Base Game

• 5-6 Player Extension - See also: Special Building Phase - Which Resource Cards does the 5th and the 6th player receive at the beginning?

  While there is a recommended starting set-up for players who are new to the Base Game, in the Base Game extension this is not the case. Therefore, each player receives the resources that correspond to the starting settlement he placed last.

• Development Cards - Knight - When a Knight Card is played, do players with more than 7 Resource Cards also have to discard half of them?

  No. This only applies when a "7" is rolled.

• Development Cards in General - How many Development Cards may I buy on my turn?

  As many as you can pay for. You may play only 1 Development Card per turn, but not during the same turn you bought it.

• Development Cards in General - If I have bought a Development Card during the special building phase right before my turn, may I play this card on my turn?

  Yes.

• Development Cards in General - May I play Development Cards before rolling the dice?

  Yes. Note that you may play only 1 Development Card per turn: if you have played this card before rolling the dice, you are not allowed to play another one afterwards.

• Development Cards in General - Where do I place the Development Cards I played?

  Place your played Knight cards face up in front of you. Place your Invention, Monopoly, and Road Building cards on a discard pile to remove them from the game.

• Development Cards - Knights - See also: Largest Army - May I play a Knight Card before rolling the dice?

  Yes.

• Development Cards - Knights - See also: Largest Army - May I play a Knight Card if the robber doesn't occupy my terrain hex?

  Yes.

• Development Cards - Knights - See also: Largest Army - Where do I place a Knight Card after I have played it?

  You place it face down in front of you. You'd like to eventually have the Largest Army, wouldn't you?

• Development Cards - Progress - Monopoly - I played a Monopoly card. May I demand that my opponents reveal the cards in their hands, so I can check whether they have the requested resource type?

  No. In the game instructions it is assumed that players are honest.

• Development Cards - Progress - Monopoly - In order to find out which resources my opponents have, may I first offer them trades and then play my Monopoly card?

  Yes. However, players are not compelled to provide correct information on the resources they have.

• Development Cards - Progress - Road Building - If I play a Road Building card in a Base Game where the trade phase is separate from the build phase - is this considered as a building activity that ends my trade phase?

  No. You may play Development Cards at any time during your turn, also in the middle of your trade phase.

• Development Cards - Progress - Road Building - May I play a Road Building card during the special building phase?

  No. You may play Development Cards only on your own turn. The special building phase is not part of your turn.

• Development Cards - Victory Point - Does the restriction that only 1 Development Card may be revealed during one's turn also apply to Victory Point Cards?

  No. If, on your turn, you have reached the victory points (including your Victory Point Cards) required to win, you may reveal all your Victory Point Cards at once.

• End of the Game - Is there another special building phase at the end of the game?

  • No - if a player reaches the required number of victory points during his turn, the game ends as specified in the rules.
  • Yes - if the game ends at a point agreed upon by the players before or during the game, after which each player - beginning with the starting player - may take one more turn, that is, the game ends when player 5 or 6 has taken his turn.
    In this case, it is recommended to include another special building phase after player 5 or 6 has finished his turn, so that the players can use the resources they just have received. Otherwise, the last player to take a turn is at a disadvantage, because no one will trade with him any more. The order in which the players take their turns would have too much bearing on the outcome of the game, because during the last round the number of trades performed would diminish player by player - after all, why should a player who is no longer allowed to build keep on trading?
    This rule is also recommended for 3-4 player games, because otherwise the last player would hardly have an opportunity to trade. Therefore, in a 3-4 player game, a one-time final build phase for all other players would take place.

Base Game

• Game Set-Up - How do I position the harbor pieces of the third edition?

  Place the harbors adjacent to terrain hexes so that both harbor locations border on land.

• Gameplay - Do we always have to observe the rule that the oldest player places the first settlement?

  No. This rule is a guideline of how to proceed if you play the game for the first time. Experienced players will most likely choose some other way of determining the starting player.

• Gameplay - May I ally with another player against a third player?

  The rules do not prohibit it. However, common sense should tell you to play in such a way that your current opponents will also want to play with you tomorrow.

• Largest Army - (See also: Development Cards "Knight") - Do I have to hand over the Largest Army card and subtract the 2 victory points from my score if another player has more Knight Cards?

  Yes. That's how it's specified in the game rules.

• Largest Army - (See also: Development Cards "Knight") - Do my unplayed Knight Cards also count for claiming the Largest Army?

  No. A Knight Card that hasn't been revealed is like a lottery slip where you marked six winning numbers but then didn't submit it to enter the drawing: it's useless!

• Longest Road - Can a continuous road be circular?

  In principle, yes; but on Catan the circle is a hexagon. When counting the individual road pieces, it doesn't matter whether or not they are built in a more or less straight line - what matters is that they establish an uninterrupted connection between two intersections. This is why 6 road pieces connected in a hexagonal fashion still count as 6 road pieces.

• Longest Road - Do my own settlements interrupt my continuous road?

  No.

• Longest Road - How can I interrupt an opponent's Longest Road?

  By building a settlement on an intersection of the Longest Road. Needless to say that you must observe all building rules when doing this.

• Longest Road - How can I reconnect the pieces of my interrupted Longest Road?

  If your continuous road was interrupted by a settlement, you might be able to build a "bypass": a detour around one or more hexes.

• Longest Road - May I add individual road pieces to an interrupted (Longest) Road?

  Yes. You can add individual road pieces as long as you have a road, settlement or city to connect them to.

• Longest Road - What happens if a player builds a continuous road that has the same length as the road belonging to the owner of the Longest Road card?

  The card stays with its current owner.

• Longest Road - What happens if the Longest Road is interrupted?

  Here we have to distinguish between 3 cases:

  • If the player who up to this point had the Longest Road still meets the requirements for the Longest Road (either alone or together with another player), he keeps the card.
  • If another player now meets the requirements for the Longest Road, he receives the card.
  • If none of the players - or more than one player - meets the requirements for the Longest Road, none of the players receives the card.

• Longest Road - What is the Longest Road?

  The Longest Road is a continuous road connecting two intersections, which consists of at least 5 individual road pieces and is not interrupted by game pieces belonging to other players. It has more individual road pieces than any other connecting road of this type.

• Resource Cards - After the production roll, may I voluntarily take fewer resources or none at all?

  No.

• Resource Cards - Am I obligated to tell my opponents the number of Resource Cards in my hand?

  Yes.

Base Game

• Resource Cards - Do I always have to keep my Resource Cards face down?

  Yes.

• Resource Cards - In case not enough Resource Cards of a certain type are available, does a player get nothing even if he is the only one to receive this resource?

  No. In this case, he receives all available Resource Cards of this type.

• Resource Cards - In what order are the Resource Cards distributed if there are not enough cards of a certain type to supply all players?

  If it isn't sure whether there will be enough cards of a certain type for all players, first determine the total number of available cards of this type. If the number of cards of this type is indeed insufficient, then none of the players receives this resource on this turn.

