Timelines of Catan

Greetings! Before embarking on the Timelines of Catan all expansion inclusive adventure, we would encourage you to take a moment to read some general information we have provided for you below.

1. Timelines is not a single uniform game or game-bundle, therefore the following items are required in order for it to be implemented successfully: • Settlers of Catan Base Game with Rulebook & Almanac • Catan: Seafarers game expansion with

Rulebook • Catan: Cities & Knights with Rulebook • Catan: Traders & Barbarians with Rulebook • Catan: Explorers & Pirates –

RulebookTimelines of Catan Victory Point Spreadsheet

2. The game itself takes approximately 13-15 hours. We encourage the game to be played in a single sitting so as to reduce the possibility of lost items and damaged pieces. We also encourage a single sitting situation due to the vastness of the game and the lack of distraction needed for completion. If the game is put off, it is far more likely that things will be overlooked and strategies ruined resulting in confusion and hostility on the part of those involved. We have also noticed in our own experience that once a game is put off, it is seldom picked back up again and therefore advise against it.

3. Because the Settlers of Catan along with all of its expansions were not designed to be played in this manner, the chance of running out of various pieces mid-game is within the realm of possibility. We have experienced this firsthand with both roads and boats alike. We encourage purchasing the Catan 5-6 Players extensions for both the base game and the expansions.

4. And lastly, we do not encourage more than four players to attempt this game. Becuase of the developmental nature of the scenario employed, the time required for each person’s turn increases dramatically as the game continues. With all of this in mind we are now ready to move on to the game itself!

Setup The game is designed to move forward in dispensations. Each dispensation adds an additional expansion to the game. The abilities gained by each expansion (boats, bridges, etc) allow the player to progress across the board. Because the goal is expansion and exploration, the board is designed to have a natural progression which limits the players’ advancement until the following expansion has been added. Therefore it is recommended that the players familiarize themselves with the various scenarios listed within each expansion as the board is designed to accommodate and incorporate these scenarios. We have provided reference photos below to demonstrate the desired design for the board.

The progression of dispensations is as follows:

1. Catan Base Game – First Dispensation 2. Catan: Seafarers – Second Dispensation

3. Catan Cities & Knights – Third Dispensation 4. Catan: Traders & Barbarians – Fourth Dispensation 5. Catan: Explorers & Pirates – Fifth Dispensation

Note: The Rules, pieces, and scenarios from each dispensation are carried over into the next. The board should include a fairly large island (first photo) for the beginning base game, followed by four smaller islands (second photo) three of wich are hidden (which will be explained later during the second dispensation Seafarers), followed by a large elongated fifth island effectively separating the board in half. This large sixth island should have rivers along one end to serve as a barrier until bridges are introduced into the game (second photo). Finally beyond the rivers should be two large hidden island mirroring each other included in the Explorers & Pirates expansion. Note: The tiles required for Traders & Barbarians are scattered about the whole board. Take special note of their locations as they are strategically placed in order to for a smooth implementation. The Barbarian Attack and Traders (Traders & Barbarian Rulebook Pg. 15) and Barbarians scenarios must be taken into account when constructing the starting board

Dispensation 1 | Settlers of Catan 1. The first dispensation functions as a classical Settlers of Catan game with slight variance in order

to prepare for the following expansions. For rules pertaining to this dispensation please see the Catan Game Rules & Almanac with the exception of the few variances listed below.

2. Instead of playing to 10 Victory Points, to end this dispensation players will play to 5 Victory Points from building only. This excludes Longest Road, Largest Army, Harbor Master, and Victory Points gained from Development Cards.

3. At the start of the game, each player must place their starting settlement on a coastal-hex facing the other islands. This ensures no players get landlocked when the time comes to move forward in the game.

Dispensation 2 | Seafarers 1. For rules pertaining to this dispensation please see the Catan: Seafarers Rulebook with the

exception of the few variances listed below.

2. The Seafarers dispensation begins as soon as the Settlers of Catan dispensation ends upon reaching 5 Victory Points from building.

3. Immediately upon the start of this dispensation, players place a settlement on the board’s central main island (the elongated fifth island), following the rules from Cloth for Catan (Seafarers Rulebook Pg. 22). These double as the pirate fortresses in The Pirate Islands Scenario (Seafarers Rulebook Pg. 24). Because these settlements are currently occupied by Pirates they are not worth any Victory Points until reclaimed according to what is outlined in the Rulebook. A shipping route however can be built from the Pirate Settlement, though this route cannot build other settlements until the Pirates are defeated, or it is joined to a route proceeding from another settlement. Until then, the route proceeding from the Pirate settlement exists solely for the discovery of new islands (again, without the ability to settle there) and for the purpose of creating warship to fight the Pirates. This excludes the possibility of a player being cut off from the rest of the board by other players due to the limited space available on the board and unable to reach and defeat that player’s Pirate Settlement, a requirement for victory in Timelines.

4. Scenario 1: Heading for New Shores (Seafarers Rulebook Pg. 8) • This scenario is automatically incorporated into all Seafarers scenarios and need not be

played individually. • One Special Victory Points is awarded to a player for settling on any new island.

5. Scenario 2: The Four Islands (Seafarers Rulebook Pg. 11) • This scenario is automatically incorporated into all Seafarers scenarios and need not be

played individually. • All four islands must be settled on in order for this dispensation to end. It is not required

that they all be settled by the same player. 6. Scenario 3: The Fog Islands (Seafarers Rulebook Pg. 14)

• A smaller version of the fog islands illustrated in the Seafarers rulebook will be incorporated with the normal rules of discovery applying. Follow the example images provided above for reference.

