August 2025 Game Night

We had game night in August instead of German Park--we managed that and a game night in June--at Casa Beej. Joe, Paul, Pete, and Tony joined me for a game on the expansion map.

We dined on pizza, cookies and mini donuts, potato chips and dip, and the usual house swill, Labatt Blue Light. Plus a small number of Labatt Blue Light raspberry and lemon beers. And for God's sake, will nobody drink the two IPAs in my refrigerator? The usual non-alcoholic beverages were also available, of course. Tony brought cannolis.

We played with the usual harbor master variant, requiring 11 points to win. 

GAME ONE

The order of placement and movement was Tony (blue), myself (red), Joe (orange), Paul (green), and Pete (brown) in the double-placement position.

Rock wasn't awful but in practice it was awful. Wheat was below adequate. 

Tony's first pick gave him good road-building. I was happy to snap up the 6 rock and have every resource but sheep. But I hoped to reach sheep quickly. I hate to count on the "you can always trade for sheep" rule 

The opening positions: 

TONY rankings:

What happened? 

• Tony quarantined my mountain city with his longest road.
• I ignored opportunities to expand my mountain region; but made it to the coast from my central settlement. 
• Paul and Tony had two harbor points, and nobody took the title. 
• Paul extorted 3 bricks for one card from Tony; and then Pete took 8 bricks with his monopoly card.
• Joe ran parallel to the coast in the east, with no ports there to develop.
• I was able to get largest army (Tony had two knights), and with a victory point card down I reached 11! 

The final map:

Tony followed with 8 points, including longest road. Joe had 6, Paul had 5, and Pete had 4.

"Probability":

Huh. So that happened. Ah, blessed "probability." Paul rolled the only robber very late in the game.

 

GAME TWO

The order of placement and movement was Paul (green), Pete (brown), Tony (blue), myself (red), and Joe (orange)  in the coveted double-placement position.

Wood was poor. Rock and wheat were either going to be good or bad for you. 

I tried to make rock good enough with two lesser rocks. I had to accept poor wood but I hoped a sheep port would help.

The opening positions: 

TONY rankings:

What happened? 

• My road building was initially poor so I resorted to two flux capacitors. I did step on my building spots between my enclaves. But at least it eliminated reasons to advance to the coast through me.
• Joe ran into expansion limits but built on five sites with one more likely; and promoted two cities,
• Tony built the longest road; and it would have taken significant work for either Pete, Joe, or myself to challenge for it.
• Pete managed to promote three cities in a compact realm; but with no more build spots would ultimately need help from the lottery ticket deck. 
• Paul managed to fully urbanize, get the harbor master, and make up for just four build sites with a victory point card! Congratulations, Paul! 

The final map:

Following Paul were Tony with 10, including longest road; Pete with 9, myself with 8, and Joe with 7.

"Probability":

Much more acceptable than game one, all things considered. Every number participated!

GAME THREE

The order of placement and movement was Joe (orange), Paul (green), Pete (brown), Tony (blue) and myself  in the coveted DP position.

Rock was bad except for the lucky player who rolled highest for starting the game. Sheep was outstanding! 💓 Wood was okay but concentrated in one vast forest in a valley defined by three crappy rocks.

I did not think I had a classic DP option for a port and resources. I instead relied on 3 for my rock needs. Oops.

The opening positions: 

TONY rankings:

What happened? 

• Pete with difficulty expanded to five settled sites but really locked in harbor master while promoting three cities, using his sheep port and massive sheep investments.
• Joe stretched out on the coast in search of build spots and the longest road.
• I was aiming for largest army to push me over the top but stalled at 2 knights played. One turn I bought two resource cards but got another VP card and a monopoly card! So I secretly went to 10 points rather than 11 ...
• Paul, was stuck with just three settlements as he poured resources into road building to cut me off in search of some place to build; and as long as he was there, to challenge for longest road. So close ...
• Tony's expansion at both ends of his longest road got cut off; but with four cities and longest road, his sad failure to roll a 7 on himself allowed him to build a settlement and reach 11! Congratulations!

The final map:

Following Tony were myself (two VP) and Pete (harbor master) at 10, Joe with 5, and Paul with 3.

"Probability":

Well. I failed to get a ROI on 3 and 10; but thank goodness I invested in 4 and 8! Tony of course loved his heavy investment in 11 rock. Pete's sheep on 6, 8, and 11 were fruitful and multiplied.

 

GAME FOUR

The order of placement and movement was Pete (brown), Tony (blue), myself (red), Joe (orange), and Paul (green)  in the always coveted DP position.

A coastal mountain range and a puny isolated mountain made for interesting rock opportunities. Wood was nice but brick was a problem. Wheat was weak. Sheep was more than sufficient. Who set up this map, anyway?

I counted myself lucky to get a 4 rock. Joe took the plunge and selected the coastal rock for his second placement! 

The opening positions: 

TONY rankings:

What happened? 

• Assuming I could build few roads, my set up planned for two flux capacitors. I raced Tony for a port in the southeast and with that, two more port settlements gave me harbor master. I really needed city upgrades.
• Pete also struggled with roads, but somehow managed to promote three cities!
• Joe also suffered a road shortage, making his open horizons in the west more of a taunt than opportunity.
• Paul didn't build as many roads as his resources (and past history) should have produced. With a non-producing 12 rock, I assume he had to trade for his city upgrade. Again, open spaces taunted subdivision plans.
• Early in the game when Tony had 6 points, I recognized him for the grave and gathering danger and began putting the robber on Tony for some light so-called hybrid warfare. Sadly, fellow Catanians ignored my example.
• Tony overcame my early win for a coastal port and began his second Alesia-scale fortification line around my southern flux capacitor. Nobody believed his "I'm protecting you" justification. You and Putin, eh Tony? With three cities, a settlement, longest road, and two victory point cards, Tony claimed the win. Congratulations! 

The final map:

Pete and I (including my harbor master) had 7 points each, Paul had 6, and Joe had 4.

"Probability":

That looked like reasonable "probability" but 6 decisively defeated 8 in their epic rivalry.

Miscellaneous

The Grim Reaper of Catan Award for rolling the most 7s and unleashing thievery on the peace-loving people of Catan goes to ...

 

Also, I record the times players get hit by the robber in an evening--but not how many cards were lost--so we have data for who can validly claim victim status, robbery-wise.

"Congratulations" myself, with three hits in the evening.

Oh, and Tony had a moment of clarity in one game when he suggested a crack in his "probability" delusions. While he denied he should change dice, he said he'd be helped if the rest of us changed our dice.

They grow up so fast! 

And a meme!

We wrapped up a little bit after 10:00. Great to see you guys! Much fun, as usual.

Please feel free to add your thoughts in the comments on either your initial placement strategy or your game play. Or both!  

Next month Dave will host at the Dave Compound for his award-winning wood-fire pizza oven and a change of pace with Seafarers of Catan. Although I will bring regular Catan in case we exceed his puny 6-player game capacity. Emails will follow in time with date, time, and address.