Catan

Randomly arrange the 19 terrain hexes and surround them with ocean/port tiles.

Place numbered tokens (2–12) on the terrain hexes, following the lettering guide.

Each player places 2 settlements and 2 roads on the board, alternating turns.

Collect starting resources: each settlement earns the resources of its adjacent hexes.

Shuffle the Development Card deck and place it face-down. Give each player a Reference Card.

Roll both dice. All players collect resources for each settlement/city adjacent to hexes matching the number rolled.

Offer trades with other players (domestic trade) or use ports and bank trades (maritime trade at 4:1 or better with ports).

Spend resources to build roads (Brick+Lumber), settlements (Brick+Lumber+Grain+Wool), cities (3 Ore+2 Grain), or buy Development Cards (Ore+Grain+Wool).

Rolling a 7 activates the Robber: you must move it to a hex, blocking resource production there. Steal 1 card from an adjacent player. Players with 8+ cards must discard half.

Prioritize high-probability numbers (6 and 8) early for consistent income.

Balance your resource production — you need all five types to build effectively.

Build toward ports early to improve your trade ratios.

Block opponents from expanding by placing roads strategically.

The Longest Road (5+ roads, 2 VP) and Largest Army (3+ knights, 2 VP) are pivotal swings.

Roll a 7 = move the Robber, steal a resource, and players with 8+ cards must discard half.

The player with the longest continuous road of 5+ segments earns 2 VP. It can be stolen by a longer road.

Play 3+ Knight cards to claim the Largest Army card (2 VP). Can be stolen with more Knights.

Replace a settlement with a city to produce 2 resources instead of 1 on matching rolls.

Build near a 3:1 or 2:1 port to trade resources at better-than-bank rates with other players.

Draw secretly: Knights, Victory Points, or progress cards (Road Building, Year of Plenty, Monopoly). Play one per turn.