Elasund: The First City Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• The Components
• Game Set-Up
  • Determine the Building Area
  • Take Your Playing Pieces
  • City Walls
  • Round Disk
  • Place Starting Building Tiles
  • Church Tiles
  • Place the Neutral Buildings
• Game Overview
• The Sequence of Play
  • 1) Roll the Dice and Collect Cards
  • 2) Build 1 or 2 Buildings
    • Build Your Own or a Neutral Building
    • Building a City Wall
    • Building the Church
  • 3) Place 1 Building Permit or Take 2 Gold
    • Placing a Building Permit in the Row of Your Choice
  • 4) Take One Special Action
• The End of the Game
• Rules Details
  • Rolling a "7"
  • The Trade Fields
  • The Workers' Huts
  • Running Out of Cards
• Tips for New Players
• Credits
  • Candamir: The First Settlers®

The Components

• 1 Game Rules Booklet
• 1 Game Board
• 44 Wooden Pieces:
  • 40 Victory Point Cubes
  • 4 round disks in 4 colors
• 2 Dice
• 1 Trade Ship
• 9 Church Tiles
• 36 City Wall Tiles, 9 per color
• 37 Buildings:
  • 16 buildings in the player colors
  • 21 neutral buildings
• 90 Game Cards:
  • 51 Gold Cards
  • 39 Influence Cards
• 2 City Gates
• 4 Turn Overview Cards in 4 player colors
• 20 Building Permits in 4 colors

Game Set-Up

The game board shows the site of the future city of Elasund. Most of the board is an empty area, available for building. This area is surrounded on three sides by the city wall building spaces, and on the fourth side by the sea. In the middle there is a site where the city church will be constructed.

Determine the Building Area

The size of Elasund's building area depends on the number of players in the game. Before the game begins, you will mark the available area with the two City Gate tiles. In a two-player game, place the two City Gates on the City Wall building spaces marked "2" (white arrow). In a three-player game place them on the spaces marked "3" (grey arrow), and in a four-player game on the building space marked "4" (black arrow). Position the City Gates so that the blue arrows point towards the sea.

Take Your Playing Pieces

Choose a color and take the matching pieces in your color:

• 10 Victory Point Cubes
• 5 Building Permits
• 4 Buildings (Workers and Shopkeepers)
• 1 Turn Overview Card

City Walls

Place your 9 City Wall Tiles in a stack. Place the tile with the number "9" printed on the back at the bottom, with the other tiles stacked on top of it in descending order of numbers (8-1).

Round Disk

Take the round disk in your color and place it on the "0" space of the Trade Point track on the left side of the game board.

Place Starting Building Tiles

You begin the game with two "starter" buildings. Two of your building tiles show a small colored totem sculpture. Place your starter buildings on the spaces on the board that are marked in your color.

The arrow on each tile must point towards the compass ("North") marked on the game board.

Church Tiles

Shuffle the 9 purple Church Tiles and place them face down in a stack next to the illustration of the church.

Place the Neutral Buildings

Sort the neutral buildings by type and place them in stacks next to the game board.

Hint: You may find it easier if you align the buildings so all the arrows point "North."

Note: The big buildings "Town Hall," "Count's Estate" and "Trade Office" have different illustrations; but they can be placed in one stack, for they all have the same function.

Shuffle the Influence Cards and place them face down in a stack next to the game board.

Place the Gold Cards face up next to the Influence Card stack.

Take 3 Gold and 1 Influence card for your starting capital. Hold your cards in your hand, concealing them from the other players.

Place the Trade Ship and the dice next to the game board.

Game Overview

You will work with the other players to build the city of Elasund. As a developer, you will try to fit as many of your buildings into the open areas of the city as possible.

The available space is determined by the number of players, and is marked with the City Gates. (A 3-player game is shown here.)

In order to build a building, you must pay the required amount of gold. You also need to have the right number of Building Permits (1, 2, or 3 depending on the size of the building).

