Settlers of Catan is one of the most popular board games ever made – and for good reason. It blends strategy, trading, luck, and player interaction into a game that plays differently every time. If you’ve heard about Catan but never played, or if you’ve been invited to a game and want to understand the rules before you sit down, this guide is for you.
We’ll cover everything: the goal of the game, how to set up the board, how turns work, and the strategies that separate new players from experienced ones.
What Is Settlers of Catan?
Settlers of Catan (commonly called just “Catan”) is a strategy board game designed by Klaus Teuber and first published in 1995. Players take on the role of settlers on the island of Catan, collecting resources, building roads and settlements, and expanding their territory. The first player to reach 10 victory points wins.
What makes Catan special is the trading. Unlike most strategy games where you compete directly, Catan encourages players to trade resources with each other – which means negotiation, deal-making, and reading your opponents are just as important as placing your settlements in the right spots.
The game typically plays in 60-90 minutes with 3-4 players (you can play with 2-6 with expansions). It’s recommended for ages 10 and up, though younger players can pick it up quickly.
Play digitally: ColonyRush is a free Catan app for iOS, Android, and browser. It’s a great way to practice the rules without setting up a physical board. Five AI difficulty levels let you learn at your own pace.
What You Need to Play
A standard Catan game includes:
- 19 terrain hexes – the tiles that make up the island (forest, pasture, hills, fields, mountains, desert)
- 6 sea frame pieces – border tiles that surround the island
- 9 harbor pieces – sea tiles with trade port markings
- 18 circular number tokens – placed on terrain hexes to determine resource production
- 95 resource cards – 5 types: Lumber, Brick, Grain, Wool, Ore
- 25 development cards – Knight, Victory Point, Road Building, Year of Plenty, Monopoly
- 4 player colors with 5 settlements, 4 cities, and 15 roads each
- 2 dice
- 1 robber piece
- Longest Road and Largest Army cards
In a digital version like ColonyRush, all of this is handled automatically – no setup required.
Setting Up the Board
Building the Island
Place the 19 terrain hexes face-up in the center of the table in the standard configuration (3-4-5-4-3 rows). The terrain types are:
- 4 Forest hexes (produce Lumber)
- 4 Pasture hexes (produce Wool)
- 4 Fields hexes (produce Grain)
- 3 Hills hexes (produce Brick)
- 3 Mountain hexes (produce Ore)
- 1 Desert hex (produces nothing)
Place number tokens (marked 2-12) on each terrain hex except the desert. The desert starts with the Robber piece on it.
Surround the island with sea frame pieces, and add harbor tiles at the marked positions.
Starting Positions
Players take turns (in a specific order) placing 1 settlement and 1 road. Then the order reverses and everyone places a second settlement and road. The second settlement is important: you collect 1 resource card for each terrain type adjacent to it at the start of the game.
Tip: Your starting placement is the most important decision you’ll make. More on this in strategy section below.
How a Turn Works
Each turn has three phases:
1. Roll the Dice
Roll both dice. Every hex with a number matching the roll produces resources. All players who have a settlement or city adjacent to that hex receive resources:
- Settlement = 1 resource card
- City = 2 resource cards
If a 7 is rolled:
- Any player with more than 7 cards in hand must discard half (rounded down)
- The active player moves the Robber to any terrain hex
- The Robber blocks that hex from producing resources until moved again
- The active player steals 1 random card from any opponent who has a settlement or city adjacent to the Robber’s new location
2. Trade
After rolling, you can trade resources:
With other players: Offer any trade you want. “I’ll give you 2 Lumber for 1 Ore.” Players can accept, counter-offer, or decline. You can trade multiple times, with multiple players. Only the active player initiates trades.
With the bank: By default, you can trade 4 of any one resource for 1 of any other. Harbors make this better:
- 3:1 harbor: Trade any 3 identical resources for 1 of any resource
- 2:1 harbor: Trade 2 of a specific resource for 1 of any resource (e.g., a Lumber port means 2 Lumber for 1 of anything)
3. Build
Spend resource cards to build:
| Build | Cost |
|---|---|
| Road | 1 Lumber + 1 Brick |
| Settlement | 1 Lumber + 1 Brick + 1 Wool + 1 Grain |
| City (upgrade settlement) | 2 Grain + 3 Ore |
| Development Card | 1 Wool + 1 Grain + 1 Ore |
Settlements must be placed on intersections (corners of hexes) adjacent to one of your roads, and at least 2 road-lengths away from any other settlement or city. Roads must connect to your existing network.
Resource Types and What They Build
| Resource | Terrain | Used For |
|---|---|---|
| Lumber | Forest | Roads, Settlements |
| Brick | Hills | Roads, Settlements |
| Grain | Fields | Settlements, Cities, Development Cards |
| Wool | Pasture | Settlements, Development Cards |
| Ore | Mountains | Cities, Development Cards |
In the early game, Lumber and Brick are king – you need them for roads and settlements. In the mid-to-late game, Grain and Ore become essential for building cities and development cards.
Victory Points and How to Win
The first player to reach 10 Victory Points on their turn wins immediately.
