Settlers of Catan: Solitaire variant
Alan Winston
http://home.joice.net/j100681/v-003-24.htm while browsing German "Siedler"
web sites, but no English translation.
abw
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Die Siedler von Catan
Robin Hood
(R. Hoekstra)
created 23.11.1998
Translated 5 September 1999
(Alan Winston)
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Players:
1 player
Equipment:
1 basic game:
(1 color for "Robin Hood", 1 neutral color, 2 colors for the Sheriff)
Victory conditions:
Whoever first reaches 15 victory points, "Robin Hood" (by theft) or the
Sheriff (normal play or by trapping "Robin Hood" for an early finish).
* Setup:
- Setup is according to the standard rules
- The robber is "Robin Hood." Prepare a movement generator for him, either
with a set of one of each raw material card plus one knight card,
or by marking a blank wood cube with the 6 symbols,
or by sticking small labels on the six sides of a number die.
- "Robin Hood" begins in the desert, his base camp. 15 "roads" will be used
there to count his score. The remaining pieces of his color are not needed.
- Of the neutral color, only 5 settlements and 5 roads are used. By dice
roll identify locations in each of which 1 settlement and 1 road will be
placed. The neutral color only provides obstacles and is not played further.
- Finally, the sheriff (solo player) places his two starting settlements as
desired.
* Game play:
Play proceeds as usual: The solo player rolls the dice, receives raw
materials, conducts sea trade (4:1 without harbor, 3:1 or 2:1 as
appropriate, with harbor) and conducts development. The next turn is for
"Robin Hood," who draws or rolls for movement:
= Movement
- Knight: "Robin Hood" returns to the desert base.
- Raw material: "Robin Hood" moves to the adjacent hex with the
corresponding raw material. If there is a choice, the sheriff may decide. If
there is no adjacent hex of the correct type, or reaching it requires
crossing a road belonging to the sheriff, "Robin Hood" does not move.
- If the sheriff plays a Knight card, "Robin Hood" must make extra out of
turn movement, using the movement cards or die.
= Expulsion
- If the sheriff builds (settlement or city) against the hex in which "Robin
Hood" is currently placed, the sheriff may drive him to an adjacent hex, as
desired, so long as a road of the sheriff's is not crossed. After this
expulsion, "Robin Hood" will make another normal move.
= Robbery / Victory points
- Whenever "7" is rolled, "Robin Hood" robs a raw material card from the
sheriff and earns victory points, if his current hex has a settlement (1
victory point) or a city (2 victory points) of the sheriff's.
- Similarly, "Robin Hood" earns a victory point if his current hex has a
neutral settlement.
- If "robin Hood" is currently on a hex with no development, he neither robs
nor gains victory points, but is moved to the hex with the most victory
points. If there are alternatives, the sheriff may choose between them
freely.
* Game end:
The game may end in 3 ways:
1. "Robin Hood" reaches 15 victory points, and wins the game.
2. The sheriff (solo player) reaches 15 victory points and wins the game.
3. The sheriff encloses the hex with "Robin Hood" completely with roads. The
winner is the player with the most victory points.