The red framed area shows a red and a yellow Building Permit. The red player has the higher value permit and may build a building that covers 4 squares. In this case the yellow building tile with the yellow huts would need to be removed, since a larger building can be built over a smaller one.

Most buildings generate income. At the beginning of each turn, you roll the dice and move the Trade Ship to the row that matches the number you rolled. Each building that is at least partially in that row may produce a Gold or Influence Card, depending on the type of building.

You have four buildings with roofs that match your color. Only you can build these buildings. In addition, there are a number of "neutral" buildings that all players can build. When you build a neutral building, make sure you mark it with your Victory Point Cube.

You can use Influence Cards to place additional Building Permits, move your Building Permits, or even remove a building that is the same size as one you are building.

You can earn an Influence Card by building part of the City Wall. Some City Wall Tiles let you build a tower, which is worth a victory point.

Some spaces are marked with 1 or 2 windmills. These spaces are called Trade Fields, and if you build here you will earn 1 or 2 Trade Points. Trade Points allow you to move your disk up the Trade Point track. Each Trade Point moves your disk one space on the track.

When your disk reaches a space next to an empty flag space (spaces 3, 5, 7, 9, or 11), you may place a Victory Point Cube.

If you are the first player to place all 10 of your Victory Point Cubes on the board, you are the winner!

The Sequence of Play

Each player rolls the dice. The highest roller starts the game.

Your turn is divided into four phases, which you must follow in order:

1. Roll the dice and all players collect cards.
2. Build up to 2 buildings.
3. Place 1 Building Permit or take 2 gold.
4. Take 1 special action.

After you complete all 4 phases, the player to your left begins his turn.

1) Roll the Dice and Collect Cards

You begin your turn by rolling both dice and adding them together. Place the Trade Ship on the sea space with the number matching your total roll. The ship marks one row of the city.

The Trade Ship must always move after rolling the dice. If the total on the dice shows the same number as the space the ship is already on, you instead move the ship exactly 2 spaces up or down the board.

Each player now has a chance to produce Gold and/or Influence Cards. Check each building at least partially in the row marked by the Trade Ship. Any building that has a gold icon showing produces 1 Gold Card for that building's owner. Any building that has an influence icon produces 1 Influence Card for its owner.

If you roll a "7" the Trade Ship is instead treated as a pirate ship! Look under "Rolling a '7'" to see how pirates affect the game.

Example: The ship is on the space marked "3." The red player rolls the dice and the total is 3. So, he must move the ship 2 spaces to the row marked "5." All buildings in that row have a chance to produce. Red has 2 buildings in that row, so he takes 1 Gold Card and 1 Influence Card. Blue gets an Influence Card for her building, and green and yellow each receive 1 Gold Card.

2) Build 1 or 2 Buildings

After Gold Cards and Influence Cards are collected, you may build up to 2 items. There are 3 things you can build:

• Building (your own or a neutral building)
• City Wall Tile
• Church Tile

You may also construct 2 different building projects on the same turn (e.g., 1 City Wall Tile and 1 Church Tile).

Build Your Own or a Neutral Building

a) In Order to Build a Building, You Will Need a Number of Building Permits.

The size of the building determines how many spaces it will cover. Buildings will cover 1, 2, 4, or 6 squares. If you want to build, you must first point out which spaces you will build on.

Note: The location of the Trade Ship does not affect building. You may build wherever you have Building Permits.

b) Building

In order to place a building, you will need to pay the building costs. You must turn in to the bank the number of Gold Cards shown in the bottom right corner of the building tile you want to play.

Then, remove all the Building Permits in the area where you will build. Place your own permits back in your supply, and return any other permits back to their owners (see below). The area you build on must include the spaces that you removed the permits from. This area must include at least the number of permits shown on the building tile.

Place the building tile on the game board, with the arrow on the tile pointing "North" (towards the compass on the board).

If you build a neutral building, there will be 1 or 2 victory point spaces on the upper left side (with red flags). Place one of your Victory Point Cubes on each flag shown.

