Catan: Traders & Barbarians — Rules Manual

SCENARIO’S
THE RIVERS OF CATAN
A scenario for Settlers of Catan for 3 to 4 players

For each road and each settlement a player
builds at the river fields, he receives 1 gold. A
player may exchange 2 gold for any raw material.

Who possesses most gold, is richest settler,
which brings in one special victory point. But
caution! Who parts with his gold can become the
poor settler and loses 2 victory points.
Material
Two river pieces, one with 3 tiles, one with 4.

Preparation
Set up the board with the two rivers as below.
Remove from the standard tile set 2x Mountains,
2x Clay pits, 2x Grassland and 1x desert. Use
the remaining land tiles to make up the rest of the
island.

- No payment chits are placed on the two
marshland tiles.
- The 2 token is put aside for the time being.
The “A” token is used on any coastal
landscape, which becomes the start
placement for the remaining payment tokens
which are placed in alphabetical order as in
the basic game.
Token 2 “B” is skipped over. When all the
number tokens are laid out and turned, the 2
token is placed on the same landscape where
the 12 is. This landscape generates now
everytime 2 or 12 is thrown.
- Place the robber on either of the marshland
tiles.
- Place the gold near the board. Players start
with no gold.
- Each player takes the 3 bridges in their
colour.
- The “Reichster Siedler” (Richest settler) and
“Armer Siedler” (Poorest Settler) tokens are
placed near the board.
Founding Phase
Each player places, as in the basic game, 2
settlements with 1 road each.
There are the following additional rules:
- A road may not be built crossing a river (This
rule applies throughout the game).
- For each road a player builds alongside a
river tile he receives 1 gold.
- For each settlement a player builds at a river
crossing he receives 1 gold.
The Richest Settler and Poor Settler
tokens

Each player can start the game with up to 4 gold.
After the founding phase the player(s) who
possesses the least Gold receives a “Poor
Settler” token.
Important: All players who equal the least Gold or
no gold receive a “Poor Settler” token each
(minus 2 victory points)

The player who alone possesses the most Gold
receives the “Richest settler“ token. If there is a
draw for the most gold put the token aside for the
time being.
The Game
The basic rules apply with the following changes

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SCENARIO’S
Additional Rules
Settlements and roads at the river
As in the founding phase for each road built on a river tile and each settlement built at a river crossing the player receives one gold.

The upgrade of a settlement to a city does not generate any gold.
The bridge construction
A bridge costs 2 brick and 1 wood, a bridge must adjoin a road or settlement of the same colour and can only be built on one of the seven bridge construction places. Building a bridge earns 3 gold. A bridge counts towards the longest trade route like a road. Each player can build only 3 bridges. A Bridge may not be built with the development card “Strassenbau" (Road Building).
Richest settler
This token counts one for one point of victory. It is in the possession of the player, who alone possesses the most gold.
A player will lose the token, if either
- another player gains an equal or greater amount of gold or
- if the player spends gold and then no longer has the most gold.
If a player loses the token “richest settler” the token is transferred to the player, who alone possesses the most gold. If there is no such player the token is set aside until a single player has the most gold.
Poor settler
At all times during the game any player possessing the fewest gold must hold a “poor settler” token. The token is returned to supply when a player gets gold and thus no longer is part of the group with the fewest gold.

The “poor settler” token reduces the victory points held by the player by two points.
The gold
Up to twice during a turn a player may exchange 2 gold for any one raw material. Gold received in the same turn may be used. Gold can also be received by trading raw materials: Either in normal 4:1 bank exchange, by using ports or by the trade with fellow players. Gold does not count as raw material and may not, therefore, be stolen when shifting the robber.
Game end
The game is played to 10 victory points.
Game tips for this scenario
Players struck with the “Poor Settler” token will find it hard to win the game. Gold, therefore, should only be exchanged for raw materials if sufficient building options are owned at the river with which gold can be recovered.
Combination with other variants
Catan for Two
Building a settlement at a marshland, likewise earns 2 commercial chips. Instead of into the desert banish the robber to a marshland.
Using the Event Cards
Rückzug des Räubers (Retreat of the Robber)
Move the robber to a marshland. No cards may be drawn from any players who have settlements or cities on the desert.
Harbour Master
Play to 11 victory points.
*With Seafarers
A ship built at the edge of the marshes is worth one additional victory point as well, but if the ship is later moved, this additional victory point is lost. The game should be played to 12 points.
*With Cities and Knights
Knights placed on crossings of the river do not receive an additional victory point. If the “Diplomat” card is played, use the rules under Seafarers outlined above. The game should be played to 12 points.
* These options taken from “The Great River”

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