Product Information
Catan: Explorers & Pirates is the fourth major expansion for The Settlers of Catan, following Seafarers, Cities & Knights, and Traders & Barbarians. It comes with five exciting scenarios and three engaging missions. Some scenarios use the missions, while others don't.
This expansion differs from the base game in three key ways. First, there are three islands instead of one. At the start, only one island's landscape is known. Players begin on this island, build ships, and bring settlers to explore new lands. When a ship lands on unexplored territory, a hex is revealed, a number chip is placed, and the player gets a resource as a reward (if the hex produces resources). The number of unknown tiles ranges from 16 to 32, depending on the scenario. A settler and ship can be turned into a port settlement, allowing for more exploration.
Second, instead of cities, players can build port settlements for two corn and two ore. A port settlement provides one resource when the adjacent number is rolled at the turn's start. Like cities, port settlements are worth two victory points (VPs), and the VPs needed to win vary by scenario.
Third, if a player gets no resources during the production roll (except on a 7), they get one gold as compensation. Two gold can be traded with the bank for a chosen resource. Gold also helps you escape pirates.
The five scenarios in Catan: Explorers & Pirates are:
- Land Ho! Explore Catan's seas, discover two new islands, and expand your settlements. Use ships to move settlers between islands and colonize far - off lands. (Introductory scenario)
- Pirate Lairs! Pirates roam the seas with your trading vessels. Pay them tribute or drive them away, then capture their lairs for gold and VPs! (One mission scenario)
- Fish for Catan! The people of Catan need food, so go fishing in the ocean. Find fish shoals first. The Council of Catan rewards players with VPs for bringing back fish and capturing pirate lairs. Watch out for pirates who may demand gold and get to the fish before you! (Two mission scenario)
- Spices for Catan! The Council wants you to find fish and spices for the people of Catan. They reward hard - working merchant captains with VPs. Make friends with the Spice Islands' inhabitants to get spices and learn sailing or pirate - fighting techniques! (Two mission scenario)
- Explorers and Pirates! This long and challenging scenario combines elements from all previous scenarios. Explore new lands, capture pirate lairs, find fish, and befriend the spice isles' inhabitants! (Three mission scenario)
How to use: Start by setting up the game according to the chosen scenario. Place the known island on the board and keep the other islands' details hidden. Players start on the known island and use resources to build ships and settlers. Move the ships to explore new territories, revealing hexes and getting resources. Build port settlements instead of cities. Roll the dice at the start of each turn to get resources from port settlements. If you roll a number without getting resources (except 7), you get gold.
Note: Different scenarios have different rules for winning, so make sure to read the scenario instructions carefully. Watch out for pirates in scenarios where they appear. They can demand tribute or steal your resources.
Maintenance: Keep the game components in a dry and cool place to prevent damage. After each use, put all the pieces back in the box neatly to avoid losing any parts.