Note: You may only place buildings inside the City Walls. You may never build over the Church building site or any of the City Wall building spaces.

Example: The red player can place a tavern in the area shown, since there are 2 Building Permits in that area.

c) You May Use Other Players' Building Permits

You do not have to supply all of the Building Permits required to build a building. You may also use the permits that belong to the other players. The player who has the highest total value of Building Permits in a given area has the right to build there. Add the numbers on the Building Permits to find the total value.

In case of a tie, no player may build in that area.

If you build over a space with another player's Building Permit, you must return that permit to them. In addition, you must compensate that player. Pay him Gold Cards equal to the number shown on the permit. If you do not have enough gold to compensate the other players, you may not place the building.

Example: A "4" Building Permit has a higher total value than 3 permits with the numbers "0," "1" and "2." You would have to compensate the owners of those permits in order to use them, however.

d) Larger Buildings Can be Built Over Smaller Ones

When you place a building, it may displace smaller buildings. Any smaller building that is partially or completely covered by the new building is removed from the board.

If the removed building belongs to another player, it is returned to its owner. If it is a neutral building, it is placed with the other neutral buildings and any Victory Point Cubes are returned to their owners.

If a starter building is removed in this way, the owner may be able to rebuild it immediately for free (see "The Workers' Huts" below).

e) Building Over Buildings of the Same Size

You can also build over buildings that are the same size as your new building. First, you must discard 3 matching Influence Cards (i.e., 3 blue, 3 green, or 3 red cards).

Example: The yellow player has the highest numbered Building Permit here. After she compensates red 1 gold for using his permit, she builds a tavern in the marked area. In order to build over the two buildings owned by red and blue, she must play 3 matching Influence Cards. Red and Blue must return their buildings to the supply, and take back their Victory Point Cubes.

Example: The red player has the highest total value of Building Permits in this area. This majority of permit values gives him the right to build a trade office here. He first compensates the yellow and blue players 2 Gold Cards each, then pays 5 gold to the bank. All players take their Building Permits from that area. Now, red positions the building. The yellow player's building is built over, removed, and returned to her supply.

Building a City Wall

When you decide to build a City Wall Tile, take the top tile of your City Wall stack and place it next to one side of either City Gate or next to an already placed City Wall Tile. When building in the direction of the blue arrow, the building cost for a City Wall Tile is 2 gold. If you build along the red arrow, the cost to build a City Wall Tile is 4 gold.

If you build a City Wall Tile that shows 1 or 2 Influence Cards, draw the number of cards shown from the deck.

When you build a City Wall Tile that shows a square, colored tower, place one of your Victory Point Cubes on the tower.

Example: The yellow player pays 2 gold to build a City Wall Tile and receives an Influence Card. She builds a second City Wall Tile, by paying 4 gold and places a Victory Point Cube on the tower.

Building the Church

The church is made up of 9 pieces. If you choose to build part of the Church, you must pay 7 gold to the bank. Then, draw the top tile from the Church Tile stack and place it on the board.

The first player to build a Church Tile has an advantage: he draws the two top Church Tiles from the stack, chooses one to play, and puts the other one on the bottom of the stack without revealing it to the other players. The first Church Tile played is always played on the church foundation square, with the arrow pointing towards the compass.

The first Church Tile will also determine the 9 spaces that the finished church will fill. All other Church Tiles, when built, must be placed in the correct position with the arrow pointing "North." The illustration of the church in the upper left corner of the game board will help determine where each Church Tile should be played.

If a newly placed Church Tile lands on a Building Permit, the permit is returned to its owner without compensation. If a Church Tile lands on a square that is occupied by another building, that building—regardless of its size—is removed. You may continue to place permits and buildings on empty spaces in between Church Tiles already placed (even though this may not always be a wise move due to the high risk of other Church Tiles being played).

Important: Church Tiles can never be built over or displaced!