  Please consider also this question:

  • In case not enough Resource Cards of a certain type are available, does a player get nothing even if he is the only one to receive this resource?

• Resource Cards - Is it possible to use more Resource Cards than the ones originally included in the box - for example, can the cards from the 6-player extension also be used in a 4-player game?

  Yes.

• Resource Cards - May I count the Resource Cards in the supply stacks during play?

  Yes, immediately after a production roll, before distributing the resources - but only if it isn't sure whether there will be enough cards for all players entitled to receive them.

  Please look at these questions:

  • In case not enough Resource Cards of a certain type are available, does a player get nothing even if he is the only one to receive this resource?
  • In what order are the Resource Cards distributed if there are not enough cards of a certain type to supply all players?

• Roads - How many roads may I build during my build phase?

  You may build as many roads as you can pay for.

• Roads - Is a chain of individual road pieces that goes all around a terrain hex a closed continuous road?

  Yes, because both sides of each individual road piece border on another road piece.

• Roads - May the roads I build "go through" other players' settlements and cities?

  No. If you build a new road, it must always connect to one of your own roads, settlements, or cities.

  
  In the situation depicted above, the blue player would not be connecting his road piece to his own road but to the red player's settlement, which the rule prohibits. Therefore, only the red player may continue to build behind the red settlement.

• Robber - Does the robber block the players from building roads, settlements, and cities?

  No.

• Robber - If a harbor hex is blocked by the robber, does it mean that the harbor is blocked too?

  No.

• Settlements and Cities - Can I build my first city only after I have built all my 5 settlements?

  No.

• Settlements and Cities - How can I reserve an empty intersection as a building site for myself, so that no other player is allowed to build there?

  It's not possible. Catan is not a cruise ship, where you reserve a deck chair by placing your towel on it.

• Settlements and Cities - If I pay 3 grain, 1 lumber, 1 brick, 1 wool, and 3 ore, can I immediately build a city on an empty intersection, even though I don't have another settlement in my supply?

  No.

• Settlements and Cities - May I build a settlement adjacent to an interrupted continuous road?

  Yes. You may do so as long as you have an own road adjacent to which you can build.

• Settlements and Cities - May I build a settlement at a harbor during the set-up phase?

  Yes. This is not contradicted by the rules.

Base Game

• Settlements and Cities - May I build a settlement on an intersection of my continuous road?

  Yes. Your own settlement does not interrupt your continuous road.

• Settlements and Cities - May I build a settlement on the coast if no harbor hex is located there? Because in that case it wouldn't be an intersection!

  Yes. According to Catan's building law, each point where three hexes meet is an intersection.

• Settlements and Cities - May I remove a settlement and build it again at a different location?

  No.

• Settlements and Cities - Over the course of the game, may I build further settlements and roads somewhere on the game board that don't connect to my already existing settlements and roads?

  No. This is only possible during the set-up phase. Afterwards, each settlement must connect to at least one of your own roads, and each road must connect to one of your own settlements/cities or roads.

• Settlements and Cities - What exactly does the "distance rule" say?

  It says that at any time during the game, each settlement and each city must be surrounded by three intersections that neither are occupied by one's own nor by another player's settlement or city.

• Settlements and Cities - When I remove a settlement from the game board after upgrading it to a city, may I later build this settlement again at a different location?

  Yes.

• Seven and Robber - After rolling a "7," can I still trade with another player or blackmail him before moving the robber?

  • Trading: No.
  • Blackmailing: Yes. On Catan, people are allowed to talk to each other at any time. Therefore, even if it is not their trade and build phase, all players are free to make offers for future bargains, and if they see fit, they may also blackmail and threaten other players. However, all this can only be put into action after the consequences of the dice roll are resolved. You can't perform trades to reduce the number of your resources to 7 or fewer before resolving the consequences of the "7."

• Seven and Robber - Do I have to place the robber on a different hex after a "7" was rolled, or may I briefly remove him from the hex he was occupying and then return him to the same hex?

  You must place the robber on a different hex.

• Seven and Robber - If I have discarded half of my cards and afterwards still own more than seven cards, do I have to discard half of them again?

  No.

• Seven and Robber - If I move the robber to the desert, do I draw a card from the owner of an adjacent settlement or city?

  If you move the robber to the desert because you rolled a "7" or played a Knight Card: yes.

  Traders & Barbarians features some other possibilities to move the robber to the desert. In this context, please note the different rules for this game.

• Seven and Robber - May I continue with my normal turn after having rolled a "7"?

  Yes.

• Seven and Robber - May I move the robber to the desert?

  Yes.

• Seven and Robber - May I move the robber twice during my turn - the first time by rolling a "7" and the second time by playing a Knight Card?

  Yes. Playing a Development Card is independent from the dice roll result.

• Seven and Robber - May I show my hand of cards to the player who is moving the robber, to let him know that placing the robber next to me wouldn't be worth it?

  No.

• Seven and Robber - May I voluntarily give a card to an opponent, instead of letting him draw it?

  No.

Base Game

• Seven and Robber - What happens if I place the robber next to a player who doesn't have a card?

  Bad luck: You won't be able to draw a card from this player.

• Special Building Phase in a 5-6 Player Game - Is there a special building phase if the player who just finished his turn did not build?

  Yes.

• Special Building Phase in a 5-6 Player Game - May a player who just finished his turn build during the special building phase as well?

  No.

• Trade - If the robber is preventing a player from getting a resource, can that player make any trades for that resource with other players or the bank while the robber is preventing him from getting that resource?

  Yes they can. The robber only prevents that hex from generating (when its number is rolled). Similarly, the other hexes of the same type will still generate that resource (even if they are the same number as the hex being blocked by the robber).

• Trade - Is a "triangular trade" permitted? On player A's turn, are player B and player C allowed to trade with each other if afterwards one of them uses the obtained resource for trading with player A?

  No. Not only is a triangular trade forbidden, it is also unnecessary, because player B and player C each trades individually with player A and, thus, may trade whatever resource he has - provided that it meets the requirements of player A.

• Trade - May I give away resources or buy services with them, for example, to avoid being bothered by the robber?

  No. On Catan, a trade always involves giving and taking resources. Consequently, Catan's trade law does not contain a "trade" of something for nothing or for immaterial goods such as services.

• Trade - May I secretly trade with an opponent, so that the other players won't know what we traded?

  No.

• Trade - May I trade via a harbor right after building it?

  • In a game with strict separation between trade phase and build phase: no.
  • In a game without separation between trade phase and build phase: yes.

• Trade - May I trade via a harbor where an opponent has a settlement?

  No. You only have the possibility to trade with the owner of the harbor himself, maybe by offering him something that he, in turn, could trade via his harbor.

• Trade - May I trade "on credit," that is, receive a resource now and pay for it in a later round?

  No.

• Trade - What is the meaning of the resource symbols on some harbor hexes?