Victory points come from:
| Source | Points |
|---|---|
| Settlement | 1 VP |
| City (upgraded settlement) | 2 VP |
| Longest Road (5+ roads, longest network) | 2 VP |
| Largest Army (3+ Knight cards played) | 2 VP |
| Victory Point development cards | 1 VP each |
You start with 2 settlements = 2 VP. You need 8 more to win. A typical winning path: 3-4 cities + Longest Road, or 5 settlements + Largest Army + a Victory Point card.
Keep track of your opponents’ visible VP counts. If someone is close to 10, prioritize blocking them over building yourself.
Trading Rules in Detail
Trading is the social heart of Catan. A few key rules:
- Only the active player can initiate trades. Other players cannot trade with each other during someone else’s turn.
- You can trade any number of resources in a deal – there’s no limit.
- You cannot give resources away for free (though house rules sometimes allow this).
- You can trade for promises (“I won’t play the Robber on you next turn”), but promises aren’t binding.
- You can bluff about what you have or need – Catan allows deception in negotiation.
Ports (harbors) are permanent improvements to your trading efficiency. Settling next to a good port early can define your entire strategy.
Development Cards
Draw a development card by spending 1 Wool + 1 Grain + 1 Ore. Cards are drawn from a shuffled deck, so you don’t know what you’ll get.
Knight card: Move the Robber and steal from an opponent. Knights are the most common card. Play 3+ Knights and you can claim Largest Army (2 VP). Keep your Knight count secret – other players won’t know you’re close to Largest Army until you claim it.
Road Building: Play 2 free roads immediately.
Year of Plenty: Take any 2 resource cards from the bank for free.
Monopoly: Name a resource. Every other player gives you all of their cards of that type. Devastating when timed well.
Victory Point cards: 1 VP, kept secret until you play them (typically when you win). There are 5 in the deck.
Rules:
- You cannot play a development card on the same turn you bought it
- You can only play 1 development card per turn
- Knights and other action cards can be played before or after rolling
Largest Army and Longest Road
These are the two “special” awards worth 2 VP each.
Largest Army: Awarded to the first player to play 3 Knight cards. If another player later surpasses your Knight count, they steal the card and its 2 VP.
Longest Road: Awarded to the first player to build a continuous road of 5+ segments. If another player builds a longer road, they steal it. Roads must be continuous (no backtracking). An opponent can break your road by settling on one of your intersections.
Both awards can change hands throughout the game. A player close to winning who loses Longest Road can go from 10 VP to 8 VP instantly – which is why you need to protect your leads.
Beginner Tips
1. Diversify your resources early. You need Lumber and Brick for your first roads and settlements, but you also need Grain and Ore for cities and development cards. Try to get access to at least 3-4 resource types in your starting placement.
2. Numbers matter more than terrain. A settlement on a 9 is better than a settlement on a 3. High-probability numbers (6 and 8 are rolled most often; 2 and 12 are least common) produce resources more consistently. The 6 and 8 tokens are marked in red as a reminder.
3. Expand before you upgrade. New players often upgrade settlements to cities too quickly. A 3rd or 4th settlement gives you more production diversity and gets you closer to Longest Road. Cities require Ore and Grain, which you’ll need to produce first.
4. Trade aggressively. Many new players hoard resources. Trading – even at a slight disadvantage – keeps you moving. Sitting on 7+ cards risks losing half to a 7.
5. Watch the leaders. If someone is at 8-9 VP, the whole table should be focused on slowing them down. Don’t let anyone run away with the game while you’re building roads.
6. Use the Robber as a tool, not an afterthought. When you roll a 7 or play a Knight, move the Robber to the hex that’s hurting the leader the most – not necessarily the hex that benefits you most.
7. Development cards are underrated by beginners. A well-timed Monopoly card can swing 6-8 resources your way. Year of Plenty can finish off the exact resources you need to win. Don’t ignore the deck.
Your Next Step: Practice for Free
The fastest way to get better at Catan is to play more games. ColonyRush lets you play Settlers of Catan for free on iOS, Android, or directly in your browser.
Practice against five difficulty tiers of AI opponents – from Easy (great for learning the rules) to Insane (a Neural AI that will genuinely challenge experienced players). Once you’re comfortable, jump into online multiplayer and test your skills with ELO ranked matchmaking.
[Download ColonyRush free on iOS] | [Get it on Google Play] | [Play in Browser]
Seafarers and Cities & Knights expansions are included – when you’re ready to add ships, islands, and a more complex resource system to your game.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a game of Catan take? A standard 4-player game takes 60-90 minutes. Games with experienced players tend to be faster. First-time games can take up to 2 hours.
How many players does Catan need? The base game supports 3-4 players. With the 5-6 player expansion, you can play with up to 6. Some digital versions support 2-player variants.
What’s the best starting position in Catan? There’s no single best position, but most experienced players prioritize high-probability numbers (6, 8, 5, 9) on diverse terrain. Access to a port is a bonus, not a necessity.
Can you play Catan solo? The physical board game is designed for 3+ players. ColonyRush’s AI mode lets you play solo against AI opponents – great for practice and learning the rules.
What is the Robber? The Robber is a piece that blocks resource production on a hex. It moves when a 7 is rolled or a Knight card is played. It’s one of the main ways players interact and interfere with each other.
What are expansions? Seafarers adds ships, water hexes, and multi-island boards. Cities & Knights adds commodities, city improvements, knights, and a barbarian mechanic that adds co-operative pressure. Both are free in ColonyRush.