Example: The yellow player places the first Church Tile on the church foundation square and marks the tile with a Victory Point Cube. This Church Tile determines the overall building area (red frame) for the completed church.

The red player builds the second Church Tile, which leads to the removal of the tavern building owned by blue. Blue places the tavern back in the supply and retrieves his Victory Point Cube.

3) Place 1 Building Permit or Take 2 Gold

You may either take 2 Gold Cards from the bank, or you may place 1 of your Building Permits. If you choose to place a permit, you may put it in any empty space in the row marked with the Trade Ship. When you place a permit, you must pay the bank Gold Cards equal to the number shown on the Building Permit.

Example: The red player places a permit with the value "2." He pays 2 gold to the bank and places the permit on one of the three unoccupied squares in the row that is marked with the Trade Ship.

If there are no empty squares left in the row where the ship is, you may instead place a permit in an empty space in either adjacent row (above or below). If those rows are also full, you may only place a permit if you pay Influence Cards (see below).

Placing a Building Permit in the Row of Your Choice

If you pay 2 matching Influence Cards (i.e., 2 blue, 2 green, or 2 red cards), you may instead place a permit in the row of your choice.

4) Take One Special Action

At the end of your turn, you may choose to take 1 of 4 possible special actions. You are never forced to take a special action, but you must pay Influence Cards in order to do so (and possibly pay some gold as well). You may not take a special action if you cannot pay the costs.

a) Move Your Own Building Permit

You may move one of your permits that is already on the board to any empty space on the game board.

Cost: 2 matching Influence Cards.

b) Upgrade Your Own Building Permit

You may replace one of your permits that is already on the board with a higher value permit from your supply.

Take the old permit back to your supply, and place the new one on the same space.

Cost: 2 Influence Cards of the same color and gold equal to the difference between the value of the permits.

c) Place a Building Permit on an Empty Space of Your Choice

You may place a Building Permit from your supply onto any empty square in the row of your choice. The location of the Trade Ship does not affect this play.

Cost: 1 Influence Card of each color (1 green, 1 blue, and 1 red) and gold equal to the value of the permit.

d) Take 2 Gold Cards

You may draw 2 Gold Cards from the gold supply.

Cost: 1 Influence Card of each color (1 green, 1 blue, and 1 red).

The End of the Game

If it is your turn and you have all 10 of your Victory Point Cubes on the board, the game ends and you are the winner!

Rules Details

Rolling a "7"

When you roll a "7" you move the Trade Ship to the row of your choice (it may not be left on the same row where it was before you rolled the dice). For this turn, the ship represents the pirates!

There is no income generated in that row. Instead, each player (including the player who moved the ship) must discard either an Influence or Gold Card for each of his Victory Point Cubes in that row.

If you do not have enough cards to pay the full amount, you just discard all the cards you have, or lose nothing if you have no cards.

When you move the pirate, you may be able to claim a reward! You may draw 1 random card from the cards discarded for each City Wall Tower you own (i.e., the City Wall Tiles with your Victory Point Cubes on them).

After the pirates attack, you may continue the rest of your turn as normal (e.g., you can build buildings, place a permit in the row marked with the pirate ship as described above, etc.).

Example: The green player rolls a "7" and chooses to move the pirate to row 5. The red player has 3 Victory Point Cubes in the row, so he must discard 3 cards. Blue also has a Victory Point Cube in this row, so she must discard 1 card.

The Trade Fields

The spaces next to the sea—and in a 3 or 4 player game the spaces near the City Gates—are marked with windmills. These are called "Trade Fields."

If you place a building on a Trade Field, you will earn 1 (if it is along the harbor) or 2 (if near the City Gates) Trade Points. Trade Points are recorded on the Trade Track with your round disk.

Note: You do not earn any Trade Points from Church Tiles you build on Trade Fields!

If your disk reaches (or passes) a space with victory point symbols (3, 5, 7, 9, or 11 Trade Points), you place one of your Victory Point Cubes on one of the red flags next to that space on the track.