  The special harbor hexes always depict the resource type of which you have to pay 2 in order to either receive 1 different resource or 1 commodity.

• Victory Conditions - Can I win during the special building phase?

  No. You can only win during your own turn.

• Victory Conditions - If upon starting my turn I already have the number of victory points required for a win, do I still have to roll the dice?

  No.

• Victory Conditions - May I continue scoring points after having reached the number of victory points required for a win?

  This could make sense in a private tournament where the scores from several games are added up. For individual games and official tournaments, the following applies: You have won as soon as you have reached the required number of victory points on your turn - and then the game is over.

• Victory Conditions - What if someone has reached the required number of victory points for a win but is unaware of it? Did this player win anyway?

  Yes. The game ends as soon as a player has reached the required number of victory points on his turn. If he's unaware of it, you should tell him, because you can't take an already gained victory away from him.

"Seafarers" Expansion

• Development Cards - Progress - Road Building - May I use a Road Building card to build 1 road and 1 ship?

  Yes. You must build them one after another though. You are not allowed to first build a road via a Road Building card, then build a settlement adjacent to that road by paying the required resources, and finally use the Road Building card once again, this time to build a ship.

• Gold Fields - For a city adjacent to a gold field, do I receive 2 resources of the same type or of different types?

  It is up to you whether you want to take 2 resources of the same type or of different types.

• Gold Fields - In a scenario with islands, do I earn a victory point when settling islands consisting only of gold fields, or is no extra victory point awarded in this case?

  That depends entirely on the respective scenario. In scenarios with foreign islands, each player who places his first settlement on a foreign island receives two special victory points (according to the reformed rule). This rule also applies if a foreign island consists only of gold fields.

• Pirate - During the starting set-up, may I build a ship next to where the pirate is located?

  No.

• Pirate - May I build on the edges and corners of a terrain hex if it is blocked by the pirate?

  • Roads, cities, and settlements: yes.
  • Ships: no.

• Pirate - May I steal a Resource Card from the owner of a coastal settlement if I place the pirate on an adjacent sea hex?

  No.

• Roads - May I build a road between two desert hexes?

  Yes.

• Robber - Where does the robber start if there is no desert in a scenario?

  At the beginning of the game, the robber stands beside the game board. As soon as the first "7" is rolled or the first knight is played, the robber is placed on any of the terrain hexes. Afterwards, he changes hexes as usual.

• Scenarios - If I create my own "Seafarers" game map, what should be the number of victory points required to win the game?

  You can calculate the number of victory points according to the following formula: Number of terrain hexes (not counting deserts) divided by 2.

• Settlements - Does the distance rule between two settlements also apply to settlements on neighboring islands separated by a narrow waterway?

  Yes.

• Ships - Is it allowed to build ships on the edges of the frame pieces? The question arises because the frame pieces aren't hexagonal in the new editions.

  You may always build on the inner edge of the frame but never on the outer edge. On the frame itself, building is only possible at certain places.

• Ships - Do I lose the Longest Trade Route while moving a ship?

  No. You don't lose the Longest Trade Route when moving one of your ships, provided that after its relocation your continuous trade route is at least as long as before.

• Ships - How far may I move an "open" ship?

  You may move a ship to any place where you would be allowed to build a new ship.

• Ships - If an opponent interrupts my shipping route by placing a settlement in between, do my two ships adjacent to this settlement become "open"?

  No. Please also see the answer to the question When is a ship "open"?

• Ships - May a road and a shipping route coming from different directions meet each other?

  Yes. However, this doesn't create one continuous trade route in terms of being counted toward the Longest Trade Route: unless they are connected via a settlement, you still have two separate trade routes.

"Seafarers" Expansion

• Ships - May I build ships and roads on the coast that run parallel to each other?

  No.

• Ships - When is a ship "open"?

  A ship is "open" when it is located at the end of a shipping route. As soon as a shipping route connects two settlements, the shipping route is considered as closed. A ship in a closed shipping route cannot be moved.
  This rule also applies if an opponent builds a settlement on an intersection of your closed shipping route. In this case, your continuous trade route is considered as interrupted; however, the two settlements of the shipping route are still connected, meaning that the shipping route remains closed.

"Cities & Knights" Expansion

• Barbarians I: Course of the Battle - Do I deactivate all knights or only those that participated in the battle against the barbarians?

  • If you play according to the basic rule for Cities & Knights: All active knights participate in the battle; therefore, they all are deactivated.
  • If you play the variant for "meanies," each player decides which of his knights participates in the battle, and they are the only ones that are deactivated after the battle.

• Barbarians I: Course of the Battle - How do you calculate the strength of the barbarians?

  The strength of the barbarians is calculated according to the following formula:
  b = s + m
  where: b = strength of barbarians, s = number of cities, m = number of metropolises

• Barbarians I: Course of the Battle - May I intentionally make a knight weaker for the duration of the battle - for example, by declaring that a mighty knight is fighting only with the strength of a basic knight?

  No. Not only does this contradict the rules, it is also beneath a knight's dignity.

• Barbarians I: Course of the Battle - May I still activate knights the moment the barbarian ship reaches the coast?

  No, battle ensues immediately.

• Barbarians II: Players Win - After I defended Catan, may I take a Progress Card that matches the color of an area of development where I don't have a city improvement?

  Yes.

• Barbarians II: Players Win - Can I still earn points as the "Defender of Catan" after the respective cards have all been distributed?

  Yes. Simply use any other symbol of your choice to denote the victory point.

• Barbarians II: Players Win - Can the players win against the barbarians if there is not one single city on Catan?

  Yes.

• Barbarians II: Players Win - If I don't have a city, do I receive the Defender of Catan card or a Progress Card as a reward for victory?

  Yes.

• Barbarians II: Players Win - If I draw a "Victory Point" Progress Card after a victory over the barbarians, may I keep the card?

  Yes. The specification given in the game rules that "no one receives a card" only refers to the fact that no Defender of Catan card is awarded in case of a tie.

• Barbarians III: Players are Defeated - After losing my last city, do I have to return all city improvements, Progress Cards, and commodities?

  No. You merely can't purchase any further city improvements before having built a city again.

• Barbarians III: Players are Defeated - Does a city wall protect a city from being lost to the barbarians?

  No.

• Barbarians III: Players are Defeated - If I lose a city during my turn, do I - on the same turn - still receive the resources or commodities corresponding to this city?

  No. You only receive the production for the settlement.

• Barbarians III: Players are Defeated - If the player with the lowest strength of knights can't lose a city, who loses one?

  If the player with the lowest strength of knights can't lose a city, the player with the second lowest strength of knights loses one. If this player can't lose a city either, the player with the third lowest strength of knights loses one. And so on, until a player has lost a city.

"Cities & Knights" Expansion

• Barbarians III: Players are Defeated - What happens if I have to downgrade a city to a settlement but don't have another settlement in my supply?

