Any new Settlers of Catan strategies other than the classic ore-grain or brick/wood tactics?

Question

Looking for some new helpful strategies for the board game Settlers of Catan. Anything for the 5-6 player expansion would be helpful as well.

Answer 1

When playing Settlers you should definitely use either the ore/grain or brick/wood strategy. While using one of these two overall strategies,though, there are a bunch of smaller-scale ones you can use to help your chances of winning. For example, making the best of your initial settlement placement is key to victory. For a good guide on this, check out this site: http://www.settlersofcatan.net/settlers_of_catan_strategy_placement_1.html. After placing your first settlements you should first focus on expanding and building another settlement or a city.

Also, If you are not trying to win using the ore/grain strategy, you should remember it is better to stay away from development cards. The chances of getting anything useful are just so low, it is better to invest your resources elsewhere unless you really need to unload. However, if you are getting a lot of development cards, and end up with a Monopoly card, there is a tricky strategy you can use which will make people mad at you real quick. Before playing the monopoly card ask around for trades to feel out what resources people have. Then, play the monopoly card, asking for whatever resource other players have the most of, or you really need.

One more general piece of advice which will dramatically improve your game: when it is your turn and you really need to build something, look for every combination of cards which will give you what you need to build. This is accomplished most importantly by remembering which ports you have access to. For example, if you have a 3:1 port, 1 brick, 1 wheat, 2 sheep, and 2 stone and no one will trade stone for wood (which you need to buy that settlement you've been working on for the past 4 turns), then remember your 3:1 port. Try trading that extra sheep for a stone and convert the three stone to a wood. Or, you could even try trading the two stone for two sheep and trade the three extra sheep for a wood.

As far as the 5-6 player expansion goes, you should generally play the same as you were in the regular. Just remember that ports are less valuable now, since you get to use them less, and you don't need longest road or largest army as much as you did in the original version to win.

Answer 2

Catan Strategies

Answer 3

Settlers Of Catan Strategies