But, if you lose a building on a Trade Field, you must move your disk down the Trade Point Track. If your disk moves below one of the victory point spaces, then you also lose the victory point (return your cube to your supply)!

Example: The red player has 5 Trade Points and can place 2 Victory Point Cubes. The blue player displaces a red building. Red loses a Trade Point and must remove his Victory Point Cube. Blue gains 2 Trade Points and may place 1 Victory Point Cube.

The Workers' Huts

…are shown on both of your starter buildings (with the totem sculpture). If one of your starter buildings is displaced by a bigger building, you may immediately place it on any empty space of your choice.

But… you may never place your starter buildings on Trade Fields or on other players' Building Permits. If there are no empty spaces, you may not rebuild your starter building and it is removed from the game.

If two players both have their starter buildings built over at the same time, they rebuild them in turn order. If you build over your own starter building, you may rebuild yours first; then the other players (if any) may rebuild their displaced starter buildings in clockwise order.

You may only continue your turn after all displaced starter buildings have been rebuilt.

Running Out of Cards

It is possible that the bank will run out of cards. If there are not enough cards in the bank to pay the full production for the turn, then no one receives any of that type of card that turn.

In addition, if there are not enough Influence Cards to pay the production, all players must discard half of their Influence Cards (rounded down). These discards are reshuffled and create a new Influence Card deck.

The same process is used if there are not enough Gold Cards in the bank to pay all the production.

Tips for New Players

• Early in the game, it is valuable to place buildings in as many different rows as you can (especially rows close to the middle of the board), in order to have the greatest chance to produce gold and influence.
• Your buildings ("Shopkeepers") only need 1 or 2 gold to build. You should try to build these first, even though they might be built over later in the game. This will get you more income quickly.
• It is usually best to build the large 6-space buildings when you have a safe revenue stream, since they do not produce gold or influence.
• Always try to have Influence Cards on hand so you can react to attacks from the other players. They also allow you to place a second Building Permit at just the right moment.
• If you can be the first player to build a Church Tile you have a significant advantage. You have an impact on the final building spaces of the church and you also know the identity of the last Church Tile.

Credits

Game Design: Klaus Teuber, www.klausteuber.de Licensor: Catan GmbH, www.catan.com Artwork: Tanja Donner Graphics: Fine Tuning Development: TM-Spiele

Copyright © 2005 Catan GmbH. Elasund, Catan, Catan Adventures, and The Settlers of Catan are trademarks of Catan GmbH. All rights reserved. MADE IN GERMANY

Published by MAYFAIR GAMES, INC., Skokie, IL USA. Web: www.mayfairgames.com

English Language Translation: Guido Teuber, William Niebling.

English Rules Development: Guido Teuber, William Niebling, S. Coleman Charlton, Robert Carty, Will Niebling, Alex Yeager, Karl Roelofs, and Pete Fenlon.

English Production: Pete Fenlon.

Special Thanks: The designer would like to thank Benjamin, Claudia and Guido Teuber, Emily Johnson-Teuber, Liam Teuber, Arnd Beenen, Reiner Müller, Wolfgang Lüdtke, Fritz Gruber, Peter Neugebauer, Sebastian Rapp and Martha Igelspacher. The designer and publishers also thank Peter Gustav Bartschat, Petra and Oliver Sack, and Marc Ehrich.

"Elasund: The First City" is the second offering in the "Catan Adventures" game series. The setting and themes are based on the vision of Klaus Teuber and the novel "The Settlers of Catan," written by Rebecca Gablé and set in a time and place familiar to the Atlantic adventurers of the year 850. Look for an English-language translation of this splendid tale in your local bookshop soon.

"Elasund" is the name of a small village on the Norwegian coast in Rebecca Gable's novel "The Settlers of Catan." The Catanians set sail to their new homeland from that village. I am very grateful to Mrs. Gable for permitting me to use the "Elasund" name for this game. — Klaus Teuber, July 2005

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