  Turn one of your cities on its side and treat it as a settlement until you have upgraded it to a city again.

• Barbarians III: Players are Defeated - Who decides which city a player loses after Catan is defeated by the barbarians?

  The affected player decides.

• City Improvements - After having lost my last city to the barbarians, may I continue to make use of the advantages of the 3rd levels of improvement?

  Yes.

• City Improvements - May I perform city improvements only in an area that matches the color of the city gate rolled on the symbol die?

  No. The symbol die has no influence on your building activity.

• City Improvements - May I perform various city improvements on the same turn?

  Yes.

• City Improvements - When I reach the 4th or 5th level of improvement, do I continue to have the advantages of the 3rd level?

  Yes.

• City Improvements and Metropolises - An opponent has various metropolises. How can I recognize which of his metropolises belongs to which area?

  You can't: it is meaningless for the course of the game.

• City Improvements and Metropolises - Can I get a metropolis back that another player took from me?

  No. Although you can perform the 5th city improvement afterwards, the metropolis stays with the first player to perform the 5th city improvement in an area.

• City Improvements and Metropolises - Does the robber also rob from the owner of a metropolis?

  Yes.

• City Improvements and Metropolises - If I lose a metropolis, do I also lose the 2 victory points I received for it?

  Yes.

• City Improvements and Metropolises - May I continue to improve my cities if someone has already reached the 5th level?

  Yes.

• City Improvements and Metropolises - May I upgrade a city to 2 metropolises at the same time?

  No. If you only have 1 city and already upgraded it to a metropolis, you are not allowed to build a 4th level of improvement in another area. Before you do this, you must upgrade another settlement to a city.

• City Walls - Do city walls protect a city from losses due to the barbarians?

  No.

• City Walls - Does a city wall protect commodities from the robber?

  Yes. The robber does not distinguish between commodities and resources; for him, they are only "cards from some player's hands."

• City Walls - May I surround 1 city with various city walls?

  No.

"Cities & Knights" Expansion

• City Walls - What happens if I upgrade a city that has a city wall to a metropolis?

  Then you have a beautiful metropolis wall. But in order not to complicate things further, we continue calling it a "city wall."

• Commodities - Are commodities also taken into account when the robber strikes?

  Yes.

• Commodities - Do I have to take 1 resource and 1 commodity for a city that produces commodities even if I already have the metropolis for this commodity?

  Yes. An alternative does not exist.

• Commodities - May I discard commodities when a "7" is rolled?

  Yes.

• Commodities - May I steal commodities from my game partners?

  Yes.

• Commodities - May I take 2 resources instead of 1 resource and 1 commodity for a city that produces commodities?

  No.

• Commodities - May I trade commodities via a 3:1 harbor?

  Yes. However, you should consider carefully if this is the best way to trade commodities, because in most cases your opponents will offer you a better rate.

• Knights - An opponent's mighty knight displaces my strong knight. When I relocate my strong knight, may he displace an opponent's basic knight?

  No. Displacing is a knight action that may only be performed by the player whose turn it is.

• Knights - Do passive knights also interrupt a continuous road?

  Yes.

• Knights - Does an activated knight become passive when he is promoted?

  No.

• Knights - How are the points for the Largest Army awarded in Cities & Knights?

  They are not awarded at all: there is no Largest Army in the Cities & Knights expansion.

• Knights - How many knights may I build in total?

  Six: 2 basic, 2 strong, and 2 mighty knights.

• Knights - How often may I promote a knight during the same turn?

  1 time at most.

• Knights - If an opponent's knight displaces one of my knights, may I put my displaced knight on the intersection my opponent's knight came from?

  Yes, provided that both intersections are connected to your roads as well as to your opponent's roads.

• Knights - If my knight has been displaced by a stronger knight, may I place him on an intersection that is not connected to a road?

  No.

"Cities & Knights" Expansion

• Knights - May I activate a knight and then use him to drive away the robber on the same turn?

  No.

• Knights - May I deactivate one of my knights without performing a knight action?

  No.

• Knights - May I directly build a strong knight if I pay 2 ore and 2 wool?

  Yes, provided that your supply still contains a basic knight. In this case, you have first built a basic knight and then promoted him on the same turn, all of which complies with the rule.

• Knights - May I first promote a knight and then use him to perform an action?

  Yes, provided that the knight has been activated on a previous turn.

• Knights - May I immediately place a stronger knight on an intersection occupied by an opponent's weaker knight, thus driving away his knight?

  No. A knight must first be placed on a free intersection of one's own continuous road.

• Knights - May I immediately use a newly built road to relocate my knights and displace weaker knights that belong to my opponents?

  Yes.

• Knights - May I move my knight past a foreign knight if the latter is located between the intersection my knight was standing on and the intersection I want to move him to?

  No.

• Knights - May I place a knight on a free intersection between 2 of my own roads if both neighboring intersections are occupied by other players' knights?

  Yes.

• Knights - May I promote a knight immediately after building him?

  Yes.

• Knights - May I remove one of my own knights from the game board if I don't need him anymore?

  No.

• Knights - May I still build, trade, and play Progress Cards after activating my knights?

  Yes.

• Knights - May I use a knight to interrupt an opponent's Longest Road?

  Yes.

• Knights - May I use an activated knight to drive away the robber before the dice roll?

  No.

• Merchant - Do I keep the victory point for the Merchant figure if one of my opponents takes this game piece away from me?

  No. You receive 1 victory point when you take over the Merchant figure, and you lose the victory point as soon as an opponent plays a Merchant card and thus takes over the Merchant figure.

• Merchant - Does the Merchant's exchange rate apply to all players who settle adjacent to the hex he is standing on?

  No, it applies only to the Merchant's owner.

"Cities & Knights" Expansion

• Merchant - May I use my Merchant figure for trading if the robber stands on the same hex as the Merchant?

  Yes. Those two get along very well, all the more so as merchants are purported to be the real robbers.

• Merchant - May I use the Merchant figure to trade resources for commodities?

  Yes.

• Merchant - When I play a Merchant card, may I, on the same turn, use the Merchant figure for trading?

  Yes.

• Progress Cards: Alchemist - May I also choose the number for the red die?

  Yes.

• Progress Cards: Alchemist - May I determine a "7" as the dice roll result?

  Yes.

• Progress Cards: Alchemist - May I play the Alchemist and determine that there will be no production roll on my turn?

  No, you must opt for any number between 2 and 12 - even if that number is a "7."

• Progress Cards: Alchemist - May I still roll the symbol die after having played the Alchemist?

  As a matter of fact, you must roll the symbol die. The Alchemist only replaces the roll performed with the pipped dice.

• Progress Cards: Alchemist - When playing the Alchemist, does the predetermined dice roll apply to all players?

  Yes.

• Progress Cards: Alchemist - Which roll result is taken into account first - the real roll result or the result I have determined via the Alchemist?

  You either play the Alchemist or roll the pipped dice. You are not allowed to do both things during the same turn.

