Explorers And Pirates , Spices For Catan

Spices for Catan introduces a new commodity to the game: spices. These are represented by orange spice resource cards and can be acquired by trading with the new NPC merchant. The objective of the game is to collect spices and trade them in for victory points.

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Here’s a step-by-step guide to playing Spices for Catan:

Set up the game as normal, but add the spice cards to the resource deck. The spice cards have the same probability of being drawn as any other resource card.
Place the new NPC merchant on the board in a central location. The merchant has three types of spices: cinnamon, saffron, and ginger. The merchant also has a special trade option where you can trade two of any resource card for one spice card of your choice.
On each player’s turn, they can trade with the merchant. You can trade any combination of resources for any spice card the merchant has in stock. You can also trade two of any resource for one spice card of your choice.
When a player has acquired a set of three different spice cards, they can trade them in for a victory point token. The first player to collect a set of three different spice cards earns a bonus victory point token.
Play continues as normal until one player reaches the required number of victory points to win the game.

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What comes With The Scenario

20 spice cards: These cards represent the new resource, spices, which can be used to trade with other players or to purchase new development cards.
1 spice sack: This is a small cloth bag that is used to store the spice cards during the game.
1 special scenario: The expansion includes a new scenario for the game, which introduces spice trading mechanics to the gameplay. The scenario comes with its own set of rules and objectives.
18 trade tokens: These tokens are used to track the spice trade routes between players.

“Spices for Catan” is not a standalone game and requires the base game “Settlers of Catan” to play. The expansion adds a new strategic element to the game of Explorers and Pirates and provides players with additional options for trading and resource management.

How To Set Spices For Catan Up?

To set up the “Spices for Catan” scenario in “Catan: Explorers and Pirates,” follow these steps:

Set Up the Game Board: Place the main game board in the center of the table. Shuffle the terrain hexes and randomly place them on the board, as you would for a regular game of Catan.
Set Up the Spice Islands: Shuffle the spice island tiles and randomly place them on the board, face up, in a group of 9 hexes in the middle of the board. Each hex contains a number token, indicating the number required to produce spices.
Choose the Settlers: Each player chooses a color and takes the corresponding player pieces (settlements, cities, roads, and ships) and resource cards. Each player also starts with 1 gold.
Set Up Resource Production: Place the production number tokens on the terrain hexes as you would in a regular game of Catan.
Place the Development Cards: Shuffle the development cards and place them in a face-down deck.
Distribute Starting Resources: Each player receives 2 lumber, 2 wool, 2 grain, and 1 brick.
Begin Play: The player with the longest road on the main game board goes first.

In this scenario, players can earn victory points by producing and trading spices. Each player can build a spice harbor, which allows them to trade 2 spices for any resource or vice versa. Players can also earn victory points by building settlements and cities, upgrading ships, and completing mission cards.

The first player to reach the target number of victory points (which varies based on the number of players) wins the game.

How to win Guide To Catan Explorers' Pirates, Pirates Lairs

Some additional rules to keep in mind:

You can only trade with the merchant once per turn.
If the merchant runs out of a certain spice, players cannot trade for that spice until it is restocked.
Spice cards cannot be stolen by the robber.
Spice cards count as a separate resource and cannot be used in combination with other resources to build structures or make trades.

How To Win Explorers And Pirates, Spices For Catan?

To win Spices for Catan, you need to collect spice cards and trade them in for victory points. Here are some of our top tips to help you win the game:

In the “Catan: Explorers and Pirates” expansion, the “Spices for Catan” scenario provides a unique way to earn victory points by trading spices with the central game board. Here are the steps to earn victory points in this scenario:

Obtain Spices: Spices can be obtained by building specific settlement structures or by trading with other players.
Trade Spices: A player can trade spices with the central game board in exchange for a resource card. Each spice traded earns the player one victory point.
Be the First to Reach the Target Number of Victory Points: The number of victory points required to win the game depends on the number of players. The first player to reach the target number of victory points wins the game.

It’s worth noting that in this scenario, players can also earn victory points by building settlements and cities and completing missions. However, trading spices is the main way to earn victory points.

Focus on collecting spice cards

Since the objective of the game is to collect spice cards, you should prioritize trading with the merchant to acquire as many spice cards as possible. Try to collect a set of three different spice cards as quickly as possible to earn a victory point token.

Use your resources wisely

Since you need resources to trade with the merchant, it’s important to manage your resources carefully. Don’t spend all of your resources on building structures or making trades that aren’t essential to your strategy.

Plan ahead

As with the base game of Settlers of Catan, it’s important to have a strategy for winning the game. Decide whether you want to focus on building structures, trading for resources, or collecting victory points, and plan your moves accordingly.

Keep an eye on your opponents

Pay attention to what your opponents are doing and try to block them from collecting spice cards or earning victory points. Use the robber to steal resources from opponents who are doing well and prevent them from trading with the merchant.

Don’t neglect the other aspects of the game

While collecting spice cards is important, don’t forget about the other elements of the game. You still need to build structures to earn victory points and acquire resources to trade with the merchant. Balance your strategy to ensure that you are making progress on multiple fronts.

How To Win Victory Points For Spices Of Catan

In the “Spices for Catan” scenario in “Catan: Explorers and Pirates,” players can earn victory points by producing and trading spices, as well as by building settlements, cities, and upgrading ships. Here are some ways to earn victory points:

Produce Spices: Each time a player rolls the number token on a spice island hex, they receive 1 spice. The player can use these spices to trade with other players or with the bank.
Build a Spice Harbor: Players can build a spice harbor, which allows them to trade 2 spices for any resource or vice versa. Each time a player uses their spice harbor, they earn 1 victory point.
Complete Mission Cards: Players can earn victory points by completing mission cards, which are dealt at the beginning of the game. Mission cards may require the player to produce and trade spices, build settlements or cities on specific hexes, or have a certain number of ships.
Build Settlements and Cities: Players can earn victory points by building settlements and cities on the board. Each settlement is worth 1 victory point, while each city is worth 2 victory points.
Upgrade Ships: Players can upgrade their ships by spending resources and gold. Each time a player upgrades a ship, they earn 1 victory point.
Have the Longest Road: The player with the longest road on the main game board earns 2 victory points.