CATAN STRATEGIES (Rules Revision) - Board Game Remix

CORE RULE CHANGES

1. PRODUCTION PHASE (Replaces Dice Rolling)

On Your Turn:

OPTIONAL: Pay to Discard (before playing card)

Pay 2 resources (any combination) to discard 1 Production Card and draw 1 new card

Can repeat multiple times if you have enough resources

Example: Pay 🟤🟢 → discard unwanted 7, draw new card

MANDATORY: Play Production Card

Play 1 Production Card from your hand face-up

That number produces resources for ALL players (like dice roll)

Draw 1 card from Production Deck back to 3-card hand

If Production Deck empty: Shuffle discards to form new deck

Strategic Depth:

You see 3 future production numbers in your hand

You control which number activates on your turn

You can help or hurt opponents by your choice

You must balance helping yourself vs. denying opponents

NEW: You can pay 2 resources to cycle bad cards, but this delays building!

Example Turn:

You hold cards: 2, 7, 11 (all terrible!)

Your settlements are on 6 and 8

You have resources: 🟤🟤🟢⚪🟡 (5 resources)

Decision Options:

Option A: Pay 🟤🟢 to discard 2, draw new card (hope for better number)

Option B: Play the 2 (produces nothing useful), save resources for settlement

Option C: Pay 🟤🟢 twice (4 resources!) to discard both 2 and 7, sculpt perfect hand

The Trade-off:

Early game: Can't afford to discard (need resources for settlements!)

Mid game: Painful choice (better hand vs. faster building)

Late game: Rich players can sculpt hands, but costs building tempo

The 2-resource cost ensures this is a REAL sacrifice, not trivial optimization!

2. STRATEGY CARDS (New Mechanic)

Once per turn, you may play 1 Strategy Card instead of a Production Card.

Strategy Cards provide alternative actions:

RESOURCE MANIPULATION:

"Bountiful Harvest": Produce on TWO numbers (play 2 Production Cards this turn)

"Selective Production": Produce on chosen number, but only YOU get resources

"Trade Winds": Force all players to trade 1 resource with neighbor

ROBBER CONTROL:

"Brigand": Move robber WITHOUT playing a 7

"Safe Haven": Robber cannot affect you this round

"Militia": Remove robber from board entirely for 2 rounds

PLANNING:

"Forecast": Look at top 5 cards of Production Deck, rearrange them

"Market Intelligence": Look at all opponents' Production Card hands

"Stockpile": Draw 2 extra Production Cards this turn (hand size becomes 5)

BUILDING:

"Master Builder": Build 1 road for free

"Rush Construction": Build settlement for 1 less resource

"Expansion": Place 2 roads this turn instead of 1

After playing a Strategy Card:

Discard it from game

Draw 1 replacement Strategy Card

Still draw 1 Production Card as normal

WHY THIS WORKS

Eliminates Dice Frustration:

No more "the 8 never came up!"

Cards give "controlled randomness" with "perfect distribution"

You KNOW your numbers will come up (they're in your hand!)

Adds Strategic Depth:

Hand Management: Which card to play now vs. save for later?

Opponent Reading: What numbers are they holding? What do they need?

Timing Decisions: When to help yourself vs. deny opponents?

Strategy Card Synergy: Combo Strategy Cards with Production Cards

Maintains Catan Feel:

Still building settlements, cities, roads

Still trading (maybe MORE trading now!)

Still racing to 10 victory points

Still blocking with robber

Reduces Kingmaking:

Late-game leaders can't just "get lucky with rolls"

Everyone has same production card distribution

Strategy Cards create comeback mechanics

ADVANCED VARIANT: "THE ROBBER'S CHOICE"

When 7 is played:

Instead of robber player choosing where to place it...

EACH player (starting with active player) places 1 vote on where robber goes

Ties: Robber doesn't move

Adds negotiation: "I'll vote for your choice if you don't block my ore!"

PLAYTESTING GOALS

Need community feedback on:

Is 3-card hand size correct, or should it be 4?

Are Strategy Cards too powerful or just right?

Should you draw Production Card BEFORE or AFTER playing one?

Does game length match original Catan (60-90 min)?

Is there enough comeback potential for losing players?

Balance Concerns:

Early game vs. late game card power

Strategy Card frequency (12 cards enough?)

Production Deck cycling speed

COMPONENTS NEEDED

From Catan:

Game board (19 hexes, 6 frame pieces)

All terrain tiles and number tokens

All player pieces (settlements, cities, roads)

All resource cards

Development cards

Robber pawn

Building costs cards

NEW Components (Create/Print):

Production Deck: 36 cards numbered 2-12 matching dice probability

One 2, one 12

Two 3s, two 11s

Three 4s, three 10s

Four 5s, four 9s

Five 6s, five 8s

Six 7s

Strategy Cards: 12 action cards (explained below)

SETUP (Mostly Standard)

Build the board as normal Catan

Players place initial 2 settlements and 2 roads as normal

Shuffle the 36-card Production Deck

Deal 3 Production Cards face-down to each player as hand

Shuffle 12 Strategy Cards, place face-down as deck

Each player draws 1 Strategy Card to start