• Progress Cards: Bishop - Do I draw the cards from the opponents I freed from the robber or from the opponents I placed the robber next to?

  You draw the cards from where you have placed the robber.

• Progress Cards: Bishop - May I draw various cards from a player if I place the robber on a hex adjacent to which that player has various settlements?

  No.

• Progress Cards: Bishop - May I place the robber on a hex without an adjacent settlement or city?

  Yes.

• Progress Cards: Commercial Harbor - Do I get the Commercial Harbor card back if none of the players has a commodity?

  No, in that case you've had back luck or a bad memory.

• Progress Cards: Commercial Harbor - May I determine which commodity my opponent must give me in exchange for the resource?

  No.

• Progress Cards: Commercial Harbor - Who decides which Resource Card I give - face down - to my opponent after I have played the Commercial Harbor card?

  You do.

"Cities & Knights" Expansion

• Progress Cards: Crane - May I play 2 Crane cards and pay 2 commodities less for an improvement?

  No. You may only play 1 Building Crane card per each expansion.

• Progress Cards: Crane - May I play a Crane card and then perform various improvements, each for 1 commodity less?

  No. You can use 1 Crane only for 1 improvement.

• Progress Cards: Crane - May I use a Crane to perform a level-one improvement at no cost?

  Yes.

• Progress Cards: Deserter - If I already have 2 basic knights, does my opponent have to give me a strong knight even though he has a basic knight?

  No. If, under these circumstances, your opponent chooses a basic knight, he must remove him from the game board, but you are not allowed to place an additional knight.

• Progress Cards: Deserter - May I immediately use a deserted knight to perform a knight action?

  Yes, provided that he was activated when he deserted to you.

• Progress Cards: Deserter - May I make a mighty knight desert to me if I don't have a Fortress yet?

  Yes.

• Progress Cards: Deserter - May I play the Deserter if I can't place a knight of the same strength?

  Yes.

• Progress Cards: Deserter - Where do I have to place a deserted knight?

  At a location where the rule allows you to build a new knight. This can also be the place where your knight stood before, provided that one of your roads is adjacent to it.

• Progress Cards: Deserter - Who determines which knight to remove from the game board when a Deserter is played?

  The victim.

• Progress Cards: Diplomat - Do I lose the Longest Road while I move one of its road pieces?

  No. You don't lose the Longest Road because you are moving one of its road pieces, provided that after relocation your continuous road is at least as long as before.

• Progress Cards: Diplomat - If an opponent interrupts my continuous road by placing a settlement or a knight, does this mean that my two road pieces adjacent to the interruption are now open?

  No. Please also see the answer to the question When is a road open?.

• Progress Cards: Diplomat - May I remove a road if, as a result, a knight is left without connection to a road of his color?

  No. It is mandatory for a knight to be connected to a settlement or city of his color via roads of his color.

• Progress Cards: Diplomat - May I remove a road if, as a result, a settlement or city is left without road?

  Yes.

• Progress Cards: Diplomat - May I remove an opponent's road and place one of my own roads instead?

  No.

• Progress Cards: Diplomat - What happens to a road I have taken away from my opponent?

  It returns to your opponent's supply.

"Cities & Knights" Expansion

• Progress Cards: Diplomat - When is a road open?

  A road segment is open when it is located at the end of a continuous road. As soon as your continuous road connects two of your settlements with each other or one of your settlements with one of your knights, the continuous road is considered as closed. An individual road piece of a closed continuous road may not be moved. This rule also applies if an opponent builds a settlement or knight on an intersection of your closed continuous road. In this case, the continuous road is considered as interrupted, thus reducing its length counted towards the Longest Road; however, the two settlements or the settlement and the knight are still connected, which is why the continuous road remains closed.

  In this picture, all open roads are marked with an asterisk:

  

• Progress Cards: Engineer - If I receive the Engineer card on the same turn a "7" is rolled, may I build a city wall before discarding cards?

  No. You may play Progress Cards only after the dice result is resolved (only exception: Alchemist).

• Progress Cards: General - If I were to receive the 5th card, could I first look at it and then decide which card I no longer want to keep?

  Yes.

• Progress Cards: General - May I discard a Progress Card without playing it if I have no use for the card?

  No.

• Progress Cards: General - May I play a Progress Card if playing it has no effect?

  • If you know beforehand that playing the card will have no effect (e.g., the Foundry card, provided that you are not settling adjacent to a mountains hex): no.
  • If you have no way of knowing it (e.g., Trade Monopoly): yes.

• Progress Cards: General - May I play Progress Cards before rolling the dice?

  Only the Alchemist may be played before rolling the dice.

• Progress Cards: General - May I trade Progress Cards?

  No.

• Progress Cards: General - What happens if the Progress Card stack of a certain color does not contain enough cards to supply all entitled players?

  In the order stipulated in the game rules, the players draw cards of the respective color until the supply stack is used up. The Catanian Devil take the hindmost.

• Progress Cards: General - When do you shuffle the Progress Card discard pile?

  Never. That's because there is no Progress Card discard pile: played Progress Cards are placed under their respective supply stacks (yellow, blue, or green) and thus are always recycled back into the game.

• Progress Cards: General - When I have to discard a card, do I hold it face up or face down?

  Always place cards face down under the Progress Card stack.

• Progress Cards: Inventor - May I switch the number token the robber is standing on?

  Yes.

• Progress Cards: Inventor - Must I have settlements or cities adjacent to the number tokens I switch?

  No.

• Progress Cards: Inventor - What happens to the robber if the number token he stands on is switched?

  The robber stays on the terrain hex and blocks its new number token.

• Progress Cards: Medicine - May I play 2 Medicine cards and thus pay only 1 ore for a city?

  No. You may only play 1 Medicine card for 1 city.

• Progress Cards: Merchant Fleet - How do I perform a trade via the Merchant Fleet?

  First choose a resource type or commodity. Let's assume that you have chosen "grain": in this case, during your turn you may take any 1 Resource Card of a different type or any 1 commodity of your choice for each 2 grain cards you pay to the bank.

"Cities & Knights" Expansion

• Progress Cards: Saboteur - Who decides which cards must be discarded?

  The procedure is the same as when a "7" is rolled and some players have too many resources/commodities: each affected player chooses the cards himself.

• Progress Cards: Smithy - May I play 2 Smithy cards on the same turn?

  Yes, provided that you have enough knights to apply the two cards to different knights.

• Progress Cards: Smithy - May I use the Smithy if I only have 1 knight?

  Yes.

• Progress Cards: Smithy - May I voluntarily promote only 1 knight, even though I have 2 of them?

  Yes.

• Progress Cards: Spy - May I use the Spy to steal a Victory Point card?

  No.

• Progress Cards: Trade Monopoly and Resource Monopoly - Do I get my Monopoly cards back if my opponents don't have the demanded commodities or resources?

  No.

