Quote:
Originally Posted by Red October1984
and on my first time almost beat my Uncle.
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almost"...? - You looser...!
While not matching the complexity of PC simulation games, the rule complexity of Catan varies, depending on what addons are being used. I always recommend to consider adding Knight&Cities to the base game. As a matter of fact I refuse to play without it.
You must produce action cards by a short economic production cycle that increasingly improves the probability for you to be awarded with such cards, and you cannot directly buy them via ressource cards anymore. Also, you have knights that allow you some options that in some matches can turn out to draw all the game's attention at least for some time of the match: especially blocking the territorial expansion of the rivals. Very nice addon, to me: an essential one.
There are also scenarios with different starting maps in use, depending on the addons in use. It is by far not always the standard hexagon. There are scenarios with hidden hexes whose fields do not get revealed until they are being reached. Especially mean is any scenario where not all hexes have a number chip. When you reach a new, empty field, you must remove a chip from one of the existing hexes and then place it. That way, you really can turn your closest friend into a snapped enemy that does not talk to you for the rest of the weekend.
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Some of these rule alternatives bring big fun indeed, that is for sure.
There was an article on Catan recently in a German newspaper, just days ago. It is the most popular boardgame in Europe and also does very well in North America.
It has left Monopoly behind both in sales numbers and popularity. It even gets used in manager seminaries. Really, no joke. It has also led to a huge raise in popularity of high quality boardgames in general, paving the way for some very nice releases in the past years. But so far nothing and nobody can compete with Catan. Over here, it is cult amongst boardgamers.