Subject: Settlers of Catan - Land Shares -variation 1.1
From: wafnamage@aol.com (Wafnamage)
Date 12. Jan 1998
(This variant to Settlers of Catan is probably more suited to a four-player
game than a three-player game. This provides a means to overcome congestion
and adds a new element to the game. The effect is not necessarily a game-winner,
but a nice thing to have at times.)
Land Share (Plantation, Industrial Complex, Market...)
Cost:
forest, brick, sheep, granite, grain
Structure:
A Land Share is an acute triangle where the top point is placed on a player's
production point (city or settlement) in one corner of a hex. There can
be up to three Land Shares in a hex at three different corners as long
as they will fit. A player may hold up to three Land Shares per production
point (one in each hex).
Points:
There are no victory points awarded for building or having a Land Share.
Effect:
A player who has a Land Share will draw one resource card of that type
at the end of his turn, every turn. Whether the land share is controlled
by a city or a settlement, the draw is still only one card from a Land
Share. Production continues normally otherwise.
Blocking Land Shares:
If an opponent builds a Land Share in a hex that contains another player's
Land Share, the opponent may decide to either block Land Share production
for that hex or allow mutual Land Share production. Thereafter each player
decides whether to block or produce at the beginning of his turn. The blocking
player places a blocking token on his land share to indicate a block. Blocking
tokens may accumulate, but a player may elect to remove only one token
per turn. When a player holds a majority of Land Shares he may use one
of his Land Shares to remove a blocking token from any Land Share on that
hex. Only the uninvolved Land Share will produce, and only if there are
no blocking tokens on that hex. If no blocking occurs all of that players
Land Shares produce.
Soldiers:
A soldier may be played to place or remove a blocking token from any Land
Share. A soldier may be played to defend against the attack of an opponent's
soldier attempting to block or unblock by any player who resides on that
hex. The player of a defending soldier may elect to only defend, or he
may counterattack. In either case only the last soldier to attack exercises
the power of the soldier. A defending soldier may elect to steal a card
as his counterattack instead of placing or removing tokens.
Robber:
The robber blocks all normal and Land Share production from that hex. When
a player initially moves a robber he may elect to have the robber deposit
a blocking token on any Land Share in his initial position. If the player
elects to place a blocking token in this way he moves the robber but does
not steal from anybody. A soldier may be played to defend against either
action and is resolved according to the preceding or normal rules. A combination
of two soldiers can be used to defend each separate action if an eligible
player desires to. Resolve the token first. A soldier defending against
the placing of a robber does not deposit an additional token, but may steal
a card.
Optional variations:
1a)
When blocking in any of the above manners, two tokens are placed. Only
one is removed however. (ie. I decide to block with my Land Share. I place
two tokens in the hex. My oppenent on his turn can only remove one with
his Land Share.)
1b)
When blocking with a soldier, deposit three blocking tokens.
2)
Land shares can only be built on hexes between a certain range of numbers.
(ie 4-10 or 5-9)
3)
Start collecting from a Land Share only on your next turn.