• The Seafarers Rulebook does not award Victory Points for settling on these islands but because this scenario has been combined with Scenario 1: Heading to New Shores, One Special Victory Points is awarded to a player for settling on any new island, as stated previously.

• All Fog hexes must be discovered (as presupposed in Scenario 2: The Four Islands) in order for this dispensation to end.

7. Scenario 4: Through the Desert (Seafarers Rulebook Pg. 17) • 2 Special Victory Points will be awarded for settling beyond the desert. • A road must be completed by one player through the desert resulting in the building of

a settlement in order for this dispensation to end. 8. Scenario 5: The Forgotten Tribe (Seafarers Rulebook Pg. 20)

• Special Victory Points in this scenario are only offered to the players who reach the chit by building a ship along the edge the chit occupies. Harbors and Development Cards are similarly awarded (as can be seen placed on the board in the example photos above).

• Certain or all islands will have incentives (Development Cards, Harbors, and/or Victory Point Chits) placed along their edges to be earned through exploration.

• This dispensation cannot end until two Victory Point chits, two Ports, and two Development Cards are acquired.

9. Scenario 6: Cloth for Catan (Seafarers Rulebook Pg. 22) • The cloth islands will be represented by the “trade hexes” from the Traders and Barbarians

scenario. • The supply of Catan chits given to these islands will be limited to 10. As soon as 10 chits

have been awarded, there is no more cloth. A bolt of cloth is represented by the blue (under) side of the Catan chit. Two bolts of cloth equal a single victory point (or a single chit as they are used elsewhere).

• All cloth (10 blue (underside) chits) must be dispensed to the players in order for this dispensation to end.

10. Scenario 7: The Pirate Islands (Seafarers Rulebook Pg. 24) • The “one shipping route” rule will not apply. • A Pirate fortress can only be defeated once. One defeated, the settlement is now in the

possession of the player and is counted as a Victory Point for the settlement as well as a special Victory Point for defeating the Pirates. This results in a total of two Victory Points upon the Pirates defeat.

• The “Pirate Attack” Rule will not apply. • Either Knights from the Settlers of Catan development cards (provided they are unused)

or the Cities and Knights expansion (provided they are activated) may be used for the creation of a warship.

• At least one Pirate Settlement must be defeated in order for this dispensation to end. 11. Scenario 8: The Wonders of Catan (Seafarers Rulebook Pg. 27)

• Each Wonder may be built only one time with each worth one Victory Point. A player may build as many Wonders as desired until there are no more.

• Two wonders must be built in order for this dispensation to end. It is not required that they be built by the same player.

12. END: The Seafarers dispensation transitions into Cities and Knights when all required scenarios have been completed. Whoever has the Largest Army Card at this point owns it permanently.

Dispensation 3 | Cities & Knights

1. For rules pertaining to this dispensation please see the Catan: Cities &Knights Rulebook with the exception of the few variances listed below. 2. The Cities and Knights dispensation begins as soon as all required scenarios have been completed in Seafarers. 3. END: The Cities and Knights dispensation transitions into Traders and Barbarians after a player earns a metropolis.

Dispensation 4 | Traders & Barbarians 1. For rules pertaining to this dispensation please

see the Catan: Traders & BarbariansRulebook with the exception of the few variances listed below.

2. The Traders and Barbarians dispensation begins after a player has earned a metropolis

3. The Harbor Master Variant is already in play from the beginning. The Friendly Robber may be utilized and adjusted (Traders & Barbarians Rulebook Pg. 3)

4. Players may opt to either roll the dice or use an Event Card on each turn as they choose (Traders & Barbarians Rulebook Pg. 4).

5. Scenario 1: The Fishermen of Catan (Traders & Barbarians Rulebook Pg. 8) • This scenario begins as soon as Cities & Knights ends

6. Scenario 2: The Rivers of Catan (Traders & Barbarians Rulebook Pg. 10) • The Rivers of Catan will begin 1 turn after Fisherman of Catan has begun and will be played

in addition to it. • All applicable gold will be doled out for settlements already touching the rivers.

7. Scenario 3: The Caravans (Traders & Barbarians Rulebook Pg. 12) • The Caravans will begin 1 turn after the Rivers of Catan and will be played in addition to it

and all previous scenarios. 8. Scenario 4: Barbarian Attack (Traders & Barbarians Rulebook Pg. 15)

• The Barbarian Attack will begin 1 turn after The Caravans and will be played in addition to it and all previous scenarios.

9. Scenario 5: Traders and Barbarians (Traders & Barbarians Rulebook Pg. 19) • The Traders and Barbarians Scenario begins after 6 prisoners are captured.

10. END: The Traders and Barbarians dispensation will transition into Explorers and Pirates when 4 Commodities have been delivered.

Dispensation 4 | Explorers & Pirates 1. For rules pertaining to this dispensation please

see the Catan: Explorers &Pirates Rulebook with the exception of the few variances listed below.

2. Scenario 5 is all that is necessary to be used (Explorers & Pirates Rulebook Pg. 16)

3. Trade immediately becomes 3:1 for everyone 4. Longest Road is still in play 5. Gold used in Traders & Barbarians can be used

interchangeably with Explorers & Pirates

Victory! The Game ends once a player reaches 50 Victory Points and every hex has been explored.