Chiwotweiler wrote:

 Ray00 wrote:

 Zyzomys wrote:

As far as resources go I have noticed that Brick and Wood are key resources at the beginning of the game while Ore and Grain become key during the end game.  Of course the difference between the beginning and the end is not always easily recognized, and the shift in game play can be subtle. 

Yes about the wood/brick early and ore/grain later.  That's why if I have to go without a resource it will usually be ore.

If your placement is good enough (say you're on two 10+ ranked intersections), you might need to get a lot of ore early on. Remember, building your first city (5 resources) is cheaper than building your first settlement (6 resources). There's no right or wrong answer of course on what to do.

Very true. of course it really depends on what rolls too. I try to get sets first to claim spots on the board, but if I wind up with 3 or 4 grain/ore I'll aim for a city. esp since (in general, and again early) people are more willing to trade ore for brick or wood. and this goes back to what you said before about not buying Dev cards early- you almost have that city...

About Politeness-

 IN51P1D wrote:

 Chiwotweiler wrote:

Appearing polite. I'm a big fan of appearing or being very friendly in the first half of the match. This is outside of talking, not cursing, etc. I'm not talking about etiquette, which I always try to follow. I'm talking about not making enemies. A sure-fire way to not do well in the game is to start picking fights. Playing a Monopoly in the first four rounds, or moving the robber always to the same player, shutting down someone's road without reason (i.e. w/o benefit to you). These are things that can put a very big target on your face.

Wellllll...like in a lot of games, hurting an opponent does indirectly benefit you by making it harder for them to win.  An early Monopoly of an important resource like wood or brick could be an excellent move, and using the robber to shut down the player with the best record is a tactic I try to use in a lot of sessions.  If you're worried that people will spend the rest of the game retaliating, use your microphone and turn on the charm -- "sorry I have to do this, guys...heh."

Well, I hope it goes without saying that everyone should be curteous and respectful. you shouldn't merely appear polite- be genuinely polite. and good point Chi about the distinction between ettiquette and playing diplomatically.

For instance, (beyond trying to be a good, decent person) if everyone is still at 2 and I roll the first 7, I'll usually put it on an open spot. One card and a temporary hindrance is not worth being the **** and the target for the rest of the game. If anyone asks (or even if they don't) I'll explain, "hey, I won't use it till it's used on me or someone takes a lead." (that second half is important) You're right Insipid, that sometimes the benefits of doing the **** thing can outway the potential diplomatic problems it may create, but I think those are the exceptional cases. Depends on who you're playing with too, I guess.

When I'm in a fun, friendly game, I apologize and laugh when placing the robber; I also try to be reasonable/fair about it and explain why I'm placing it in a specific spot...("Ohh! Who's in the lead?  okay, here it goes! ....well, that should.....") Shoot, when I'm in the lead I'll point out it out when someone else rolls a 7. For me, it's more important to keep it fun then to win.

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Can YOU Escape from the Dead?

 Ray00 wrote:

Well, I hope it goes without saying that everyone should be curteous and respectful. you shouldn't merely appear polite- be genuinely polite. and good point Chi about the distinction between ettiquette and playing diplomatically.

For instance, (beyond trying to be a good, decent person) if everyone is still at 2 and I roll the first 7, I'll usually put it on an open spot. One card and a temporary hindrance is not worth being the **** and the target for the rest of the game. If anyone asks (or even if they don't) I'll explain, "hey, I won't use it till it's used on me or someone takes a lead." (that second half is important) You're right Insipid, that sometimes the benefits of doing the **** thing can outway the potential diplomatic problems it may create, but I think those are the exceptional cases. Depends on who you're playing with too, I guess.

When I'm in a fun, friendly game, I apologize and laugh when placing the robber; I also try to be reasonable/fair about it and explain why I'm placing it in a specific spot...("Ohh! Who's in the lead?  okay, here it goes! ....well, that should.....") Shoot, when I'm in the lead I'll point out it out when someone else rolls a 7. For me, it's more important to keep it fun then to win.

I belive is a common house rule that you can't play/move the robber before "X" amount of turns.  I also think it's an option during player matches. 

However, I think you can move the robber without offending people.  Often (against the computer), I've had to move the robber to a spot, even though I really just wanted to leave it where it was...  that's frustrating.

This is one of the best threads ever.  There are plenty of strategies/tricks that I hadn't even considered.  This game was an excellent purchase and a good value for $10.

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Xbox #1 - May 2006 - October 2007
Xbox #2 - October 2007-December 2007
Xbox #3 - December 2007 - present

 Ray00 wrote:

For instance, (beyond trying to be a good, decent person) if everyone is still at 2 and I roll the first 7, I'll usually put it on an open spot.

Yeah, I think that's a bad move.  I mean, your roll didn't produce anything for you, and it's early in the game so you probably need a specific resource pretty badly; you can get one if you use the robber.  And the advantage you gain by shutting down an important resource early, especially when multiple opponents are on it, is too great.

What would really help this game is if people didn't take it personally when you use the robber on them after rolling a 7.  That happened to me last night, actually -- I rolled a lot of sevens.  Nobody's fault.  But I got pretty severely ganged up on.  When I asked why, and they said it was because of the robber, I pointed out that I didn't even have a soldier card -- it's not my fault I only roll a 7!  That actually kind of shut them up.  You just shouldn't take that kind of thing personally.

