Very thorough Settlers of Catan strategy guide?
Can someone link me to one? I did a quick google search and all I found on the first three pages were very basic overviews like what the ore/grain strategy was, the chance of rolling each number, etc.
Specifically, I’m looking for guides with example board setups and reasoning for settlement placement choices.
Thanks!
Uh, poker hands are different every time, and yet there are tons and tons and tons of books about poker.
Settlers of Catan obviously has a smaller group of followers, but surely there are guides to any game of chance.
One guide I read argued that Catan is much more about numbers than actual resource composition – you want to get a good spread (so for Bank Routing Number Adams County National Bank example towns adjacent to 4,5,6,8,9,10 instead of 4,4,6,6,9,9).
I’d try http://www.gamefaqs.com and look in the Xbox 360 section, since there is an electronic version of SoC now.
SoC isn’t popular enough to have many in-dept analysis though, at least in English.
I have played over 50+ games and do have some basic tips if you want them.
1. A more through spread of numbers is a good idea, as long as you avoid things like 2, 3, 11,and 12. If you focus on a narrow band of numbers, you are less likely to get resources.
2. Always try to have the ability to generate wood or brick on your own. In the early game these are the most important resource.
3. Don’t neglect the development cards. While there are only three straight out victory points in the deck, there are other cards. Solders are worth 2 points if you have the most, and the other action cards have powerful effects. In one game I was playing brick was a rare resource because it was all on the same, low rolling, number. When a jackpot occurred and brick was rolled, the player who didn’t get brick played monopoly and stole it all! (And almost got himself lynched.)
4. Want to make the other players paranoid? Keep a unrevealed development card. Most of the people equate an unused card as a victory point card that you haven’t played yet. If it is a victory point card, don’t draw attention to it, and maybe you can sneak in a victory.
5. Ports are nice, if you can caputure the port of a resouce you make a lot of, then you’ll do well. Barring that, a 3-for-1 port is better than nothing. Initlal placement on a port is not a good idea, since it only generates two resources, but a settlement nearby is a good idea.
6. Have someone with a dominant control of a specific resource? Try to prevent them from reaching thier port, that way they have to trade for the resources they do not have.
You will not find one since the board changes every time. Since dice are involved it brings random chance into the game. Basically try to produce resoures that others need and trade big for them.