• Roads - If some of my roads are located between 2 knights that belong to opponents, do I have to remove these roads?

  No.

• Roads - May I continue building my road if an opponent's knight stands at its end?

  No.

• Robber - Does the robber steal from the owner of a metropolis?

  Yes.

• Robber - May I move the robber on the same turn the barbarian ship reaches Catan?

  Yes.

• Robber - May I place the robber on a hex adjacent to which stands an activated knight?

  Yes.

• Robber - May I use an activated knight to drive away the robber before the dice roll?

  No.

• Sequence of Play - On my turn, may I trade, build, play Progress Cards, and perform knight actions in any desired order?

  Yes. You may proceed in any order. For example, you may first trade, then build, then trade again, etc.

"Traders & Barbarians" Expansion

• Barbarian Attack - Do you leave the remaining knights at their current hexes or move them back to the castle hex?

  The knights remain at their current hex. Furthermore, they may immediately intervene in the next battle if there are more knights than barbarians at an adjacent hex.

• Barbarian Attack - If there are multiple battles against the barbarians, do you first fight all battles and then determine the losses, or do you determine the losses immediately after each battle?

  After each battle, you immediately determine which knights didn't withstand the battle. A knight wounded in a battle can't participate in another battle.

"Traders & Barbarians" Expansion

• Barbarian Attack - May I resolve the phases "Move your knights" and "Expel the barbarians" in any order, perhaps also simultaneously?

  No. First you have to move all knights, then all the battles take place.

• Barbarian Attack - May I use the Treason card to place the 2 barbarians on hexes in the island's interior?

  No. Barbarians may only be placed on coastal hexes.

• Barbarian Attack - Once a knight development card is played and a knight is placed at the castle hex, can the player immediately move the knight away from the castle hex or does he/she need to wait one full turn before moving the knight?

  A knight placed at the castle hex must be moved immediately; to do this, however, you have to wait until the end of your turn. You can move your knights after you have finished trading and/or building. Knights you just placed at the castle hex must be moved.

• Catan Event Cards + The Rivers of Catan - May I build a bridge if a road is damaged by an Earthquake?

  Yes, provided that you place the bridge adjacent to an intact road or adjacent to a settlement.

• Catan Event Cards - Earthquake: May I build a settlement adjacent to a damaged road?

  If only your damaged road connects to an intersection, you may not build a settlement there. However, you may build a settlement if one of your other, intact roads or one of your ships also borders on this intersection.

• Catan Event Cards - Earthquake: May I repair a damaged road by using a Road Building card?

  Yes.

• Catan Event Cards - Event and production - in what order are they resolved?

  First the event is resolved, then the production is distributed.

• Catan for Two + The Fishermen of Catan - If I have used a Development Card or fish token to build a road, do I have to build a road for a neutral player too?

  Yes.

• Catan for Two + The Rivers of Catan - Can a neutral player become the Wealthiest Settler?

  No. The neutral players never receive gold.

• Catan for Two + The Rivers of Catan - Do I have to build bridges for the neutral players too?

  Yes, provided that you have just built a bridge yourself. However, if you can't build a bridge for a neutral player you can build a road instead.

• Catan for Two - Are the victory points on face-down Development Cards also taken into account for determining the costs of an action taken by means of trade tokens?

  No. Only visible victory points are considered.

• Catan for Two - If I build a settlement adjacent to desert and coast, do I receive 3 trade tokens?

  Yes.

• Catan for Two - May I give the cards I just received via forced trade back to my opponent?

  Yes.

• Catan for Two - May I move the robber in between my two production rolls by playing a Development Card?

  Yes.

• Catan for Two - May I perform a forced frade if my opponent has less than 2 cards?

  • If your opponent has only 1 card, you may take it from him, but you must give him back 2 cards.
  • If your opponent has no card, he cannot trade with you, not even by force.

"Traders & Barbarians" Expansion

• Catan for Two - May I steal a Resource Card after I have used trade tokens to move the robber to the desert?

  No.

• Catan for Two - May I use the trade tokens before rolling the dice?

  Yes.

• Catan for Two - Where do I place the Knight cards I discarded in exchange for trade tokens?

  On the discard pile.

• General - Is Traders & Barbarians also available with wooden game pieces?

  A German edition of Traders & Barbarians with wooden game components is not programmed. However, you can order a set of matching wooden game components at the Catan Shop.

• I don't understand the rule regarding the "orientation" pairs of paths adjacent to the castle hex. How do they determine which knights are removed?

  After a victory over the barbarians, one of the involved players rolls a die and places it in the center of the castle hex. Each of the 6 edges of the castle hex is marked with a different die roll result. The number rolled determines one of the three possible "orientation" pairs of paths adjacent to the castle hex: the path adjacent to the edge marked with the number rolled and the path adjacent to the edge on the opposite side.

  Check each knight involved in the victory. If the path that the knight is on has the same orientation as one of the two paths on the castle hex determined by the die roll, remove that knight from the board.

• The Caravans - May I place a camel on the coast?

  Yes. An edge between a terrain hex and water is also regarded as a "path."

• The Caravans - May I place a camel on the path adjacent to the oasis if the caravan has found its way back to the oasis?

  Yes, provided that the last camel you placed faces a free intersection at the oasis hex.

• The Fishermen of Catan - Are victory points on face-down Development Cards also taken into account when I want to give the old boot to another player?

  No. Only visible victory points are considered.

• The Fishermen of Catan - Do I have 1 victory point less as long as I own the old boot?

  No. Although the owner of the old boot needs 1 victory point more to win the game, this token doesn't affect the number of victory points he owns.

• The Fishermen of Catan - Is the old boot counted towards the allowed maximum number of 7 fish tokens per player?

  No.

• The Fishermen of Catan - May I perform various actions with fish tokens and pay it all in one chunk?

  You may perform various actions with fish tokens, but you have to pay for each action individually - meaning that sometimes you'll probably overpay.

• The Fishermen of Catan - May I place the robber on the lake?

  Yes.

• The Fishermen of Catan - May I trade fish tokens?

  No.

• The Fishermen of Catan - When exchanging fish tokens, may I take a fish token of my choice from the discard pile?

  No, you must draw from the face-down fish token supply.

• The Friendly Robber - Are victory points on face-down cards also taken into account when determining next to which player I may place the friendly robber?

  No. Only visible victory points are considered.

"Traders & Barbarians" Expansion

• The Friendly Robber - Do I have to place the friendly robber on a hex adjacent to which I have a settlement or city if any other position would affect players with less than 3 victory points?

  Yes. However, this will happen only in very rare cases.

• The Friendly Robber - If all my opponents have only 2 points each, may I drive away the robber without stealing a card?

  Yes.

• The Rivers of Catan - Are the terrain hexes depicting the source of the river also regarded as river hexes?

  Yes.

• The Rivers of Catan - May I cross the river by means of a road?

  No. (This was only allowed in the 2005 giveaway edition.)