 IN51P1D wrote:

 Ray00 wrote:

For instance, (beyond trying to be a good, decent person) if everyone is still at 2 and I roll the first 7, I'll usually put it on an open spot.

Yeah, I think that's a bad move.  I mean, your roll didn't produce anything for you, and it's early in the game so you probably need a specific resource pretty badly; you can get one if you use the robber.  And the advantage you gain by shutting down an important resource early, especially when multiple opponents are on it, is too great.

What would really help this game is if people didn't take it personally when you use the robber on them after rolling a 7.  That happened to me last night, actually -- I rolled a lot of sevens.  Nobody's fault.  But I got pretty severely ganged up on.  When I asked why, and they said it was because of the robber, I pointed out that I didn't even have a soldier card -- it's not my fault I only roll a 7!  That actually kind of shut them up.  You just shouldn't take that kind of thing personally.

Well said.  You need to use the robber to your advantage and others shouldn't get offended that you're putting the robber on them unless there is another player that is clearly ahead who gets off scott free (unless, of course you had a specific resource that was in much demand).

 IMFUNKY wrote:

 IN51P1D wrote:

 Ray00 wrote:

For instance, if everyone is still at 2 and I roll the first 7, I'll usually put it on an open spot.

What would really help this game is if people didn't take it personally when you use the robber

You need to use the robber to your advantage and others shouldn't get offended...

But they do, that's the thing. Also, sometimes it also hurts you to block someone else's resource...  I think it's a balance between the immediate advantage of using it and the long term disadvantage of being a target. Like I said, it depends... who you're playing with, the situation, and more. That's why I said usually- if a guy's got 1 card and you know what it is and you need it and can use it that turn, yeh; if you can see someone's starting with a far superior position, then yeh, block em. Remember I'm talking about the begining of the game when everyone's at 2... once someone takes a lead it's on. I play friendly and I still do very well.

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Can YOU Escape from the Dead?

I to have experiencesd the angry player because i used a soldier on them -- it usually costs them and/or me the game because they are targetting me and not the player that jumps into the lead.

 

On a side note :

One strategy I ahve been using online that I havent seen alot of players use is putting my 1st icon on a 6 or 8, or groups of 3 resources together putting it in the middle and then taking the port for this resource.

 

If doing this and I get the monopoly on hte resource i dont trade it alot instead most my trades go through the port -- this may cost me more but hurts the other players growth.

 

Also when building i try to make it so others cannot build on the same hexigon, If I want a resource and someoen is on it i will do my best to build directly across from them so only 2 of us can be on it and thus limiting the number of that resource in the game.

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Help grow my city

 Ray00 wrote:

Also, sometimes it also hurts you to block someone else's resource...  I think it's a balance between the immediate advantage of using it and the long term disadvantage of being a target.

Catan is not a one-on-one game, although depending on how the game starts out, you might only have two opponents if the third guy is across the island and not interfering with you. It's only in rare cases that you are directly fighting only one other person (especially at the beginning). Keep in mind I am talking about the very beginning of the game only here.

Spite, early in the game, can cost you the game. If you had a choice between using X resources to stop an opponent or to make your own settlement, here's my argument towards making your own settlement:

By hurting another player, you're hurting only them. You're not helping yourself or the other players. By helping yourself, you're hurting every other player since now every other player doesn't get the benefits you're getting. Early in the game, it is a complete waste of resources to squash someone else's good opportunity by spiting your own.

Simply put, early in the game, concentrate on improving your position, not hurting other player's positions, because by improving your position, you're advancing over all three opponents, rather than simply hampering one. If, during your improvement, you happen to hurt another player, then that's a great move. But make the focus of the first few turns (until you get your first city and/or settlement) YOU.

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Catan, finally!

tag, good strats

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"I don't give a damn for a man that can only spell a word one way." - Mark Twain

WWFSMD

Gotta say guys,

 

Great tips! All of them, especially for an inexpierenced Catan player such as myself,

I've played some against the CPU lately and just beat 3 AI's set on hard so with your tips in the back of my mind I'm off for trying my luck online when I'm off from work today!

 

Cheers,

Simon

I'm not sure where to put this in the forum, so here I go:

In the "FAQ" thread of this game, Joe Striker wrote:

"Winning the Game: The game goes to 10 Victory Points, which is won by adding up all the possible VPs, as follows:
Settlement: 1 VP
City:2 VPs
Longest Road: 2 VPs
Largest Army: 2 VPs
Some Development Cards: 1-2 VPs
First to 10 wins."

I understand that it means there are some developement cards that are worth 2 VP ?

Is that right or is it just that you can get the longest road and largest army by using the dev cards?

Are there any cards worth more than one "instant" VP ?

 Ultimate Bij wrote:

I'm not sure where to put this in the forum, so here I go:

In the "FAQ" thread of this game, Joe Striker wrote:

"Winning the Game: The game goes to 10 Victory Points, which is won by adding up all the possible VPs, as follows:
Settlement: 1 VP
City:2 VPs
Longest Road: 2 VPs
Largest Army: 2 VPs
Some Development Cards: 1-2 VPs
First to 10 wins."

I understand that it means there are some developement cards that are worth 2 VP ?

Is that right or is it just that you can get the longest road and largest army by using the dev cards?

Are there any cards worth more than one "instant" VP ?

There are no dev cards that are worth 2 VP, at least not in the main game.