Catan. The following additional rules apply.
After the founding phase, if in his turn a player founds one or more settlements or upgrades one or more settlements to cities, then, once his turn has ended, exactly one caravan arrow is laid, after a voting round (see below).
Laying a Caravan Arrow
Starting from the oasis, three independent caravan routes arise over the course of the game.
A caravan arrow is always laid next to a road (the edge shared by two adjoining terrain hexes). The end of an arrow must always be placed at the intersection toward which the tip of the most recently laid arrow points. A branch of a caravan route is therefore not possible.
Arrows may also be laid next to roads on which a road has already been built. Conversely, a road may be built on a road next to which a caravan arrow lies. However, a caravan arrow may not be laid next to a road next to which an arrow has already been placed.
The first arrow of a caravan route is placed with its end at one of the three intersections toward which a caravan arrow of the oasis points (see Example 1 on page 2).
Important: for the first arrow of each of the three routes, it may not be laid next to a road that borders the oasis.
Once the first arrow of a route has been laid, all subsequent arrows of that route have either one or two directions in which they can be laid (see Example 2 on page 2). In total there are therefore up to 6 possible positions for laying a caravan arrow. The players vote together on which position the caravan arrow should be laid in.
Voting Round
Beginning with the player whose turn it was and who built a settlement or city, all players in clockwise order openly lay down one or more wool or grain cards. Only the players who have laid at least one card now negotiate with one another about the position in which the caravan arrow should be laid. Each player has as many votes as he has played cards. If one player alone has more votes than all other players combined, he decides alone. If 2 or more players hold a majority of the votes and have agreed on a position of the caravan arrow, they lay it accordingly.
If there is a tie, or no agreement is reached, the player who alone laid the most cards decides. If there is no such player, the player whose turn it was decides how the arrow is laid. He may, and must, do so even if he has not laid any card.
Afterwards, all players return their played wool and grain cards (back to the supply stack).
Important: each player has only one opportunity to lay cards. Laying further cards later is not permitted.
End of a Caravan Route
If a caravan route ends in a dead end (there is no possibility of laying a further arrow), that caravan route ends. If the supply of caravan arrows is used up, all 3 routes end. It is also possible and permitted for two caravan routes to grow together into one.
The Longest Trade Road
A road that runs parallel to a caravan arrow counts as 2 roads. A Longest Trade Road therefore already counts as such when fewer than 5 roads have been built, but together with the roads counting double a value of "5" is reached.
Upgrading Cities and Settlements
Settlements or cities that lie between 2 caravan arrows count one extra victory point.
Game End
The game ends when a player whose turn it is has more than 12 victory points.
Examples
Example 1: The first arrow of a caravan route may not be laid along an edge of the oasis. For the first caravan arrow there are therefore only 3 possible positions (arrows with a red outline).
Example 2: After the first arrow (A) has been laid, there are 4 possible positions for the second arrow.
Example 3: Later in the game, 3 longer trade routes have arisen. One settlement of player "White" and 2 settlements of player "Blue" each count one extra victory point. In addition, 3 roads of player "Blue" and 2 roads of player "White" each count double. There are currently 6 positions for laying a caravan arrow.