• Traders & Barbarians - After my wagon's movement has ended, may I still drive off a barbarian?

  No.

• Traders & Barbarians - May I buy movement points ahead?

  No. You must immediately use the movement points you have bought.

• Traders & Barbarians - May I drive off a barbarian and not use the path afterwards?

  No.

• Traders & Barbarians - May I use the "Swift Journey" card after I have reached the trade hex?

  Yes.

• Traders & Barbarians - What is the effect of the "Swift Journey" card?

  You may use the movement points of your wagon once more. If you want to move on, you must pay grain again.

Combination of "Cities & Knights" with "Seafarers"

• Progress Cards - Bishop: May I use the Bishop to move the pirate?

  No. The Bishop only drives away the robber.

• Progress Cards - Diplomat: May I remove one of my own ships and place a road instead, or vice versa?

  No. You may only place the piece you have removed from the game board.

• Progress Cards - Diplomat: May I use the Diplomat to relocate an "open" ship that stands on the edge of a sea hex occupied by the pirate ship?

  Yes. The Diplomat doesn't fear pirates.

• Progress Cards - Diplomat: What effect does the Diplomat have on ships?

  You may use the Diplomat for ships just like you do for roads.

Combinations of "Traders & Barbarians" with other expansions

• How can I combine Traders & Barbarians with other scenarios?

  You can find information on possible combinations on the Catan website - please click here.

Combination of "Traders & Barbarians" with "Seafarers"

• Barbarian Attack + Seafarers (in general) - Is a trade route interrupted if a settlement that represents the only connection between road and ship route is conquered?

  The conquered settlement still exists. The trade route is interrupted, that is, only the road segments or the ships count toward the Longest Trade Route. However, the ship and the road segment adjacent to the settlement are not "open."

Combination of "Traders & Barbarians" with "Seafarers"

• Catan Event Cards + Seafarers (in general) - Does the event "Robber flees!" also affect the pirate?

  No.

• Catan Event Cards + Seafarers (in general) - In scenarios without desert, what happens when the robber flees to the desert?

  The robber is placed beside the game board, where he waits for his next mission - that is, until a "seven" is rolled or a Knight card is played.

• Catan Event Cards + Seafarers (in general) - May I build ships if one of my roads is damaged?

  Yes. You can't continue building roads though.

• Catan Event Cards + Seafarers (in general) - May I turn a ship sideways, instead of a road?

  No.

• The Caravans + Seafarers (in general) - Do camels have an effect on neighboring ships?

  Yes.

• The Friendly Robber + Seafarers (in general) - Is the pirate also friendly when "Seafarers" is combined with "The Friendly Robber"?

  Yes.

• The Lost Tribe + Harbormaster - When I get a harbor from the Forgotten Tribe, do I receive a harbor point even if I can't build a harbor right away?

  No.

• The Rivers of Catan + Seafarers (in general) - May I build ships on the dotted lines?

  Yes, provided that you'd be allowed to build a ship there if the line didn't exist.

• The Wonders of Catan + Barbarian Attack - Is a settlement adjacent to the wasteland threatened by the barbarians who are in play from the start?

  Yes. Otherwise, it would be too easy to build the Great Wall.

• Traders & Barbarians + Seafarers (in general) - May I move the wagon from a road onto a ship if there is no settlement between the road and the ship?

  Yes. When you move a wagon, it doesn't matter whether you move it along a closed or an open trade route.

Combination of "Traders & Barbarians" with "Cities & Knights"

• Barbarian Attack (in general) - When determining which player has the most victory points, is each captured barbarian counted as half a victory point?

  2 captured barbarians are worth one victory point, but a single barbarian initially has no value for a player. In a combination with Cities & Knights or The Fishermen of Catan, this means that whenever you can play cards (Master Merchant and Wedding) against the leading player(s), they are not affected by it if a single captured barbarian provides them with half a virtual point more than you.

• Barbarian Attack + C&K - How far away do you move a displaced knight?

  His owner places him on the next free path.

• Barbarian Attack + C&K - Is it prohibited to use gold for trading commodities when a 3:1 or 4:1 trade is performed?

  Yes.

• Barbarian Attack + C&K - May I use a Diplomat to move a road on which a knight stands?

  Yes.

• Barbarian Attack + C&K - May knights be moved past foreign knights, settlements, and cities?

  Yes.

Combination of "Traders & Barbarians" with "Cities & Knights"

• Catan Event Cards (Earthquake) + C&K - May I build a knight adjacent to a damaged road?

  Yes.

• Catan Event Cards (Earthquake) + C&K - May I use the Diplomat to remove a damaged road and replace it with a new road?

  No.

• Catan Event Cards + C&K - How do I combine the Alchemist with the "Catan Event Cards"?

  Instead of revealing an Event Card, play the Alchemist. Determine a production number. Determine the result shown by the red die. Only roll the event die.

  If all participants in a game want to agree on a different procedure, they certainly are free to do so. If, in addition to the Alchemist, you would like to reveal an event card, we recommend that after playing the Alchemist you first determine the production number, then resolve the result of the event die roll, then draw an event card (of which only the event is resolved, provided that an event is described on it), and lastly distribute the resources. Please note that this is only a variant, not the official rule.

• Catan Event Cards + C&K - Event Card and red die - how are they combined?

  • If you use the Mayfair edition: You reveal an Event Card and additionally roll the event die. The red die is shown on the event card.
  • If you use the German edition: You reveal an Event Card and additionally roll the red die and the event die.

• Catan Event Cards + C&K - May I first play the Alchemist and then reveal an Event Card?

  No. It's either the Alchemist or an Event Card.

  If all participants in a game want to agree on a different procedure, they certainly are free to do so. If, in addition to the Alchemist, you would like to reveal an event card, we recommend that after playing the Alchemist you first determine the production number, then resolve the result of the event die roll, then draw an event card (of which only the event is resolved, provided that an event is described on it), and lastly distribute the resources. Please note that this is only a variant, not the official rule.

• Harbormaster + C&K - How many points does a metropolis yield when "Cities & Knights" is combined with "Harbormaster"?

  Two.

• The Fishermen of Catan + C&K - Do I get 1 resource via the Aqueduct if I only received fish tokens?

  Yes. Fish do not count as resources.

• The Fishermen of Catan + C&K - When combining "Cities & Knights" with "The Fishermen of Catan," may I pay 3 fish to steal a card from an opponent if the barbarians haven't come yet?

  Yes, because this does not block any hex.

• Traders & Barbarians + C&K - Is the event die repeated if a "2" or "12" is rolled?

  No. You only re-roll the two production dice.

• Traders & Barbarians + C&K - May I drive off the barbarians lurking on the roads without having to wait for the first barbarian attack?

  Yes.

• Traders & Barbarians + C&K - May I use a Diplomat to move a road on which a barbarian stands?

  Yes.

Variants & Scenarios

• Enchanted Land - In the "Enchanted Land" scenario, may I move my knights past foreign knights?

  No.

• What happens with a metropolis adjacent to a volcano when the volcano erupts?

  The metropolis is still a city - although a very large one. Maybe the barbarians stay clear of it, but lava doesn't. The metropolis is thus downgraded to a settlement. Afterwards, the player may immediately declare another city metropolis, or he gets the metropolis back when he builds the next city (that is, if another player hasn't built the metropolis in the meantime).

Frenemies

• If I receive a favor token, do I have to place it face up or face down in front of me?

  If you receive a favor token, you place it face down in front of you. However, you may view your favor tokens at any time to check which ones you have.

• If I give a resource to an opponent for free, do I offer it to him openly or in a concealed fashion?

  You offer the resource openly, e.g. by saying, "I'd like to give you 1 grain. Do you want to accept it?"

Frenemies

• May I use a Monopoly to reclaim a resource I have given away?

  Yes, although that wouldn't be a very friendly action.

• On my turn, am I allowed to immediately use a favor token that I received due to an opponent's road building action during the preceding turn?

  Yes. The only favor tokens you may not use immediately are those you have received by means of your own actions during your turn.

• The German game rules state that a player may use or exchange favor tokens only once per turn, while the English rules do not include this restriction. What is correct?

  Favor tokens may only be used or exchanged once per turn.

The Helpers of Catan

• If Lin lures the robber into the desert, do I receive 1 resource even though I don't have a settlement or city adjacent to the terrain hex the robber occupied before?

  It doesn't matter whether or not you or other players have a settlement or city adjacent to that terrain hex. You receive the resource because the robber runs off to the desert to spend some quality time with Lin until the next "7" is rolled.

• After I have received Marianne, may I use her immediately on an opponent's next turn?

  Yes, you may use Marianne immediately on the next turn.

• Has this variant been published in English language?

  This scenario will be released in August 2013 by Mayfair Games. Previously, the ten helper cards became the support cards in the "Star Trek Catan" edition.

• How do I get rid of Marianne if I receive a resource for any number that can be rolled?

  You only get rid of Marianne if one of your numbers is blocked by the robber when it is rolled, so that you receive a resource via Marianne.

• If I keep a helper card after having used it for the first time, may I exchange it before using it a second time?

  No. If you decided to keep the helper card after using it for the first time, you can't change your mind afterwards. After you have used the card a second time, you must exchange it.

• If I use Candamir to choose a victory point development card, may I immediately reveal the card if it allows me to win the game?

  It is irrelevant whether you obtain your final victory point via Candamir or via the normal procedure. If you have the victory points required to win the game, you reveal all your victory point cards - including the one you just received.

• If I use Nassir, and none of my opponents has the resource I want, may I keep the card?

  No.

• Is Louis allowed to remove a road if the result is a settlement without road?

  Yes.

• When using Vincent, do I have to discard a Knight card I already have played or a Knight card from my hand?

  You must discard a knight card you have already played. As a result, you may lose the Largest Army.

"Explorers & Pirates" Expansion

• Does a settler ship count as a victory point or does the settler ship have to be converted into a settlement to count as a victory point?

  A settler doesn't count as a victory point, not even if he is on a ship. Only settlements, harbor settlements, and the mission progress count as victory points.

• Fast Gold" - May I use the "Fast Gold" advantage in addition to the 2:1 trade?

  Unfortunately, an error has occurred in the corrresponding paragraph on page 15 of the game rules. The correct wording should be as follows: "If you are friends with one of these villages, once during your build and trade phase you may sell any 1 resource of your choice for 1 gold from the supply. If you are friends with both villages, you may sell 1 resource for 1 gold twice during your build and trade phase." This, of course, is possible in addition to buying resources for 2 gold

• Fish Hauls and Spice Sacks - Is it allowed to place fish hauls or spice sacks from a ship into a basin, and from there load them onto another ship, like crews or settlers?

  Yes.

"Explorers & Pirates" Expansion

• Fish shoal - If your ship has no more movement points left and is pointing towards a fish shoal hex, and then you successfully roll for a fish shoal, can you load it immediately?

  Yes, you don't need movement points to catch a fish haul and load it onto your ship. The only requirement is that your ship either point to a fish shoal hex with a fish haul or stand on a sea route adjacent to that fish shoal hex.

• Harbor settlements - Can you build roads off of harbor settlements?

  A harbor settlement is simply another form of settlement, with the following differences:

  • Except during the set-up phase, you can only build a harbor settlement by upgrading a regular settlement on the coast.

  • You may build ships adjacent to a harbor settlement.

  • A harbor settlement has a basin that can hold crews, fish hauls, spice sacks, and settlers; from there, you can load them onto ships.

  • You may swap the position of crews, fish hauls, spice sacks, and settlers between a ship and a harbor settlement and vice versa.

  • A harbor settlement is worth 2 victory points.

  Regarding all other issues, a harbor settlement has the same qualities as a regular settlement.

• If, as a result of the production roll, I only receive gold via the gold fields but no resources, do I get 1 additional gold?

  Yes. Gold does not count as a resource, and a player who doesn't receive resources is always compensated with 1 gold, even if he receives other income.

• Is it possible to purchase a settler during the build and trade phase, then load him onto a ship, move him, and then convert him into a settlement - all within one turn?

  There is one general rule for the game:
  * In the build and trade phase you can do things for which you need resources.
  * In the movement phase you can do everything for which no resources are needed (exception: if you want to buy additional movement points, you need wool).

  Therefore, you can discover a new island via settler ship and immediately convert the settler into a settlement, because you don't need resources for the latter. However, you cannot upgrade this settlement to a harbor settlement during the movement phase, because the upgrade would require resources.

• Moving Ships - Is it allowed to move a ship along the edge between the starting island and the Council of Catan's stronghold?

  Yes.

• Moving Ships - May a player who placed a merchant on the spice hex depicting the "Swift Voyage" advantage use the additional movement point immediately if his ship has already spent part of its movement points?

  Yes, his ship immediately receives another movement point.

• Sea Routes - Are only ships allowed on "sea routes" located between terrain hexes and sea hexes / frame, or may I also build roads there?

  Roads may be built on all paths, both inland and along the coast. At the shore, roads can be parallel to ships, meaning that up to 1 road + 2 ships may simultaneously occupy a path on the coast.

• Spice hexes - Is there any advantage to having a settlement on the spice hex?

  The settlement increases your number of victory points by 1 and can be transformed into a harbor settlement, thus earning you another victory point and possibly shortening the distance to the unexplored areas.

Oil Springs

• Do the forest hex and the pasture hex that receive Oil Spring tiles still produce lumber and wool?

  No, after the Oil Spring tiles have been placed on the hexes, these hexes only produce oil.

• May each player only upgrade one of his cities to a metropolis?

  No, a player may build various metropolises. However, in a 3-4 player game only 4 Metropolis tokens are used for play. Once the supply is depleted, no more metropolises can be built.